The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-02 00:00:00

PROPOSED NEW ENGLISH BISHOPRICS.

ARRANGEMENTS are in progress for preparing a
scheme, which will be submitted to Parliament early
next session, for the erection of two new English
dioceses, by the subdivision of the sees of Lincoln
and St. David's. lc is proposed to divide the diocese
of Lincoln by the appointment of a Bishop of South-
well, who will have episcopal jurisdiction over the
whole of the archdeacoury of Nottingham, containing
the important towns of Nottingham, Normanton,
Mansfield, Newark, Retford, Tatton, Worksop, South-
well, &c., together with a portion of the archdeaconry
of Lincoln, including probably Stamford and the ad-
jacent district. The new bishopric will consist of
about 300 benefices, leaving cons►derably more than
that number under the jurisdiction of the present
Bishop of Lincoln. The Bishop of Southwell will
have a large amount of patronage in his hands,
Bishop Jackson being willing to transfer all the
livings which are at present in his gift in the new see
to its first incumbent. The second bishopric proposed
to be formed is that of Brecon, by a division of the
present large diocese of St. David's. The bishopric of
Brecon will include the towns of Brecknock, Dwyn-
nock, Crickhowell, Hay, Glasbury, Oldcastle, Salgart,
Nantmel, Desserth, Glandestry, Glascombe, New-
church, Carmarthen, Egremont, Kidwelly, Llanelly,
Bishopton, Chereton, Nicholaston, Oystermouth, and
Swansea, leaving the present Bishop of St. David's
jurisdiction over Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Milford,
Pembroke, Tenby, Newcastle Emlyn, Cardigan, New-
port, &c. Under the proposed arrangement the dio-
cese of Brecon would consist of about 200 benefices,
and the diocese of St. David's of about 250. Both
Brecon and Southwell have handsome collegiate
churches, with chapters attached, so that there are
no difficulties in the way of the erection of the new
dioceses. A scheme for the erection of a new
bishopric for Cornwall is also at present under the
consideration of the cathedral commissioners, the
plan having been warmly recommended by the Bishop
of Exeter. For this bishopric a handsome endow-
ment, has already been provided through the munifi-
cence of a private individual.

A TELEGRAPH WITHOUT WIRES.
SOME experiments have within the past fortnight
been made at Portsmouth with the electric telegraph
of a most important and remarkable character, and
which would appear to open up and promise to lead
to further triumphs in electricity, equal to any that
already have been achieved. The experiments in
question were for the purpose of ascertaining the
possibility of sending electric telegraph messages
across or through a body of water without the aid of
the submarine wires. The place selected for the
experiment was the Milldam at its widest part, and
where it is some 500 feet across. Two portions of
the apparatus were placed on the opposite sides of
the Milldam, and directly facing each other. An
electric wire from each was submerged on their
respective sides of the water, and terminating in a
plate constructed for the purpose, and several
messages were actually conveyed across, or rather
through, the entire width of the Milldam with
accuracy and instantaneous rapidity. The local
journal, in giving a narrative of these experiments,
adds that it is not permitted to explain even cursorily
the apparatus employed, its only duty being to
narrate the fact of communications being sent
through the water a distance of 500 feet without the
aid of wires, and that there appeared every possi-
bility that this could be done as easily with regard to
the British Channel as the Milldam at Portsmouth.
Tho inventor is a gentleman of scientific attainments,
residing at Edinburgh, and who has been described
as an original inventor of the electric telegraph, but
who, from circumstances, was unable to turn the
invention to his own advantage. The experiments at
the Milldam were of a strictly private character,
although they were carried out. by Captain Beatty
and other engineering officers belonging to Ports-
mouth, but who have no interest of their own in the
result. As a noteworthy tact, it may be added that
in the Milldam, and close to where the experiments
were made, are two large iron drains, which dis•
charge themselves in its centre, and that the presence
of so large a body of metal had no influence on the
success of the operations by producing counteracting
influences.

A Critica; AND IMPORTANT CIRCUMSTANCE is said
to have come to light at Bomarsund, namely, the
discovery of plans for the formation of a second
Cronstadt or Sweaborg at and around Lumparby.
These plans and the estimates are reported to b e
complete and minute, and would have been put jut o
execution by Russia this year, bad not the arrival
of our fleet in the Gulf interfered. If this work
were to be carried out, Sweden would lie almost
helpless at the mercy of Russian guns ; Prussia her-
self would be menaced; and during the season of
navigation the Russian fleet would be able to run i
and out with facility, and avoid all the dangers an fi
difficulties of the Finland Gulf,