311iontlautung.

In the Times of Saturday Lord Shaftesbury suggested that some na- tional expression is due to those honest and heroic men, Poerio and his friends; first because they have patiently endured years of suffering in a noble cause, and next because- " We may now clearly and decidedly prove to the world that, though the people of these realms denounce a war in Europe for Italian independence, and cherish no sympathy with wild and lawless revolutionists, they have a deep and lively interest in the welfare of that country, and heartily wish "God speed" to those who, by wise and legitimate means, seek to attain the unspeakable blessings of civil and religious liberty." The result of this appeal was the formation of a committee to collect funds in aid of the Neapolitan exiles. The list includes the following names— Earl of Shaftesbury, chairman ; Marquis of Lansdowne, Earl of Carlisle, Earl of Harrowby, Earl Granville, Earl of Durham, Earl of Zetland, Vis- count Palmerston, Lord John Russell, Lord Bishop of London, Lord Over- done, Lord Belper, the Master of the Rolls, Right Honourable E. Ellice, M.P., the Attorney-General for Ireland, M.P., Lord Calthorpe, Lord Lynd- hurst, Lord Cranworth, Right Honourable T. Milner Gibson, M.P., the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, M.P., the Hon. A. Kinnaird, M.P., Right Honourable Sir D. Dundee, Right Honourable Sir B. Hall, M.P., Right Honourable W. Cowper, M.P., Mr. Kinglake, M.P, the Dean of St. Paul's, Sir J. Ramsden, M.P., Mr. R. Moncton Milnes, M.P., Sir B. Brodie, Bart., Mr. W. Brown, M.P., Mr. W. Beaumont, M.P., Mr. John Forster, Mr. J. B. Heath, and Mr. M. J. Higgins. The Honourable A. Kinnaird, 1, Pall Mall East, acts as treasurer ; and Mr. Panizzi, of the Bri- tish Museum, as honorary secretary. Temporary offices have been taken at No. 118, Pall Mall.

Many others have been added thereto—men of all parties. The Lord Mayor had already declared his intention of forming a committee. See- ing that steps had been taken by others he now states that he will form an auxiliary committee for the city. A large number of the exiles have arrived in London, and have been carefully provided for.

The Gazette states that the King of Portugal and the Algarves having conferred upon the Prince of Wales and upon Prince Alfred the Insignia of a Grand Cross of the Military Order of the Tower and Sword, the Queen has been graciously pleased to grant to their Royal Highnesses her permission to accept and wear the same.

Lord Cowley arrived in London late on Saturday night from his mis- sion to Vienna. He had a protracted interview with Lord Malmesbury on Sunday. On Wednesday he reached Paris.

It has been remarked that Lord Stanley on Tuesday voted for Sir John Trelawny's Church-rate Bill, although Lord John Manners made its rejection a Ministerial question. Lord John Russell and Lord Palmerston did not vote.

Sir John Bowring's functions as Superintendent of Trade having been merged in those of the Minister lately appointed to Pekin, his Excellency will cease to hold the unpaid office of Governor of Hongkong, hitherto held in conjunction with that of Plenipotentiary and Superintendent of Trade in China. The principal officer at Hongkong, will therefore, for the future, discharge solely the duties of Governor of that colony. The first Go- vernor of Hongkong under the new system will be Mr. Hercules Robinson, at present Lieutenant-Governor of St. Christopher's, who distinguish- ed himself by his official exertions in Ireland both during and after the famine, and whose services were rewarded by the barren appointment of a West Indian Governorship in 1864. He is now transferred to a posi- tion where his administrative talents will have a wider field of useful- ness.—Times.

We are requested to state that the dates for the performances of the Handel Commemoration Festival at the Crystal Palace have been fixed as follows—Monday, June 20th, Messiah; 22d, Dettingen Te Ileum and a Selection; 24th, Israel in Egypt.

During the week Mr. T. Mason Jones has delivered two others of his Orations at Willis's Rooms, on "Curran, and the Wits and Orators of the Irish Bar," and "Milton, the Patriot, Statesman, Prose Writer and Poet." Mr. Jones is an orator, and a taking one, for he fastens upon every trait of character, which may, to the ordinary mind be am- biguous ; and makes it clear. He elevates his hero by dwarfing his con- temporaries ; he withers humbug, cant, and shams by intensifying the nobleness of honesty ; and neither sceptic or Atheist finds balm from his hands. But besides a Rembrandtish light and shade in his contrast of character, he groups his subjects with consummate art, and makes them move before you. Young, ardent, and educated, with a piercing eye, well modulated voice, great fluency, and charming popular subjects—

ugh with much to learn—Mr. Jones will win good opinion and that speedily.

Smoking indiscriminately in the railway carriages of the Metropolitan ambush= lines is becoming a formidable nuisance. " Counterblast " IR -the Times details his grievance on the " Great Western," where driven from one carriage to another he was forced to endure the tobacco discomfort from the happy indifference of his fellow traveller to any one's pleasure but his own. " Naso " writes to the Spectator that the South Western is even more positively beset with incessant smokers, who resolutely yet quietly indidge themselves withpipcs of clay, meerschaum, and cherrywood, which last is now in vogue. There should be a smoking compartment provided, where such decided manifestations exist.

" No person here," says a letter from Rome, " has engaged in the out- of-door amusements the Carnival has presented with more energy or vivacity than the Prince of Wales, who has been every day at his balcony i

opposite the Palazzo Fiano, or perambulating the Como in his carriage, taking active part in the mimic warfare of the confetti, and occasionally soothing down that horridum bellum by the courteous interchange of bou- quets, or the amenities of excellent sweetmeats."

A grand ball took place at the Court of Parma on the 5th, at which the Countess of Chambord and the Duke of Modems were present. The duke left his capital on the following day.

Prince Napoleon and the Princess Clotilde went to the Grand Opera on Friday night week, to witness the representation of lfereulanum.

Mr. George P. Bond has been appointed Director of the Observatory at Cambridge, U. S., to succeed his father, the late William C. Bond.

The young English eantatriee who is winning such golden opinions in i Italy, is Miss Whitty, the daughter of Mr. Whitty, the proprietor of the Liverpool Journal, and the sister of Mr. E. M. Whitty, the author of " The Stranger in Parliament," a aeries of able parliamentary sketches, which once attracted notice in the columns of the Leader, and of certain sketches of English statesmen, which were received with great favour both at home and abroad.—Critic.

We regret to learn that Colonel Tait, C.B. and Aide-dc-Camp to the Queen (brother to the Bishop of London), expired at London House, St. James's Square, on Wednesday evening, the 16th instant.

Intelligence has been received of the sudden death at Venice of the Duchess Louisa of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, married to the Prince of Win- dischgratz, and niece of the King of Prussia. The Duchess, who was the only sister of the reigning Duke, was born on the 17th May 1824, and mar- ried on the 20th October 1849, Prince Hugo de Windischgratz, nephew of the field marshal of that name, and a lieutenant-colonel in the Austrian army. A son and three daughters are the issue of this marriage. The Duchess Louisa passed the winter with her children at Venice, while Prince Hugo remained in Hungary with his regiment.

The journals record the death of Sir Anthony Oliphant, formerly Chief Justice at the Island of Ceylon. He was born in 1793, and married a daughter of Colonel Campbell. He was called to the bar in 1821 by the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, and prior to being appointed to the Chief Justiceship of Ceylon was Attorney-General at the Cape of Good Hope.

A letter from Wiesbaden states that the reigning Duke of Nassau, who is one of the best horsemen in Europe, was lately thrown from his horse while on his way to Biberich, whither he was going to see some ball-firing. He met with some very severe contusions, but his life is not in danger.

The Secretary at War, General Peel, has issued a circular to the Lords Lieutenant of counties, stating that her Majesty's Government have judged it to be " inexpedient" to assemble for training and exercise any Militia regiment prior to the 30th of June, and requests the Lords Lieutenant to communicate this to the commanding officers of the regiments under their charge.

The overland route via Calcutta is virtually closed on account of the rush of officers and civilians homewards. Not a single berth in the boats of the " Peninsula and Oriental " is vacant before June, and even the great Punjaubee, Sir J. Lawrence, is forced to travel through the Bombay route. Mr. Russell, the Times correspondent in India, exclaims that the army is inundated with brevet-majors and rightly enough raises his hand to de- precate making rewards too cheap. The Victoria Cross is certainly more prized than any other decoration, because its wearers are comparatively few. As to clasps, medals, ribands, and decorations, writes the gentleman we are in a fair way of rivalling the Russians. Some of our officers have not room on their ample left breasts for the display of their many coloured har- vest of ribands from the field of glory, and, as our medals arc very solid affairs, the ingenious jeweller drives a small trade in making decorations in petto.

A hard-working parish priest, the Rev. J. T. Rowsell, who gave such remarkable evidence touching the habits and condition of the lowest of the London poor before the House of Lords' Committee last summer, is about to leave St. Peter's, Stepney, for an appointment of higher value in the dio- cese of London, which his zeal has thoroughly deserved. The poor of his populous district will regret the loss of a constant friend.

The Prussian Chamber has granted the petition of three dissenting con- gregations praying to be restored to their constitutional right of unmolested existence. It is stated as a proof of returning toleration that the petition- ing sects are the reverse of orthodox in their views of Christianity and its essential doctrines.

Sir William Armstrong is reported to have spent no less than 70001. on the initiatory experiments with his new successful gun. The moulder and forger who assisted him in his earliest labours have taken themselves off, it is presumed, to transfer the processes of the manufacture to a Foreign Ord- nance Department.

The embankment for a terrace at the Kensington Gore Estate,part of the property of the Commissioners for the Exhibition of 18.51, has lately been raised by 100,000 loads of earth brought actually from Rotherhithe, and the Regent's Park. To cart surplus mould from the east to the West of London over a distance of six or eight miles, as a positive convenience to the parties at either extremity, is thoroughly turning the town topsy-turvy.

The Vienna Gazette on the faith of accounts from Sebastopol, tells us " that only a few of the old inhabitants have returned; the city appears al- most deserted and commerce at an end. Formerly Sebastopol numbered 46,000 inhabitants; now it contains scarcely a sixth of that number. The wood huts built by the French serve as residences for the peasants. The funeral monuments of the French and English at Sebastopol and Balaclava are uninjured."

At Leghorn, on the last day of the Carnival, a person, disguised as the Emperor of the French, walked down the streets with a volume in his hand, on which were inscribed the words, "The Treaties of 1815." At every few steps the mimic emperor stopped and tore a page from the book, scattering it upon the ground in fragments. After some time, however, the police in- terfered and put an end to the representation.

The health of London is still good. The number of deaths last week, 1174, were 41 fewer than in the preceding week, and 177 less than the cal- culated average.