MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1976, 29 October 1863, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

The elevation of Mr Moucton Milnes to the peerage by tbe title of Baron Hougbton will take no one by surprise. His i aune has more than once been designated for this honor in rumours of that kind which are officially called premature, and has been favourably received by the public. To a high social position and sufficient wealth, he unites the honourable literary reputation, a long political experience, and a good deal of that prestige which is tbe joint result of recognised ability and character.

Tbe all but completion of the Indian telegraph constructed on Government account at Mr Henley's works North Woolwich, under the auspices of Colonel Patrick Stewart, Sir Charles Bright, and Mr Latimer Clarke, have come on tbe public with a suddenness — the simile will not be unappropriate — of an electric shock. Sheathed now, not only in iucorrosible wire, but in good hemp covered with a " patent composition," composed of asphalite, Swedish pitch, and powdered silica, tbe new cable is said to be capable of resisting decay and the ruinous smbraces of coral and barnacles. The inner wires are coated with gutta-percha, and that is the only item which excites a doubt. Will gutta-percha produce the same amount of absolute insulation as to be producable by the employment of India-rubber ?

Hung by His Tail. — Among tbe prisoners awaiting trial was Ah Let, charged with attempting to murder a fellow countryman named Mcc Ciiee. He bad been brought before tbe magistrates several times reminded, as it was alledged the victim of the murderous asault was not sufficiently recovered to appear. Prisoner was last brought before the bench on Friday, and again remanded. Mr Davis, the senior turnkey, deposed that the deceased was last seen alive in bis cell on Friday evening. On Saturday morning, about six o'clock, be was found hanging fey his " tail" to one of the iron bars of the window, quite dead. Deceased had deliberately used a bucket, and piled on it his bedding, in order to reach the window, which is more than eight feet from tbe floor. Having increased the length of his hirsute appendage by attaching to its silken continuation a twisted handkerchief, the Mongolian fixed it round his neck in a style which Calcraft would have approved, and literally "kicked the bucket." Death must have speedily followed. Nothing peculiar had been observed in the prisoner's demeanor during his imprisonment. The coroner remarked that it was worthy of inquiry why the prisoner had been so frequently remanded by the bench, as he (the coroner) had seen the Chinaman who was assaulted, and he certainly appealed to him fit to be brought up. Perhaps the frequent remands bad caused tbe deceased to fret, and hence the tragic result. Dr M'Grath deposed that he had examined the body. There could be no doubt that deceased had died by his own hand. Had not previously observed any symptoms of insanity in deceased. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence, and added a rider to the effect that they deemed it advisable that the officers of the gaol should be authorised to remove the silken continuations of the " tails" of Chinese prisoners. Several Chinese were present at the inquest also a Chinese interpreter. The Coroner explained (through the interpreter) to the deceased's "cousin" the nature of the evidence. We believe this is the first case on record on which a Chinaman has performed the feat of kanging himself by bis " tail."— M. A. Mail, October 5.

t Mopkavieff Showing Meecy. — Out of derision Mouravieff orders tbe gibbet to be unusually high, aud at tbe foot a lavge bole is dug to " receive priests and nobles." In spite of this revolting cynicism tbe executor of Lithuania has met with a master who has made him recoil in alarm. A rich proprietor of Wiersupa a suburb of this place, bad refused the payment of a new tax, saying that Mouravieff would not dare to ask him for it personally. the pro. consul, to whom this refusal was reported, summoned the proprietor, M. Massalskj, to appear before him. As a measure of precaution he was searched, and placed between four Cossacks, who were charged to closely watch all his movements. The following dialogue took place:—" Is it true that you boasted that you would shut my mouth ?" — " Boasted ? No ; no one boasts, except when he obtains a victory over a man, and you are not a man, Mouravieff, but a tiger !" — "Insolent! Well, then, I, Mouravieff 11, generalissimo in Lithuania of his Majesty's armies, summon Massalski to — — " — " Do not finish the sentence ; it is twenty-two years ago that tbe same Mouravieff of Wilna arrived at Warsaw, leaving behind him a track of blood; that Mouravieff slept at the palace of the ancient King of Poland, but he was afraid " " You lie !" " He was afraid, I repeat, and I wish for no other proof than a certain writing ' " Silence •" cried the general becoming as pale as death ; " that writing " "Itis in a safe place; but if I die by you, publicity will avenge me." The Cossacks were about to rush on the audacious proprietor for daring thus to insult his excellency, but Mouravieff stopped them. "In order to prove to Poland," he said, " how unjust she is, I will grant your life. Our mngnanimous sovereign does not tax madmen. Depart — depart — leave — why do you not depart?" And tbe man was then let free, Mouravieff cot having dared to demand from him the payment of the tax. Massaiski has been much questioned as to the secret which had effectually closed the mouth of the executioner of Lithuania, but he aremains inflexibly silent, and only answers that his property has been respected "by superior older/; j

FIELD-MARSHAL LORD CLYDE, G.C.8., K.S.I.

After a lingering illness Loid Clyde expired on the morning of August 14, at the house of his friend, General Eyre, at Chatham. For more than half a century he bad served his co mtry in every quarter of the globe. But his honors came perhaps too late, for he was near 70 when he received them, and three or four years was too brief a period to enjoy the repose which he had so nobly earned.

Born on the 20tk October, 1792, of humble parents — for his father was a cabinet-maker in Glasgow—he entered the army in 1808, and became a lieutenant in the following year. How great mast have been the perseverance, the courage, and the discretion of such a friendless and penniless boy to have raised himself to a pee rage and to the colonelcy of the Coldstream Guards cau be known only to those who understand the aristocratic traditions of the British army. It is needless here to recount in detail his numerous services, But it may be interesting to recall the account which Lord Clyde ome gave a committee of the House of Commons of his own life when he appeared to give evidence against the purchase system — " lam now, 1 ' he said, "in my 63rd year. I entered the army at 15. I was present at the battles of Vimiera and Corunna, and in Vhe expedition to Walcheren ; and I came home before I was 16, I served in America in 1814 and 1815. I passed seven years in the West Indies, where I wos constantly ill of fever, but I stayed there seven years, thinking it would be considered a merit by sticking to my regiment. In tbe West Indies I was brigade mpjor a part of the time, but sharing in the duties of captain of my regiment. I was afterwards upwards of thirteen years in China and India, and the greater pait of the time in command of considerable bedies of troops in the field. I was borne on the rolls of my regiment, the 08th, from 1835 to 1853. I was in actual eonmand of the regiment for nearly ten years, and present with it; but it was only after 25 years that I obtained my lieutenant-colenelcy, even by purchase, and the money for that purpose was only obtained with the greatest difficulty. Whilst still on the rolls efmy regiment, I served as a brigadier in China, and subsequently as brigadier commanding in the garrison of Lahore, before the overthrow of the Sikh government. Subsequently I commanded a 'division in the Punjaub campaign, afterwards a field force on the Peshawur frontier, where we were constantly engaged in war with the tribes inhabiting the mountains which intervene between the valley of the Indus and the [open country of Afghanistan." Such were the services of Colin Campbell before the Crimean war, and yet in that war — having beeii some five-and-forty years in the British army — he was appointed only a brigadier, being still a colonel, and had the honor of serving under those who bad but half his years and no service to recommend them. Though he contributed much to the victory of the Alma — -though he had watched day and night the lives of Balaklava — though he had met tbe onset of the Russian horse with the famous " thin red line," disdaining to throw his men into square — though he bad proved himself the ablest officer who was left with the British army after the death of Lord Raglan, he was destined to be passed over by two men, who however excellent as men of business, or as copious letter writers, were immeasurably his inferiors. Fortunately Sebastopol was taken, and the British army returned to England ; and it was not long before the services of Sir Colin Campbell were urgently required.

In 1857 the great Indian mutiny broke cut, and the Peninsula was in a conflagration. The system of appointing worn-out officers aud men about town who had once been ensigns to command the great armies in India had broken down. A man was required to save India, and within 21 hours after receiving his appointment Sir Colin Campbell was on his way to the East : nor did lie go alone. He took with him as his chief of the stuff that able and accomplished officer Sir William Mnusfield, to mature his plans and to issue the orders by which those plans were to be executed. From the time that Sir Colin Campbell took the field and set lfis columns in motion, rebellion, the offspring of mutiny, withered and died. It is_ beyond our limits to describe his work.

Looking back upon tb* career of this sturdy and gallant soldier it ia impossible to suppress a feeling of honest pride that this country should have owned him as her son: Few laboring men under such difficulties as must have beset the career of young M'Liver — for that was his original name — would have had the courage to persevere for nearly half a century, or would have had the ability to take advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself. The case of Lord Clyde will of course be quoted by the advocates of the present system of promotion by purchase as a proof that, even under the most adverse circumstances, such men must rise to the top of their profession. But those who know the real story will blush to think that it needed more than 40 years of arduous service, a Russian war, and a tottering empire, before such a man could obtain promotion or reasonable reward.

As a military officer it cannot be said that Lord Clyde was a great strategist. The operations which he undertook were not such as entitle him to be placed in the same category with Napoleon or Wellington. It may even be doubted whether his military genius would bear comparison with tbe best officers now engaged in America. But he was thoroughly efficient in every situation in which he was tried. Others might be more daring and ingenious in devising combinations and in planning a campaign. But in the face of the enemy Lord Clyde was in his element. His coolness, prudence, and fertility of resource seem to be quickened by the presence of lhe enemy. That roughness of deportment which characterissd him on ordinary ocsasions disappeared with the sound of the first gun ; his irritable temperament was soothed, and he became abnormally polite. Amidst the smoke aud din of battle his senses acquired a 'supernatural acuteness — he could interpret the changing signs of the battle, and anticipate the movements of the euemy with a fautlesa precision which was almost miraculous. This strong and cool judgment exercised in the most trying circumstances amounted almost to genius.

In person, Lord Clyde was well kni% symmetrical, and graceful ; but of late years liis shoulders became somewhat bowed, though be lost little of the activity which was remarkable in so old a man. To the last his teeth remained full aud firm in the great square jaws, and his eye pierced the distance with all the force of his youthful vision. His crisp, grey locks still stood close and thick, curliug over the head and above the crinkled brow, and there were few external signs of the decay of nature which was, no doubt, going on within, accelerated by so many wounds, such fevers, such relentless, exacting service. When he so willed it, he could throw into his manner and conversation such a wondrous charm of simplicity and vivacity as fascinated those over whom it was exerted, and women admired and men were delighted with the courteous, polished, gallant old soldier. In the other mood he could be quite as effective,

Such was Colin, Lord Clyde. He is gone ; but his name will rank with the great soldiers who fought under Marlborough and Wellington. His lordship's funeral took place on August 22. The place where his honored remains rest was changed almost at the last hour from Kensal-green to Westminster Abbey. It is understood that this was done at the instance of the Government, acting upon the expressed wishes of the Sovereign herself. In other respects the privacy and absence of display which the departed hero recommended to be observed was scrupulously adhered to. But it was impossible that Lord Clyde should altogether go to the grave as an obscure man. The mourning carriages of the royalfamilyfollowedthe procession, and there was many a soldier who hadfollowed the departed into the veryjaws of death and was nowpreseutat the ver^e of the tomb. The Btreets through which the mournful procession passed were lined with crowds of respectable persons ; aud every nook and coign of vantage of the old Abbey was occupied with its knot of eager specifiers. The service observed at the funeral was affectingly solemn, and the whole ceremony spoke less of the fiery warrior than of the humble modest Christian.

Criuoline now and then makes some amends for the disasters it has caused. This occurred atoaeofthe Paris theatres last week, where upon the stage, a trap door was left open, through which a favourite actress would have been precipitated had cot the abundant size of the crinoline filled up the vacancy and suspended her fair frame between the world above and the realms below until succour came.