gisttllautono.

A circular has been issued by the Admiralty, signed "B. Osborne," and forwarded to all commanders-in-chief, captains, commanders, and commanding officers of her Majesty's ships and vessels, and to all the superintendents at all the naval ports. It consists of a set of regulations for establishing a more uniform system of punishments; and it minutely defines their nature and duration. Officers are strictly to avoid "abusive language and degrading expressions," and to check "any tendency to the abuse of power.' Punishments are to be definite, "and no punishment is ever to be prolonged until further orders? " Great care is to be taken in giving certificates of character ; and the captain is to consult the officer next in command to himself. The terms of a scale of character to be adopted in future are given,—" very good; good ; fair or passable; indifferent ; bad." Corporal punishment is to be rarely used, and when inflicted, the fact and the attendant circumstances are to be stated in the quarterly returns. The use of irons is to be avoided as much as possible ; and confinement in coal-bunkers is forbidden. Such is the spirit of the circular.

The tustial "Queen's letter," directing collections to be made in the churches in aid of the funds for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign Parts has been published. It is signed 'Palmerston," and bears date "14th October 1863."

The Queen has contributed 1001. towards the fund for building a church for the accommodation of the English resident in Paris.

Her Majesty has also granted 2001. towards the Association for Pro- moting the Relief of Destitution in the Metropolis, in consideration of the severity of' the season, and the excessive price of every necessary of life.

On the recommendation of Lord Aberdeen, the Queen has conferred a pension of 601. per annum on Mrs. Hogg, the widow of the Ettrick Shepherd.

Lieutemint-General Sir George Brown, Adjutant-General of the Forces, has resigned and Lieutenant-General Cathcart has been mentioned as his successor. Sir George Brown, so runs the rumour, refused to give some officers leave of absence ; they appealed to Lord Hardinge, and the leave Was granted. Hence Sir George's resignation. We are informed that the Bishop of London, assisted by Dr. Lushing- and Sir James Patteson, sitting as assessors, will commence an inquiry into 'certain alleged abuses connected with St. Paul's Cathedral, on the 9th Jenuary.--Globe. The Neterend Charles Lnxmoore' Assistant-Master of the Lower School, Eton was on Tuesday elected to the vacant Fellowship of Eton College. There were five candidates. There had not been an election to a auow_rat Eton for thirteen years. A deputation from Gibraltar, introduoed by Mr. John Bright M.P., and accompanied by several gentlemen connected with the trade of Manchester, waited upon the Duke of Newcastle on Wednesday, to complain of cer- tain recent acts of the Governor of Gibraltar, Sir Robert Gardiner. The grievances alleged are, that the Governor placed unconstitutional restric- tions upon the removal of wines and spirits, afloat ; that he has imposed arbitrary restrictions upon the egress of vessels from the port ; that, in concurrence with the Spanish authorities, be imposed a quarantine of eight days upon vessels arriving at Gibraltar from England, but eight days after removed the restriction without consulting the Spanish author- ities, and cut off the land communication with Spain ; and that he re- vented British subjects at Gibraltar from assembling to discuss their grievances. The deputation presented a memorial praying for inquiry.

Inquiry," we believe, will show that Sir Robert Gardiner's real offence has been his honest vigilance against smuggling ; a nefarious practice long prevalent among the Spaniards on that coast, and not unknown to certain British subjects of the mercantile classes.] Four clergymen—the Reverend Edward Judge, Canon of Cape Town, the Reverend John Gorham, Vice-Principal of the Bishop's College, dio- cese Cape Town, the Reverend W. G. Tupper, Warden and Chaplain of the House of Charity, Soho, London, and the Reverend Hugh M`Loreley, Chaplain of her Majesty's ship Tortoise—have submitted a memorial to the Directors of the General Screw Steam Navigation Company, praying that the coaling of their steamers on Sundays may be discontinued. They were passengers by the Queen of the South; and while at Ascension Is- land, on Sunday the 28th August, "the whole ship's company was en- gaged from morning till night coaling the ship," so that they were with- held from joining in divine service. The memorialists submit that only one day would be lost in the voyage if the practice were discontinued. But, taking "higher ground," they say, "the prosperity and rapidity of a voyage are matters absolutely in the hands of Almighty God, and it is certain that when a sacrifice is deliberately made with the purpose of honouring Him no real loss will follow in the long run." The Directors reply, that "there is much in a long sea voyage which renders the hope of an entire cessation of labour on the Sabbath-day impossible of realisa- tion."

"The calculationsupon which the duration of the voyage of the Company's ships are based, and their stay at the respective ports at which they touck are measured by hours; and, while the success of the Company's general operations would not admit of these calculations being falsified to any con- siderable extent, it is important to observe that their contract with the Go- vernment specially obliges them to verify their accuracy." But., anxious that as little work should be done on Sunday as possible, the Directors promise to acquaint their commanders, that the pleasure of the Directors at the success of a voyage will be greatly enhanced by find- ing that, while it has been performed within the required time, the ope- rations of coaling on Sunday have been suspended.

The rapid decline of cholera in the Metropolis is the characteristic fact of last week's report upon the state of the public health. There has also been a decrease in the number of deaths from all causes. In the pro- ceeding week the number was 1414; last week 1308, or 29 only abore the corrected average of the period.

In consequence of the death of Mr. P. IL Coates of Salisbury, Mr. George Asser Gepp of Colchester has been placed at the head of the Livery of the Society of Apothecaries. Mr. Coates was admitted a mem- ber of the Society in 1794, and was the oldest member of the medical pro- fession in the kingdom.

A circular issued by Mr. Waddington M.P., Chairman of the Eastern Counties, confirms the recent announcement in the railway papers that an amalgamation has been effected between the Norfolk, Eastern Counties, and Eastern Union lines.

The accuracy of the report respecting the flogging at the Cheltenham Grammar School, a summary of which we published on Saturday, has been questioned by Dr. Humphreys, in a letter to the Times. The Doc- tor's statement is- " I refrain from Baying more than that the boy—not for the offence stated by you, but for falsehood, and rebellion in addition to that offence—received the punishment with a whip weighing two ounces, and being twenty-five inches long, or one foot shorter than a common school cane ; that he was able to to be out playing that day and the following days; and that he stated to his schoolfellows that he was not much hurt ; that he was guilty of false- hood again and again during the trial,—a fact acknowledged by the Judge ; and lastly, that I have sent to the patrons the solemn depositions of the master of the class, of the drill-sergeant, and of certain boys of the elan, that the boy Golightly was never flogged by the drill-sergeant."

The patrons of the school at Oxford have exonerated Dr. Humphreys from all blame.

Mr. Pete M.P. has placed 2000/. annually at the disposal of the Baptist Missionary Society for the next seven years. Mr. Cobden has been visiting at Oxford, and attending the examinations this week in the schools.

Lord Justice Knight Bruce has been temporarily prevented from perform- ing his judicial duties ; having bruised his knee in a fall.

A son of the Emperor of Hayti, travelling as "M. Delved," has arrived at Torquay from France. Ile has come to England to complete his education. He is described as intelligent and gentlemanlike.

The Bavarian Minister has returned to London from Germany.

The French Emperor has received at a private audience Count de Moltke, Danish Minister, who presented a letter from his Sovereign announcing the birth of a daughter to Prince Christian of Denmark.

According to the Correspondence of Berlin, the Dowager Princess of Ho- henzollern-Sigmaringen is about to enter a French convent at Kennzheim, near Colmar.

Major Magnan, the French officer who assisted Omer Pacha in fortifying the Danube and the Balkan, has returned to Paris. Prince Frederick William of Prussia passed through Vienna on the 8th, en route for Rome. During his brief stay he dined with the Emperor.

The new Ambassador from Spain, the Marquis Antonio Riquelme, has ar- rived at Constantinople. Monsignor Bedini, Papal Nuncio in Brazil, now charted With a mission to the United States, has been nominated Nuncio at Madrid. The American Minister at Berlin, Governor Vroonat has been obliged to don a "state" costume, spite of Secretary Marcy's instructions ; for the King declared he would not permit a deviation from the rule that official in- troductions shall not be in plain drew.

Madame Goldschmidt—the world-famous Jenny Lind—made her first public appearance in Europe since her marriage at a concert given by her husband, M. Schubert, and M. Kummer, at Dresden, on the 3d instant.

Result of the Registrar-General's return of mortality in the Metropolis for the week ending on Saturday last.

Ten Weeks 'Week of 1843.52. of 1833.

Zymotic Diseases - 2,804 .... Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat 012 .... 277 50 Tubercular Diseases 1,709 .... 2,8 Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Marrow, Nerves, and Senses 1,245 .... 123 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 414 .... 52 Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration 2,795 .... 343 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 610 .... 49 Diseases of the Kidneys, dtc

Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus, &c 116 .... 12 Itherunatism, diseases of the Bones, Joint's:1:c 80 ..., 8 Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, At 10 3 ....

Malformations 4.1 .... 5 Premature Birth 286 .... 26 Atrophy 210 .... 30

Age

616 .... 56 Sudden

Vlolence,Privation,Cold, and Intemperance 241 .... 29

— — Total (including unspecified calms) 12,145 1,308

In answer to a Manchester parent, the Chancellor of the Exchequer states, that if the father's income is 901. a year, and he has two sons each earning 20/. a_ year, the Income-tax is not chargeable on the united incomes. The letter, howevezi, does not settle the question whether the father would be liable if the incomes of his sons were wholly under his control.

The Postmaster-General has been informed that the Government express from Bombay to Calcutta has been discontinued ; and that in future letters and newspapers addressed to Calcutta via. Bombay will only be forwarded by the daily mail. It is necessary to make this alteration known to the public,- because a notice was issued in May 1847, announcing that letters might be conveyed to Calcutta by Government express, if so addressed.

The widow of a sawyer has died in Lambeth at the age of a hundred and three.

The Yarmouth herring-fishery has this year been an extraordinarily suc- cessful one.

Copper coin is scarce in Sunderland : it is said that it is collected by hawk- ers who melt it down and sell it as metal, the present high price of copper making this profitable.

• A Preston paper states that a manufacturer has received notice from a workman that he will quit his employ unless another overlooker is appointed "who is a different religion to a Methodist."

The daughter of a "slubber," residing at Longwood near Huddersfield, I drowned herself last week, because her mother refused to fall in with her whim that her cloak should be made of a particular shape and fashion.

Mr. Powell, who caused the death of White, the waiter at the George Ho- tel, Portsmouth, by carrying a loaded gun in a case, has settled an annuity of 201. upon the widow. The third son of White has been admitted into the Dockyard. These alleviations of the distress of the family have been obtain- ed through the exertions of Mr. Crofts, the landlord of the George.

Henry Symonds, formerly one of the London press-gang, has just died in Saffron Walden Workhouse, in his ninety-third year.

A thief has carried off four greatcoats from the house of a Police-Inspector at Manchester, two belonging to the officer himself : one was his uniform coat, and in the pockets were a number of summonses and warrants.

In 1813 the quay accommodation of Glasgow extended to 941 feet, and the revenue arising was 51691.: in 1852 the totals had swelled respectively to 10,873 feet and 76,0771.

The Scottish Academy has purchased from Mr. Etty's executors, for the we of the students, the painter's copies of "Venus" by Titian and "St. Jan Preaching" by Veronese.

The submarine cable is in process of being laid across the Firth of Forth and Tay to complete the telegraph communication between the far North and the South of Scotland.

A dramatic "effect" at the Edinburgh Theatre Royal has proved far too effective. A new kind of "thunder" was tried one night; a tremendous peal rolled from the end of the upper gallery ; the audience thought the building was falling, and began to rush to the doors. Fortunately, the ma- nager and actors allayed the terror before any person was hurt.

There is a "salmon manufactory" at Storemountfield on the river Tay, where the new plan of hatching the ova is in full operation.

The people of Genoa are by no means overjoyed at the opening of the railway between their city and Turin, as they fear that house-rent and food will rise in price from an influx of people, who may also compete with the natives in commerce and labour. A train recently ran from the port to Turin in three hours and forty-five minutes. [Such is report—respecting that city, however, where house-rent is peculiarly low, and the people the shrewdest in Italy.]

Zephania Williams, one of the Welsh Chartist rioters who was transported after narrowly escaping capital punishment, has sent home for a supply of forty colliers to work his coal-pits in New South Wales.

Candidates for certificates of admission as attornies, who are dissatisfied with a refusal, may appeal to the Judges. A petition of appeal, recently pre- sented by one of twenty-three candidates, rejected in Trinity term, was heard on the 2d and 7th instant, by Mr. Justice Williams, Mr. justice Coleridge, and Mr. Justice Mania, and dismissed. This is only the third appeal since the examination of candidates was instituted, seventeen years ago.

Several cases have arrived from India, consigned to the East India Com- pany, containing arms intended to be deposited in the armoury of the Tower of London; and the necessary arrangements have been made with the Go- vernment authorities for their admission.

A general meeting was held last week at the Army and Navy Club, to de- termine what steps should be taken in reference to the provisions of the fourth rule, for removing from the list of members two officers who have been obliged to quit the service for an absurd indulgence in practical jokes. The Club decided that the conduct of the officers not being ungentlemanly, they were worthy to continue members thereof.—United Service Gazette.