The Press. — London, England, 1858-09-18 00:00:00

THE PRESS, SEPTEMBER 18, 1858. T H E GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE, High Admiral of Russia, has directed a communication to be made to the Lifeboat Institution, soliciting its co operation to provide, at th e ex p ense of the Russian Government, lifeboats on the society's plan for the coasts of the Gulf of Finland. On Tuesday, a special meeting of the institution was accordingly convened to consider t hi s important c ommunication, when it was decided t o render every possible assistance to the Russian Admiralty in carrying out this benevolent scheme. THE DARK ARCHES OF THE ADELPHI are again in the same frightful condition as they were a few wee k s ago, when the strong feeling which was excited at the time brought about an altered state of things which tended very much to the advantage of the in habitants. The police authorities, with an alacrity a nd determination which were highly praiseworthy, resolved that the horrible scenes which were con stantly witnessed on Sundays—the great gala-days of this sink of profligacy and filth—should no longer prevail, and for a time their exertions were com pletely successful. There was none of the rioting and blasphemy which had for so long a time pre viously disgusted and appalled those who resided in the ne ighbourhood; and, although there was free ingress and egress with regard to the arches for those whose tastes or business led them that way, every thing was conducted with order. Temporary success, however, appears to have satisfied the police, and they are suffering to grow up a state of timings in all rspects as wretched as that which not long ago they so satisfactorily put down. The present state of the Adelphi and its black arches on a Sunday afternoon is as great an abomination as eau possibly exist in London. It may safely be affirmed that for open violation of the decencies of life it is not equalled by the most depraved part of the eastern end of the metropolis. In most places where such a state of things exist, grown up men and women are the principal actors in the scene, while in the Adelphi children of various ages are those who congregate, mixed up, however, with a due proportion of thieves ti a maturer age. A very slight bddition to the strength of the police force, and a little patience, would serve effectually to arrest this frightful and nost serious evil. THE births of 777 boys and 760 girls, in all 1,537 children, were registered in London last week. The nimber of deaths registered was 1,060, of which 521 were males, 539 females. Vtobincial. THE EXTENSION OF THE PORT OF BRISTOL is pro posed. A crowded meeting was held at the Guild hell, Bristol, on Tuesday, the mayor in the chair, to consider the possibility of providing accommodation fr the largest class of ocean steamers. Mr. P. NV. Mills moved a resolution, that the accommodation o!auld he provided ; Mr. Fingel seconded the resolu till. Mr. Baker, chairman of the Great Eastern C.mpany, addressed the meeting, and stated his hdief that in a few weeks a company would be formed to take the Leviathan and complete her. He also expressed Lis opinion that with proper accommodation Ihistol would be admirably adapted for her recepticn. Tie resolution was carried, and a committee stuointed to co operate with the Chamber of Corn truce to carry it into effect. A subscription also was set on foot at the meeting. AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE occurred at an attempted wedding at Halifax, a few days ag.). A youth, still in Lis teens, accompanied by a good-looking woman a few years his senior, drove up to the Registry-office, Halifax, for the purpose of entering the matrimonial state. The mother of the bridegroom expectant, having heard a whisper of what. was about to take Place, lost no time in setting out in search of her son. On arriving at Halifax, from a neighbouring village where the family reside, her inquiries put her in the right track ; she entered the registry-office just as Ile registrar was commencing the ceremony, and forthwith she gave her son a thorough "drubbing," at the same time giving expression to her feelings in terms anything hut respectful to the bride elect. The lot yet "happy couple" hastily left the office, and vent off in the cab awaiting them at the door. The other followed, accompanied by her husband, and Loth protested against the proposed marriage, which could not legally take place, as the young man is order age. A SEIZURE OF BETTING MEN AND Boos was ({1 eeted at Liverpool, on Wednesday. A posse of 'etettives entered a notorious betting-house in Elliot `4Bet, and captured a large number of gamblers, and tirf swindlers, who, it is understood, will be pro. cieded against by the authorities. THE FOUNDATION-STONE OF A NEW FREEMASONS' RAU" to be erected on the West Cliff, Whitby, was lad by the Earl of Zetland, Grand Master of Masons, are w days si nce . Wh en t h e s t one was levelled, and a tilver trowel had been presented to his lordship, the Pine ession returned toe magutfieent bat quet, served illtSt. Tie Earl of Zetland presided. THE ANCIENT AND BEAUTIFUL ABBEY OF WELBECR, as is well known, is surrounded by thousands of ancient, oaks and hundreds of acres of thriving plan- tations, Interspersed with considerable tracts of un derwood where game is as abundant as blackberries. Partridges are the most abundant, for they are but seldom disturbed, and continue to procreate amid the wild recess of the forest. During the present season, however, a most extensive mortality has pre vailed among this tribe, and hundreds have been found dead in all directions without any reasonable or apparent cause. When dissected there is some thing in appearance in the intestines similar to the tapeworm; but the breed itself has latterly not been so numerous, supposed to arise from their breeding "in and in." The birds themselves appear to belong to one family, and to have continued without fresh mates for so many years that the race naturally wears out for want of resuscitation and the infusion of new blood. Be this, however, as it may, the fact remains the same, and in consequence, on many of the de tached estates, as at Elksley and other places, the keepers are netting all they possibly can in order that they may be set at liberty in the preserves around Welbeck, which we hope may stay the further progress of the mortality. A SERIOUS CON-PIRACY among the convicts of Portland Convict Prison developed itself on Monday last, but fortunately an intimation had reached the governor's ears which led to the adoption of the most vigilant precautionary measures. For some time there have been evidences of dissatisfaction on the part of the older convicts at the terms upon which those convicted since the new regulations came into force can obtain a mitigation of their sentence by good conduct ; and so strong and general had this feeling become, that a large number would appear to have entered into a combination to overpower the warders and break loose. Some of them seem to have been unable to prevent a boast of what was in tended, and this led to the procuring of additional warders from Milbank and the doubling of the military force at the barracks. On Monday morning the convicts were marched down as usual to the quarries from which the stone is obtained for the Portland breakwater, and everything went on quietly up to eleven o'clock, shortly after which time about a hundred from different gangs, as if by preconcerted signal, made a rush upon the warders. Thy were, however, surprised by a strong force of soldiers, who had been concealed in readiness for the emergency, surrounded by bristling bayonets, and firmly secured and ironed. Next morning about sixty of the more prominent actors in the above scene were sent to Milbank for a long period of solitary confinement, And the others received thirty-six lashes each. Notwith standing the result of Monday's proceedings, there were still signs of insurbordination on Tuesday, several other convicts refusing to go to work, and further punishment had to be inflicted; but since then order has been effectually restored. 3rtlant. A DISL'YAL MAYOR AND A BOLD ECCLESIASTIC. Cardinal Wiseman was banqueted in his half native city of Waterfird on fuesday last, the mayor presiding on the auspicious occasion. His worship, although by virtue of his office necessarily a layman, was not ashamed to give precedence to the Pope, the Queen's health fo:lowing the toast of the foreign sovereign. - - • • Cardinal IVisextim in the course of his speech thus referred to that bold enrolee of Papal aggression which led to the placing upon the statute-book the Ecclesiastical Titles Act, where it has lain a dead letter for a period of six r.r seven year, : Your excellent mayor has been kind enough to allide to the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in England. Now, I must disclaim any merit in that great undertaking, which was the pare and spontaneoaa work of the present Pontiff. It occupied his attention for years; he meditated on it again and again, and made it the subject of a fervent and fit quent prayer. He then confided to me the details of the theasure, and spoke of my returning to England with the title of Archbishop of Westminster. You must give to that illistrious Pontiff the glory of this great work, which is the highest act in one of the brightest Pontifi cates. When charged with that solemn duty, with that work whiert could not be attended with the slightest per sonal fee:ing, and which was only a simple duty to be dis charged, it would have been folly for mt. for one moment to waver or express any anxiety about it. I most acknowledge that I felt no fear in undertaking the task confided to me, and, therefire, I have no claim whatever to the possession of courage. When i pleased the Holy Father to raise me to the office I now bold, and to commit to me, as I have said, the detols of that great work, I fixed the day on which I should arrive in I.ondoa and take charge of my cathedral church, which was then St. George's. I announced the 6th of December as the day. When I left Rome for England I was requested by several to alter my plan of proceeding, as I intended to officiate publicly in the church in my new capacity. Even up to the day fixed for that occasion I received letters warning me against the steps I was Wont'', and assuring me that as soon as I should ascend the pulpit to preach a R 97 pistol bullet should be lodged in my cone. I was told by Catholics thst I was to he attacked in the church, and that those who would take part in the scuffle were intended to make away with me. Now, what was the consequence ? The church was never more crowded than on that occa• Sion, and never were the sacred functions performed with greater peace and tranquillity. In all that I claim no praise beyond that of tue most unshaken confidence in everything undertaken by the Church in the pursuit of the great interests of her children, in the discharge of her great mission, for Catholics may alwa3s repose with con fidence on the promises and blessing of her Founder. THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH CABLE. At the Killarney banquet, Mr. Brett, one of the directors of the Atlantic Telegraph Company, made the following inter !sting statement:— The very first idea of the Atlantic cable—l may, perhaps, be accused of egotism, I wish to borrow no man's laurels — was registered by myself and my brother in the tiovern meat office fourteen years ago. In the year 1845, at the Joint-stick Registry-office, we registered a submarine telegraph to go from Valentis, Ireland, to St. John's, New foundland. 1 will go hack for one moment to tell you the origin of that. The telegraph had been working between London and Slough. It struck roc in conversa tion in the evening with my brother, who had a consi derable mechanical tarn, that there was a latent power in the telegraph for the benefit of all mankind. In that evening the ides, I may say, took possession of my own mind, and it never left me until I saw it carried out. I at once urged it upon my brother, will was then living with me; and wishing to see him occupied, I said if he would take out patents—though averse to patents—l would find measures to carry them out. I then and there addressed a letter to Sir R. Peel, who was then at the heat of the Government, proposing to un!te England and France if Government would afford us assistance. I received a reply directing us to call at the Admiralty-office. I called on Sir G. Cockburn, but all the offers 1 made were rejected. I then pplied to the King of the French for assistance, which, under certain restrictions, was at last grauted. I came forward purposely with my own funds, for none were ready to support so foolish an idea, end as the Times very justly observed on the occasion, the jest of yesterday is become the fact of to-day. I shall never forget the day when the little steamer went on her journey with the cable from Dover to Calais. I watched the little boat with t"embling until its funnel disappeared below the horizon, and until its smoke died away in the air, until at length having arrived at Calais a signal was transmitted to the opposite end of the line. It is quite true, as Professor Thompson said, that there was but one message trans mitted ; and so surprised were the bystanders when the first message came out of the telegraph that they asked if the paper and all had travelled across. Oar telegraphic message was received between one and two o'clock in the morning in a little horse-box ;in fact, myself and an at tendant were the only persons left in charge of it. At two o'clock in the morning be said. All is well, good night after the istignes of the day," and we retired to rest. Next morning the continuity was broken, and we ascertained by means similar to those by which Professor Thompson with his great ability was able to ascertain almost the very point where the damage to the Atlantic cable took place — we ascertained that the breakage had taken place nest the shore. The submarine cable, as yon all know, was carried nut next year between England and France ; but then came the question, could electricity be safely used at great depths ? The Channel, as you are aware, is but a mere fishing-pond. Could a cable be laid down safely at the bottom of the ocean ? I then proposed to go into the Mediterranean, though the two lines which had fixed my mina were decidedly India and America. I appealed to the Emperor of the French, and asked him to give me his assistance in the undertaVng, stating that I proposed to establish communication between the Continent and Africa, and from that to India. His reply was, " Why don't iour own Government and the Indian Government supp;rt you? " I said, "As yet they bad no faith in such an undertaking ; when they saw the signals transmitted to Africa they would believe it." Thus..l regret to say, it was from a foreign country I was obliged to get encouragement. Mr. Brett proceeded with a statement of his laying a line w Corsica. The Sardinian Government met him most nobly, and placed assistance at his disposal. When they were about to commence laying the cable in the deep water the Emperor of the French ex.. ptessed a desire to get the best opinions in this country as to the possibility of laying the cable in those gnat depths. On being referred to, V.e gentle ' men who were nt that time believed to be best ac quainted with those matters said it would be impos sible to lay a cable in water exceeding 000 fathoms in depth. Ile ( Mr. Brett) said he had laid it in 700 fathoms; but they said that must be an accident, and that it could not be done again. At that time, however, lie (Mr. Brett) had the cable all ready, and rather than stop the undertaking he determined to conceal the adverse opinions those gentlemen had given, and to lay the cable at. once. That was done, and the only fault was want of length, being twelve miles short.. The Mediterranean cable being laid, his again turned his thoughts to America, and com municated with Professor Morse and Mr. Field, and the undertaking was attempt.d, the successful is-ate of a Well they were met that day to celebrate. A SINGMAR ADVENTURE which befel an illustrious member or the Papal Court, during the recoil h4,h ecclesiastical demonstra;on at 13ti11inaaloe, is thus recorded in the Dublin Evening Lail:—The dis tinguished individual being introduced a w a convent .