Vigulinutnuo.

The Government has at length responded to the national feeling, and has seen the necessity of Walling for olunteers. The following circular from General Peel to the Lords-Lieutenant of counties, prescribing the conditions, was made public yesterday.

The offer of bounties to seamen has been effectual. It is stated that on Wednesday, nearly 10,000 men had been enrolled at the several Go- vernment offices in London, Woolwich, Portsmouth, Plymouth, &c. ; and such was the number deemed requisite for fully manning our naval ships that the enlistment of men would be continued for some weeks until the necessary quantity is obtained by the Admiralty authorities.

The great activity in the dockyards and arsenals still continues, and reinforcement and munitions of war are continually forwarded to the Mediterranean. On Saturday orders were issued by the Admiralty for the James Watt, 91, screw, Captain Stopford ; Asia, 84, screw, Captain Robinson ; Exmouth, 90, screw, Captain J. J. Stopford; Cressy, 80, screw, Captain Elliot ; and the Hero, 91, screw, Captain Sir G. N. Broke, Bart. ; to sail from Sheerness and Devonport to join the Channel fleet ; and large drafts of men were sent from the different guard-ships, and the Royal Naval Rendezvous, Tower Hill, to bring the crews of each ship up to the required complement. Orders were also issued for the Goliath, 90; Cadmus, 21; Falcon, 17; Imperieuse, 51; Melpomene, 60 ; Termagant, 25 ; and the Pioneer and Flying Fish, gun-boats, to be brought forward with all expedition to reinforce the fleet in the ChanneL " War-Office, Pall-Mall, May 12, 1859. "Her Majesty's Government having had under consideration the pro- priety of permitting the formation of volunteer rifle corps, under the pro- visions of the Act of 44 George Ill, cap. 54, as well as of artillery corps and companies in maritime towns in which there may be forts and batteries, I have the honour to inform you that I shall be prepared to receive through you, and consider any proposal with that object, which may emanate from the county under your charge.

" The principal and most important provisions of the Act arc- " That the corps be formed under officers bearing the commission of the Lieutenant of the county. " That its members must take the Oath of Allegiance before a Deputy- Lieutenant or Justice of the Peace, or a commissioned officer of the corps. " That it be liable to be called out in case of actual invasion, or appear- ance of an enemy in force on the coast, or in case of rebellion arising out of either of those emergencies. " That while thus under arms its members are subject to military law, and entitled to be billeted and to receive pay in like manner as the regular Army. " That all commissioned officers disabled in actual service are entitled to half-pay, and non-commissioned officers and privates to the benefit of Chel- sea Hospital, and widows of commissioned officers killed in service to such pensions for life as are given to widows of officers of her Majesty's regular forces.

" That members cannot quit the corps when on actual service, but may do so at any other time by giving fourteen days' notice. " That members who have attended eight days in each four months, or a total of twenty-four days' drill and exercise in the year, are entitled to be returned as effectives.

"'That members so returned are exempt from militia ballot, or from being called upon to serve in any other levy.

" That all property of the corps is legally vested in the commanding officer; and subscriptions and fines under the rules and regulations are recoverable by him before a magistrate.

".The conditions on which her Majesty's Government will recommend to. her Majesty the acceptance of any proposal aro- " That the formation of the corps be recommended by the Lord-Lieute- nant of the county.

" That the corps be subject to the provisions of the Act already quoted.

That its members undertake to provide their own arms and equipments, and to defray all expenses attending the corps, except in the event of its being assembled for actual service. " That the rules and regulations which may be thought necessary be submitted to me, in accordance with the 56th section of the Act.

"The uniform and equipments of the corps may be settled by the mem- bers, subject to your approval ; but the arms, though provided at the ex- pense of the members, must be furnished under the superintendence and according to the regulations of this department, in order to secure a perfect uniformity of gauge. "The establishment of officers and non-commissioned officers will be fixed by me, and recorded in the books of this office ; and, in order that I may be enabled to determine the proportion, you will be pleased to specify the pre- cise number of private men which you will recommend, and into how many companies you propose to divide them.

"I have only to add that I shall look to you, saber Majesty's Lieutenant, for the nomination of proper persons to be appointed officers, subject to the Queen's approval.

" I have the honour to be, &c., your most obedient servant, "J. PEEL.

" Her Majesty's Lieutenant for the county of

We have some reason for believing that the Secretary of State for War meditates calling out the whole of the militia, and of adding fifty new battalions to the line.— United Service Gazette.

The first statements respecting the names of the military commiesion- era appointed to proceed with the head quarters of the armies contending in Italy were not correct. The Commissioners aro—for Austria, Colonel Mildmay ; for France, Colonel Claremont ; for Sardinia, Colonel Cade.. An interesting Report on the Organization of the Indian Army, to- gether with the evidence taken before the commission was published on Wednesday. We shall take an early opportunity of discussing the whole subject.

A restlessness has been manifest for a considerable time among the working classes in reference to shortening the hours of their labour. The first step was gained in the ten hour's bill, and the question has been fitfully agitated ever since. The "Early Closing Association," so persistently advocated, and with so much success by Mr. W. Lin- -wood, has largely contributed to extend the principle to other occu- pations than those in which it was at first entertained. Witness the two o'clock closing of mercantile and other houses on Saturday, and the pending discussion how far this is practicable in banking- houses. The bakers, too, have come forward asking the public to assist them to shorten their hours of toil. The most formidable agitation however on this question is that pending between the building operatives and their employers. The operatives timidly ask for nine hours a day instead of ten ; that they may have time for study and recreation. The employers reply at public meetings that ten hours a day is not a long time to work, and that an hour a day taken from the productiveness of their plant and machinery would entail upon them a great loss for which the public would not pay. The opposite party put in a rejoinder which opens up a wider field of discussion. The spirit of this rejoinder has been embodied by Mr. John B. Leno, a printer, who has acquired a reputation as a writer of songs for the people, in a small twopenny pamphlet, entitled "An Essay on the Nine Hours' Movement."* In it ho traces the rapid and gigantic progress made by the wealth-producing appliances of this country without, as he alleges, a corresponding benefit to the working body ; he calculates that in consequence of reducing the hours of labour, more hands will be required, and he argues with much reason that it is in the end really cheaper to the nation to keep a man in work, than in idleness.

• Ilolyoake and Co., 147, Fleet Street.

Earl Cowley left London on Tuesday evening by the mail train, on his return to the British Embassy at Paris. He had a protracted interview with the Earl of Malmesbury, previous to his departure for the French capital.

The Empress Eugenie gave audience to several persons on Wednesday at the Tuilenes. She likewise signed several decrees as Regent.

Mr. W. E. Gladstone and Mrs. Gladstone have been paying a visit to Ox- ford University, and are the guests of the Warden of All Souls' College.

The screw steam-frigate Curacoa, from the United States, arrived at Ply- mouth on Saturday with Lord Napier, late Minister at Washington.

The Journal des Dibats states that before leaving Austria, to take up his residence in Holland, the Count de Chambord, accompanied by the Duke de Levis, had a private audience of the Emperor of Austria.

The Duke of Malakoff arrived in Paris on Sunday evening. He will be succeeded at the Court of St. James's by the Count de Persigny.

The Chevalier Massimo d'Azeglio, having terminated his mission to the Courts of London and Paris, has arrived in Turin, accompanied bylsia two secretaries, M. Nigra and the Marquis de Cavour, nephew of the Pied- montese Minister.

The Duke de Chartres has, it is said,in consequence of letters from the Princes of Orleans ut Claremont, left Turin to return to England.

From the Athens _journals it appears that the Grand Duke and Duchess Constantine of Russia are receiving the most flattering attentions from the King and Queen.

The Government have created a new bishopric in Australia—Brisbane, Moreton Bay. Sir Edward Lytton has nominated the Reverend Edward Wyndham Tuffnell, of Wadham College, Oxford, a Prebendary of Salisbury, to be first Bishop of Brisbane.

Professor Owen has been elected one of the eight foreign associates of the French Institute department of the Academy of Sciences, in place of the great botanist, Robert Brown.

Lieutenant-General Sir William Codrington left London on Sunday for Gibraltar, to enter upon his appointment as Governor and Commander-in- chief of that island and garrison.

Mr. William Forsyth, Q.C., of the Northern Circuit, has been appointed standing counsel to the Secretary of State in Council for India, on the re- signation of Mr. Loftus Wigram, Q.C., who retires, we are sorry to learn, from ill-health.

The Lord Justice Sir George Turner has been elected a Governor of the Charterhouse in the room of the late Earl of Devon.

Mr. Bentley announces an approaching event of great interest—the publi- cation of " The Story of Cawnpore," by Captain Mowbray Thomson, one of the only two survivors.

The death of Humboldt has been painfully felt throughout Europe, and at his funeral in Berlin on Tuesday, all that was high placed in society, in literature, in science, in art, and the whole university as well as the people attended his burial ; the Prince Regent himself and his family being present in the cathedral. Alexander von Humboldt was born at Berlin on the 14th of September, 1769. He was an undergraduate at Gottingen, which university he left for Frankfort-on-the-Oder. Geography and geo- logy were his chief studies. His intelligence and zeal were not overlooked by the Government. In 1795 he was sent by the Prussian Govern- ment to study the nature of the volcanic eruptions of Vesuvius. Humboldt's mind took a wider range. He aspired to investigate regions unknown. Africa was his object. He went to Marseilles and joined Bonpland, who was on the point of starting on a similar mission, with the in- tention of accompanying him. This plan failed, but through the interest of Baron FONtll, the Saxon Ambassador, Humboldt obtained permission and authority to make a scientific tour of Spanish America. During eighteen months Humboldt examined geologically and geographically every part of Venezuela, the Orinoco, and the Rio Negro. He afterwards visited Bogota, the Cordilleras, and Quito. At this latter place Humboldt, at great per- sonal risk, investigated the volcanic mountains. He spent some time at Lima. In August, 1804, Humboldt landed at Havre, rich in experience, and with an invaluable collection of specimens of geological and botanical interest. Humboldt fixed his residence at Paris, taking an occasional trip to London ; but Prussia could not spare so valuable a man, and the King requested Humboldt to return. The King made him a Privy Councillor, and offered him various diplomatic missions. Mountains, not men, were Humboldt's object. He wished to explore the Andes and the Himalayas, to make a comparison of their respective dimensions. This plan failed. He however, succeeded in another. He started for Siberia, and then visited the chief cities of Russia. There is not one branch of science to which Humboldt has not contributed something—nay, much. The powers of his mind seemed to increase as they produced. The friend of Kings, he was a Liberal.

" More light !" were the last words of Goethe. The sun shone brilliantly into the room where Humboldt died, and it is reported that his last words, addressed to his niece, were : " Wie berrlich diese Strahlen : sic scheinen die Erde rum Himmel zu rufen !" [How grand these rays : they seem to beckon Earth to Heaven

A statue to the late Baron Humboldt will be placed in the gallery at Versailles.

IRDr. Dionysius Lardner died in Paris on the 5th May He was the son of a Dublin solicitor, and educated at Trinity College. His subsequent literary career is, however, pretty well-known to our readers. He was sixty-six years of age.

Mr. E. V. Rippingille, an artist of considerable merit, but better known a quarter of a century since than of late years: died suddenly on Good Friday at a railway station, near Birmingham. His chief works were, "The Pro- gress of Drunkenness," and "The Country Post-office." One of his pic- tures is in the Vernon Gallery. He died of disease of the heart.— .ifthenceuva.

The Archduke John, who played a conspicuous part in 1848, died on the 11th May in Gratz, of disease of the lungs.

It has incorrectly been reported this week that M. Fagan, the recently elected Member for Cork, has died. Mr. Fagan has been ill, but is im- proving.

The health of London rose again last weekabove the average. The deaths were 1108 against 1207 in the preceding week ; that is 58 below the calcu- lated average. It has been finally arranged that the Country Exhibition for the year 1860 of the Royal Agricultural Society shall be held at Canterbury.

The last mail from Australia brings a piece of curious interest under existing circumstances, to the effect, viz., that the Austrian frigate Novara, on a scientific mission, had put into Tahiti, and that the crew and the Aus- trian men of science had met with a cordial reception from the French na- val commandant, who of course was ignorant of the fact that his country- men in Europe were about to meet the Austrians on the field of battle. A large Dutch ship, bound from Shields for Cadiz struck on the Ship- wash Sand off the Norfolk Coast last -week, and went down, it is feared, with all hands.

" A Free Ranger" complains in the Times that Lord John Manners has caused the free seats to be removed from the North side of Rotten Row, and has supplied their places by seats let on hire. This is certainly a public grievance. " Why cannot free seats and hired chairs coexist along the shady margin of Rotten Row ? "