A Supplement to the Gazette of the 24th 'November, issued

on Tuesday, contains a proclamation by the Queen, summoning Parliament for the 12th December, "for the despatch of divers urgent and important af- fairs."

There are now nine vacancies in the representation : five in England— Abingdon, Bedford, Coventry, East Gloucestershire, and Marylebone; one in Scotland—Ayrshire ; and three in Ireland—Fermanagh, Antrim, and Limerick counties. The candidates at Abingdon are Major Reed, Liberal, and Mr. Norris, Conservative; at Bedford, Captain Stuart, Con- servative, and Mr. John Trelawny, Liberal ; at Coventry, Sir Tour& Paxton, declared, and Sir Powell Buxton, spoken of ; in East Glouces- tershire, Mr. Ilolford, of Westonbist, Tory ; at Marylebone General Thompson, Colonel Romilly, Mr. Prescott of the banking fun!, of Pres- cott and Grote, Sir Charles Napier, Mr. Ricardo, Lord Ebrington, and Mr. Crawford. For Ayrshire, Mr. Oswald, formerly Member for Ayr, Lord James Stuart, and the Solicitor-General, are the Liberals named. Fermanagh, it is said, will be contested, a rare event in the county ; and the names mentioned are Mr. Henry Darcy and Lord Henry Loftus. Sir Stephen de Vere of Curragh Chase, and Colonel Dickson of Groom Castle, are in the field for Limerick.

The contemplated augmentation of the Army, which is expected to take place immediately after the assembling of Parliament, will, it is stated, embrace the whole of the infantry regiments of the line. The manner in which the increase is to be effected is stated to be as follows. The regi- ments of infantry serving in the East, Gibraltar' Malta, and the Ionian Islands, will have additional battalions of 800 rank and file respectively, to be termed Second or Third Battalions, as in the ease of the First Royal and Itifle Brigade ; those regiments in the Colonies and East Indies to have each a reserve battalion of 500 bayonets ; and the regiments on home service to be placed, as regards their numerical strength, on the war esta- blishment. The regiments to have additional battalions of 800 men are the First Royals, Third Buffs, Fourth Regiment of Foot, Seventh Fusi- liers, Ninth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Seventeenth Foot, Eighteenth Royal Irish, Nineteenth, Twentieth, Twenty-first Foot, Twenty-third Fusi- liers, Twenty-eighth, Thirtieth, Thirty-first, Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-first Foot, Forty-second Highlanders, Forty-fourth, Forty-sixth, Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth, Forty-ninth, Fiftieth, Fifty- -fifth, Sixty-second, Sixty-third Foot, Sixty-eighth Light Infantry, Seventy-first Highland Light Infantry, Seventy-second Highlanders, Seventy-seventh, Seventy-ninth Foot, Eighty-eighth Connaught Ran- gers Eighty-ninth, Ninetieth, Ninety-second Foot, Ninety-third High- landers, Ninety-fifth, Ninety-seventh Foot, and the Rifle Brigade. The remaining regiments will be angniented as stated above. An additional battalion of Royal Artillery and eight companies of Royal Marines are also to be raised.—Tisnes.

An Irish journal reports that ten new regiments of the line will be de- manded from Parliament ; that three of the ten will be selected from the embodied Militia, and the remainder newly raised. "All the Militia will be embodied" • and ten will be selected to serve at the Cape, and in Canada and Australia.

According to the statement of one of the correspondents of the Times at Constantinople, on the 13th November, "nearly 13,000 men had been added to the Allied army within ten days" ; of which 10,000 were French. Turkish reinforcements are also mentioned as on their way; but the intelligence on this head is obscure.

The Standard, observing that the usual period allotted to Admirals holding foreign command has expired in the case of Admiral Dundee, states that he will return home in the Britannia, accompanied by the Ven- geance, 84, Captain Lord Edward Russell, and the Bellerophon, 78, Cap- tain Lord George Paulet ; these ships having been relieved by the powerfill screw line-of-battle ships Algiers, 90, Captain Talbot, and Hannibal, 90, Captain the Honourable F. W. Grey. "Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, as a matter of course, becomes Commander-in-chief, vice Dundas." The Royal Albert will be his flag-ship, and Sir Thomas Paaley will hoist his broad pennant on board the Agamemnon.

Rear-Admiral Bruce, who recently commanded the African blockading squadron, has been appointed to the command of the Pacific squadron. He is to leave England in the Brisk, 14, for New York, and go thence overland to the Pacific via Panama.

The Queen has ordered that a medal shall be struck to commemorate the success of the troops in the Caffre wars in the years 1833-'35, 1846-'47, and the period between the 24th December 1850 and the 6th February 1853; and to direct that one of the said medals shall be Con- ferred on every surviving officer, non-commissioned officer, and soldier of the regular forces—including the officers of the staff, and the officers and men of the Royal Artillery, and Royal Engineers, and Sappers and Miners, who actually served in the field against the enemy, in South Africa, at the periods alluded to—excluding those who may have been dismissed for subsequent misconduct, or who have deserted and are absent.

The mail-packet service having been interrupted by the employment of several of the contract mail-packets for the conveyance of troops to the seat of war, instructions have been issued from the General Post-office, notifying the periods of suspension, and the alterations of the dates of de- parture.

The mail to America, which should have been despatched today, will not depart until the 9th instant ; and thenceforward mails will be despatched on every alternate Saturday, instead of every Saturday, for Halifax and Boston. A United States mail-packet left Liverpool for New York on,the 29th; but henceforward, to keep up a regular postal communication, the packets will sail once a fortnight, on Saturday instead of Wednesday. "Letters addressed to the United States will he forwarded by the first packet, whether British or United States, unless directed otherwise; but letters for Canada or any other of the North American provinces will be sent by the British packet alone, unless directed per'United States packet' ; in which latter case the letters will be liable to a postage of Is. 2d. the half-ounce, instead of the reduced postage of 6d. or 8d. as the case may be." As the General Screw Steam Shipping Company cannot fulfil their contract to provide a steamer to take the mails to Australia, the Post-office authorizes the transmission of the mails in the sailing-vessel James Barnes, which will sail from Liverpool on the 9th instant. Therefore letters will be in time if posted in London on the 8th, and in Liverpool on the 9th instant. No mails for Brazil, the River Plate, or the West Indies, will be made up for despatch on the 9th or 17th December ; those which should have been despatched on the 24th November will be despatched from Liverpool this day.

Seven unstamped papers have recently been in cireulation, confining themselves to news of the progress of the war. For some time the Stamp Office authorities appeared to take no notice of them; but within this month the publishers have been menaced with the summary seizure of their presses and types unless they stamped their issues. Some have complied. A deputation of the proprietors, beaded by Mr. Milner Gib- son, waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on Tuesday, and re- quested that no summary proceeding should be taken against any war- papers till after a conviction by a jury in the Court of Exchequer in the case of one—H0U'8 Army and Navy Despatch. After a long conversation, in which both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Attorney-General admitted the difficulty in which they were placed, the deputation retired, without their request having been granted, and without knowing the in- tentions of the Government.

The following spirited proposal has just appeared in the Shipping Ga- zette, in a letter to the editor, signed by David Owens, master of Mantura, of Newquay; James Phillips, master of Relative, of Newquay, ; William Sinnet, master of Emperor, of Liverpool. "We, the undersigned, British shipmasters, observing the want of men for the British naval service, will undertake to provide 1000 South Wales sailors, and head the same, against the Russians, in any part of the world her Majesty may think fit to order them, provided the Admiralty will fit out a screw line-of-battle ship, of 120 guns, to be called the South Welsh- man.' The men we could have ready by April next. We have been induced to make this offer from patriotic feelings only, being persuaded, from what we personally know of Welsh pluck and courage, that they will add new lustre to the British Navy."

The Metropolis continues in an unsatisfactory state of health. The deaths last week reached to 1262 persons, or 139 above the calculated average-1123. But there is a decrease of 47 upon the number of the previous week-1309.

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

Ten Weeks Week of

1844253.

of 1864.

Zymotie Diseases 9,432 .... 332 Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat • 452

49 Tubercular Diseases 1,624 ,,..

164

Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Marrow, Nerves, and Senses 1,144 ,,.. 117 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 396

45 Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration 1,938

292 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 372 .•.. 84 Diseases of the Kidneys, tee. .. 152

It Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus,dc. 110

16 Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, Sc. 88

12 Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Thane, de. 15

Malformations. 36

Premature Birth 230

27 Atrophy Age 209 466

41

Sudden

Si

violence, Privation, Cold, and Intempenume

281

Total (lnelndhig unspecified canoes)

10,206

1,262

The Committee of the Central Association for the relief of Soldiers' Wives, &e. have this week expunged rule 14, which prevented the grant- ing of relief to a soldier's widow if the marriage had not been recognized in the iniment.

The venerable Duke of Somerset was seized with an attack of paralysis on Sunday evening, A medical bulletin, issued on Tuesday, announced that he had passed a quiet night ; that his state was such as to "occasion less apprehension," but that the right side had become decidedly paralytic. The health of Lord Haddo has not been benefited by the climate of Egypt : at the last advises he was on his way to Cairo. e • Mr. Oliveira M.P. has gone to the Peninsula, to inspect the wine-districts, as he has already done those of France, with a view to acquire full informae tion for his Parliamentary campaign against the high duties.

The Russian General Count Orloff passed through Annecy on the 16th No- vember, on his way from Switzerland to Turin. It is said that M. Ivanoif, formerly Secretary to the Russian Embassy, and every other Russian, of whatever grade, have been ordered by the French Government to quit France.

M. Sobrier, one of the actors in the Revolution of 1848, has died in a luna- tic asylum in the department of the Isere.

Major-General Ouchterlony, a Russian officer who fell at Inkerman, was the grandson of the late Mr. John Ouchterlony of Montrose. The Ouchter- lony family claims a descent from Prince Rupert.

It is considered likely that Yarmouth roadstead will be made a winter sta- tion for a portion of the fleet under Sir Charles Napier, on their return from the Baltic.

Mr. Perkins, the son of a gentleman who some years ago invented and exhibited in the metropolis a steam-gun, makes the following offer—" I am prepared to undertake to supply the Government with a steam-gun capable of throwing a ball of a ton weight a distance of five miles. If such a gun were fixed in Brunel's large ship of 10,000 tons, I venture to say that Se- bastopol would be destroyed without losing a man."

The last adviees from America mention that the Legislature of Canada had voted 20,0001. towards the Crimea Fund ; 10,000/. to go to the English army, and 10,000/. to the French army : the representatives of the colony remembering that they owe their origin both to France and England.

Officers who have arrived from Constantinople speak in the highest terms of Miss Nightingale and her nurses. The day before they sailed from Scu- tari, about six hundred of the British troops, who had been wounded at inkerman, arrived at the hospital. Their wounds and bodies were washed by these ladies, clean linen supplied to them, and everything which the most tender care could suggest was at hand in abundance. One stalwart Guardsman, who had received three severe wounds, appeared deeply affected when be found himself the object of so much solicitude. " Ah said he, "now I see there are people in England who care for us poor soldiers."— .Daily News.

It is said that the Earl of Ellesmere is about to send out his capacious and swift-sailing yacht to the Crimea, filled with provisions and clothing for the army.

Active preparations are going on to provide winter clothing for our troops in the Crimea. On Tuesday, 18,000 buffalo robes were purchased of the Hudson's Bay Company, and the leather-market was "excited" by the large orders from Government. At Leeds there have been extensive purchases of heavy woollens, including 20,000 rugs in one order.

Agents are busy at Lyons buying up sheep-skins to be prepared for the use of the French army in the Crimea during the winter.

Mr. John Bright's Russian letter to Mr. Alderman Watkin appeared in the St. Petersburg Journal of the 19th November.

The inquiry instituted by the Naval Commissioners of the Board of Trade into the loss of the Forerunner was concluded on Saturday. Captain John- stone made a long statement in defence of his conduct. He said there is a sandy bottom at the mouth of the Bonny river, which shifts frequently ; no harm was done to the ship on the bar. He was not out of his course when he approached the Arguin Bank ; the leadsmen was the best but one in the ship ; the vessel was not inside the bank. He seems to ascribe the ultimate loss of the Forerunner to the coming on of "a thick dense haze" ; he saw no surf; "I must have estimated my position wrongly." After the ship struck he gave the necessary orders about the boats ; he did look after the lady passenger, though at first everybody had forgotten her ; she was in her cabin, only partly dressed, and was averse to coming out. "I was a little bit stunned by the suddenness and seriousness of the stoppage of the vessel." He did not neglect his duty to save chronometers and money, though he threw three chronometers into a boat. Of the crew, only the engineer was disobedient, in refusing to come out of a boat.

The report of Admiral Beechey and Captain Walker to the Lords Com- missioners was condemnatory of Captain Johnstone's conduct. Besides cen- suring his navigation previously to the wreck, they said—" We are of opinion that the loss of the Forerunner was occasioned by her being negli- gently run upon a well-known rock, situate about 200 yards from the cliff of Fora, forming the Eastern extremity of the island of Madeira ; the land being at the time distinctly visible, and there being no necessity whatever for the vessel being so near that spot. That, previous to this, the vessel was kept unnecessarily, and sometimes dangerously, near to the shore. That, by the direction of the master, she was taken out of her direct route, where he had a channel open before him of nearly ten miles in width, apparently for the purpose of skirting the coast. That this unnecessarily close proximity to the rocks was such that Captain Gregory remarked to the captain on the danger of passing so near ; that afterwards the vessel struck, and was found to be fast filling with water. The master then quitted his post, and went below to the cabin, and occupied himself in saving the chronometers and money of the ship, instead of providing for the safety of his passengers and crew, and endeavouring to maintain the discipline of the ship, which espe- cially became him as captain of the vessel at this a moment of imminent peril." They pronounced Mr. Johnstone unfit, from incompetency, to dis- charge the duties of a master of any British merchant-vessel.

Admiral Beeehey announced to Mr. Johnstone that the Lords Commissioners had ordered his certificate to be cancelled; which will prevent him from being appointed again as master.

A. statue of Wordsworth, executed in white marble, by Mr. Thrupp, has just been set up in Westminster Abbey. "It represents the au- thor of the Excursion' sitting in the open air, in a contemplative mood, as if communing with Nature, under whose habitual sway he may be said to have lived. He is resting on a moss and ivy-mantled stone or knoll, with the green sward at his feet enamelled with flowers; the legs are crossed ; his right hand and arm are wound gracefully round one knee ; the left hand, the fore-finger slightly uplifted, is laid upon an open book, which the

poet boa just been reading.; the eyes are bent, in pensive admiration, upon the flowers at his feet ; and the spectator may ftsucy him saying—

To me the meanest flower that blows can give

Thoughts that doasften lie too sleep for tears.' " Prince Albert has ordered a number of seal-skin coats, lined throughout with fur, to be made, one of which he intends to present to each of the officers and privates of his own regiment of Grenadier Guards, doing fluty in the Crimea.

"E. B. I)." complains to the Times of the regulations of the Post-office with regard to the transmission of books : if you try to defraud the reveuue by Putting a letter in a book, the letter is taken out, and twopence postage charged ; but if you make a enistate and *send a heels oyer one pound weight, it is forfeited, or double letter-tiostage chafged fo'r its The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received 188. from "N. P." for unpaid Inceme-tax. There must be great facilities for avoiding payment of the tax when a man pays 166/. at the call of conscience only.

A country gentleman has been indulging a strange whim for the last two or three weeks—constantly travelling by rail between London and Manches- ter. After arriving at one city he returns by the next train, snatching what refreshment he can in the intervals.

We understand that, at the Judges' Chambers., on Friday, before Mr. Jus- tice Crompton, an application was made in the forthcoming crim. con. care- of Hope versus Aguado' for a commission to examine the Count de Moray,, who has lately received the appointment of President of the Corps Legislatif in Paris. In consideration of the Count's Parliamentary duties, the applica- tion for a commission has been granted. The case is likely to afford some curious revelations of Parisian life in its highest circles, and already consi- derable interest is felt in the coining " delidate investigation." The plain- tiff is Mr. Adrian Hope, son of the author of " Anastasius," and one of the three brothers who inherit the large fortunes of the house of Rope; and the defendant, Count Olympe Aguado, has long been known in the fashionable and sporting circles of Paris.—Morning Post.

A large shoal of whales came up the Thames on Wednesday as far as Gravesend ; at Rosherville they came into contact with two steamers.

The cholera is decreasing in Athens. Some seven hundred persons, mostly of the higher classes, fled from the city in a steamer ; the vessel foundered, and not a soul was saved.

The King of Prussia having ordered a collection of the books of the Mormons, the Latter-day Saints jumped to the conclusion that he must

be about to favour their views. So a deputation set out from Stettin to wait upon the monarch to "compliment" him ; but when the train arrived at Berlin, the Mormons were arrested by the Police, interrogated at great length, and ordered to leave the city in twenty-four hours.

There was a smart shock of earthquake at Hongkong on the 28th Sep- tember, the first recorded there. It was felt at Canton and at sea.

The superb articles collected in India to form part of the Paris Exposition- have been exhibited at Calcutta previously to transmission to Europe. Alt; the world went to see them.

The last advices from the West Indies mention the discovery of a guano island in the Leeward group—Ayes, or Bird Island, belonging to the Dutch.

Government. The deposit was discovered by an American ; two American vessels were taking in cargoes ; and it is said that the Yankees have landed. men and cannon to defend their possession against intruders.

The Australian letters complain of the reckless shipment of goods from England, which has rendered them a drug in the colonial marts : goods can be bought in Sydney ee cheap that they can be refixported to England at a profit.

A bill is before the Sydney Legislature to incorporate a company for work- ing an iron and coal mine at Berrima, sixty-five miles from the capital,. which is said to be very rich. A nugget of ninety-eight pounds' weight has been found at Ballarat, though the diggings there were thought to be nearly exhausted.