Visalia - tuna Tuesday's Gazette notified that the Queen has been pleased

to grant the dignity of a Baronet of the United Kingdom to Major-General Walter Raleigh Gilbert, G.C.B. ; to Mr. James Matheson, of Lewis in the county of Ross and of Achany in the county of Sutherland; and to Mr. Richard. Tufton, of Appleby Castle in the county of Westmoreland, Skipton Castle in the county of York, and Hothfield Place in the county of Bent. General Gilbert served with distinction in the war of the Punjaub ; Mr. Matheson was formerly head of the great firm of Eastern traders, Mathe- son, Jardine, and Co. ; Mr. Tufton is the inheritor of the vast estates or the lath Earl of Thanet.

Some weeks since, we stated that the Earl of Chichester was to be proposed for the vacant office of Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords next session. Since then, however; it has been found that hitt Lordship could. not. possibly. discharge the duties of that office along wale those which devolve on him as head of. the Ecclesiastical Commission.; an& i at intention or putting, him fonwargi bas been relnetantIE abandoned.. We believe we are correct in stating that Lord Wharneliffe will be now proposed to fill the vacant office, with every likelihood of success.—Globe.

Colonel Hugh Rose, Consul-General for Syria, has been appointed Secretary of Embassy at Constantinople. By this appointment a saving of 1000/. a year will be effected, as it is not probable that the vacancy in Syria will be again filled up.—G14e. We regret to learn that General Sir J. Willoughby Gordon, the Quar- termaster-General, lies dangerously ill with a sevare attack of bronchitis. The General was recovering, when he relapsed on Monday last ; since which his physician, Dr. Maclaehlan, has been in constant attendance. Sir Willoughby is of the same age as the Duke of Wellington, and has been Quartermaster-General of the Army since 1812.—Standard.

We are informed by a friend and correspondent of Lord Brougham, now in Edinburgh, that his Lordship's eye is now considered to be quite safe by the most experienced of London oculists. Lord Brougham has, during his sojourn at his chateau near Cannes, been engaged in some difficult ex- perimental researches on the diffraction of light.—Edinburgh Witness.

We understand that on receipt of information of the prevalence of Asiatic cholera in Jamaica, Earl Grey requested the attention of the General Board of Health to the accounts, and their advice on the application of the West India merchants for additional medical aid for that island. The reply of the Board was, that judging from the reported progress of the epidemic in the towns affected, it would most probably have spent its force there before any assistance could be sent out ; and that it would be impracticable to organize here within the time any sufficient medical staff to be of use in the remote districts for the treatment of the disease in the advanced stages at which it would have arrived before any aid could be given. The Board reverted to the declarations made in their offi- cial notifications, that the medical experience of Europe had failed to supply any successful treatment in the advanced stages—namely, the stage of collapse. The only hopes of success which experience suggested for relief were prompt measures of a preventive class ; and they recommeded that competent medical officers, who had practical experience of the effect of such measures on the pro- gress of cholera during its late attack in Great Britain, should be sent out to promote the application of similar measures in the West India Islands, including systematic house-to-house visitation and immediate treatment of the premonitory symptoms, in the districts of Jamaica not yet attacked. This advice was adopted; and yesterday Dr. Milroy and Dr. H. Gavin, whose names will be familiar to those who have read the reports on cholera and sanatory measures in the Metropolis, and Dr. Laidlaw, who for several years was physician to the Consulate at Alex- andria, and had much practical experience in the treatment of cholera in Tropical climates, left London, and embarked at Southampton for the West Indies, with instructions to communicate with the local authorities there, and to assist in carrying into effect what preventive measures may be found available.—Times, Jan. 3.

The appointment of Sir James Emerson Tennent to be Governor of St. Helena, in the room of the late Sir Patrick Ross, was gazetted on Tues- day.

It is stated in clerical circles, that Dr. Edward Field, Bishop of New- foundland, will be translated to the diocese of Nova Scotia, rendered vacant by the death of Dr. Inglis; and that the bishopric of Newfound- land is likely to be conferred on Dr. Bridge, Archdeacon of Fredericton, New Brunswick,

Mr. Fairbairn from the Cape of Good Hope, had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday, at the Colonial Office.—Court Circular, Jan. 3.

Accounts from the Sandwich Islands, dated October 19, announce the arrival of her Majesty's ship Herald, Captain Kellett, on the 16th, from Behring's Straits, without any intelligence of Sir John Franklin ; and as the season was fast closing, it is to be apprehended that for some time to come we must look to the Northern coast of the North American con- tinent in the Canadian route, and to Dr. Rae's and Lieutenant Noulen's exertions, for further tidings of the lost expedition.

It would seem that the differences between the engine-drivers on the North-western line and the managers of the Company have been sa- tisfactorily arranged; though the accounts do not place the matter in a clear or decideelight. It is stated that the Company last week put to each of the men on the Northern division of the line the question, whe- ther he would assent to the three-months arrangement or not in respect of new hands ; that all assented ; and that some thirty new hands taken on in preparation for the event of a strike by the regular staff have returned to the lines whence they came, with an understanding that their alacrity will give them a favourable preference at any future time. But while the Northern men thus easily came to an agreement, the Southern men, who originally only backed their friends in the North with resolutions expressing sympathy but withholding cooperation, have showed at the last moment an unexpected restiveness. They fear that the Northern arrangements will be extended to the South of the line, and they are irritated because notices to quit have been given to some old hands. The latest particulars, however, convey the general impression that modera- tion will guide both parties to the differences, in the South as well as the North. The men have met and passed resolutions stating that they are satisfied with the present arrangements and their present treatment ; and expressing the desire of the men who have received notice to remain in the Company's service.

From the returns of the applications in connexion with joint stock undertakings, deposited in the House of Commons up to Tuesday the 31st December, the last day allowed by the standing orders, it appeared that the total number of applications to Parliament for the ensuing ses- sion for all classes of bills, amount to 216; about one half of which are for ;railways, and the other half for miscellaneous companies. Applica- tions for new water companies—Metropolitan Water Supply Association, for the control of the represesentative body ; Wandle Water and Sewage Company ; London (Watford) Spring Water Company ; Metro- politan Waterworks (Henley-on-Thames and London Aqueduct) ; East Lancashire Waterworks ; Cambridge Waterworks ; Leicester Waterworks and Sewerage ; St. Helen's Waterworks; Whitby Waterworks ; East Stonehouse Waterworks; making four applications for the Metropolis, and five for the provincial districts. Applications for new electric telegraph companies—The United Kingdom Electric Telegraph Company (Allen's

patent) ; the European and American Printing Telegraph Company (Jacob Brett's); the Submarine Telegraph Company between Great Bri- tain and Ireland (Brett's); the Submarine Telegraph Company between England and France ; and the Magnetic Telegraph Company : the Elec- tric Telegraph Company also apply for amendments to their present acts. There are several applications for the municipal and other improvements of Liverpool and Manchester. The Great Central Gas-Consumers Com- pany apply for an incorporation of their company : there are also several applications for local gas companies ; to supersede the " Smithfield nui- sance," measures are proposed, called the Railway Insurance Cattle- market, and the Metropolitan Cattle-market, the object of the latter being the removal of Smithfield and Newgate markets and the prohibition in- trainurally of slaughter-houses. The maintainers of Smithfield also have a bill, entitled "Smithfield Enlargement," one of the objects being the removal of the dead meat market from Smithfield.

A new classification of the officials in some of the departments at Somerset House has just been made known. By the new arrangements facilities are presented for the advancement of those clerks whose talent for public business diligence, and industry, deserve special notice ; and it is understood that 'the claim of seniority will in future pass unregarded unless supported by these qualities. Reading the " newspapers " by the clerks during office-hours is expressly prohibited by the terms of the Treasury order received at Somerset house.

Returns of bullion imported at Southampton during the half-year, and the year ending on the 28th December, by the West and East Indian packets, show a remarkable decrease. The value of gold-dust brought from California in the half-year is not more than 582,341/. The whole of the gold and silver bullion brought from South and North American sources in connexion with the West India mail stations, during the year, amounts (including the Californian dust) to 4,959,319/. From the East —from Spain Constantinople, Egypt, and India, the imports have not been more than 750,000/. Altogether, the imports of the year into Southamp- ton were but 0,703,216/., against 6,788,655/. last year. Concurrently with this decrease of total imports, there has been a great increase of ex- ports to the East. Egypt, India, and China, have drained off nearly a million of silver bullion.

Archdeacon Sinclair and the Rural Deans of the Metropolitan vicinity presented to the Bishop of London, on the 31st December, an address from 264 of their clergy, expressing gratitude that the Bishop has "taken the lead in the general movement in the subject of the late Papal aggres- sion." Bishop Blonifield replied with decision, but not wholly from the one point of view.

"It is more especially incumbent upon us at the present crisis, carefully to abstain from doing or saying anything, whether in our. public or our pri- rate ministrations, which may wear the semblance of an intended approach to the distinctive doctrines or discipline of an erring and corrupt church ; from using. language which may appear to symbolize with its teaching, and from reviving practices which were purposely rejected and laid aside by our own church at the time of its reformation. . . . . I cannot but suspect that many of the forms which have been of late introduced into the celebration of the holy communion are the expressions of belief in a doctrine emphatically denied by the Church of England, and are nothing less than acts of adora- tion done to the supposed corporeal presence of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ. The use of these forms, together with other observances copied from the practices of the Roraish priesthood, induces unlearned people to think that, after all, there is no such great difference between the Re- formed Church and that of Rome and that the passing from one to the other is merely a question of believing or practising a little more or a little less, not one which nearly concerns their eternal salvation.

'It is for this reason that, while I object to any needless departures from the prescribed order of the English Church, in the way of either defect or excess, I think the fault of excess is the more dangerous of the two, where- it tends to countenance the superstitions of the Church of Rome ; and less defensible, both on that account, and as not having long-established custom to plead in excuse, as is the case with certain faults of defect, such as the disuse of the offertory and of the prayer for the church militant on Sundays when there is no communion. No such excuse however, will serve to de- fend omissions which involve any point of doctrine, or which the law and custom of the Church alike condemn.

"But, though I desire to put a stop to those observances and forms which are neither authorized by the Church's order nor sanctioned by long-esta- blished practice, I must still adhere to the opinion which I have before ex- pressed, that the rubric should be scrupulously observed, when no insuper- able difficulty stands in the way."

Almost each day of the week has produced its new report on the sub- ject of the resignation of his living by Mr. Bennett. It was stated that he had retracted his resignation ; that he had not completed it by formal deed of demission, (as is legally requisite,) and would not do so and it was added, that the Bishop of London had actually begun proceedings in the ecclesiastical courts. Yesterday the matter was put on a clearer footing by an authoritative statement in the Times- " An erroneous impression appears to have gone abroad that the Reverend, W. J. E. Bennett is inclined to retract his offer of resigning his living. We have authority to state that this is not the case ; and as soon as the necessary arrangements are made we are assured that the reverend gentleman will be ready to complete his resignation. We believe, however, that great dissatis- faction prevails among a large number of his two congregations, on the ground that the conditions of the resignation have not been strictly fulfilled."

A correspondent informs us that the Reverend W. Dodsworth, late in- cumbent of Christ Church, St. Pancras, has been received into the Ro- man Catholic Chweh.—Horning Post, January 3.

A correspondence between Alderman Sadler, of the Oxford Corpora- tion, and Bishop Wilberforce, on the teaching of the Oxford clergy, has been printed in a pamphlet form, and in extracts has formed part of the news of the daily journals. Mr. Sadler, in a recent speech to the Oxford Town-Council, declared that many clergymen of the Bishop's diocese are

Roman doctrine while receiving the Church's money : Bishop Wilberforce, seeming to feel the imputation, by letter asked for the names of these many clergymen. Mr. Sadler declined to usurp the duties of the Bishop's Archdeacon, but did mention some names. The Bishop re- joined, that most of the clergymen named are not under his jurisdiction, —as Dr. Pusey, who holds no parochial cure at Oxford ; and the others. —as Mr. Allies—he had endeavoured, under the advice of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr. Lushington, to correct, but without success. Fur- ther interchanges occurred, to which the adversaries of each writer will attribute equally the demerit of some controversial subtilty : in the end, the Bishop says he gathers that Mr. Sadler is unable to establish his charge by "any allegations capable of legal proof," and he acknowledges that Mr. Sadler may have made his charge under the influence of warm feelings on a most important subject. He closes the correspondence, on his own part, with general remarks, pointed at the evil of provocative and hasty speaking-

" I have myself a vivid perception of the dangers to which our Church is exposed from the fearful tendency towards Rome which has manifested it- self amongst us. I neither deny nor undervalue the evil. To deal with it ariolt has been my greatest trial for years past. I have striven, and, please shall strive with all lawful weapons against it. But I cannot take part in persecution : I cannot allow Church of England principles to be lightly branded as Popish. I cannot bring sweeping charges or admit them : I can- not, because the perverseness, instability, and duplicity of a few has roused the heart of England, suffer the principles of her -Hooker and Beveridge and Andrews to be condemned in their living maintainers. I believe that the main hindrance in the way of a real separation of Romanizers from us is to be found in the violence and unkind and unjust judgments which abound among us, and which such sweeping censures as that I noticed in your speech tend to multiply. In concluding this correspondence, let me remind myself as well as you, that the work of God must be done in meekness, and that the spirit of a sound mind' is also the 'spirit of love.'" Cardinal Wiseman has received autograph letters of congratulation from the Queen of Spain and Portugal ; completing the number of the Catholic Sovereigns of Europe who have addressed his Eminence on occasion of his appointment.—Horning _Papers.

The Standard is in a panic at the domestic propagandism of the Roman clergy—" Romish confraternity-men are assailing servant-maids in va- rious streets with appeals in favour of Popery. Several instances of priests, or Romanists in the garb of priests, thus addressing maid-servants, have occurred in Hanover Street and other streets in the West-end."

The late Member for St. Alban's died without singing the deed transfer- ring the new churches at Kingston and St. Alban's, as well as Prior Park, near Bath, to the Cardinal. The delay is said to have been caused by the Cardinal's objecting to Mr. Raphael naming the clergyman; and the conse- quence is that he has lost about 70,000/. worth of property. Mr. Raphael's sister died on Sunday ; so that his nephew conies in for all. The personal property has been sworn at 250,000/., and the landed property is estimated at a larger figure.—Du,blin .Evening Mad.

Accounts from New Zealand announce the death of John Held, the most formidable of the chiefs who have contested our supremacy in New Zealand. He died at a place called Karkosi, of pulmonary disease.

The Prase says that M. Frederick Bastiat, the eminent French writer on political economy, has arrived at Marseilles from Italy, so reduced that his life is despaired of.

Mr. R. Woodhouse, son of an English merchant at Oporto, has behaved with groat gallantry on the occasion of a wreck off Matoyinhas. He dashed into the boisterous sea and saved one man, and made a desperate attempt to save another, but was foiled by a blow from a log of wood. A fisherman's wife frantically plunged into the surf and was carried out of her depth ; she clung to Mr. Woodhouse's neck, and he brought her safely to shore.

A correspondent corrects two inaccuracies in a paragraph quoted last week from a semi-official weekly contemporary : Dr. Kitt,o, who has obtained a pension on the civil list, "is not dumb, although deaf " ; and he is Doctor of Divinity, not of Medicine.

The British Museum is closed for the purpose of cleansing. It will be reopened to the public on Wednesday the 8th.

The exhibition of the Liverpool Academy of Painting, which is about to close, is considered to have been extremely successful. Pictures to the amount of 2800/. have been sold, and the gallery has been visited by more than 20,000 persons.

The financial position of the borough of Liverpool appears to be very favourable. The expenses of last year were 129,8201., and the income was a larger sum by 71891. In the present year the income was 154,5301.; which will leave a surplus of 15,370/.

The directors of the East and West India Docks, with a view to en- courage the import-trade of the port of London, have unanimously resolved to reduce the rates on indigo, tea, cotton, rice, rum, &e., so as to effect a saving to the public of upwards of 12,000/. per annum. The London and St. Katherine 'lock companies will, it is understood, join in these reductions, making the total saving not less than 30,000/. per annum.

Several colliers from Kilmarnock have been hired by the Hudson's Bay Company to proceed to Vancouver's Island, in order to work the coal-mines.

The annual report of commerce and navigation gives the following aggre- gate of the number of steam-boats built in the United States since 1824, twenty-five years, in periods of five years each—From 1824 to 1829, 194; from 1829 to 1834, 304; from 1834 to 1839, 504; from 1839 to 1844, 522; from 1844 to 1849, 969; total, 2492. Two-thirds of these are built in the West, one-sixth of them in Ohio. The largest number of steamers built at one place are built in Pittsburg and its neighbourhood.—.New York Com- mercial Advertiser.

Ninety boats of Boulogne, of 2478 tons, with 979 men on board, have been this year engaged in the herring-fishery on the coast of Scotland: they have carried home 17,866 tons of salt herrings.

A sale by auction of 100,000 metres of silk, destined in 1848 to be made into scarfs and colours under the Provisional Government, has just taken place at Lyons. Only one part of the goods has been sold ; that intended for the scarfs being bought in. The price obtained for the other was 2 francs 40 centimes the metre, the original price being 5 francs 50 centimes to 6 francs.

The Prussian tax on almanacks yields 2012 thalers of duty, and the ex- pense of collecting the tax is exactly the same sum ; so that the tax exists solely for the benefit of a portion of the Government stair.

A portion of the Horseshoe Fall, on the Canada side of Niagara river, has fallen in. About ten rods in length and four in width fell away from the brink of the precipice over which the river flows ; and a canal-boat, which had been lodged there for several months, was carried over with the mass of rook.

In Austria the Government some time since gave, or rather renewed, a former permission for the sale of horse flesh as food. In Berlin the sale is also legal; but in spite of the efforts of unprejudiced philosophers, who can fall back on beef, and only patronize the equine substitute on principle and by way of example, the article does not find its way, avowedly at least, into consumption. Nothing seems to overcome the obstinacy of the public in this particular, and the philosophers eat and write in vain.