10 SEPTEMBER 1859, Page 8

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Major-General Sir Henry Rawlinson, the newly appointed British Minister at the Court of the Shah of Persia, left London on Tuesday for his post, accompanied by Dr. Dickson.

Mr. Frederick White, the brother of Madame Mario, late Miss Jessie Meriton White, has published the following reply to a statement de- scribing his sister as"half-crazed."

"1. Immediately on her first arrest at Genoa in 1857 M. Brofferio tele- graphed from Turin—' I shall feel honoured to defend you ; tonight I will speak to the Minister.' I believe no communication of any importance has since taken place, so that personally M. Brofferio can have no grounds for the opinion attributed to him.

"2. General Garibaldi about the same time authorized my sister to collect money in his name for the Italian cause. He also intrusted to her the education of his son, and I do not believe he has ever regretted it.

"3. I have before me the formal engagements entered into by my sister for various literary work, which by its very nature could be done only in Italy. These will show, in the first place, that parties, well known as shrewd men of business, had sufficient confidence in her sanity to intrust important matters to her care ; and, secondly, that she had very legitimate reasons for returning to the country to which: by her marriage she now be- longs, quite apart from Massinian or any other movements.'

"I may add my own testimony that the letters and other communications recently received from her (of course, we have none subsequent to her arrest) afford no ground for your correspondent's alarming statements."

It is stated that the Government at Bologna agreed to liberate Madame Mario after the general elections had been accomplished.

Warnings to tourists not to venture on short cuts across mountains seem to produce no effect. In the "season" almost every week sup- plies some new illustration of the recklessness of the class. For instance, a letter from Interlaken contains the following narrative of an adventure.

"On Monday evening last, 29th of August, this little town was in the greatest state of excitement ; the news having reached it that there were

three gentlemen lost on the Harder Mountain, a spot which had already been the scene of many fatal catastrophes. All the inhabitants of the town and most of the strangers at the various hotels collected immediately in the avenue, and watched with the most painful anxiety the progress of the lan- terns held by the guides sent to search after the unfortunate gentlemen. It would appear that the Prince Leon Deolet-Kildieo (a Russian), Mr. Donald Spence, and Mr. Lancelot Spence (two Englishmen), had set out in the evening, about half-past five o'clock, with the intention of merely taking a short walk on the mountain, but that when they had ascended for about half an hour they left the path and struck out one for themselves which seemed to lead more directly to the summit. On reaching, however, an awkward looking precipice, the Russian prince and Mr. Lancelot Spence determined to cross it, with the view of descending to Interlacken in a quicker manner ; once on the other side of the precipice they found that all descent was impracticable, while at the same tune they were unable to re- trace their steps. Nothing then was left them, but to ascend, for in ascen- sion was their only hope of safety, while Mr. Donald Spence, who had not crossed the precipice, was able to hurry back to the town for assistance. This he succeeded in obtaining, and in about two or three hours he managed to overtake his brother and the prince, who, having by that time given up all hopes of getting out of the difficulty unaided, had lit their cigars, and made up their minds to have a night of it. It was then per- fectly dark, thunder and lightning raging, and a perfect deluge of rain falling, so that the predicament was anything but pleasant. To add to the danger of the benighted party, the guide had brought with him no lantern, and was some time before he could discover any way of descent so as to avoid the innumerable precipices which spread in every direction over the Harder. After two hours of dangerous walking, every step of which might have been their last, a party of six guides with lanterns joined them, and then all became comparatively plain sailing ; four more guides, sent by the Empress of Russia on hearing of the lost party, soon after came up. On arriving at the entrance of the town, nearly at midnight, an enormous crowd awaited their coming with greetings of the most enthusiastic kind— all hope having been given up of the safety of Prince Deolet-Kildeeo and of Mr. Lancelot Spence. The entrance into Interlacken was a perfect tri- umph; the road was lined; all the windows at the various hotels were filled; the Empress of Russia (who had despatched her own physician to meet the procession in case of need) was on the balcony of the Hotel Bel- videre, surrounded by her maids of honour to view the torchlight procession Rasa on to the Hotel de la Joungfrau, where the whole party were staying. The distress of Mrs. Spence, the mother of the two Englishmen, and of the Princess Galitzin, the aunt of the young Russian, can scarcely be de- scribed ; but as it is generally taken that All's well that ends w"11,' we must hope that the golden rule was not departed from in this case.

The French Emperor has awarded a medal of honour to Captain Paul, commander of the South Eastern Company's steam-packet the Lord Warden, plying between Folkestone and Boulogne, for having gallantly rescued the crew of a French fishing-boat in distress in the month of November last.

The Duke de Chartres, who returned to his family in England after the peace of Villafranca, is shortly to return to Turin, to rejoin his regiment.

The last accounts respecting the King of Prussia state that his Majesty had experienced a slight improvement. He takes more notice of what passes around him, and has even sat up for half-an-hour.

Lord Palmerston, Lord John Russell, Lord Elgin, and Sir George Lewis have left London.

The Emperor of Russia has left St. Petersburg for Moscow, accompanied by the Minister of War.

"It is now certain," says the: Patrie, "that the King of the Belgians, before returning to Brussels, from Italy, will pay a visit to the Emperor Napoleon at Biarritz."

The Prince of the Myrdites, a Christian tribe of Albania, has arrived in Paris from Constantinople.

Mr. Panizzi, of the British Museum, has just passed through Turin on his way to Parma and Modena. Mr. Panizzi is a native of Brescello, in Mo- dena, and his fellow-countrymen proposed to elect him as a deputy to the National Assembly of Modena, but he refused. His object in coming to Italy was to visit his native place and to thank his fellow-countrymen ; but some of the Turin papers ascribe his visit to another cause, and say that he is an agent of the British Government.

The Right Reverend Bishop Carr, rector of Bath, and formerly Bishop of Bombay, died at Bath on Monday. He had been suffering froman attack of paralysis, which had compelled him to resign his living, Dr. Smith, residing at Bawdsea, in Suffolk, completed his 109th year last month. He enjoys excellent health, has a good appetite, and in the fulness of his spirits expresses a belief that he shall live for some years to come.

Ferdinand Flown, an active member of the Provisional Government during the late French republic, an exile at Zurich, declines the acceptance of the amnesty. Victor Chauffeur, lately appointed to the chair of Professor of History. at Geneva, has given up his professorship and announced his in- tention Of returning to France. M. Felix Pyat has reproved M. Louis Blanc for not accepting the amnesty. He shows that amnestied exiles have been fatal to many kings.

The Nouvelliste de Rouen states that by a decision of the Emperor the names of officers of all ranks who were killed during the war in Italy are to be inscribed on marble tablets, and placed in the museum of Versailles.

'The Empress has just presented the dress worn by her on her first appear- ance at church, after the birth of the Prince Imperial, the embroidery of which cost 25,000L, to the statue of the Virgin on the altar of Notre Dame del Garde, at Marseilles.—Court Journal.

An Armstrong gun an 80-pounder, was tested at Shoeburyness last week. It shot 9000 yards . great accuracy.

The 27th company of Royal Engineers have completed the Armstrong gun factory at Woolwich. They were called in to do work abandoned by some of the men on strike.

A most wonderful long-range cannon, invented by Mr. Jeffrey, patentee of the well-known marine glue, is in course of being mounted in the Royal Arsenal,' Woolwich, for experiments at Shoeburyness. Its range or flight of shot is spoken of as certain to eclipse every other weapon hitherto known. The gun, with its present bore, namely, a three-inch diameter, weighs seven tons, and presents an appearance (with the exception of the present calibre) similar to one of our 68-pounders. The charge will consist of 161b. of powder, and a conically-shaped shot, weighted with lead to 91b., and hol- lowed, similarly to the Minie bullet, which it is presumed will be propelled fifteen or twenty miles. Mr. Jeffrey, it is stated, has asserted Ins convic- tion that it would carry from Dover to Calais. It is the intention of the authorities to carry out a varied and complicated course of experiments under the inspection of the Select Committee of Woolwich Arsenal. After being satisfied of its power in its present form, the bore will be progressively increased to a 68-pounder. To enable the gunners to point the gun, the trunnions will be fitted with a couple of telescopes, to assist the eye over the enormous range .predicted.—Titnes. [Mr. Jeffrey has denied the accu- racy of this descnption of his invention.] William Fox, of Nottingham, was a member of the Society of Friends, and he was one of the true old school of Friends. His sympathy for the poor was deeply excited by serving the office of overseer, and, seeing how poor some were who had to pay the poor-rates, he resolved to economize the parish funds, and thus prevent their miseries as much as possible. It was the custom then in many parishes for the overseers and the committee who attended the weekly payments of the paupers to have a good dinner at the close of their day's labour, and this was paid for out of the poor-rates ; but as it was a manifest abuse he determined to put an end to the practice. Ho therefore hastened away before the close of the weekly payment to the dining- room, and thus addressed the master of the workhouse Is the dinner ready?" "Yes, Sir." "Then bring it in." "Are the gentlemen ready, Sir ? ' "Never mind the gentlemen ; I say bring it in." And this was done. "Now call all the poor people, Sir ; now call the poor people. float thou not hear what I say, Sir ? " "This dinner is for the gentlemen." "For the gentlemen ; oh! who pays for it, then ; do the gentlemen ? " The workhouse-master, staring most amazedly, said, "Why no, Sir,_ I reckon not ; it's paid for out of the poor-rates." "Out of the poor-rates! To be sure it is ; thou art right. The rates are for the poor man, and not for the gen- tlemen. Poor-rates, eh! I think we have no gentlemen's rates ; so fetch in the poor at once, and look quick." The workhouse-master went, and Wil- liam Fox went too, to see that he did as he was ordered, and not give the alarm to the gentlemen, and in a few seconds were hurried in a whole host of hungry paupers who had not for years set eyes on such a feast as that. They did not wait for a second invitation to place themselves at table, and William Fox bade them help themselves, and at once there was a scene of activity that for the time it lasted justified the name of the house. It was a workhouse, indeed. William Fox all the time stood cutting and carving and handing good pieces of pudding and meat to such as could not get seats ; in a few minutes there was a thorough clearance of the table. Scarcely had William Fox dismissed his delighted company -when another company presented themselves, and these were the gentlemen, who stood in amazement. "Why," exclaimed they, "what is this—why is the table in this state ? Where is the dinner ; " "I found a very good dinner ready, and as I know that none but the poor had a right to dine out of the parish funds, I have served it out to the poor accordingly; but if any one of you is in want of a dinner, he may come home with me and I will give him one." The gentlemen knew well the character they had to deal with, and never attempted to renew the practice of dining at the public charge during William Fox's year of office.

The Avenir of Nice describes the adventures of M. de Talon at Solferino. The name of the hero is pretty well known in England, chiefly from his racing. exploits in the Crimea. M. de Talon, says the story, charging at Solfenno, "arrived in an Austrian square, and received a discharge of balls, which, however, only -wounded his horse without touching him. The horse fell ; but the rider jumped up, sword in hand, and presently had his kepi cut through by a sword. A moment after he received a second blow on the head, but in the confusion which prevailed the hand of the soldier who struck was turned aside, so that the flat of the sword only hit him ; in an- other moment a dragoon placed his carbine close to the viscount's cheek, but it missed fire. M. Talon then received a violent thrust from a bayonet, which threw him to the ground, but the soldier who gave it was astonished to see him soon after rise and get away. The soldier no doubt thought the young officer had some talisman about him, and so he had. In the campaign in the Crimea, M. Talon one day complained that he had broken the glass of his watch, and could not get it replaced. One of his soldiers said, Lieu- tenant, you have no need to carry your watch to the Palais Royal. I am a watchmaker by trade, and have some tools in my knapsack. If you have a piece of 2f. E will put you in a glass that will never break.' M. Talon gave the man his watch and a piece of 2f., and the man very skilfully beat out the coin until it became large enough, and then fixed it in the case so as to occupy the place of the glass. The watch then presented this parti- cularity, that the cases were gold, and the part where the glass ought to be seen, silver. On his return to France M. Talon continued to wear the watch both as a curiosity and as a souvenir of the Crithea. He had it in his pocket in the battle of Solferino ; and it was against it that the point of the Austrian bayonet struck. But so violent was the thrust that the point of the bayonet passed through both the coin and the watch ! Thus, said M. Talon to his friends, in recounting the affair, "I owe my life to a piece of 2f."And the money,' said a gentleman .present, was well invested.' The remark, although not new, was appropriate."

During the year 1858 the Emigration Commissioners scut out 48 ships. Of these 14 conveyed 5504, more than one half women, to Victoria ; 18 ships carried 6496 to New South Wales, less than one half being women ; 10 ships conveyed 3712, one half women, to South Australia ; 1 ship carried 198 persons, the greater part women, to Western Australia ; and 5 ships con- veyed 2034 persons to the Cape of Good Hope.

The whale fishing in the Arctic seas has been very successful. The vessels that have returned, and are returning home, are what are called "full ships." This compensates for the poor yield of the seal fishery last spring.

The steamer Nova Scotian has sailed for Quebec and Montreal with the Canadian mails and 180 passengers, including a party of twelve cricket players, who have been selected to engage the American players. The first match will come off at Montreal, where the contest will be against twenty- two. The following is the list of those who went out today—W. Caffyn, It. Carpenter, A. Diver, Julius Cocsar, J. Grundy, T. Hayward, J. Jackson, T. Lockyer, G. Parr, J. Lillywhite, M. H. Stephenson, and J. Wisden.

An exhibition took place last week at Lyons of a new apparatus invented by M. Rigolier, for stopping a locomotive in the midst of its speed almost instantaneously. Its power was acknowledged to be superior to any of those machines which have hitherto been introduced, and there is every probability of its becoming employed upon all the lines in France.

M. Blondin, a tight-rope dancer, has been performing astounding feats on a rope stretched over the falls of Nigara. Ile has run along it; crawled along it like an ape stood with his head on the rope, hung upon it by one and two feet, &c. Finally he has carried a man across it on his shoulders in forty-three minutes. These feats were performed in the presence of a great crowd of persons on the 17th of August. The cholera has made shocking ravages at Hamburgh this summer. The pest appeared in June and reached its height on the 24th July. It has also scourged Mecklenburgh, and in the little town of Goldberg, at one period, thirty died daily. It is now passing away.

A series of tables on the Public Revenue affords a great variety of in- teresting information. It appears that taxes have been repealed and re- duced as follows since 1844:-1844, 458,8101.; 1845, 4,546,3081.; 1846, 1,151,7901.; 1847, 344,8861.; 1848, 585,9681.; 1849, 388,7981.; 1850,

1,310,1511.; 1851, 2,679,8641.; 1852, 95,9281.; 1853, 3,247,4741.; 1864, 1,284,1071.; 1855, 312,9601.; 1856, 2,203,475!.; 1857, 10,753,6821.; 1858, 2,100,000!.; making a total of 31,424,102/. The taxes imposed amounted to 53,720/. in 1845; 2000/. in 1846; 84/. in 1848 600,0001. in 1851; 3,356,3831. in 1853; 9,954,643/. in 1854; 5,225,907/. in 1855; 92/. in 1857; and 456,780/. in 1858—making a total of 19,238,609/. This leaves a balance of 12,185,4931. on the side of reduction ; but notwithstanding this, the net revenue advanced from 54,003,753/. in 1844 to 61,812,6551. in 1868, show- ing a wonderful buoyancy and power of expansion in the national resources.