31liorti1aurouz.

Some controversy has this week been actively carried on as to the re- lation of Lord Shaftesbury to the Government of his father-in-law. The story is, that he was offered a place—the Duchy of Lancaster ; that he expressed his willingness to accept office, but that Lord Palmerston for some reason revoked his offer ; that subsequently the Premier again offered Lord Shaftesbury the Duchy of Lancaster, but that he then de- clined to accept the post, because he wished to steer an independent course on the Jewish question and the Maynooth grant.

Rear-Admiral the Honourable Richard Saunders Dundee hoisted his flag on Monday, as commander of the Baltic fleet, on board the Duke of Wellington, at Portsmouth.

Sir Charles Napier, having failed in the House of Commons to make out a case, has restated in a letter to the Times the case made out for him by Mr. Malins, with some considerations not found in the speech of his advocate. To vindicate his conduct in not attacking Sweaborg, he uses these examples.

"I served with Sir Sydney Smith on his attempt on Boulogne in Novem- ber 1805: he did not weigh difficulties and forestall contingencies, and he lost all his boats, and very nearly lost his ships. Nelson had not those diffi- culties to contend with either at the Nile or Copenhagen. At the former his enemy was at anchor in an open roadstead in August. At Copenhagen, in the month of April, he had a safe harbour to lie in to make his arrange- menta ; no gales of wind could affect either his ships or boats; he could choose his day,—as the wise men at the Admiralty told me to do in the month of October, but I will engage not one of them would have found the day had they been in my place. Lord Exmouth attacked Algiers in the

-. middle of summer : there were neither rocks or shoals there : he did not capture it, and I doubt whether he would have tried it again. At Acre the weather was fine, and no difficulties ; and, had the Egyptians held out, not- withstanding the explosion, its capture was doubtful, and with a Russian garri- son impossible. Sir James Saumarez, with a very superior force, was beat off at Algenras, and lost a ship ; and Admiral Dundee had no reason to be satisfied • with his attack at Sebastopol. Will you tell me why Lord Nelson and Lord Collingwood did not attack Toulon or Cadiz? Neither of them was so strong as Sweaborg or Cronstadt. Why did not Lord Howe Lord Bridport, and Lord St. Vincent, attack Brest, l'Orient, Rochefort, &C. ? Because they knew they would have been defeated. "'Why did the French Admiral and myself refuse to attack Sweaborg ? Because we had not means, and because the narrow entrance was blocked

• up. Had it been opened (even without gun-boats) the Allied flags would have been flying on the inner road of Sweaborg. You say, Sir, 'Supposing the enterprise to be otherwise favourable, the mere lateness of the 'season does not appear a sufficient objection.' A ship attack on a strong fortress is at all times difficult ; add to that the intricacy of the navigation and bad weather, and it becomes impossible."

Lord Dundonald has once more come before the public asking permis- sion to destroy Cronstadt. In a letter to the newspapers, he describes his plans as "simple, cheap, and safe in execution" ; and he has published along with the letter a petition to Parliament, praying that Parliament will, by a searching inquiry, ascertain whether the aforesaid secret plans are capable, speedily, certainly, and cheaply, to surmount obstacles which our gallant, persevering, and costly armies and fleets have failed to ac- complish " He asks authority, "during eight or ten days of fine wea- ther," to put these plans in execution. Lord Dundonald states that a Commission, of which the Duke of York was president, in 1812, made so favourable a report upon the plans submitted, that both himself and the Commissioners were enjoined to secrecy ; and that the late King was also satisfied with the plans.

Mr. Philip Howard, of Corby Castle, perseveres in urging the subject of coast defences. In May last he addressed to the editor of the United Service Magazine a question on the subject. Since that time an effort has been made to place Liverpool in a more effective state of defence ; "and active measures," says Mr. Howard, in another letter addressed to the same military journal, "though on a scale still too limited, have been adopted to secure some of the smaller sea-ports against successful attack : but the property and shipping of the Tyne, and the mercantile wealth of Glasgow and the Clyde, are still fearfully exposed. The esta- blishment also of a naval station' on the North-east and North-west coast of England or of Scotland, has not received from the Admiralty the attention which its importance imperatively demands. The late talented moralist Mr. Lamb remarks, that 'experience is like the stern- lights of a ship, which only illumine the track. that is past." Such will not, I trust, apply to our case."

A circular issued by Messrs. W. 11. Smith and Son, the eminent news- vending firm who contract for the circulation of the Times illustrates the pending Ministerial interference with the press. The circulation of Mr. Gladstone's Newspaper-Stamp Bill set the trade to the task of prospect- ively making arrangements for their business under the contemplated act ; and Messrs. Smith and Son were obliged to ask their customers be- times whether they would have the stamped or the unstamped copy of the Times.

"It is believed that most of the daily newspapers pass through the Post- office three times ; so that three postages of hi. each will be payable to the Post- office in lieu of the present penny stamp. It is therefore proposed to make the impress of the penny stamp optional on any part of the publication, and to continue to such newspapers so stamped the privilege of repeated transmis- sion through the post without additional charge, within seven days from the date of publication. There would then be two editions of the same paper ; 'Olio price 4d. printed without the stamp, on which hi. postage would be pay- able every time it passed through the Post-office ; the other price 5d. stamped as at present, to paas free through the. post as often as might be re- quired."

Here we see one of the inconveniences that would be occasioned by Mr. Gladstone's Bill; but all the trouble taken to meet that measure is now rendered useless by the announcement of Sir George Lewis that we are to have another measure, requiring of course other prospective arrangements!

The Archbishop of Canterbury has declined to proceed further against the Archdeacon of Taunton. It is stated that the legal advisers of the Archbishop represented to him, that although he might legally constiti a new court under the Clergy Discipline Act, the attempt would be so full of difficulty, perplexity, and procrastination, as to render the further prosecution of the matter unwise.

Sir George Larpent, formerly well known in political and commercial circles, died on the 8th instant, at his residence in Conduit Street ; aged about sixty-seven. Sir George, in 1847, was a candidate, on Liberal principles, for the city of London, and he ran Mr. Masterman to three votes. He had previously been M.P. for Nottingham for a short time.

Don Carlos, the brother of Ferdinand VII., and the well-known pretender to the Spanish throne, died at Trieste on Saturday morning. He was born in 1788. In 1845 he gave up his claim to the Spanish throne in favour of his son, the Count de Montemolin ; and retired from France to Italy, where be fixed his residence for the rest of his days.

General Prince Andrew Gortschakoff died at Moscow on the 27th February.

The naturalist, Ch. de Meyer, known to the scientific world by his travels among the Altai Mountains, and in the region of the Caucasus, died on the 28th February. M. de Meyer was born in 1796, at Vitebsk. In 1829 he ascended Mount Elbrouz. He was a member of the Imperial Academy of Russia, and Director of the Botanic Garden at St. Petersburg.

One of the last acts of the Emperor Nicholas was to present a diamond ring to a writer named Rotehoff, for a pamphlet entitled "The Truth about England."

The Emperor Alexander II. has presented to the Guards, the Cadet Corps, and to the Suwarrow Regiments, the uniforms worn by Nicholas I.

Much is expected from the new Emperor of Russia. It is well known that his careful education was completed by the practice of affairs, into which he had been initiated by his father for more than fifteen years. He possesses in- telligence, good sense, and straightforwardness ; he unites to great mildness a rare firmness of character ; he is thoroughly acquainted with all the personnel of the Government, and that of the land and sea forces ; and he is naturally more inclined to peace than to war. The Emperor Alexander is tall in sta. ure ; his features resemble those of the princes of the royal house of Prus- sia, and his manners are distinguees. It is thought that the Emperor will be happily seconded by the Princess Mary, daughter of the Grand Duke of Hesse. This princess has long comprehended the exalted situation to which she would be called, and she has worthily prepared herself for it. Before quitting the Court of the Grand Duke her father, she was anxious to learn the Russian language, in order, as she said, that she might be able to com- municate directly and without any intermediary with all those who might wish to see her, or to speak to her of their interests. She has had the good sense to make herself a Russian princess, and to forget her German : the people have noticed this, and give her due _credit for it.—..Tournal des Ddbats.

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

Ten Weeks Of 1845,54.

Week of 1663.

Zymotic Diseases

209.8 .... 265 Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable ,ea;. 61.7 .•••

a

Tubercular Diseases 1E9.6 .... 21

Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Msrrow,herves, and Senses

134.5 ....

15

Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 42.2 .... 4

Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration

241.6 .... 31

Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 39.0 .... 7

Diseases of the Kidneys, P.c. 13.7 .... 1

Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus, atc 9.9 ....

Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, ac 7.2 ....

Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, fee. 1.9 ....

Malformations. 4.6 ....

Premature Birth 28.1 ..• . I

Atrophy 23.8 .... 38 Age 42.3 .... 71 Sudden 12.2 .... 16 Vlolence,Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 29.6 .• .. 55 Total (including unspecified causes)

—

1.377

1,114.6

The Morning Post subscription for providing New Testaments bound in sections for soldiers in hospitals amounts to 444/. This will provide 3000 copies, each divided into seven sections or thin books-27,000 portions. As this supply will be larger than is necessary for the hospitals in the East, a portion will be sent to military hospitals at home, and a few copies to civil hospitals.

The Patriotic Fund meets with much support in Canada : subscriptions are made ; meetings have been held to urge the Legislature to double the amount of their vote ; and the Six Nation Indians have presented 100/.

On the 6th instant, the Emperor and Empress of the French opened the exhibition in the Boulevard Italien, of the Model of Sebastopol, executed by Mr. Wyld, of the Great Globe.in London.

The stock of bullion in the country received a notable addition last week ; the arrivals having been 1,100,0001., while the exports were only 250,000/.

Railway "accidents" are very expensive. The South-Eastern Railway Company have already paid 11,965/. on account of the disaster at Croydon last autumn. It is not yet decided whet proportion of this outlay will fall upon the Brighton Railway Company, if any.

Travellers to Germany and Austria are advised not to carry their funds in the form of Bank-of-England notes, for there is great difficulty in passing them since the decision in the Spielmann case.

The number of acres employed in growing hops in England, last year, was 53,823. Part of the Novarra and Turin direct railway, from Novarra to Vercelli, has been opened, and the rest is expected to be completed this spring. The Colosseum in the Regent's Park, which is said to have cost 200,000/, was put up for sale on Wednesday at the Auction Mart, by order of the Court of Chancery. But there was only one bid, 20,000/., which was below the price fixed by the Court ; so there was no sale. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has received the handsome sum of 500/. as " conscience-money " for Income-tax, from a "Junior Partner. While a mail-guard was attempting to wade through Whittle Dean Burn with the mail-bags, his horse shook him and the bags into the stream ; the guard scrambled to shore, but the bags were rapidly hastening to the Tyne, when a Newfoundland dog, belonging to the Reverend Mr. Shields, plunged in and brought the bags to land. One of the letters saved contained a sum of money : the person who received it intends to present the dog with a collar as a reward for his " superhuman " efforts in saving the mail. CRYSTAL PALACE...Return of admissions for six days ending 16th March, including season-ticket-holders, 6119.