The Press. — London, England, 1854-02-04 00:00:00

106 the seaMy supply of water derivable from the mains of the Southwark Company, which ren d e red the en glues at intervals altogether useless. THE SCREW STEAM-SHIP " PETEREI.," recently en gaged in the New York and B er muda trade, was totally destroyed by fire, outside the dry dock, Glas gow, on Thursday week. Her loss is covered by an insurance for 12,0001. She had been taken off the Bermuda station, her large size rendering her un suitable for the trade, and had been only sold a few days previously to Messri. Burns and M'lver, for 20,0001. Luckily, however, for that firm, they had not taken possession of the vessel. THE unaccountable death of a respected physi clan, Mr. Howard, of Upper Gloucester-place, became the subject of a coroner's inquest on Tuesday. The deceased was found dead in bed on the morning of yesterday, with his arms crossed on his breast, and the bed-clothes neatly arranged, but with a bottle labelled " hydrocyanic (prussic) acid on his table. There were no indications of a struggle; nor, after investigating his affairs, any embarrassments or other intelligible motive for suicide. His circumstances were shown to be good, and his habits regular and systematic. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased had destroyed himself by hydrocyanic acid; but as to the state of his mind there was not sufficient evidence to form au opinion. THE disastrous fate of the brig Mary Jane, from Dublin to New York, with passengers, which went ashore on Jedore Ledges, is communicated in the last intelligence from the United States. Out of 150 persons on board only six were saved. ALLELNE KIMEYANG, a Chinese, has been commit ted for trial at Leeds, charged with stealing 1201., the property of his employer, Mr. Richardson, grocer and tea-dealer, Commercial-street. The prisoner had been for a considerable time employed by Mr. Richardson to serve his customers in the shop, and was attired in his native dress as a t ra de attraction. Nearly all the stolen money was found in his pos session. Ittlao. TUE QUEEN'S SPEECH on opening Parliament was transmitted to Ireland on Tuesday by submarine telegraph with incredible rapidity. The commencing paragraph reached Dublin a few minutes after three ; and the whole speech, which was spoken in the Douse of Lords at half-past two, was printed off in the Irish capital by four o'clock. Nor was this all. Cork, Belfast, and Galway, received the news almo,t, simultaneously with Dublin ; and an abstract of the entire debate on the address appeared in all the Dublin papers on Wednesday morning, quite as early as the reports were laid on London breakfast t ibles in the metropolitan journals. THE HAI.F•YEAIILY MEETING of the "Central Con servative Society of Ireland" was held last week at their rooms, Upper Sackville-street, the Earl of Donoughmore in the chair. Amongst those present w.tre the Earl of Mayo, Lord Naas, Lord Clarina, Mr. Napier, M.P., Mr. Whiteside, M.P., Colonel Taylor, M.P., Mr. Vance, M.P., Mr. George, M.P., Mr. Ross Moore, M.P., S:c. A report was read from the com mittee describing their exertions since the formation of the society in February last, which stated that they had obtained "a body of valuable statistics relative to the exact condition of property, agricul tural, commercial, and manufacturing, in the coun ties and towns of Ireland," which information, the report goes on to state, will be important for the use of the constitutional party in l'arliament, in assisting them "in meeting and opposing any revolutionary projects under the name of reform." The following resolution, amongst others, was adopted :—" That the best thanks of this society are due and owing, and hereby tendered, to the several agents through oat the country, by whose vigorous and persevering abours at the registry the Conservative cause in Ire land has been materially improved." THE COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH has quashed the order of Mr. O'Callaghan, the police magistrate, in the case of the tract-distributors, and directed that the recognisance of Mr. Smith, the defendant on that occasion, should be discharged. MR. DARGAN'S LOSSES BY THE EXHIBITION amount to little short of 20,0001. THE SUPPLY of FLAXSEED has become a subject of anxiety in Ireland, and especially in Belfast and other parts of Ulster, on account of the commence ment of war with Russia. Special inquiries on this subject have been instituted, which result in the very gratifying discovery that the stocks on hand, including the imports from Riga and Rotterdam, ex ceed by twenty thousand barrels the quantity at the corresponding period last year ; so that a full supply is secure for the present season. Owing to the same cause the price of ties is rapidly advancing, and it is certain that there will be an unusually large flax crop PI F l r i certain th at of 1 will re fla b is e r a ad unusually lyad•anlcingge, flax xd crop is claims, pious for their r ol p d e h ow y our o li r ici p y e o r u o n r g e fl ti et s t ta i s s thtelitleniesi WHAT'S IN A NAME? asks an AMerlCan eu . iwa, ..-- , in Ireland this year. in the world, thanks to Lazereff." The play termi SMITH O'BRIEN has not escaped, says the Limerick nates with a tableau of the roadstead of Sebastopol Reporter, on the authority of a letter received by his at the moment of the arrival of the Turkish prisoners, ZiPti.Vizfeirswahrousil'o.iregketththeefollaslowt einiegcptiaotrnoonfydmeticespotfesefeor; Nebraska:-htaliah:he•aq. juuseh:ggrouszl,mosuitet:mtahen.n.eo,hloabh: family, and dated from his place of exile on October among whom Osman Pacha, carried on a litter, is a to, and Kah•ku-noh-ne-we-to - to." •• . . ' • • 4 . - . 1 THE PRESS. the lst. So far from attempting evasion, adds the Reporter, O'Brien has just renewed his tribute of leave for six months, and declares his firm resolve never to deserve the accusation of having broken his parole. IN THE COURT OF EXCHEQUER on Wednesday an action was tried, instituted by the Crown against Mr. Shaw, the proprietor of the Commercial Journal and Family Herald, an unstamped paper, for publishing articles of news. A good deal of interest was excited by the case, which terminated in a verdict for the defendant. tortigu ltt, gittraturt, tkr. THE ABBE LILDIENBLIS is so seriously ill that his life is in imminent danger. He refuses to see a priest, and desires that his body may be conveyed direct to a cemetery without being taken into a church. By his will he has appointed M. Auguste Barbet, his successor. THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY of the Oriental Academy in Vienna, which was founded by the Empress Maria Theresa, was celebrated on the 2nd ult. on a scale of magnificence worthy of the occasion. His Eminence the Cardinal Prince Chevalier de ltauscher, Archbishop of Vienna, made a most edify ing speech on this occasion. THE ARRIVAL OF MR. STEPHENSON, the engineer, has caused the Egyptian Government to prosecute the railway works with increased vigour, and a great number of men have been placed on the line at each end for this purpose. It is the will of the Paella that the end from the Delta to Cairo should be finished as soon as the end connecting Alexandria with the Nile. The canal is also shortly to be emptied of all the water it contains, in order to clean out and deepen its bed. M. BLANQUI, member of the Institute of France, died on Sunday. He was one of the principal members of the commission sent to England in 1851 to report on the Great Exhibition. He is elder brother of the celebrated Socialist, M. Blanqui, who is now a prisoner at Doulens. CAPTAIN Emcssos, in a letter to the American newspapers respecting the caloric-ship, states that there is not the slightest cause for doubt in relation to this enterprise. The new engines were completed and had been at work several days, their operation proving conclusively that the practical difficulties which attended the first arrangement have all been overcome. They are also much reduced in size, while their principle of action is the same as before, with this exception only, that condensed air is employed in place of the ordinary atmosphere for producing the motive power. This modification admits of an increase of power, limited only by the capability of resisting pressure in the machine. Much difficulty has been experienced in this respect, and it is this which has caused some delay recently. The obstacle is, however, nearly removed, and the public will shortly have an opportunity of judging by practical evidence of the merits of the caloric-ship. THE PROPOSAL to establish a new Federal University has excited much interest in Switzerland. The plan has been long talked about. A clause in the Federal Constitution of 1818 mentioned it as a part of the new federal organisation. Financial considerations chiefly have postponed till this year any decided steps for the realisation of the project; and now, when a prosperous exchequer has determined the Council to bring the plan under the formal consideration of the Federal Assembly, it has called forth an immense amount of opposition, and Switzerland is divided into two very nearly equal parties on the subject. After a debate which lasted live days the National Council determined, by a majority of sixty-four to forty three, to entertain the project ; and this division assures its success in the National Council. But the fate of the measure in the Council of States is doubt ful. The project is for the establishment of a federal university, comprehending five faculties—philosophy, Catholic and Protestant theologyl(separate faculties), law, and medicine—and also of a polytechnic school. The university is to he established in a German can ton, and its site would be Zurich, where a university on a smaller scale already exists. A PLAY is repeated nightly at the St. Petersburg Theatre, written with a view to excite public opinion against the Turks. The following passages are re ceived with most applause :—A Russian naval officer, who is the principal character, exclaims, " If they will not give me a vessel to command, I will sell all the men of my village to buy a frigate and go and attack the Turks. One Russian is more than a match for three Turks." "Let us show our fidelity to our flag ; let us not understand it like the people of the West, but like brave Russians that we are." When he receives the news of the battle at Sinope, be ex claims, "Behold how our Emperor chastises the im pious for their perfidy ! Our young fleet is the finest in the vorld, thanks to Lazereff." The play termi _ . SATURDAY, prominent feature. The Grand Duke (heir apparent), and the Grand Dukes Constantine, Nicholas, and Michel, were present at the first representation of this drama. The imperial boa was filled with naval officers and the children of those on board the fleet in the Black Sea. At the third representation the Grand Duke Nicholas alone was present. The Em peror has issued an order that fifty soldiers are to be admitted every night to The Battle of Sinope. THE MACARTNEY LIBRARY AND MSS. were sold last week by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, of Piccadilly. The whole were collected by the late George Earl of Macartney, whose important diplomatic engage ments in China and at the Court of St. Petersburg have given his name no mean place in history. Lord Macartney died in 1800, and the external condition of his books would seem to indicate that his library has lain dormant from that time to the present. There was nothing of particular note included in the sale of printed books; but the manuscripts, which were numerous and important, drew together a large company, and elicited spirited competition. Among them were a multitude of Chinese MSS., some of them curiously illustrated, together with a large number of designs, drawings, &c., by Chinese artists, and various notes, diaries and memoranda, correspondence, dc., relating to the late earl's mis sion to China. Altogether the MSS. produced more than 1,0001. IN AN ANCIENT CHEST, long standing in a neglected corner of an obscure tower in Lambeth Palace, we understand, says the Atheneum, that certain historical papers have just been found. No details as to the particular contents of the documents now un earthed have yet reached us; but we hear it said that they are valuable of their kind. They are supposed to refer cheitly—if not exclusively—to the Cromwell period. We have even heard that some of them bear the signature of the Protector. LORD DALHOUSIE is endeavouring to establish ver nacular schools throughout India for the instruction of the masses of the people. His lordship has also recommended to the Court of Directors that a scholarship should be instituted in the Roorkee Col lege in honour to the late Mr. Thomason—the said college having been brought into being by the de- ceased gentleman. Dn. O'SHAUOHNESSY has been appointed superiu• tendent of electric telegraphs in India, with a salary of 2,400/. per annum, and 301. a month travelling al lowances. His assistant, Mr. Sheppard, is to receive 000/. a year, and 151. a month extra when moving about. A NEW ASSOCIATION, entitled the "Booksellers' Registration Society," has just been formed at Mr. Orr's, Paternoster row. It is intended to establish a correct register of all booksellers, printers, news agents, (tc., throughout the country, so as to facilitate communications and promote the interest of the trade and the convenience of the public. Mn. ALEXANDER SMITH has been elected secretary of the Edinburgh University. The candidates were, beside Mr. Smith, Mr. Robert Young, Mr. James Grant, Mr. William Daniel, Dr. John Renton, and Mr. Train. The final decision was between Mr. Smith and Mr. Young, when the former obtained 18 and the latter 15 votes. Mn. THOMASON, late Governor of the North west Provinces of India, has bequeathed the whole of his valuable private library to the Government College at Agra. COMMERCE OF EoYrr.—According to the annua report issued by the Custom-house of Alexandria n the total amount of exports from Egypt in 1853 wa 3,472,0001., and of imports into Egypt from all parts, 2,070,0001. sterling. Great Britain, Austria, and France are the three countries trading principally with Egypt. The total value of exports to Great Britain was 1,787,5401.; to Austria, 389,000/. ; to France, 401,000/. The imports from Great Britain amounted to 1,153,0001.; from Austria, 310,000/. from France, 242,0001. Among the exports the most important are—Wheat, X OO,OOO quarters; beans, 215,000 quarters; barley, (12,000 quarters; Indian corn, 47,000 quarters; linseed, 20,000 quarter"; sesame-seed, 32,000 quarters; cotton, 181,000 bales; flax, 44,000 bales; wool, '22,000 bales; henna, 5,30 0 hales. The exports to Great Britain comprised — Wheat, 450,0(X) quarters ; beans, 100,000 quarters ; barley, 50,000 quarters ; Indian corn, 40,000 quar ters ; linseed, 18,000 quarters, cotton, 100,000 bales ; flax, 35,000 bales ; wool, 11,000 bales. The total amount of manufactures imported into Egypt was 475,000/., of which 353,0001. were from England. The total number of merchant vessels that sailed from the port of Alexandria in 1853 was 1,101, of which 044 were with cargoes and '247 in ballast. WHAT'S IN A NAME ? asks an American editor, after copying from a poll-book the following patronymics of cer tain citi:- •ho voted at the last election of delegates for W :,