_Miscellaneous.

There is no end to the contradictory reports respecting the move- ments of the Queen. The great questions are—will the Queen go to Ireland this year, or not ; will Louis Philippe visit England this year or not ? To cull a definite answer from the incompatible rumours were impracticable ; and as a pis alter we take the newest of the stories- " According to present arrangements, her Majesty and the Prince Consort will take their departure from Windsor Castle about Monday or Tuesday the 9th or 10th proximo, and proceed to the coast of Hampshire, to embark on hoard the Royal yacht. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, will, it is expected, accompany their illustrious parents to the Isle of Wight. Her Majesty and Prince Albert will shortly afterwards proceed to Scotland, in the Victoria and Albert yacht; leaving the infant Royal Family at Osborne House, where it is expected they will remain until the return of the Queen and the Prince from the North. It is believed that her Majesty's marine excursion and series of visits to the Scottish nobility will occupy from three to four weeks. There is not supposed to be the least probability of the Queen visiting Ireland this autumn ; the ar- rival of the King of the French in this country being expected to take place immediately after the return of the Court to Windsor."— 'Windsor Correspond. ent of the Standard

The Queen has been pleased to signify, through the Lord Chamber- lain, to the respective Head Masters, that an additional week's holyday be granted to all the Public Schools, in celebration of the birth of the infant Prince ; and it is intended that this indulgence should be ex- tended, as usual, to all such school establishments as can conveniently avail themselves of it.— Court Circular.

The Dutchess of Gloucester has exchanged her residence in Bagshot Park for Lord Sidmouth's house in Richmond Park, wishing to be nearer other members of the Royal Family. A report that the ex- change was made at the request of the Queen, in order that Prince Albert might have the Bagshot house, was incorrect.

Prince William of Prussia, accompanied by the Chevalier Bunsen and his suite, has continued his tour in the provinces with right royal rapidity. He arrived at Edinburgh at one o'clock on Friday ; ascended the Castle heights, looked at the Nelson Monument and the prospect, (which he declared to be grander and more picturesque than anything he had seen,) bought some tartans at his hotel, and left the Scottish capital after a stay of five hours! He arrived at the Wellington Hotel in Glasgow at ten o'clock that night ; surveyed the Cathedral, the Ex- change, and other lions, early on Sunday morning ; started for Carlisle; and—with a passing sight of Lancaster Castle—arrived in Liverpool at ten o'clock on Sunday night. His Royal Highness was received by the Mayor, Mr. Burchardt the Prussian Consul, and others, and proceeded to the Adelphi Hotel. President Van Garlacb, a Prussian Judge, dined with the party. On Monday morning, the Prince, with his followers, rose early, went in the Mayor's state-carriage to see divers sights, took a trip down the Mersey, breakfasted with the Mayor, and started for Birmingham. Here the party, with Lord Hatherton for cicerone, looked over a gun-ruanufactory, near the Railway terminus ; and went on to Coventry. Turning aside to view Warwick Castle, they pro- ceeded, through Coventry again, to Tamworth ; where Sir Robert Peel was in waiting to conduct them to his hospitable house, Drayton Manor. A large party, including the Earl of Westmoreland, was invited to meet the Prince. On Tuesday morning, having viewed the grounds and breakfasted, the tourists hastened—surveying Belvoir Castle by the way—to Apethorpe, the Earl of Westmoreland's seat ; where there was another large party, including the Hereditary Grand Duke of Meck- lenburg Strelitz. Before dinner next day, the guests went to see Fotheringay Castle and Burleigh House. On Thursday, Prince William repaired to Badminton, the Duke of Beaufort's seat. He is expected at Windsor Castle today.

Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar has joined a numerous sporting-party invited by the Duke of Leeds to spend the season at Braemar, in the Scottish Highlands.

The Western Luminary states that Sir William Follett's health has much improved since he has been on the Continent.

Recent acconnts from the South speak of the serious illness of Mr. Drummond Hay, occasioned by hardships and vexation incurred during his journeys in Morocco.

The Madrid Heraldo states that Mr. Henry Lytton Bulwer was going to Morocco to attempt a mediation. It appears, however, that he was only going as far as Gibraltar.

Soon after the close of the Indian war, closes the life of one who was active in its commencement—Lord Keane ; who died at Barton Lodge, in Hampshire, on Sunday last. His family occupied in Waterford the rank of country gentlemen. At the time of the Union with Ireland, when political services were well rewarded by Ministers, Mr. John Keane, of Belmont, was created a Baronet. The late Lord was his second son, and was born in 1781. He entered the Army at an early age ; as Lieutenant-Colonel of the Thirteenth Foot, he served with dis- tinction at Martinique ; and as Colonel he commanded brigades in the battles of the Pyrenees, Nivelle, Orthes, and Tonlouse,—services which procured him the knighthood of the Bath mid the rank of Major- General. In 1833, he succeeded Sir Colin Halket as Commander-in- chief of the Bombay Army ; and in 1838, he followed Sir Henry Fane in the command of the Army in the North-west Provinces. His career in that quarter was signalized by the capture of Ghuzni ; an exploit that obtained him the thanks of Parliament and of the East India Com- pany, a Peerage, and a pension. He has been charged with not having done justice to some of the officers under his command, and with having monopolized rewards that should have been shared by others. Bat "de mortuis " Lord Keane was twice married; in 1836 to the second daughter of General Smith, who died in 1838; and in 1840, to the youngest daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Boland. He is suc- ceeded by his fifth child and eldest son, Edward Arthur Wellington, Captain in the Thirty-seventh Foot and Major in the Army ; who is twenty-nine years of age. The pension, 2,000/. a year, is secured to the first Lord Keane's two immediate successors in the Peerage.

A letter in the Augsburg Gazette, datedat London on the 16th instant, gives some diplomatic gossip on the state of Europe— 'Orders have just been given to arm several ships of war and frigates. The number of seamen at present receiving pay amounts to 36,000 men ; the war- steamers represent a force of 13,500 horses. It is not doubtful that in six weeks a fleet would be ready to assemble at Spithead. The turn which affairs have taken between France and England favours the views of the Emperor of Russia. The proposals made by that Sovereign when in London have been renewed by Count Nesselrode. I am assured that the French Government is fully informed on this subject. The Court of St. Petersburg is said to have offered to the Queen of England an alliance offensive and defensive in case of war with France. Tile Emperor added, that he would place his entire land and Ilea force at the disposal of the Allied Powers. It is easy to divine the answer of the English Government. It expects that the Cabinet of the Tuileries will yield to the equitable and moderate representations of England, and that it will not be necessary to have recourse to war. If, however, tranquillity should be interrupted, it would be the interest of all the European Governments to put an end to it as quickly as possible by displaying an imposing force. It is there- fore beyond doubt that in case of war there would be a Hussian-English alliance."

The Morning Post quotes the results of some tables published by the Liverpool Standard, exhibiting the amount of marine steam-power which, in the event of a war with France, this country could bring into action— "These calculations will at once convince our pugilistic neighbours, that in the article of steam they are as far behind us as they were in their sailing-ships during the last war. The French are apt to consider that we possess no steam ships but what are registered as belonging to the Navy : but the fact is, if we take into account all the vessels plying along our coast and to foreign ports, we could turn out a fleet of steam-vessels alone averaging 107,000-horse power;. and if to these we add the vessels already belonging to the Navy, and averaging 20,000-horse power, we may calculate upon a force fully equal to anything France could exhibit on the seas. The port of Liverpool alone possesses steam power equal to 14,452 horses; London, 24,000; Hull, 9,000; Glasgow, 7,000; and so on with almost every other sea-port in the country."

According to the National, when M. Guizot was extolling peace in the Chamber of Deputies some time back, he described war as " ira jeu sanglant de la force et du hazard " : the same paper discovers an epigrammatic allusion to that phrase in a recent despatch by Mar- shal Bugeaud, who says, that if he beat the enemy, it will no longer be allowable to say that war " n'est qu'un jeu du hazard."

The Committee of the London Peace Society have addressed earnest memorials to Sir Robert Peel and King Louis Philippe, on the affairs of Morocco, Hayti, and Tahiti. They deprecate war as repugnant to the spirit of Christianity, and as unavailing and unnecessary in settling in- ternational differences ; while they recommend argument and persuasion,. abstinence from offensive policy, and sympathy, moral assistance, and protection for the weak.

The Judges assembled at twelve o'clock on Thursday, at the house of Sir Nicholas Tindal, in Bedford Square, for the purpose of conferring together upon the judgment on the writ of error in the case of Mr. O'Connell and the other state prisoners ; which will be delivered on Monday.—Globe.

Lord Brougham, not to be laughed or jeered out of his exertions to

bring the new act for the relief of insolvent debtors into full operation, has written another letter to the Morning Herald, to give information to debtors. He tells small debtors, (under 20/.0 that they have nothing to do with the Bankruptcy Court ; and that if they will send their petition for the Court that imprisoned them, with the proper affidavit, to him, at No. 4 Grafton Street, before Tuesday next, he will undertake to present it. Some of the Bankruptcy Commissioners have construed the act differently to what he did, and deem the assistance of an attorney-at-law necessary for the larger debtors, (over 201.,) besides requiring the forms to be on parchment of a certain size ; which is to be obtained, according to a notification to a poor debtor, of Mr. Wood, stationer, Basinghall Street, or of "any other stationer who may have them " (the forms.) Lord Brougham recommends the debtors, for security, to go to Mr. Wood.

Weedon, Southsea Castle, and Chatham, in England, and the former French prison at Greenlaw in Scotland, have been appointed central depots for military prisoners.

The report of the weather and the crops scarcely differs from the last- accounts: the harvest has proceeded favourably over another important week. There is some little complaint of rain towards the North of England, and rather more in Scotland ; but the hindrance does not ap- pear to have been great. From Ireland the glowing tales of abundance are continued.

The British Archreological Society issued, on Wednesday, the pro- gramme of their first annual meeting at Canterbury. The general meeting will be held on Monday the 9th September ; and the business will be commenced by an address from Lord Albert Conyngham, the President. On Tuesday morning, some Saxon barrows in Lord Al- bert's Park at Bourne will be opened ; on Thursday, there will be ex- cursions to Richborough and Barfreston Church ; on Friday evening-, an Egyptian mammy will be unrolled; conversazioni and sectional meetings filling the intervals. Care for the convenience, and even for the pockets of visiters from a distance, appears to have been considerately taken by the local managers.

The Earl of Rosse has succeeded in polishing the speculum for hiss- enormous telescope; which will now shortly be completed, and erected at Birr Castle in Ireland. The speculum weighs four tons.

When it was proposed to abolish the use of climbing-boys, it was urged in opposition that chiainies would be foul, and fires of constant occurrence in consequence. For ten years, while boys were employed to sweep chimnies, there was an average of eighty-four fires yearly in the private houses of London, arising from foal chimnies ; in 1843, when the use of boys was prohibited by law, there were sixty-seven such fires.

Economical pleasure-seekers are now supplied by railway-excursions with the means of transit at the cheapest rate. Dover and Brighton are visited by the Cocknies in crowds of one or two thousand at a time; a party of a thousand has been to Liverpool ; another has visited Southampton and the Isle of Wight ; and next week, Londoners may set off to Bath, Bristol, and Exeter, by the first excursion that has taken place on the Great Western line. But the Northern manufacturing- districts are the regions for " monster " excursions—there a party of three or four thousand persons in one train is not a rare occurrence.

A fatal accident occurred to a train on the Leicester and Swannington line of railway on Wednesday. The train consisted of twenty-six wag- gons loaded with coal, and two passenger-carriages; the latter were placed in the middle of the coal-waggons. While the train was in motion, the axle of one of the waggons broke, the train was thrown into confusion ; and the waggons in front being at a dead lock, the two passenger-car- riages were forced up into the air by the impetus of the thirteen wag- gons behind. There were eleven passengers in the whole ; but though all were in the greatest danger, only one, a young woman, was killed. A Jury that sat on the body has returned a verdict of" Accidental Death," with a deodand of 50/ upon the passenger-carriages.

Mr. Jacob Clements, a City broker, who died recently near London at an advanced age, leaving a fortune of some 300,0004 began life as a pot-boy at an inn in Aylesbury. His first employment in London was as waiter at a hotel; he became master and owner of the house, then banker, and lastly stockbroker.

A strange letter by Mr. Dyce Sombre is going the round of the press : it should not have been published at all, but being so it is pub- lic property-

" Boulogue-sur-Mer, 24th August 1844.

'Sir—When in town last June, under the special guarantee of the Lord Chancellor, having met Sir F— B— near the Junior Service Club, but who I would have seen, notwithstanding this, before I came abroad, it was then and there agreed that a meeting of honour should take place between him and myself when out of the jurisdiction of the Lord Chancellor. Since which,

the Chancellor baying broken his faith, I took an opportunity of leaving my lodgings unobserved by the police, who were placed to watch my motions ; and having left town on the 14th, reached this place the following day—on the 16th. I addressed Sir F— B—, reminding him of his solemn engagement, and stating that I should remain for him at this place to the 29th. Having received no reply, I again wrote to him on the 21st, telling him that unless he answered by return of post, and gave a satisfactory reason for not writing before, I should post him as a coward and a man of no honour; which I now do most publicly."

It appears but too probable, from the account communicated by Cap- tain Grover to the papers, that Dr. Wolff has taken the place of those whom he went to rescue at Bokhara- " The last letter written by Dr. Wolff while at liberty was written at Bok- hara, on the 16th April, before he entered the city. He had no writing-paper, and this letter is written upon scraps torn from his memorandum-book. A Turcoman had just arrived from Mero, bringing him a lamb as a present; and he took advantage of his return to send a few hurried lines. He is surrounded by people of Bokhara, Kokan, and Tashkan, and therefore says his information may be depended upon. He trembles somewhat for Stoddart and Conolly, for they are not seen at Bokhara; and the person alluded to in M. De Ghersi's despatch he has ascertained to be a Prussian, and the European young man with him is an Italian watchmaker, named Giovanni: however, he says, 'No- body has witnessed the execution of Stoddart and Conolly, whilst Youssuf Khan, &c., were publicly executed. The Kaleefa (holy man) of Mero tells me positively that Stoddart was alive. * * • I do not feel much apprehension for my own safety; but should I be detained, pray get the Queen herself to write a letter to the Unwer, for he felt deeply offended that his letter which he wrote by Stoddart to the Queen was answered by the Governor-General of India. Get also the Emperor of Russia to write. Whatever happens, pray take it as coming from the Lord. Did not our Lord suffer ? ' The man sent by the Assef-ood- Dowlah to command the escort which was to protect him against the Turco- mans turned out a great scoundrel ; and the Doctor was obliged to appeal to the Turcomans for protection against his escort. Between them, however, the poor Doctor was plundered of everything ; and on entering the city, he was deserted by all excepting one man named Hussein; and he was looked upon as a man whose doom was sealed. When, however, the King ordered Nayeb to receive him into his house, the scene changed, and all predicted that danger was over. He was introduced to the King, kindly received ; and he plainly told the object of his visit. The following day, the King's Chamberlain, accom- panied by the Commandant of the Arsenal, ordered him to write in their presence the letter in which the King declares that he put Stoddart and Conolly to death in the month of July 1843; and of this letter he had to snake a translation in Persian. He was then told that he was free to depart. The letter having been despatched to Captain Grover, the Doctor received an intimation that he would be detained. Having a slight fever, he wished to be bled : this being communicated to the King, the permission was refused, the King saying that bleeding was not good for him. Dr. Wolff had recovered Colonel Stoddart's official seal.' The Doctor writes, Pray for me, and thank God with me that He hath hitherto helped me.' At first he wore his clergyman's robes, and rode about the town unattended ; which, he says, the Russian Ambassador, who had just left, was not allowed to do. In another letter, he says he has adopted the Bokhara dress, but does not say whether this was done by choice. On the 8th June he writes two lines to Colonel Shen, in which he says, that in spite of all the promises of the King,,he is now a prisoner at Bokhara, and that he has not the least hope of being soon released."

Several Sisters of Charity have lately arrived at Berlin, having been conducted to the frontiers of Prussia from their convent at Whoa in Russia, which has been suppressed. They are young women of educa- tion and good families, and will return to their principal convent in France. They were put under the charge of Cossacks ; of whose treatment they make severe complaints.— Westphalian Mercury.

An occurrence similar to one in Dunkirk, which was turned to such account by Mr. Wakefield, has just taken place at Thonon, a small town of Savoy, in the first execution there within the memory of man. All the people were horror-stricken ; no one would supply the execu- tioner with the articles he required ; and the carpenters refused to con- struct the gibbet. The dealers, however, were compelled to find the necessary materials, and the workmen to lend their tools ; but neither would receive payment for them. The man who was hanged had mur- dered a child.