Zioullautnuo.

The first Cabinet Council since Christmas was held at Lord Palmer- ston's official residence on Thursday. All the Ministers, now fifteen strong, were present ; the Marquis of Clanricarde for the first time. A second Council, also fully attended, was held yesterday in the same place.

The Globe states that "the Government of India has ordered an in- quiry for the purpose of ascertaining whether the statements made by the A-fend of India as to the treatment of the King of Delhi and his son are true."

The rate of mortality in London is still high. The number of deaths last week was 1327, that is only 26 under the amount of the corrected average. No comparison can be instituted between the number who died in the last and in the preceding week, because the latter was increased by the Coroners' returns for the month. Eight persons between ninety and ninety-eight, and one a hundred-and-one years of age died last week. The Registrar-General reports an improvement in the quality of water supplied to London, though it is still far from being pure.

The obituary contains a record of the death of an uncompromising Tory, one of the last of the race—George William Finch-Hatton, tenth Earl a Winchilsea and fifth Earl of Nottingham. He died on the 8th instant, at Haverholme Priory, Sleaford, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. He will be remembered for his stanch adherence to Toryism; his fierce oppo- sition to Catholic Emancipation ; the violence of his language ; his invec- tives against O'Connell ; his duel with the Duke of Wellington ; his absence from the House of Lords for many years after the passing of the Ca- tholic Relief Bill ; his return, although he had pledged himself never to ap- pear therein again • and his latest exhibitions in Parliament, on Maynooth, the Corn-laws, and the Jew Bill. It is remarked that he said and did things in the House of Lords so outrageous that they were not reported. But while everybody censured his violence, nobody doubted his honesty. Lord Win- chilsea was thrice married, and connected by marriage with the families of Montrose, Bagot, and Rice. His eldest son by his second marriage, hitherto known as Lord Maidstone, succeeds to the title and estates.

The Morning Post is at pains to make it known that the Princess Royal has personally selected her own bridesmaid's. These are the chosen ones— the Lady Cecilia Gordon Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond ; the Lady Susan Pelham Clinton, daughter of the Duke of Newcastle ; the Lady Susan Murray, daughter of the Duke of Athole ; the Lady Katherine Hamil- ton, daughter of the Marquis of Abercoru ; the Lady Emma Stanley, daughter of the Earl of Derby ; the Lady Constance Villiers, daughter of the Earl of Clarendon; the Lady. Victoria Noel, daughter of the Earl of Gains-

-borough ; and the-laely-Geeilia idolyneux, daughter of the Countess of Sof- ton. It is stated "shut each of these young ladies has long enjoyed-the per- sonal friendship of the Princess Royal.' .

A Mr. Raney of the lJnited States exhibited at Windsor, on Wednesday, before the Queen and Prince Consort, the great'powers he possesses over horses. • He began with a wild colt from the Prince's farm. " After being alone with the animal about an hour-and-a-half, the Royal party entered, and found Mr: Raney sitting on his back without holding the rein, the horse standing perfectly quiet. Mr. Raney then made a few remarks in regard to

• his.great experienee in the treatment of this noble 'animal. A thorn Was afterwards handed to Mr. Raney, which he beat-with fury whilst sitting On the horse's back, without the colt exhibiting any signs of fear. The Royal party afterwards withdrew for a few minutes, and on their return found the animal lying down and Mr. Raney knocking its hind-legs together, one of which he put against his face. Afterwards, a restim horse, from Mr. Ander- son's stables in London, which Mr. Raney before handled, was brought in; this horse was placed at one end of the riding-house alone, Mr. Raney went to the other end, and at his command the horse walked quietly up to him. He then made the horse lie down, in the presence of the Queen ; 'when Mr. "Baney.crawled between his hind-legs, and over him in various ways. Mr. Raney then rolled the horse on its back ; the horse afterwards was Placed in

• various positions, in which it stood without holding and without a bridle. A.third horse, selected by Mr. Meyers, the riding-master, as a very nervous animal, was then brought iu, and in a few minutes afterwards it was made by Mr. Raney to do all which had been done by the other horses." It is - gated that Mr. Raney has imparted the secret to Major-General Aircy, in confidence.

Mr. Henry Roger; the author of "The Eclipse of Faith," has become Princiml of Lancashire Independent College, a post vacant by the resigua- tion ofsDr. Vaughan.

A Civil List pension of 1501. has been granted to the daughters of the late Dr. Paris ; and the eldest eon has received from Mr. Justice Cresswell an appointment in the new Court of Probate.

There has been some discussion in the press of late as to the effect of _ using arsenic in olours for paper-hangings ; some persons alleging that arsenious fumes are given off from walls covered with such paper, while the manufactuiersileclare that the arsenical colours are innoxious. However, a physidan, Dr. Alexander Halley., of Harley Street, in a letter to the Timtv on Monday, states positively that his health was several times se- riously -affected by working in a study the walls Of which had been recently covered with a paper coloured 'by an arsenical preparation. Be occupied

• the mem some hours of an evening ; there was a gas-burner in it. By the • first attack he was completely prostrated ; when he got better he returned

• to his study; on several occasions his health again suffered. At length he read a statement respecting arsenical paper-hangings. He tested the colour on the walls of his study—there was arsenic in the green: he tested the air of the room—he obtained crystals of arsenious acid on a test-paper. The poisonous paper was removed ; another substituted ; and Dr. Halley's health no longer suffers. It would seem probable that the combustion of the gas produced the serious results in Dr. Halley's case: common air pro- duces no very marked effect, the amount of arsenic given off being inappre- ciable.

A new mode of clarifying sugar, by means of a solution of soap, bas been brought under the notice a the Academy of Sciences at Paris. It wain- vented by by Mr. Garcia, formerly a Louisiana refiner. By this process a beautiful sugar is obtained, and the cane-juice yields more.

It is stated that the Army authorities intend to establish a regular corps of "Rifle Instructors," the head-quarters to be the successful School of Musketry at Hythe.

The dead-letter room at the Post-office has been rendered endurable in cold weather by the introduction of hot-water pipes.

Times are changed. Mr. Aytoun, a landowner on the line of the new West-of-Fife Mineral Railway, has presented the company free of charge with what land they required on his estate, as he considers the railway will enhance the value of his property. [Ile must be a bad hand at driving a bargain.) The number of persons sent out to Australia by the Emigration Commis- sioner/ last year was 24,662. Seventy ships, sailing from Liverpool, Ply- mouth, or Southampton, were employed.

Settler, the murderer of Detective Thaint has been respited for three weeks, "net from any doubt as to the merits of the case, but to give time for the argument and decision on a point of law which has arisen and been reserved fur the Court of Criminal Appeal, by Mr. Justice Crompton, in a case tried before him upon the circuit, which has a material bearing upon that Of Settler."

The most extensive fire that has yet visited South Australia occurred on the 9th November, at Porte Adelaide. It broke out at an ironmonger's ; the engines were inefficient ; the flames spread fast; and three hotels, twelve shops, the branch of the Union Bank, sixteen cottages' and some out-buildings, were swept away. The loss is variously estimated at from 100,0001. to 260,0001.