LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume II, Issue 81, 22 July 1846, Page 3

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

[Fr->m tlie Australian J urnal, June 4.] Her Majesty, and Prince Alb?ri, intended in February to visit the llaymarket Theatre. The Daily News makes a remarkabla announcement— ,. It gives us very great pleasure to hear that tbe associated mill owners of Manchester propose, on Sir Robert Peel's measure becoming law. to reduce tbe hours of factory iabour from twelve to eleven., We earneetly hope that this judicious end well-timed proposal will be carried into effect, and that the example will be promptly followed throughout the manufacturing districts." An imperial ukase, issued on the Ist of September last, subjects the Israelites of the Russian Empire to a fresh tax, the produce of which will be devoted to the.establishment of Jewish Churcheg: the tax is to be levied upon the wax candies lighted on Saturdays and other feast days. Tbe subjoined notification has been stack up in all the principal churches in Paris:—" At the request «f the Roman Catholic Bishops of England, expressed to the Archbishop of Paris by the Bishop of Melipotamus (Dr. Wiseman), prayers will be offered up to God during eight days, reckoning from the present day, on the occasion of tbe immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin Mary, for the entire return of the English nation to the Catholic, apostolic, and Roman faith.'' Warlike Preparations.—l he colonels of wilitiaiive been ordered to famish an immediate return of the officers of their respective regiments, with a view of snperceeding those that are inefficient, and supplying place with young men. This has already created a great stir »n Ireland, and we are told that the colonels are already beset by claimants for the vacancies which will nectssarily be made. Portsmouth Defences.— The engineers are •till busily employed strengthening the land and sea fortifications of both P.jrtsmoath and Portsea AH the embrasures (a considerable number) which have At different times been stopped up alons the lines and ramparts of these t-w.-ii hare been re-opened aoo, where guns can be piaced with advantage new ones made. On the ravine in advance of the Kirrg 8 b.stion, on the Pertsmou h lines, six new embrasures are now being f orm , d) an d six ? «ns of heavy calibre (32 and 68 pounders) are to -be mounted forthwith. As this ravelin commands obliquely the entTanceof theharboor, it will add considerably to the sea defence, and will likewise strengthen the town fortification!. The works at Blockhouse Fort are progressing rapidly, the barracks for the artillery being nearly finished. Fortification's at Sheekkess.—The alterations of tne old fortifications, 8 o as to mount from sixty to eeventy guns of the largest calibre, which have been impeded for some tkne, owing to the eipreiments recently instituted at Woolwich as to the best mode of pivoting tbe carriages for the guns to determine whether or not they are to be secured to the masonry, are about to be recommenced ivitb vigour-; the result of th-se experiments bring j n favour of fixiHg the platfoims by pivots to the masonry.which. most necessarily be strong to bear the recoil of such enormous gang eg are now intended to be placed on all our fortifications. The excava tions for the masonry on which the several travers" ing platforms are to rest, are now being bedded with concrete, and the greater part of the stones are ready to lay down. ' Gladstone on Colonial Railways.—The most important business that has been transacted by Mr. Gladstone, since his accession to office relates to colonial railways. On the 16th instant a number of gentlemen connected with railway pro. jects for the colonies waited upon Mr. Gladstone by invitation, to state their views respecting the best method of regulating railway legislation in the colonies, and to learn the intentions of Government on that head. Tie same parties were assembled our readers will recollect, by Lord Stanley for a similar purpose, on the Ist of December last. Or, more properly speaking, they were assembled to hesr bis lordship prescribe regulations for all colonial railways. These regulations were exceedingly oijectionable; and accordingly strong representations against •Ti>?, re T*? b * Beveral gentlemen, apparently with little effect On Friday last, Mr. Gladstone, by a few questions, elicited tbe opinions of the de. putations, and then intimated his own views He did not think it expedient, he said, to attempt to dictate to so many and so various c entries, as, wh»t might be easily practicable and ad. vantageous in one, might be the reverse in another: At the same time he considered it his duty to i impart to the Lesisiature of each colony the banefitof this countrj's experience. He, therefore, proposed to address to the Governors of all the colonies a circular despatch, containing recommendatory suggestions. The draft of this despatch Mr- Gladstone read to his risiturs; it i s a J uci d communication, evincing a comprehensire acquaintance wrh the colonies, and appears well calculated to serve as a guide to correct legislation. Its leading suggestions are as follows,-—That tea percent, shall be paid up on the capital to be employed previously to any colonial railway bill rea-ivin* the royal assent in this country ; that provision shall be made for the conveyance of the rojal me ii S , and for the trausitof troops, police, ordnance stores, &c. ; that where electric lekgraphs are put up, the management of them-shall be under the control of Governmentthat a reve.sjon of toll* shall be made periodically on the basis of a seven years average and fifteen per cent, maximum piofii; that the State shall have the option of purchasing, at the end oi twenty fiveyeais at the iate of twenty five years of the current receipts of the company, Spme other clauses relate to the inspection of accounts, provisions for tbe public safety, and the notices required to be given in the colony! Mr* Gladstone evinced anxiety to impress on the minds of tlie deputations that it was his desire to give the freest scope to individual enterprise, and to leave matters, as much as possible, between the capitalists of this country and tbe \&- gislatnres of tbe colonies. 'a£ tbr close of the con, ference, Sir J hn Rae Reid, on behalf of all tne gentlemen present, expressed his bearty concurrence in tbe views of the Colonial Minister. These were not mere words of compliment. The assent giveu by the deputations was sincere, cordial, and unre. sei ved. The contrast was remarkable, ai it was gra* tifyins. between Downing Street on the 16th inst." and Downing; Street on the Ist Decemher, 1845. * Colonial Gazette, Jan. 21.