Miscellaneous.

It is reported that the Queen and Prince Albert intend to visit the Duke of Buckingham at Stowe, and the Duke of Wellington at Strath. fieldsaye. The 12th instant has been named for the visit to Stowe ; the day for the other visit is not mentioned.

Last week, a number of cases were landed at the Customhouse from Cronstadt : they contained presents from the Emperor Nicholas to Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Sir Robert Peel, the Duke of Devon- shire, the Duke of Buckingham, and others ; all of great value. The Queen has received some superb malachite vases, conjecturally esti- mated at 10,000/.

The Queen has directed a superb silver vase to be presented to Mr. Grant, the Storekeeper at the Clarence Victualling-yard, Gosport ; in whose house the Royal party took shelter when King Louis Philippe was prevented by the bad weather from embarking for France.

Tuesday's Gazette contained an order in Council, which, after re- citing the provisions of the present Sugar-duties Act and the right of Venezuela to import sugar into this country under the "most favoured nation" clause of existing treaties, at 34s. duty, (the duty chargeable on foreign sugar certified not to be the produce of slave-labour,) directs- " That from and after the 28th day of this instant November, Brown, Mus- covado, or Clued sugars, (not being refined,) the growth of Venezuela, shall, if imported from Venezuela, or from any British possessions abroad, having been imported into such British possessions from Venezuela, be admitted into entry for consumption into the United Kingdom, at the aforesaid rate of duty of 1/. 14s. per hundredweight and 5 per cent additional, as aforesaid ; subject, nevertheless, to the production of the like certificates, and the making of the like declaration, as are in the said act required with respect to sugars the growth of China, Java, or Manilla."

Tuesday's Gazette contained a Treasury warrant fixing the postage on letters to and from India, and our Southern and Eastern Colonies, at the uniform rate of 4d.

In a correspondence with the Lancashire Short Time Committee, Lord Ashley has intimated that he shall renew the Ten-hours question, as soon as possible in the next session of Parliament.

In Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy Notes is an " Irish Epigram, on seeing an Englishman hanging from a tree "; and the Pilot of Dublin chooses the present time, when murder is so rife in the wilder parts of Ireland, to quote the epigram, with a " literal translation "—

.• Good thy fruit, 0 tree The luck of thy fruit to every tree! Pity that the woods of lauislail Are not filled with thy fruit every day! "

The promises of the plum-pudding season are good; the cargoes of currants received are not as yet so great as they were in 1842 and '3, because the shipments have been retarded ; but the " clearances" from the 26th October to the 25th November are 1,800 tons, against 1,050 for the same period in 1843, and 800 in 1842.

The following lay petition, suggesting plans for increasing the effi- ciency of the Church, has been prepared for presentation to the Arch- bishop of Canterbury, and has attracted much notice-

" The period which it has pleased Almighty God to continue to the Church of England the mild and paternal superintendence of your Grace in the dis- charge of her highest ecclesiastical functions, has been marked by great and im- portant changes in our social, moral, and political circumstances-

" A lengthened interval of peace, the advancement of literature, the arts, sciencee, and civilization, and above all, the rapid increase of our population, have produced an alteration in the relative position of the several orders of so- ciety, which demands the grave consideration of every one who desires to pro- mote the wellbeing of the nation, but more especially to those who are ap- pointed guardians of her religious institutions and the pastors of the people.

" Under these circumstances, and impelled by a heartfelt attachment to the Serif tural principles of our Established Church, and by an earnest desire that its efficiency should be increased, and the interests of true religion more effec- tually promoted through its agency, we the undersigned lay members of that Church venture, with all respect, to bring under the consideration of your Grace some means by which, we trust, under the Divine blessing, these great objects may be attained. " Admirably as our parochial system seems calculated to meet the wants of the country, and to bring the ministration of the clergy within the reach of all classes, still the increase of population and its unequal distribution render it impossible that they should extend their pastoral care to the great majority of their flocks in large towns and populous districts. We do not forget the at- tempts made by the Legislature, by voluntary associations, and by individuals, to remedy thie defect ; but we are convinced that further measures are required to reach the full extent of the eviL We believe that the usefuinees and efficiency of the National Church might be very greatly increased by arrangements which, without introducing any organic changes, should bring into active operation this powers and the capacities now lying dormant in her existing institutions. "To effect this, we believe that two important objects must be accomplished,— first, the clergy must be increased in number; and, secondly, provision must be made for a more systematic employment of laymen in the exercise of func- tions which do not belong exclusively to the clergy. In the attainment of these objects, we would respectfully request your Grace, and the other members

of the Episcopal Bench, to take into your consideration, first, the expediency of increasing largely the number of the third order of our clergy, the Deacons ; and we venture to suggest, that this may be effected by admitting, on such con- dition as will maintain the order and discipline of our Church, persons who have not the means of proceeding to an University degree, but who are found competently trained for the service of the sanctuary ; their advancement to the higher order of the ministry being made contingent upon a faithful discharge during a lengthened period of the office of Deacon, or upon such other circum- stance as your Grace and the other members of the Episcopal Bench may think fit.

"Secondly, the propriety of sanctioning and encouraging the employment of a class of laymen, who, without altogether abandoning their worldly callings, might be set apart, under Episcopal authority, to act as visiters of the sick, Scripture-readers catechists, and the like, in parishes where their introduction should be approved by the parochial clergy.

" The system of district visiting, and the appointment of lay Scripture. readers under clerical superintendence, have already been adopted, we believe, with much success, in many populous parishes : but the present state of society requires that both these means of usefulness should be greatly extended, and brought into more immediate connexion with our ecclesiastical arrangements;

for we arc fully persuaded that the true strength of our Church can never be completely known until by some such means her lay members are enabled, under direct sanction and control, to take part in the discharge of all those offices which are not by her constitution restricted to the three orders of the ministry. " To provide the necessary funds, (which would be administered by a Board, made up by a well-considered union of the clergy and laity,) contributions may, we have little doubt, be extensively called forth in offerings and collections made for this specific object, at such periods and under such regulations as may be found desirable; and we venture to hope that an effort so directly affecting the efficienc) of the Church would attract the sympathies and obtain the sup- port of all classes within her communion.

"In venturing to urge upon your Grace the adoption of these measures, which would supply a link much needed between the parochial clergy and the

community at large, we are far from desiring to make any innovation in our ecclesiastical polity : we only seek to restore to full vigour and efficiency one of the orders in our Church, and to promote the appointment of officers already recognized by ecclesiastical authority, and for a bleb at no period since the Re- formation has the position of the Church more imperatively called."

This petition has already obtained a large number of signatures ; among which are those of the Duke of Sutherland, the Earl of Denbigh, the Earl of Gainsborough, Viscount Sandon, M.P., Viscount Morpeth, Lord Calthorpe, Lord Rayleigh, Lord Tei,gnmouth, Lord Bloomfield, Lord Francis Egerton, M.P., Lord Henry Cholmondeley, Lord Ashley, M.P., Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., Lord Howard, M.P., the Honour- able W. Cowper, the Honourable Mr. Ashley, the Honourable F.

Calthorpe, the Honourable Colonel Upton, the Honourable Joceline W.

Percy, the Honourable Captain Waldegrave, Sir Thomas Baring, Sir Harry Verney, M.P., Sir John Kennaway, Sir W. R. Farquhar, Sir T. Lawley, Mr. J. C. Colquhoun, M.P., Mr. R. M. Mines, M.P.

A correspondent of the Standard states that, a few days ago the Bishop of Ely, ascertaining that a graduate of Queen's College, Oxford, interpreted the Thirty-nine Articles "upon principles advocated in Tract 90, informed him that it was wholly unnecessary to present him- self to his chaplain for examination."

The Reverend Dr. Cramer, Principal of New Inn Hall, and Pro- fessor of Modern History in the University of Oxford, is appointed by her Majesty to be Dean of Carlisle.—Standard.

The Presse asserts that a member of the English aristocracy, residing at Rome, has tried to procure the mediation of Cardinal Acton in re- newing diplomatic relations between the Papal and British Govern- ments; but that the Cardinal has refused to interpose until all penal laws against Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom be abrogated.

Dr. Adler has been elected Chief Rabbi of the Jews in England, by 121 votes ; his rivals, the Reverend Dr. Hirschfield and the Reverend Rabbi Hirsch, having 13 and 2 votes respectively ; while three Syna- gogues, possessing 7 votes, declined to give their suffrages at all.

We are exceedingly happy to state that the Earl of Haddington con- tinues in the enjoyment of excellent health ; and we understand there never was any foundation for the recent reports of the noble Earl's in- tention to retire from the Admiralty.— Correspondent of the Standard.

Lady Peel has conferred on Mrs. Peach, the wife of an officer in the Coast Guard Service in Cornwall, who has distinguished himself in the study of marine and fossil geology, a pension for life.

Sir Robert Sale was entertained at a sumptuous banquet, on Monday, by the Mayor and Corporation of Southampton, at the Audit-house. After the banquet, Sir Robert joined Lady Sale at the Theatre. They embarked next day, in the Oriental mail-steamer, for Egypt, on their re- turn to India.

The Staff appointment in India which Sir Robert Sale, G.C.B., is now on his passage out to assume, is that of Quartermaster-General to her Majesty's Forces in Bengal.—Standard.

Lord Brougham and Mr. Leader, arrived at Cannes about the middle of November. The Peer is reported to be engaged in revising the proof-sheets of a great work on the French Revolution ; the Member, for Westminster, in superintending the erection of a magnificent man- sion, which is expected to be finished in a year, and in looking out for more laud to add to the estate. The Marquis of Clanricarde, the Dutchess of Bedford, and other distinguished persons, have visited the two friends ; and many English families propose to settle in the neigh- bourhood—forming quite an English colony at Cannes.

Mr. G. W. Featherstonhaugb, of Scarborough, author of An Excur- sion through the Slave States of America, has received the appointment of British Consul at the French seaport of Havre-de-Grace.—Standard.

The celebrated teacher Fellenberg died on the 21st of last month, at Hofwyl. Mr. Macready has so far recovered from his recent accident as to be able to take his departure for Paris.

The death of Mr. Otway Cave, the Member for Tipperary, took place on Friday last at Bath ; where he had been for the benefit of his health. Robert Otway Cave was the eldest and only surviving son of Mr. IL Otway, and Sarah, daughter of Sir, Thomas Cave, Baronet. Mrs. Otway became Baroness Braye in her own right, and her son was heir-apparent to the Barony. In 1818, Mr. Robert Otway took the name of Cave ; and in 1833, he married Sophia, eldest daughter of the late Sir Francis Burdett ; by whom he had no children. He first entered Parliament in 1826, as Member for Leicester ; in 1830 he ut for Hastings ; and in 1835 he was elected for Tipperary; in the repre- sentation of which his death causes a vacancy.

Another death creates a vacancy in the House of Commons—that of Sir John Henry Seale. He first entered Parliament in 1832, and was a. consistent Liberal. He is best known by the measure, eventually suc- cessful, which he introduced in 1838 and subsequent sessions,, to permit the grinding of foreign corn in bond. He was descended of a good family in Devonshire, and was in his sixtieth year. He was Colonel of the South Devon Militia, and was created a Baronet under Lord Mel- bourne's Administration in 1838. In 1804, he married the daughter of Sir Paul Joddrell ; by whom he had a numerous family. His eldest son, born in 1806, succeeds to the title and estates.

A measure of reform has been adopted in Guernsey, and is now under the consideration of the Privy Council. Guernsey has a legisla- tive body called the States, composed of 174 members, and possessing elective as well as deliberative functions. The inhabitants are assessed for taxes and local rates, not at so many pounds sterling, but at so many quarters of wheat upon their means generally ; except that real property situate in Great Britain is declared exempt from assessment in Guernsey. There are in the island the town parish of St. Peter Port and nine country parishes. Each parish levies a rate for parochial purposes ; and the States levy a tax of Is. a gallon on spirits consumed, a tax on licences, publicans' licences, and harbour-dues, for general purposes ; towards which the parish of St. Peter Port contributes one- third and the other parishes two-thirds. The States are in debt, in con- sequence of expenditure on divers improvements. The inhabitants of the town parish number 14,556; of the country parishes, collectively, 12,150: it is found that the town parish does not contribute a fair pro- portion of taxes to the revenue, while on the other hand it does not possess an adequate proportion of representation in the States. The main objects of the measure before the Privy Council are, to make the general taxes leviable on the inhabitants at large, without the parochial distinctions; and to give the parish of St. Peter Port a greater number of votes in the States.

The New York packet Switzerland, which left St. Katherine's Docks- on Friday, had on board, among the steerage-passengers, about thirty persons who were transported to New South Wales, some four years. buck, for their share in the Canadian disturbances, and who are now returning to their own country under a pardon.

A heavy fall of snow took place in Paris and its neighbourhood on Sunday morning, and continued at intervals throughout the day. At St. Omer, on the 28th November, M. Sallior, late Commissary of Police at Calais, was tried for the murder of Mr. Thorn, a surgeon. On the night of the occurrence, the two, who were intimate friends, dined with a party of Englishmen, and M. Sallior drank to excess. Mr. Thorn convoyed him from the party to the Police-office ; they were seen amusing themselves there ; suddenly Thorn fell, and was found to be stabbed with a mortal wound. Such is the substance of all that is known as to the alleged murder. For the defence it was contended, that M. Sallior was not used to drinking, and was then in such a state as to remember nothing of what passed ; that the wound might have been inflicted by Thorn himself, or that, more probably, he fell upon the dagger, which was found among some papers, in an upright position,

streaked with blood ; and that M. Sallior's manner was not that of a. murderer, for as soon as he was conscious of what had happened, he.

cried " Quel malheur !" and evinced strong regret. Several witnesses. gave the prisoner a high character. The Jury returned a verdict of "Not guilty." It will be remembered, that at Warwick Assizes, on Thursday last week, James Leigh and three other men were convicted of riot and assault at

Stoneleigh Abbey, in a forcible entry of the mansion which they sup- posed to further some claim on the property. On Friday, twenty.five, other men were tried and convicted of assault and riot, and then the sentences were pronounced. James Leigh, the ringleader, was con- demned to eighteen months' imprisonment with hard labour; the three next, to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour ; and the twenty- five, to three months' imprisonment.