FOREIGN MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue XXVI, 1 August 1871, Page 3

FOREIGN MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

The wine crop in Portugal promises to be most abundant. There are forty female students at the University of Zurich, and there are 200 female medical students in London. The Swedish Riegsdag has just had presented to it a new bill on the press, sending before a jury all offences committed by journals. A majority of twothirds is required for an acquittal. At the Naples Exhibition a picture, known by the title of the " Madonna dei Libro," one of the earliest works of Raphael, has been sold to a Russian purchaser for ihe enormous sum of £13,400. The Egyptian government has determined to construct a railway from Damjetta to Mansouwh. One of the richest provinces of the country would thus be joined to the extensive lines of Egypt. It is generally believed that the strikes among the German workmen are supported by the funds of English trade unions. The " Deutsche Reiehs-Cor-respondenz'' states that official investigations prove this to be fact. Ropid progress is being made with the works of the great tunnel under Mont Cenis. Communication from ond to end has now been open forsomc little time; but there are still about severity metres of the tunnel to complete in the centre. The lady student who carried off the chemical prize at tho University of Edinburgh was the highest of 2-10 candidates. Having been declared ineligible to receive the prize on account of her sex, Sir Titus Salt sent her £100, but she declined lo accept it. As the Dieppe season approaches with every prospect of a number of English families coining over to spend a few months here, it is as well to inform those who intend to take houses during tho season that the Prussians are here still, and are suro to be billeted upon them. It is now stated that the Tichborno case is likely to last until the month of September, and the cost has been calculated as likely to amount to the enormous sum of £100,000. The SolicitorGeneral received 1000 guineas with his

brief; Mr Hawkins, £750, and Mr Giffard, £600. They each have a refresher of fifty guineas a day. Letters from Cronstadt mention that orders have been received in that port to commence fitting out the naval division which is to conduct to the United States the Grand Duke Alexis, son of the Emperor Alexander and officer in the Russian navy, He will embark on board the Admiral General steam frigate, one of the best vessels in the service. The production of coal in Austria increases yearly, but it is far from being 1 sufficient for the requirements of the country. In 1803 it amounted (exclusively of Hungary) to 02,004,188 cwt. of mineral coal and 55,830,050 cwt of wood coal. The greater part of this came from Bohemia, which produced 35,000,000 cwt of mineral coal and 35,000,000 cwt of wood coal. It is stated that a deputation from the Roman Catholic youth of England will proceed to Italy during the present month to pay a visit to the young men of Turin. The object is to oiler a tribute of homage to the Pope on the twentyfifih anniversary of his pontificate. The deputation is to be mannged by Lord Beaumont, the Hon. Edward Noel, and Mr B. B. Woodward.