18 JANUARY 1845, Page 9

Alisttlianeous.

The Morning Post describes a present which has been accepted by the Queen-

" On Saturday last, Charles Herbert Wood, an artisan in the employ of Mr.. Windsland, builder, London, had the honour of presenting to her Majesty, at Windsor Castle a splendid shell of the nautilus, on which he had engraved, with a common penknife, the Royal arms, the Prince of Wales's feathers, a sketch of the Great Britain iron steam-ship, with a full description of the same, the sister ship the Great Western, verses from Pope, &c. There were altogether about 1,500 words, beautifully engraved in old English, German text, Italian and Roman characters. The whole was surrounded with a rich border; and the head of the shell represented that of a parrot, being admirably formed for that purpose. Her Majesty was pleased to express her admiration of the skill displayed by this in- genious artist, and handsomely rewarded him." The Queen has since sent Mr. Wood a proof-impression of ITayter's picture of the Coronation, splendidly framed- The Queen Dowager has given 20/. to the Metropolitan Association for the Aid and Benefit of Dressmakers and Milliners; with a further donation to the Dressmakers and Milliners Home, a branch of the Association.

The Standard gives, "fl-am a correspondent," this contradiction of ru- moured Ministerial changes- " On Saturday last, the Globe announced that Lord Lyndhurst, it was expected, retired from the Woolsack, to make way for Mr. Pemberton Leigh; that Sir N. C.. Tindal was about to resign the high office of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, which he has filled for many years with so much distinction and credit, and was to be succeeded by the Solicitor-General (Sir F. Thesiger); Mr. F. Kelly to be Attorney-General, Mr. Stuart Wortley, Solicitor-General, &c. &c. As this report has been copied into some of the morning papers, we notice it for the purpose of giving the statement a positive unqualified contradiction. No such changes luive ever been in contemplation. The rumour did not gain credence for a single mo- ment in Westminster Hall: it certainly caused a liugh, and was then forgotten."

The Globe remarks that the Standard's "correspondents" have little re- putation for accuracy-

" The correspondent on whose authority this contradiction is given, may be the West-end correspondent,' whose former frequent substitution of unfounded ru- mours for veritable facts obtained for the Standard an unenviable notoriety. Until contradiction comes in a less questionable shape, we must be excused if we adhere to our belief that the changes we mentioned are really in course of being made. We remember that when we stated, some time before the affair was arranged, that Lord Stanley was about to be called up to the House of Lords, our contemporary was instructed to deny that any such intention existed. Yet Lord Stanley was created a Peer; and Sir Robert Peel was thus relieved of the damaging advocacy of his impetuous colleague in the House of Commons."

We understand that Sir John Barrow, Principal Secretary of the Admi- ralty, will immediately retire; and that Captain Hamilton, Private Secre- tary to Lord Iladdington, will be his successor.—Globe.

Mr. Frederick Goulburn, son of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been appointed to the vacant seat of the Board of Customs, caused by the death of the Honourable Heneage Legge.

The Queen has been pleased to appoint Lieutenant-Colonel George Mac- donald to be Lieutenant-Governor of the island. of Dominica.—London Ga- zette, Jan. 14.

We understand that the several noblemen and gentlemen whose meeting at Lord Howard's was noticed on a former occasion, have continued their de- liberations from time to time upon the Church question, and were preparing resolutions and IL memorial to the Queen against the recent changes in the form of conducting public worship and attempts to subvert the principles of the Reformation, to be submitted to a more extended meeting, intended to be held early in this week: but under existing circumstances it has 'been deemed expedient to suspend their proceedings until after the meeting of Parliament.—Times.

Tuesday's Gazette contained the subjoined announcement of a decision on several more railway projects-

" Railway Department, Board of Trade. Whitehall, 14th January 1845. " Notice is hereby given, that the Board constituted by the minute of the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade of the 24th August 1844, for the transaction of Railway-business, having had under consideration the following schemes for extending railway communication to Portsmouth—viz. the Brighton and Chichester (Portsmouth Extension), the Direct London and Ports- month, the Guildford, Chichester, Portsmouth, and Fareham Branch' the London and Portsmouth, with branches to Shoreham Bridge, Fareham, and Reigate-- have decided on reporting to Parliament in favour of the Guildford, Chichester, Portsmouth, and Fareham Branch; and against the Brighton and Chichester (Portsmouth Extension), Direct London and Portsmouth, London and Ports- mouth with branches to Shoreham Bridge, Fareliam, and Reigate. "And the Board having further had under consideration the folloiving schemes for extending railway communication in the Metropolitan district—viz. the Epsont and Dorking, the Grosvenor Railway, the Great Western, Uxbridge, and Staines Junction, the London and Brighton (Wandsworth Branch), the London and Croy- don (Dorking Branch), the London and Brighton (Dorking Branch), the London and South-western (Epsom Branch), the Metropolitan Central Junction, the Me- tropolitan Extension of the London and South-western, the Richmond and West- end Junction the South London and Windsor, the South-eastern Branch to Rei- gate and Dorking, the Staines and Richmond—have decided on reporting to Par- liament in favour of the Metropolitan Extension of the London and South-western, Richmond and West-end Junction, Staines and Richmond; against the Grosvenor Railway, Great Western. Uxbridge' and Staines Junction, London and Brighton (Wandsworth Branch), London and South-western (Epsom Branch), Metropolitan Central Junction, South London and Windsor; and recommending the postpone- ment until a future period of the Epsom and Dorking, London and Croydoa

Branch), Leaden and Brighton parking Braisch),Seuth-eastem Branch to Dorking.) " DALHOtians, C. W. PARLEY, G. R PORTER, D. O'BRIEN, S. Lerma."

The report of Dr. Faraday and Mr. Lyell, the eminent chemist and geo- legiSt, on the probable causes of the explosion of the Haswell Colliery, has recently been presented to the Home Secretary. It is interesting, and we subjoin an outline of it.

The depth of the principal shaft of the Haswell coal-mine is 925 feet, where there is a seam of excellent coal, five feet five inches thick. To arrive at the bed of coal, the shaft was sunk through several workable beds of inferior thick

n ese, which it is intended to work when the more valuable seam is exhausted. This plan of working the lower bed first is considered to be one cause of the great quantity of carbnretted hydrogen gas collected in the mine; for as the roof of the exhausted part of the mine falls in, the upper seams of coal become disturbed and broken, and thereby cause the generation of a larger quantity of gas, which is forced by its elastic pressure into the mine below. When the juds or square pillars of coal left to support the roof are remov4 the roof falls in leaving a large cavity above. The mass of loose stone and coal that falls from the roof is termed by the miners "goal"; and it is from these goals, or rather from the cavities above them, that the greater quantity of gas enters the workings and renders them dangerous. As the carburettcd hydrogen gas is considerably lighter than common air, it col- lects on the top of the mine, and especially in the cavities formed by the falling of the roof: and by the ordinary modes of ventilation these cavernous receptacles of as cannot be affected, especially as the quantity of the gas varies with the state of the atmosphere. When the pressure of the atmosphere is diminished, as indi- cated by the fall of the mercury in the barometer, the gas expands, and is forced horn the caverns into the mine by its own elasticity. At such times, the ordinary ventilation is insufficient to prevent the air from becoming impregnated with the gas to the explosive point; and any indiscretion on the part of the miners, by ex- the naked flame of a candle in such an atmosphere, produces an explosion. remedy recommended by Messrs. Faraday and Lyell is to provide especially for the ventilation of the goat-caverns. But other causes for the fatal effects of explosion have been detected. On ex- amining the mine at Haswell, and inquiring into the extent of the influence of what the miners call the "choke-damp" or after-damp," it occurred to Messrs. Faraday and Lyell that the quantity of gas exploded was insufficient to produce by its ignition the large volume of carbonic gas which constitutes the "choke- damp" that must have been generated by the explosion. They inferred, there- fore that the coal-dust in a mine must be ignited, as it is driven along by the force of the explosion; and that the carbonic acid gas must for the most part retmlt from the combustion of those small particles of coal. This supposition was confirmed by examining the Haswell colliery; for quantities of particles of charred

• coal or coke were found cm the pillars and passages of the mine near the point of explosion. In concluding their report, they notice the fact that a majority of the miners who were examined at the inquest were unable to sign their names, though many of them were very intelligent; and the very great advantages of teaching such men at least the first principles of geological and chemical science are strongly enforced.

We learn from authentic sources of information, that it is not in the contem- plation of Ministers to snake any reduction in taxation, with the exception of tea.—Dutrin Evening Mail.

In acknowledging the receipt of 1,4321., forwarded by Sir Thomas Potter as the Manchester contribution towards the Hill Testimonial Fund, Mr. Rowland Hill looks forward to the effect which the voice of the people will have in re- moving the manifold and important defects that still detorm the system of the . Post-office. "A consummataon which will, if I mistake not, be materially pro- moted by the restrictions recently laid on the conveyance by post of several lin- portant classes of articles—restrictions which are, in my opinion, as unnecessary as they must, if enforced, prove irritating to colimpundents and injurious to the revenue."

The Patriot announces that Mr. Pritchard was to depart yesterday for his new Consular station at Navigators Islands. The Standard having stated that "he goes as a missionary," the Dissenting journal remarks that this is a singular mis- take for a." Government" paper to fall into: he does not go out as a missionary, though in his new position he "will promote the missionary 'enterprise" as ef- fectually as ever: and, as a foretoken of what he may be mixed up with, is told an anecdote how a French navel officer coming to the islands loaded a youth with presents, which the lad was afterwards made to return, out of dislike to the -Vreech.

From a correspondence which has taken place between the Admiralty and the East India and China Association, it appears that a contract has been entered into by the Government for the conveyance of the mails between Suez, Calcutta, and China, twice a month; but the arrangements have not yet been concluded; and some disappointment has been manifested in the City at the delay.

Five more waggon-loads of Sycee silver, an instalment of the Chinese ransom, brought by the Pelican sloop from Hong-kong, arrived at the Mint on Thurs- day; each waggon carrying about three and a half tons.

The recent decision as to the admission of Venezuelan sugar into this country upon the most favoured terms is now well known to the mercantile interest. Hi- therto, however, there have been no large importations of it; but to-day a cargo of about 390 tons arrived in the brig Vtrannan, from La Gnayra.—Manche,ster Guardian.

The Times makes an announcement of some interest to Pennsylvania bond- holders, as an evidence that the drab-coloured men are growing honest. "The fact is worth mentioning, that two Pennsylvanian railroads have taken steps to recover their credit. The Harrisburg and Lancaster, which were in arrear some time, have paid all their back dividends in full; and the Philadelphia and Reading, which were in a similar predicament, have made an arrangement with their cre- ditors, by which they have funded their arrears, and commence paying the cur

• rent dividends this month. Although this has, of course, nothing to do with State responsibility, it is looked upon by parties who have an interest in Pennsyl • vanian securities as a symptom of return to good faith."

' In a letter to the Morning Post, Mr. Alfred Mallalieu disputes the correctness of the account given by the Times of the state of affairs in the Argentine Re- public. "I have good reasons for stating, that there is no truth in the assertion that 'a large population of English, French, and Italian traders are living under the Monte-Videan Government, where they have taken refuge from the violence of the Government on the opposite shore.' But it would be correct to state that a 'large population' of Italian and French immigrants had 'taken refuge' in Buenos • Ayres from the violence and disorders of the lawless bands, of French and Italian *nein, which are the sole support of the fraction of a native goverment which Still exists in Monte Video." Ile cites the evidence of the Revue des Deux - Monde*, that the journals of Monte Video are ill edited, and prone to sacrifice all truth to party views; and he utterly denies that the Tablas c/eSangre are trust- worthy.

41 report that the Emperor of Russia was dead startled the Metropolis on Thursday; but it proved to be an unfounded atee_kjobbing rumour, probably aimed at the Amsterdam market. A letter from Stockholm, of the 24th December, states that the Prince Royal of Sweden, who had not long since recovered from a severe fit of illness, was again seriously indisposed.

A correspondent of the Cork Exanriner quotes a passage from a long letter which he has recently received from the Governor-General of Canada, alluding_ to the writer's health. It settles no doubts; but it will be read with interest—My cheek is still uncured, and I have further applications of painful remedies to under- go: but I have every reason to rely on the skill of my surgeon, 'Mr. Pollock, a son of our fellow-servant Sir G. Pollock; and I have no doubt that he will do all that can be done by human art. The rest is in the band of a higher Power."

Mr. Baron Gurney is labouring under severe indisposition, at Brighton; bat the latest accounts were favourable.

We are sorry to learn that Mr. Benjamin Wood, the Member for the 'borough of Southwark, and brother to the late Alderman Wood, is at the present time lying in a dangerous state of illness, with little hopes of recovery.--iftanderrd.

Mr. Henry Clay has lately emancipated his long-tried servant Charles, Who, when in Canada, a few years ago, refused to take advantage of the British law by asserting his

A letter from an officer of the Warspite, dated from Smyrna, shows that the ambition of the boy Jones for visiting royal palaces is not yet satisfied. The offi- cer says—" The boy Jones, who belongs to this ship, disappeared one night at Athens, and every one said he was gone to call on King Otho. I believe that was his intention, as be was found near the Palace, and brought back very much airs- appointed to think he could not pay his intended visit. He is a strange-looking fellow, appears half asleep, and seldom speaks to any one."

The Algerie states that the Emperor of Morocco has inflicted a disgraceful chastisement on the chief of the tribes who had plundered the fugitives of his army after the battle of Isly, and on the Eagles who had sacked Megador after the bombardment of that town: he caused their beards to be shaved offi A lounger in Buckingham on Wednesday evening says—" Amalie the illumi- nations, 1 observed a piece of advertising which would have done credit to the puf- fing genius of bigger towns than Buckingham: some gentleman, who wished to make the ends of his interest and his loyalty meet, very coolly exhibited in Co- -loured lamps the romantic legend A house to let!'"

The Carlist General Zariategui, who has arrived at Paris from Piedmont, is preparing for publication memoirs of General Zumalacarregni, whom he had accompanied as Private Secretary in several campaigns.

The Dublin Pilot, still harping on Malachy, gives a twist for the day to a line

in kloore's lyrics— ' " Let Erin remember the days of old,

Ere her faithless sons betrayed her";

When Malachy wore the crozier of gold While he spurned the proud invader.

"When her Prelates, true 'mid weal and wo, And their priests, withstood the stranger, Ere the wily schemes of a foreign foe

Placed the Irish Church in danger I "

A new opera by Spohr has just been produced at Cassel. It rot with the-.most complete and signal success.

The annual festival of the Madrigal Society was held, at Freemaams Tavern, on Thursday evening. Lord Saltoun presided ; and there was a very full attendance of members and distinguished visitors. The selection comprised some of the most beautiful works by the Italian and English ma- drigal-writers of the sixteenth century, and a Eyrie Eidson Isj Leonardo Leo. Among the visitors were Signor Dragonetti and Mr. Brahs.m: their health was drank; and Mr. Oliphant took occasion to give some biogra- phical anecdotes of the veterans— Signor Dragonetti first appeared at a concert given by Viotti, in Deceniber 1734, fifty years ago, and amazed the public by his prodigious execution on the double-bass. Braham's first appearance was in June 1787, when he was ten years odtoll:thiert was ai,anvoonunlcdeteby an g advertisement 3:semenptui;ltho; ing. theeron. tier, taut phant mentioned a curious circumstance, which shows the extreme ignorance and incorrectness of French musical writers. In the month of August 1834, a para- graph appeared in the London Courier mentioning that Mr. Braham had died of cholera: the story was inserted in the Biographic Universelle, and thence trans ferred by 11. Fetis into his Biography of Musicians—where it Stands ancoutra dieted to this day!

The evening passed in the pleasantest mariner.

In corroboration of Mr. Gabriel Kennard's account of Tractarian prac- tices introduced into East Farleigh by the Reverend Henry Vilberforae, " Anglicanns," a writer in the Times, mentions similar observances intax- duced by Mr. Wilberforce in Widmer parish, with which he was once con:: nected- " genuflections on approaching the comnemion-table—hirozelf and his curate together in the-desk, reading in parts—omitting the Church service on the 5th November—worshiping a crucifix erected on an altar in his „private dwelling—admitting persons to oral confession—his curate (Mr. St. John) cany- ing a cross to a dying man, by the name of Nightingale, on the Weimer Road— together with a complete change in the service of the Church, in consequence-of which many of the inhabitants either went to neighbouring churches -or kept away.." The inhabitants met, and, in a memorial to the Archbishop, prayed ior inquiry; but" he declined to order an inquiry; stating as his opinion, 'abut they (Mr. Wilberforce and his curate) had done their duty to the rich and the poor; and that to institute an inquiry would be to impute blame where only praise was due'; and recommending the memorialists to return to their duty to their pastor.'