English Extracts.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 57, 20 July 1868, Page 3

English Extracts.

(From the Home Ncio.i,} 'S^lr J. Y. Simpson states that in tho old town of Kd In burgh tlicro arc 10,000 fnmllica, consisting of M/JOO Individual*, living in oneroom ItouttcH, ail'! that 1.100 rooms nro the abode*, day inul n'glu, of from llvo to fifteen persons. About 120 liaro no windows, and 000 of thorn nro collars. Brcuoh-Loudcra, tvftor all, jvro no norcUy, At a recent meeting of tU< i Royal Arolircologtoul Institute, Brigadier-General Lorroy exhibited a " curious broeoh.loading, smooth, bored, nintcli-look nrquobus," which boro on it tho (into 1637, umi appears to imvo belonged to Henry VHI, Tho Karl ol ShaCtfllmry writes to tho editor of ilia Record:—" Sir,— -On mondny evening lost I was on tbo sumo platform with thu i Hoy Mr tipurgcon in Kxctor-hnll. For thU ! 1 htvvo received a rebuke, and Ishal l, possibly, receive many more. May I, once for all, through your columns, glvo an answer retrospectively nnd prospectivoly to all such doubts nnd caatigations ? In tho first ptuco, I am a member of tbo Church of Kngland, umi, by . Goil'fl blessing, I intend to continue do, Secondly, I slnll do my boat to maintain in full vigour tho Katablished Church of this kingdom. Thirdly, although Ido not concur in all Mr Spurgcon's somimunts, nor always approve tlio lunßiingo in which thvy nro con* voyod, I regard him n» v mnn of great Ability, of grout earnestness, and doing a great work. And, in thefto days of trouble, relmko, and of blitfljilioniy, I will, if requested, give iho right of fellowship to him. and to overy other who will preaoh Christ to tho massed of our people. I ain,Slr,yourobo'llentscTv«(it,isitAfrKSiiUHr, — April 27, 1808." "On Wednesday, April 2D, at tho Free*. mnsonsMmll, Great Quoon strcot, London,/ thoro was a very larKO gatlierlng, compoaed of ppora anil gontlumcn belonging to tho Miiflonlo craft, which Jiolds within its raukn men of all creeds* and all nations, to tako part in tho celebration of tho 25th iimallution of tho Earl of Zotland us Grand Master of tho Knglish branoh of " Anoicnt Free' nnd Accopied Mnaono," Tills wliko, which, has mor« than onoo been held by Ma.iona of the blood roy«.l, oiiu only bo taken by men of noble birth, or by men <<of letters," and tho festival wan ono in more than ordinary regard, from tho faot of tho length of timo tho noble carl hud held tho position, Dcfore tho foatiral knell! a gnuid lodge of Provincial and Worshipful Mustors wan held, when, after the Grand Master had been installed, ho pro* cccdcd to name hi* olllcora. Tlio Karl Do (iroy and Mipon was appointed Deputy Grattd Master ; Karl Vane, Senior Or/md Warden, and Lo Gendro N. Starkic, tho IligU aiierll? of Lmcashiro, wns appointed Junior Grand Warden. Tho I'.nrl of Zutlnnd drow attention to tho Into wicked attempt upon tho lifo of the Duko of Edinburgh, and in a nhort and effective fllKK'C')) moved (hat a voto of condolence should bo prcflontcd to Her Majesty on behalf of tho Freemasons of Kngland tint euch an attempt nhould have been made, and of congratulation that it tmould hnvo so signally fuile<l. luirl do Grey and Ilipon seconded tho resolution, which was carrlod by acclamation, and the two noblo carlo wcro appointed to convoy it to Ilor Majesty. Tho fentival itself wna held in tho great ball, and every ono proiont wore hid " craf t costumo." Several hundred of tho brethren sat down to tho bunquot, and tho proceedings wcro witnessed by a largo number of ladios from tho gallery. When the brethren had taken their place*, the I'rovinclui Grand Masters, tho Grand Stewards, and other officers ontcrod tho hall in procession, and twico passed round. Tho Grand Mastor was thon announced, and ho cntcre<l then with lilh Deputy and Wardens amid loud and warm applause. When the bunmict, which was a very grand ono, was over, tho Grand Mastor proposed tho " Health of tho Queen," and reforrcd in brief terms to tho resolution which had been passed in the Grund Lodge, adding that if anything wero wanting to add to tho love of tho pooplo for the Queen such a wicked attempt as this would havo tho effect. Tho toast was roccivod with tho utmost onllmoliism, no who that of tho Prince nnd I'rlncouD of Wales nnd other momliorn of the Royal Family. Mr A. Dohio, tho L'rovinciul Grand Master of Surrey, proposed thu " Health of tho Karl of Zetland," who briefly acknowledged tho toast. Lord do Twbley, tho Provincial Grand M««tvr o* Cheshire, proponed tlie " Grand Lodges of Scotland and ire Und, and all other Grand Lodges," and all other Grand Lodges," and Earl Vano responded for tho toasts of tho Deputy Grand Mastor nnd Grand Officers, Tho Mnsonlu Charities, iho ProYlucUU Grand Masters, the

Grand Stewards, nnd tho Indies present were tho concluding toaata, A fearful catastrophe Is reported to have occurred by tho falling in of the Santa Klin mine, belonging to the Fusion Carbonifera Company of Kspiel and Belmcz, Spiin, by which nccident fifty-four men have been buried alive. Tho Marquises Do Casa-Larioa nnd Cas»-Loring, who were descending at tho moment in a basket, miraculously 'escaped. When tho Popo recently received tho distinguished American philanthropist, Mr Pcubody, fn private audience, his Holtaes«, laying aside tho stilted etiquette of the Papal Court, invited him to bo seated during tho intorview—a mark of condescension which is generally only shown to persona of the highest rank. Tho Soulh London Extras says that William Roupell will shortly bo released from tho Portland convict prison. His health has severely suffered during hia punishment, and his return to tho world— broken down and despised-— will bo a bitter discipline for aomo who, it is rumoured, were morally as criminal as ho. Tho Governor of Ayr prison committed suicide on .Sunday, May 10, in A beer-shop in I)uke-Btrect, London-bridge. It nppe*s that the deceased, Mr Robert Sutherland, on Saturday took leave of hia wife and family, who lived with him in Ayr Gaul. Ho merely told them ho was going to Edinburgh, and they had no suspicion that he meditated anything vtmmiivl, Instead of going to Edinburgh, however, he went up to London. On Sundag evening ho entered tho Hand in Hand beer-shops, in Dukostrect, near Lon lon bridge, nnd ordered a bed. He retired to rest <\t once although it was eMH early. The next morning the pcoplo in the house, finding that ho did not mnko his appearance, knocked repeatedly nt his bedroom door, but received no answer. At midday the police were called In, nnd an entrance vta* forced, He wai found lying dead on tho floor, with a fearful wound in tho throat. It was evident fn>m too nppearanco of tho room that ho had placed n bnsin on tho floor nnd had then cut his throat with ft razor while leaning over It, * On tlio table were found Utter*, In which tho deceased stated that he liad been leading a lifo of wiokbdnoss, and that ho was miserablo in consequence. This statement, however, was followcn by ono in which he said that ho felt his brain was affected. He left a memorandum to tell his friends that the amount of money in his pockits at the timo of his death vras £37 10s, and that it was to bo given over to n person in Edinburgh whom he named. An inquest was held on May 13, when evidence was given showing that the deceased had been ill for some timo, and hia medical attendant had directed that ho should be cnrofuliy watched. A verdict of suicido during temporary insanity was returned.