MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 400, 30 July 1859, Page 6

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

The Elections. — The latest return shows that 632 members have been returned to the Imperial Parliament, of whom 346 are Liberals and 286 Conservatives, — giving a majority of 60 against the Government. The subsequent elections are not likely to diminish in any perceptible manner this result, and it is therefore clear that Lord Derby faces the new House of Commons in a position hardly better than that in which he dissolved the old one.

After two three weeks of much turmoil and confusion, the general election has been brought to a close. Considering the state of public affairs under which the last Parliament was dissolved, and the result which has been at lafct arrived at, Lord Derby has not much reason to congratulate himself on the appeal to the country. It is variously calculated that he has gained from 17 to 25 votes, leaving the Opposition still in possession of a majority strong enough to turn out the Ministers by whom they were called into existence. Heavy charges of corruption have been brought against the Conservatives on this occasion, and the Government are openly accused of having combined with the Roman Catholic party for the purpose of influencing the elections in Ireland and elsewhere. The increase in the pay of Catholic chaplains, indirect promises of a oharter for a Roman Catholic University, and a. costly contract for a packet station at Galway, are expressly mentioned as cases in point 5 but there can be no doubt that all these charges, and others that are afloat, will be brought before Parliament on an early day. Parliament is convoked for the 31st.

War PRErAKATioNs. — The Times gives a long account of the immensely-increased activity going on in the production of weapons' and warlike preparations of all kinds at Woolwich, which is said to be as great as at the height of the Crimean war. The resources of the arsenal are equal to fitting-out and issuing, in case of emergency, 500 guns per week of - the best and largest ordnance. There are now 12,000 pieces of iron ordnance ia store at Woolwich, of which 7000 are of the beat make and modern calibre. At each of the great dockyards there are stores of from 1000 to 1500 heavy connon. With regard to small arms, it is stated that there are about 90,000,000 rounds of Minie ammunition in store, and the production of conical bullets is going on at the rate of 2,000,000 rounds a week.

Captain Norton, the inventor of the destructive missile, known as the liquid-fire shell, paid another visit to Chatham on the 12th, for the purpose of exhibiting the effects of his shells when fired from an ordinary rifled pistol. For this purpose a liquid-fire shell, adapted to a deep-grooved Enfield rifle, was discharged from a marine pistol at a quantity of sackcloth, superseded to represent a tent. Immediately on the shell striking the material the liquidfire shell burst, scattering its formidable contents in all directions. The results were as astonishing as they were satisfactory, the can-. vas almost instantaneonsly4S|jj||iftl||^d burs'&Si ing into flame Captain JNTJ^^^^^fehat he" can with this shell blow up tl^pmTOUtation of an enemy at 1800 or 2000 yards' distance.

A short time ago the pedple of Galatz made a ferocious attack on the Jewish inhabitants of the city, whom they accused (according to a wretched superstition) of having taken blood from a Christian boy, in order to make use of it in their Easter ceremonies ! The synagogue was destroyed, the bibles and scrolls of laws found in it torn to pieces, the shops broken open and plundered, and about 200 Jews more or less injured. In the course of the day, troops having arrived from Brailow, peace and order were restored, but none of the rioters d.

were arrests

The Courrier de Marseille mentions as a proof of Austria being greatly in want of funds, that the Emperor Francis Joseph has caused the crown jewels to be deposited with the heirs of the well-known banker, Baron Sina, as a guarantee for a loan of 32 millions of florins.

The effect on the merchant service of the Government bounty offered to seamen can scarcely yet be ascertained. . The supposition is that it will lead to an increase of between 20g. and 30s. per month in the rate of wages.

The effects of the war in Italy are already being felt in the metropolis. In Mark-lane wheat has risen 103. to 12s. a quarter within the space of a week, while the price of the quartern loaf, which previous to the Austrian ultimatum to Sardinia was oa the decline, has advanced l£d. to 2d.

After performing before the royal family at Berlin, Mr. Rarey has gone on to St. Petersburg, where his hands have been kept quite full. On the 10th of April he gave a performance before the emperor and bis family and two of his brothers, besides several princes and princesses. The first subject was a horse who had just kicked his box to pieces and killed his groom, and Mr. Rarey exhibited him after a few days' training as obedient as a circus horse, and ready to obey orders, which were given him from the other end of the riding-school. The second was a wild, unbroken, entire horse, from the steppes- of Ilussia ; and he too was so completely subdued in a short time that the emperor not only publicly expressed his gratification, but ordered a report to be published in the papers. The 'Illustrated London News' says that Mr. Rarey has finally concluded arrangements with the Horse Guards to teach the British cavalry, and he returns for that purpose to London on the Ist of June.

The Liverpool Albion states that a.lady who -was staying at an hotel in that town a short time back, went with her footmau and her nurse to the workhouse, and purchased a baby from its mother for £5.

The confirmation of her Royal Highness the Princess Alice took place in the private chapel at Windsor Castle on the 21st of April.

For several days two French steam ships of war have been lying to outside of Plymouth, and it is reported that there are two others outside Falmouth. On the 11th May a corvette of about 18 gun?, with painted ports, and a schooner of 12 guns, all black, were observed, for fire hours, four miles S.S.E. of the Eddystone in the run of the homeward boundlhips. The schooner, when hailed by a pilot boat, declared her nation, but declined answering any other questions.

The following names appear in tie obituary of the month :— M. dc Tocqueville, the Bishop of Bangor, Sir 11. D. Goring, Alexander yon Humboldt, Dr. Lardner, Principal Lee, the Duke of Leeds, Baron de Goldsmid, Mr. C. R. Leslie, J?.A.; Sir A. Aston, X.C.8. ; ViceAdmiral Percy Grace, the Earl of Moray, and Mr. Joseph iSturge.

Quito was almost destroyed by an earthquake on the 29th March— sooo persons were killed, and property to the value of 3,000,000 dollars destroyed.

It was expected that Sir E. B. Lytton would formally resign the seals of the Colonial Department before the meeting of Parliament,, and that his successor would be appointed' from the secondary ranks of the administration.