The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-15 00:00:00

Court ant lastion.

The Court remains at Balmoral, where at ten o'clock
on Monday night the Queen received the glorious
intelligence that Sebastopol " was in the hands of the
allies." Her Majesty directed that this news should
be generally communicated. The Prince, attended
by Earl Granville, Major-General the Hon. C. Grey,
Colonel the Hon. C. Phipps, and E. Becker, Esq.,
immediately proceed to the summit of Craig Cobh ain,
where a quantity of firewood bad been collected. The
joyful tidings had circulated rapidly through the
neighbourhood, and the Highlanders were seen ap-
proaching in groups in every direction. The main
body was led by Ross, her Majesty's piper, late of
the 42nd Highlanders, playing favorite national airs.
A considerable number of people was soon assem-
bled, and the erection of a bonfire was but the work
of a few minutes, and upon the arrival of the Prince
and the party accompanying him it was lighted and
blazed high into the air, amidst the loud and oft-
repeated cheers of the assemblage. The Prince of
Wales and Prince Alfred, attended by Mr. Gibbs,
shortly after arrived. The Queen and the Duchess
of Kent, with the ladies of the suite, viewed the dis-
tant scene from the windows of the castle. A little
before twelve o'clock the whole concourse descended
from the craig, and assembling before the castle
windows sang " God save the Queen," and, after
three hearty cheers, gradually dispersed.
The weather is ezWemely fine, and Prince Albert
has had excellent sport among the grouse preserves
in the neighbourhood of Balmoral. The deer are very
plentiful, and the Prince is expected to commence
stalking immediately.
The Rev. Dr. Hale, chaplain to the British Em-
bassy, has received from Queen Victoria, through
Lord Cowley, a valuable diamond ring, as a mark of
her Majesty's approbation of the manner in which
he twice officiated in her presence at St. Cloud.
Prince Napoleon landed at Southampton on Thurs-
dar afternoon, and left immediately for London.

Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte, the celebrated
ornithologist, who is at present in England attending
the meeting of the British Association in Glasgow,
has just been elected president of the " Congres
Scientifique de France," a similar institution to our
own association, and which is about to hold its meet-
ing at Pays de Dome.
Prince Albert has been pleased to forward to Ser-
geant-Major J. Stee, and Quartermaster-Sergeant
B. K. Spencer, Royal Sappers and Miners, a cheque
for the sum of ten pounds " as a mark of his Royal
Highness's approval of their attention and care in
making the survey of Osborne."
The Duke of Northumberland has been expend-
ing the enormous sum of 50,0001. a year in rebuild-
ing cottages, farm-houses, and buildings, and in
draining lands on his vast estates in Northumber-
land, to say nothing of the splendid improvements
going on in the stately castles of Alnwick and
Warkworth.

The Duke of Somerset has arrived in town from a
cruise in the Baltic. His lordship was unable to
attend the obsequies of his father, not having re-
ceived intelligence of the late duke's demise until he
reached the north coast of Scotland.
The Earl Granville will continue in attendance on
the Queen at Balmoral until the week after next,
when the noble Lord President of the Council will
be relieved by the Right Hon. Sir George Grey, who
is detained in town by public business.
The Duke of Cambridge is about to visit the
Mayor at Liverpool. His Royal Highness will arrive
at Knowsley, the seat of the Earl of Derby, on Mon-
day the 9th of October. On Tuesday morning his
Royal Highness will visit Liverpool and inspect the
various public buildings, docks, &c. At the Town.
hall, in the evening, the mayor will give a grand
dinner-party, which will be followed by a ball, to
which a large party will be invited. On Wednesday,
the 10th, his Royal Highness will take a sail upon
the river, for the purpose of viewing the great extent
of the docks and harbour of Liverpool; and in the
evening there will be a grand concert at St. George's-
hall.

THE following Warrant, granting an extra field
allowance to the army in the field, has appeared in
the Gazette :
Vic-ranTA R.—Whereas, we deem it expedient to grant
a field allowance to the non-commissioned officers and
soldiers of our regular army when engaged in active
operations in the field against an enemy : our will and
pleasure is, that from the Ist day of July, 1855, every non•
commissioned officer and soldier then serving in the field,
and every other non-commissioned officer and soldier from
the date of arrival at the seat of war, shall be entitled to a
field allowance of 6d. a day in addition to his daily pay, to
be continued to him so long as he shall remain on active
duty in the field. During the period of a noncommis-
sioned officer or soldier being in hospital his field allow-
ance will cease, but will be allowed from the day he
returns to duty in the field. Given at our Court at St.
James's, the 18th day of August, 1855, in the 19th year of
iarrsign.-71/ her Majesty's oommend, Rantuae.

THE PRESS.

Volitical and Otiteral.

AN INDIAN PRINCESS, a ward of the Queen,
resident in Edinburgh for her education, had an
interview with her Majesty at Holyrood on Thursday
week.
THE EARL OF ELLESMERE will he the Lord
Lieutenant of Lancashire in the room of the Earl of
Sefton, deceased.
THE HON. F. Hrsocs, who is appointed to the
governorship of Barbadoes, is an Irish gentleman,
who has been settled for some years in Canada,
where he conducted a Liberal newspaper with some
success. He was elected a member of the Provin-
cial Parliament, and became distinguished for his
financial abilities. He acquired no little fame by his
correspondence with and against Sir C. Trevelyan on
colonial finances. The late Colonial Secretary for
Canada, the Hon. Mr. Daly, was also an Irish settler
in Canada, and was promoted by Earl Grey to be
Governor in the West Indies, and afterwards to be
Governor of Prince Edward's Island.
TEN THOUSAND ACRES OF LAND in various parts
of the New Forest are about to be planted. About
seventy acres of the New Forest were sold last week
by the Government, and fetched about 231. 10s. an
acre. The land sold is on the outskirts of the forest,
and is covered with furze. It has to be fenced by the
purchasers.
THE remains of the late Mr. Feargus O'Connor
were buried on Monday in the cemetery at Kensal-
green. A procession of working men, with banners
having democratic inscriptions, accompanied the
funeral procession. An oration was delivered over
the body by Mr. Ernest Jones.
AMONGST OTHER IMPROVEMENTS in course Of
execution in London is a new street from the Strand
to Covent-garden. It will extend from Burleigh-
street to Tavistock-court. The new road through
Kensington and Brompton, leading to the Exhibition
Museum, is now opened.
THE recently circulated report, that the editorship
of the Quarterly Review had passed into the hands
of Mr. Stanley, is contradicted on authority. No
change has taken place.
A PROSPECTUS has been issued of the East India
Coal Company, to be formed under the new Limited
Liability Act, with a capital of 150,0001., in 101.
shares, on which the deposit is to be ss. It is pro-
posed to work five coal mines, of which the two
principal are situate within three miles of the East
India Railway Company's terminus at Raneegunge,
in Bengal, and 129 miles by rail from Calcutta. The
seller, it appears, is to receive shares of the company
in payment. It is asserted that the Bengal Coal
Company, working in the immediate neighbourhood
of the proposed mines, has fcr some years past regu-
larly paid its shareholders dividends varying from 12
to 10 per cent.
THE conversion of Exeter 'Change into a large
restaurant, the centre bore to be the chief apartment,
and the shops side boxes, is suggested by the Building
News.

IN THE WILL OF THE LATE ABBOTT LAWRENCE,
besides numerous private gifts, the sum of 130,000
dollars is appropriated for works of public benevo-
lence, as follows :—The Lawrence Scientific School,
50,000 dole.; for building model lodging-houses,
50,000 dole. ; Boston Public Library, 10,000 dols.;
Franklin Library in the city of Lawrence, 5,000 dols.;
American Bible Society, 5,000 dole. ; American Tract
Society, 5,000 dole. ; and Home Missionary Society,
5,000 dole. One half of the net rents of the lodging-
houses is to be annually distributed to various chari•
table institutions in Boston, and the other half is to
accumulate in order to constitute a fund for keeping
the lodging-houses in order.

THE coal proprietors of Upper Austria are about
to form a joint-stock company for the working of
their mines. A branch railway, connecting it at Lam-
bach, is about to be made, in order to join the various
collieries.

ONE of the curious sights of Jersey is a vinery be-
longing to Mr. Tennimore, a gentleman of fortune.
Throughout an immense long glass building the
vines are trained along at a low height from the
ground. It produces about 1,6001. worth of grapes
yearly.
ONE of the model balloons sent up by Mr. Gypson
at the Botanical - gardens at Sheffield, last week,
travelled as far as Chard, in Somersetshire, a distance
of about two hundred miles, having occupied about
two hours and three quarters in the voyage. Mr.
Gypson states that the duration of this voyage by a
balloon of five feet diameter is unprecedented, and
he attributes it to the presence of a mixture of the
solution of indiarubber in the varnish with which
the balloon is glazed.
THE candidates for the expected vacancy in the
representation of New Ross are now almost too
numerous to mention, but it is believed that the
choice of the constituency is pretty evenly balanced
between the Liberal Conservative, Mr. Tottenham,
and the ex-member for Dublin city, Mr. John Rey-
nolds.

SATURDAY,

MR. JOHN SIMON, Officer of Health of the City of
London, has been appointed medical officer of the
General Board of Health, in pursuance of the act of
last session, continuing that board, and authorising
the appointment by it of a medical officer.
IN the event of a vacancy occurring in the repre-
sentation of Armagh, W. M‘Geough Bond, Esq., of
The Argory, intends to offer himself on the Con-
servative interest. The Hon. E. Kenyon has also
been solicited to come forward.

THE RETURNS OF THE LONDON REGISTRARS show
that 1,015 persons, of whom 531 were males and 464
females, died in he week that ended on Saturday
last. The mortality has continued at nearly the
same rate during the last three weeks, and is not
high for a season which in the metropolis is always
more unhealthy than the early mouths of summer.
The difference between September and the months
of June and July as regards the effect produced on
the public health is measured on an average by about
120 deaths in a week.

THE PEEL STATUE, inaugurated a few days ago in
Birmingham, remains unpaid for ; indeed, not half
the required sum has yet been subscribed. When
the commission was intrusted to Mr. Hollins, it was
stipulated, says dries Gazette, that he should re-
ceive 2,000 guineas, but the effurts of the committee
have failed to obtain a larger sum than 0001., and
the sculptor is thus more than 1,0001. out of pocket.
The sum already paid to Mr. Hollins will not nearly
replace the money he has actually expended, and he
is personally respcnsible for the pedestal, the rail-
ings, lamps, and casting of the statue; so that, un-
less the subscription should be largely increased, I
will sustain a positive loss, while even the payment
of the price originally agreed upon will leave but a
scanty remuneration for his personal labour.

WITH reference to a rumour which some months
ago prevailed in this country, and found its way to
India, whence it has been again received, we have
authority for stating that since the return of our
army from Cabul no intimation has reached the Go-
vernment of India of the detention of any officer of
the late Cabul force in Central Asia.

IT is a curious and interesting fact, says the
York4hireman, that the last letter written by the late
Mr. Hume was to the Queen, informing her that ho
had a balance to pay into her hands, saved from
the wreck of her father's property, of which the duke
had made him a trustee. About a dozen persons,
among whom was Hume, had subscribed to pay off
the duke's debts, and Hume managed it all—he
saved the duke's credit, paid off all his debts, coaxed
his property, allowed him to die a popular and re-
spected man, and, in clearing up his own affairs in
the world, had a considerable balance to pay into the
hands of his old friend's daughter. This, of course,
will astonish people, who could never have supposed
the Radical Hume on good terms with a royal duke.
But there was something more than that. He was
on good terms with the Queen, who had, as a girl
and woman as Princess and Queen, the highest re-
gard for him, and for whom he
had
the most un-
bounded respect.
THE twenty-fifth meeting of the British Associa-
tion was opened in Glasgow on Wednesday. The
general committee met in the Merchants'-hall at one
o'clock for the election of sectional officers, and the
despatch of business usually brought before that
body. The Earl of Harrowby took the chair.

THE BOUNTY TO ARTISANS joining the Royal Artil-
lery is now raised to 15/. ; cavalry, 10/. ; the Guards,
91.; infantry of the line, 8/. ; and the Land Trans-
port Corps, 51. During Tuesday last upwards of
two hundred volunteers passed examination at the
recruiting staff-office, Delahay-street, Westminster,
for service in the army, and were drafted to Cha-
tham Weedon, Woolwich, Piershill, Newry, and
Horfield.

THE Conducta, from San Luis P otosi and Zaca-
tecas, has arrived at Tampico with about one million
dollars, which were shipped for England per Royal
Mail-steamer Wye, and it was expected she would
get a still larger sum at Vera Cruz, if the Conducta
from Mexico had arrived at that port. The latest
accounts from Vera Cruz report it to have been cap.
tured by the revolutionists.
THE TELEGRAPHIC CABLE to be sunk between Cape
Spartivento (Sardinia) and the coast of Africa,
arrived at Cagliari on the 6th, on board the Result.
THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH has honoured Mr.
Jonas Webb, of Babraham, with a testimony of his
regard, in the shape of a splendid silver candelabrum.
It is of the most exquisite workmanship, in the form
of an oak tree, containing five burners; the foliage
is of frosted silver, and the acorns burnished, giving
it when lighted an exceedingly dazzling appearance.
Beneath the tree are figures of horses grazing, and
of a mare and foal. The whole is beautifully exe-
cuted, and will no doubt be highly prized by its
possessor, not only as a mark of distinguished
honour, but as an instance of his Imperial
Majesty's appreciation of the success which has at•
tended Mr. Webb's endeavours to improve the breed
of sheep.

SEPT. 15, 1855.

4ttibtnts nnb Offtatts.

A MOST LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT took place on
Sunday evening on the Versailles Railroad,- left
bank. The passenger-train returning from Ver-
sailles came in collision with a luggage-train quite
close to the Paris station, which actually cut it in
two. Several carriages were broken to atoms, and
several lives have been lost ; nine killed on the spot,
and seventeen badly hurt, are admitted by the direc-
tors. It is supposed, however, that the number of
killed is at least fifteen, if not more, and over thirty
persons wounded. Two young girls, sisters, had
their legs cut clean off, and among others the body
of a man was found with both legs cut off, and a child
stifled in his arms. To whose fault the accident is to
be attributed is not clearly made out. The Imperial
Procureur proceeded next morning to the spot, ac-
companied by the Juge d'lnstruction and the ad-
ministrators of the line. The procis-verbal was
made out, and the dead bodies deposited in one of
the buildings of the station, in order that their
friends should claim them. All were recognised.
The wounded were, at their own desire, conveyed to
their homes. A child only eighteen days old
was killed in the arms of its mother, who bad a leg
fractured. The father was on the roof, and at the
moment of the collision leaped on the ground, and
only received some contusions. Some hours after
the accident the road was cleared of the remains of
the carriages, and the two locomotives were dragged
away by horses. A strict investigation will be insti-
tuted into the cause of the catastrophe.

ON SATURDAY an inquest was held by Mr. Waltley,
upon the body of Mr. Matthew Wood, aged forty. two,
who committed suicide by taking a large dose of
poison. It appeared from the evidence that the de
ceased, who had held a lucrative post in the mail
department of the General Post-office, had applied
to be elected to the head of that department, which
bad become vacant some months ago. The result of
the application was, that he was placed on probation
for six months. During this period the unfortunate
gentleman became very desponding, as he found out
that he was not fitted to fill the onerous duties of the
situation. As the time passed on he became more
and more depressed, and several times exclaimed,
"It must be either success or prussic acid." There
was nothing beyond depression of spirits, however,
that could induce his fnenda to suppose he would
commit suicide. At the expiration of the probationary
six months, upon going to his office, he discovered
that he was not confirmed in the appointment, not
being considered sufficiently competent. He returned
home to his house at St. John's-wood completely
broken-hearted, and retired to his bed-room about
half-past five. His non-appearance afterwards in-
duced his housekeeper to go up, and upon the door
being forced the deceased was found lying on his bed
hi a sleeping posture, but quite dead, life having been
extinct for some time. A glass and a bottle, which
had contained cynide of potassium, used by the de-
ceased for photographic purposes, was found by his
bedside, and from the medical testimony it would ap-
pear that he had taken five or six ounces, a quantity
sufficient to kill fifty men. Verdict—" Insanity."
A DREADFUL CONFLAGRATION broke out on Tuesday
morning in Lambeth, attended with great loss of
property. The premises on which the fire com-
menced were some extensive erections belonging to
Messrs. Baker, builders, near Lambeth Palace. The
premises covered several acres of ground, and com-
prised sawmills, iron-planing mills, joiners' shops,
carpenters' shops, and at the extremity were immense
piles of mahogany and other timber, worth several
thousand pounds. Flanking this property were up-
wards of a dozen lofty houses in Paris-street., eight
of which became ignited, and narrowly escaped being
destroyed. The conflagration began about one
o'clock, and, by dint of great exertion on the part of
the firemen and police, the flames by five o'clock
began to succumb beneath the great weight of water
that was scattered upon them ; but, nevertheless, the
fire was not entirely extinguished for many hours
afterwards. The amount of damage, at a moderate
calculation, must reach to nearly, ii not exceed,
50,000/. The workmen employed on the premises
have also lost upwards of 2,0001. worth of tools ;
and it is understood that none of the men were in-
sured. The whole of the iron planing mills are
burned down, the sawmills destroyed, the joiners'
shops and masons' shops also consumed, a valuable
stock of marble completely splintered, and several
stacks of Spanish and Honduras mahogany, as well
as Dantsic wainscoting, are reduced to ashes. The
greater portion of the valuable trees in the park ad-
joining the Archbishop of Canterbury's palace was
set on fire. Fortunately the palace did not receive
the least injury, but the alarm amongst the domestics
was exceedingly great. The firm was insured as far
as the contents and stock-in•trade were concerned.
The eight houses in Paris-street, which are consider-
ably damaged, and the majority of the inmates were
also inswed.