SCOTLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 478, 26 January 1861, Page 9

SCOTLAND.

Tub French Empress in Edinburgh. — Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of the French, travelling in the strictest incognita as part of the family of the Marquis La Grange, crossed the channel on the 14th November in ■ the ordinary packet boat Alliance, and arrived ; in London the same evening. " From the London Bridge station," says the Times, " the Empress and her suite went, in common street cabs, to Claridge's hotel, in Brook-street, and it was not until they had been some time in the hotel that her Majesty's rank was known. The Empress went out on foot early next morning, and m?.de several purchases in the neighbourhood of the hotel. In the afternoon * she and her suite engaged some carriages from a neighbouring livery stable, and visited the Crystal Palace." Her Imperial Majesty left London on the 16th November for Scotland. The same evening she reached York, and took up her abode, with her suite, at the Royal Station Hotel. After breakfast on Saturday, the 17th, she spent an hour in the cathedral, lionised by the Dean and Canon Hay— Dr. Monk playing voluntaries on the organ," and the crypt being lighted up specially for her inspection. Her Majesty arrived at Edinburgh in the afternoon, and was met by a large assemblage of curious spectators, who cheered her enthusiastically. She took up her quarters in Douglas's Hotel. On Sunday* the 18th, she attended high mass at St. Mary's Church, Broughton- street — a Te Deum for the safe return of the Prince of Wales being also per ; • formed on the occasion. The Empress and' her party walked back to their hotel through a smart shower of snow. In the afternoan they took a walk round the outside of the city. On Monday, the 19th of November, the Empress visited the chief sights of Edinburgh — the Castle, Holyrood Palace, Arthur's Seat, and Leith Fort. She inspected with much interest the relics and memorials of Mary of Scotland. Her Majesty visited Melrose Abbey and Abbotsfbrd on the 20th. On the 2 1st, the Lord Provost presented an address of congratulation in the name of the Corporation of Edinburgh to the Empress. " The Empress, in reply," saj's a report in the Scotsman, " was graciously pleased to say that she felt very much gratified at receiving this communication ; and regretted that her knowledge of the English language would not allow her to express herself so fully as she could have wished. But she had a very kind and affectionate feeling towards Scotland and its people, and she regretted that her visit was necessarily so short. She would look back with much satisfaction to the very kindly feeling manifested towards her in Edinburgh, and would always feel great pleasure at her recollection of her. visit to the city." Her Majesty added, that, as she was visiting this country not in state, she could not receive any mere formal address (which might be inconsistent with her duty to the Queen of England), but she was very glad to be assured' of the feeling entertained towards her by the citizens of Edin- ■ burgh, and was very happy to receive the address thus presented to her. Her Majesty assured the Lord Provost of the earnest desire on the part of the Emperor to maintain the alliance, and to cultivate a good feeling with the people of England.

The third half-yearly meeting of the General Council of the University of Edinburgh was held on the 2Gth October — Sir David Brewster, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, presiding. The following resolutions were adopted: — 1. That the General Council represent to the University Court the importance of bringing before the notice of Parliament and of her Majesty's Government the just claims of the Scotch Universities to have three separate representatives in the House of Commons, of whom one shall be returned by the University of Edinburgh, one by the University of Glasgow, _ and one by the Universities of Aberdeen and" St. Andrews. 2. That it be represented to the University Court that, in the opinion of the General Council, a separate and distinct chair of Political Economy ought to be established in the University. 3. That the General Council represent to the University Court the im : , portance of instituting an entrance examination on the subjects which form the studies of the first year of an arts curriculum — the examination being limited to those students who wish the session in which they are entering to be reckoned an academic year.

On the 15th of November, in terms of a royal proclamation, the Peers of Scotland assembled at Holyrood, for the purpose of electing one of their number as one of the sixteen representative Peers of Scotland in the House of Lords, in room of the Earl of Leven and Melville, deceased. All the Peers voting gave their suffrages for Lord Rollo, excepting the Earl of Buchan, who declined to vote, and the Earl of Haddington, whose vote the clerks declined to receive, in consequence of a resolution of the House of Lords, of date May 13, 1822, to the effect that, on the decease of any Peer or Peeress of Scotland, no person claiming by collateral succession shall be admitted to vote at the election of representative Peers of Scotland, until his right of voting shall' "have been admitted by the House of Lords.

Edinburgh is still agitated by the vexed question of the Annuity Tax. The voters elected a candidate in one ward, of whom it was known that he would not act, in the hope that the Council, not being full, would be disqualified from signing the bonds to the clergy. Mr. George Young, advocate, advised that the Council could proceed to business at the meeting on the 9th — the Act of Parliament requiring the bonds to be signed before the 11th ot November. A stormy discussion ensued, in which it was first determined that the Council should proceed ; and afterwards, not before much warmth and erroneous statement of law, misquotation and misapplication of history, the Council resolved, by 20 to 10, to sign the bonds, and by 15 to 12 to sign, simplicitor, and against a motion to sign under protest. The Lord Provost, Tteasurer, and Town Clerk signed the bonds before leaving the council chamber.