It is reported that the Princess Augusta of Cambridge and
the Here- ditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz are to be married on Wednesday the 28th instant, in Buckingham Palace ; and that they will spend the honeymoon at the Duke of Cambridge's residence at 'Kew.
A paragraph is going the round of the papers stating that the Vice- 'Presidency of the Board of Trade was offered to Mr. James Weir Hogg, the Member for Beverley, who declined accepting it.
A number of the landowners and friends of settlers in New Zealand met at the Hall of Commerce, on Wednesday, to present a handsome breakfast-service of plate to Mr. H. S. Chapman, of the Middle Temple, the late editor of the New Zealand Journal, for his valuable exertions in promoting the colonization of New Zealand. Interesting addresses were delivered, by the Earl of Devon, the spokesman of the subscribers, Sir I. L. Goldsmid, and Mr. Chapman. The subscription had been -arranged on the occasion of Mr. Chapman's intended emigration to -New Zealand as a settler, but before his appointment by Lord Stanley ,to the Judgeship at Wellington, which has just taken place ; an ap- pointment that attests the improved policy to be carried out by the new Governor, and the good understanding between the officials of Downing Street and the colonizing Company.
The House of Lords have submitted a series of questions to the -Judges respecting the law of criminal lunacy ; and the Judges are to attend the House on Monday to reply.
A.z.-ircular from the Horse Guards has been addressed to the coin- ananding og.,?er of every regiment in the Army, directing him to make -a return of the tuber of Irishmen in his regiment without delay. The object is understood :O be, to enable the Commander-in-Chief to determine which regiments may most safely or prudently be sta- tioned in Ireland, to provide for the co:;:ln_gency of any Repeal out- .break.
Ascot races began on Tuesday. Improved management has so :^- 'creased their attractions, that they have quite recovered from the low estate in which they were some years back. Yet the previously an- nounced absence of the Queen, and the miserable weather, reduced the attendance to the mere lovers of the sport. The course was in the worst possible condition. The racing opened at one o'clock ; eleven horses running for the Trial Stakes of five sovereigns each, with fifty added ; fourteen subscribers : the stakes were won by Mr. Ford's Poison, with Bell for the jockey. Four horses raced for the St. James's Palace Stakes of 100 sovereigns each, four subscribers ; Lord Westminster's Touchstone, ridden by Templetnan, winning. The As- cot Derby Stakes of 501. each, nine subscribers, were won by Sir Gilbert Heathcote'e Amorino, ridden by Chapple. Mr. Dawson's Tee- totaller, ridden by Riley, bore away the Ascot Stakes of 25 sovereigns each, with 100 added ; thirty-seven subscribers, of whom eighteen de- clared. Mr. Ford's Seguidilla conquered in a match with the Duke of Bedford's Oakley, stakes 300/. ; Nat the winning jockey. A sweep- stakes of 2001. each—fourteen subscribers—fell to Colonel Peel's Murat ; who, bestridden by Chapple, beat three others. The Gold Vase given by the Queen, added to a sweepstakes of 20 sovereigns each, fourteen subscribers, was won by Colonel Charritie's Gorhambury, ridden by J. Howlett; nine horses running. The last race was for the Windsor Town Plate of 501., won by Mr. Wreford's Camel, against six other horses.
Wednesday is usually considered a by-day ; but the Stewards pro- vided abundance of excellent sport, and the company were kept alive by a succession of excellent races : we can only enumerate them. Sweepstakes of 100 sovereigns each ; four subscribers; three horses ran ; won by Mr. W. Kimber's Nylgbau, ridden by T. Day junior. Corona- tion Stakes, of 100 sovereigns each ; ten subscribers ; four horses ; won by Sir Gilbert Heatbcote's La Stilt-late, ridden by Chapple. Swinley Stakes; ' of 101. each • three subscribers ; two horses ; Lord Exeter's Maria Diaz, ridden by Pettit. Produce Stakes, of 50/. each ; eighteen subscribers ; six horses • Mr. Wreford's filly by Sultan junior, ridden by J. Day junior. Royal Hunt Cup of 2001. added to a handicap of 101. each ; forty-three subscribers ; twenty-four horses ; Lord Chesterfield's Knight of the Whistle, ridden by Nat. Fernhill Stakes, of 15/. each ; twenty-one subscribers, ten horses ; Mr. Ongley's Queen of the Gyp- sies, ridden by Sly. Sweepstakes of 501. each ; six subscribers ; five horses ; Mr. Lichtwald's colt by Scamander, ridden by F. Butler. Of these the principal race was that for the Royal Cup : it is thus de- scribed— " Betting-4 to 1 against Captain Flatbooker, 6 to 1 against Knight of the Whistle, 7 to 1 against Cameline, 12 to 1 against Quilt Arnold, 12 to 1 against Garry Owen, 12 to 1 against Buffalo, 12 to 1 against Baleen*, 20 to 1 against Epaulette, 20 to 1 against Chilson, and 20 to 1 against Ends-and- Odd, At the fifth attempt a tolerably fair start was effected, Epaulette jumping off with the lead, followed by Captain Flathooker ; Mustapha Maley, Rochester, Bnurra Tomacha, Modesty, and one or two others, lying up nearly'abreast. At the turn the Captain declined ; and Knight of the Whistle and Garry Owen, run- ning through the crowd, joined the first division. At the distance the Knight went away from his horses, and ran in an easy winner by three lengths; a dead. beat for second between Garry Owen, Epaulette, and Bourra Tomacha; Mal lard fifth, and behind him the ruck. The pace was excellent."
On Thursday, the sun burst forth, and the attendance was propor- tionately improved ; the Grand Stand being well filled. The first race was for a sweepstakes of 1001. each ; nine subscribers; three horses ran ; Colonel Peel's Murat, ridden by Nat, won. The Queen's Plate of 100 guineas was won by Lord Lowther's colt by 'Bay Middleton, ridden by Bartholomew ; three other horses being in the race. The Mickleham Stakes, of 2001. each, nine subscribers, were raced for by two horses, and gained on Lord Chesterfield's New Brighton, ridden by Nat. The Gold Cup of 3001., subscribed, with 2001. added, four horses, was won by Lord Albemarle's Ralph, Robinson riding. New Stakes, of 101. each, with 1001. added ; thirty-five subscribers; horses ; Mr. Crockford's chestnut colt by Buzzard, ridden by ogers. Grand Stand Plate, of 100/. ; eleven horses; Lord Exeter's Albion, ridden by Pettit. Buck- ingham Palace Stakes, of 2001. each ; five subscribers; two horses ; Colonel Anson's Napier, ridden by F. Butler. Windsor Forest Stakes,. of 501. each ; four subscribers ; two horses ; Lord Exeter's Wee Pet„ ridden by Darling. The racing was generally good.
Yesterday terminated one of the best race-weeks at Ascot. In the four days there were twenty-nine races, and the prizes run for amounted in the aggregate to 10,6201. We can only enumerate the winners on the last day : Mr. Wreford's colt by Bay Middleton gained the Dinner Stakes; Lord Chesterfield's Dilbar, the Wokingham Stakes (second class); Mr. Braithwaite's Gaiety, the Members' Plate ; Mr. J. Garrard's Dromedary, the Wokingham Stakes (first class); Mr. Ste- phenson's Gladiator, a sweepstakes of 101. each ; Mr. S. Scott's Wind- sor, the Selling Stakes. After the first day, the course was greatly im- proved by draining and other means.
The prospects of the crops are greatly improved. The Bristol Times remarks, that a wet May is seldom succeeded by a wet summer : nine- teen out of twenty wet summers are preceded by a warm dry May- The grass lands indeed in some parts are said to be irreparably injured.. But in the North of England the weather had assumed a more favour- able aspect, and the crops have not materially suffered ; though snow was seen on the mountains near Ullswater at the beginning of this month ! In Scotland they speak of " summer-like warmth," and say that, with a continuance of sucktemperature, " all anxiety may be thrown to the winds." "A most favourable and happy change" is reported in Ire- land. The bad weather seems to have clung longest to the Metropolitan part of the country ; but here too there has been a great change, and the last two days have been real summer.
The weather in France has committed more serious ravages than with us. The Saone has overflowed its banks, doing serious damages. The department of Maine et Loire has been visited by a dreadful storm, in which hailstones as big as pigeons' eggs beat down the crops, and large trees were torn up. A letter from Auch speaks of universal de- vastation and despair.
The Colonial Gazette of this morning has some interesting corres- pondence from Kingston, the present seat of the Government in Canada, respecting the late and present Governors of that province. The writek- gr..ys it is a common opinion that Sir Charles Bagot " was killed by- Canada and the Colonial Office"- " This belief, derived from the few who had good means of observation, is founded on the recollection of his astonishment when he suddenly discove;ect the great difficulties and responsibilities of his position, and of his dismay when the conviction was forced upon him that the Home Government was too ig- norant of Canada to appreciate his necessities and motives ; that he must needs shift for himself bow he might ; and that, as it was impossible to rule Canada. successfully without alarming the Horne authorities, be was sure to incur, for a time at least, the displeasure of his superiors. Few men would not have minded such a prospect. but to Sir Charles Begot, whose life had been passed. in acquiring the habit of obedience to instructions, it was most distressing. The prospect was realized. It will be generally known, some day, that although Sir Robert Peel never for a moment deserted Sir Charles Bagot, yet his policy was disapproved in private by Lord Stanley and the Duke of Wellington. It was when Sir Charles Bagot first knew this that his illness became serious. A. suspicion, not to say a knowledge of it, by many people here, who have corres- pondents at home, was the principal cause of that furious hostility of a part of the Colonial press towards Sir Charles Begot, which led him the life of a toad. under a harrow." The correspondent remarks, that of all the many Governors of Canada, Sir Charles Bagoes is " the only memory that will live in the affections of the colonists." This unprecedented popularity is ascribed, first, to his " thorough goodness—his kindness and honour, his love of truth and justice "; and secondly, to that policy of ruling by and for the many, by which " he converted a Government minority into a majority of ten to one"— "ha success in this matter, as in converting the rebels of French Canada into loyalists, was not owing to any boldness in his character, but to his honesty : he avoided a ay stem of half-measures, from repugnance to the false pretences, the shuffling and the lying which it requires : he did thoroughly what he thought right, and intended to do, not because he was a resolute man, but because it would have been against truth and honour to do less. It was the thoroughgoing character of his acts which crowned them with success ; but the seeming boldness was only honesty and consequent earnestness of purpose." Sir Charles Metcalfe differs from his predecessor in some important particulars- " Those who ought to know, say that he never reads the newspapers ! Be that as it may, he looks into everything else, works like a horse, and keeps his opinions to himself. I observe that the class of jobbers and tricksters seem afraid of him : they say they can't make him out.' As respects parties, he at present leaves everything as he found it—which was perhaps inevitable ; and speaks publicly of his predecessor in the most complimentary terms, which may be only a generous departure from his ordinary and very marked reserve on matters having any relation to party. • • • He says that he finds the difficulties of his position greater than he bad been led to expect, though he had been prepared for no easy task. People who have been long on the spot know that his difficulties are not great—that it is an easy task to govern Ca- nada if you only know how ; and it is hence inferred that Sir Charles Metcalfe resembles all his predecessors during the early days of their government, in being considerably puzzled as to the best mode of proceeding. Others think (and I own to being one of them) that he is somewhat disposed to administer too much with his own hand. Not but that Canada would gain in all sorts of ways by having her affairs managed chiefly by a very just and capable indivi- dual; but then, what is to happen afterwards if his successor should be unjust or incapable? A really wise Governor would surely not expect his successor to be gifted with more than the average of governing qualities, and would there- fore put things in such a state that the good government of the country should not depend on the perpetual exercise of his own rare ability."
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