The Press.
London, England, 1856-09-13 00:00:00

isaHatton.

ME C►PTURED RUSSIAN IRON GUNS—SOMO 1,500,
which cost so much blood to win—says a corre-
spondent of the Times this week, are lying neglected
and covered with rust at the east end of Woolwich
Arsenal; " and I am told that they are to be de-
stroyed immediately for the sake of the iron, while it
is reported that the brass guns—hid in another ob-
scure corner—arc to be melted down an I made into
gates ":

Contrast this (continues the correspoii.lent) with the
proceedings of our gallant allies at Paris; they are taste-
fully arranging their guns captured at Sebastopol along

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the boulevards; how infinitely more gratifying to the nation
and army than in the shape of statues or gates! Could not
our trophies be arranged in a similar manner along Con-
atitution•hill and the Mall, or in the centre of the Green.
park, for instance ?

AN OUTWARD •BOUND STEAMER, the Sydney Hall,
was run down in the Thames below Gravesend, by
one of the Cork boats, on Tuesday morning. No
lives were lost, but the Sydney Hall, cut down to
the water's edge, was run aground, and now lies on
the Essex shore.

A MONUMENT TO THE Dukz OF WELLINGTON
has been decided upon by the Government. Sir
Benjamin Hall, Bart., M.P., as Chief Commissioner
of Works, has given notice that it is the intention of
her Majesty's Government to erect such a memorial
of the Duke in St. Paul's, and has invited designs
from artists of all countries.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY
TO ANIMALS have investigated the charges made last
week against their officers, and have dismissed two
from their situations.

THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE CRIMINAL LAW BILLS
of the Lord Chancellor, laid on the table of the
House of Lords at the close of the late session, have
recently been printed. They relate to offences against
property, against the person, against forgery, and
also to accessories. In the last-mentioned bill there
is a clause to the effect that abettors in misde-
meanours shall be indicted and punished as principals.

PnorEssue J. R. HIND writes to the Times this
week to announce that " the reappearance of the
great comet of 1558 is near at hand." He says :

Let me suggest to those who are provided with suitable
telescopes, and are desirous of searching for this long-
expected comet, that no time should be lost in commencing
operations. Greater vigilance will be necessary iu the
winter months than during the summer.

AN OLD " VICTORY" MAN, Peter Moser, aged
eighty-three, lately died at Greenwich Hospital. The
old veteran had been in several engagements of the
British navy between 1791 and 1806, including the
Battle of Trafalgar. When Nelson fell, Peter Moser
served on board the Victory as captain of the main-
top. In recognition of his services, which extended
over more then twenty years, he received two medals
(one with three clasps), and was for the last thirty
years of his life an inmate of the hospital. It is
worthy of note that Moser had the honour of carrying
the first flag at the public funeral of Nelson.
TRAVELLERS ON THE Airs should be careful in
their selection of horses. To be sure it is a sort of
" Hobson's choice ;" but if you have any doubts
about your horse's tempers it is better to be content
with the " none at all," as the following incident de-
tailed by a " Clergyman of Kent" will show. His
party were on the High Alps, and about to crest the
Furka. Three horses were obtained at St. Got lard.
The first, an amiable creature, was givta t) the
lady ; the second carried the baggage ; an l the
third—but we will let the clergyman of Ke it tell
his own story :
The third, appropriated to me, was a wiry-looking brute,
with a most uneasy eye ; but being vehemently assured on
all hands that he was perfectly safe, and not wishing to
seem over nice, I brought up the rear on his back not
without misgivings. About a mile from Hospenthal the
path is carried along an ugly neck of land, banked high
on the right, and falling sharply on the left to the bottom.
On entering this a presentiment (providentially) made
me free my feet from the stirrups, and sit ready for any-
thing that might possibly come next. A few hundred
yards further on the single peasant recklessly sent in
charge of the horses stopped for some fidget about his
straps and gear. My horse, then, with a vicious cry, made
a rush at the forward party (the path being only three feet
wide), and jammed himself among them. Unable to get
forward he reared with a back swing, sprawling his fore-
legs up the bank. After another struggle he lost his
balance, and reeled clear over the parapet, left @boulder
forward. Our first pitch was upon a place just sloped
enough for some long grass to grow; to this, being rolled
ou my breast, 1 could cling with my hands, while, being
freed from anything to drag, I felt tie animal slip from
between my legs, and heard him roll over and over to the
bottom. The rest I need not describe.

THE ASCENT OF MONT BLANC is daily having all its
terrors mercilessly stripped off by young men of good
constitution and in tolerable) form. Another ascent
bas been made, and the successful adventurer de-
clares that the dangers have been grossly overrated.
The route is as well known in Gliamouni as the path
up Primrose-hill in London :

As to the danger incurred in ascending these mountains
(writes Mr. Coleman) exhibition of courage, and so forth,
it is all stuff and nonsense —a very pretty tale and very
romantic fur those who want to make themselves out
heroes; everybody knows that a fortnight's clambering
over rocks and precipices braces up the nerves to an
extent undreamt of at home, and that even the gentler
sex sometimes undertake the scoatarduons excursions. It

is not likely, sir, that my chief guide, Jean Tairraz (of
Los Praz), who has a wife and six children, and is the
captain of Mout Mane, would undertake this journey if it
were so very dangerous. The fact of his having returned
eighteen times in safety shows how little cense there is for
alarm. His brother Victor has been sixteen times; several
other guides tine and ten times.

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