The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-22 00:00:00

THE LAST GCNBOAT.

The Time/ thinks that when the new gunboat, the
Waterwitch, glides into a foreign port, under full water,
she will astonish the spectators as completely as the
Chinese were astonished at first seeing ship, under steam.
The whole secret of the method of propulsion is that on
each aide of the Waterwitch is a metal pipe for continuously
discharging water by the propnlaion of steam. She has
engines of 160-horse power, which turn a huge waterwheel
14i feet in diameter, and weighing eight tons. The water
requ'red for her work is admitted through boles in the
bottom of a vessel to a long iron box, somewhat analogous
to the " well" of a Thames punt in which gudgeon are kept
alive. Then the wheel, put in motion by the
steam-engine, socks in this water, and discharges
it with immense forte through what we may call
the water guns outside the ship. The Times thinks
this idea will bring ns well abreast of the Americans in
matins novelties. Certainly neither the Miantonomoh nor
the Cige- Ship can beat the Waterwitch, with her pro
algioaa waterwheel, her heavy guns, her ironclad aides, and
her propelling " jets." As to her seaworthiness, the
t: --antes now obtained seems unexceptionable.

The Prince of Wales's Theatre was honoured on
Saturday evening by the presence of the Queen of Denmark,
their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales,
Princess Thyra, end Prinos Waldemar.
THE Perigee AND PRINCESS OP WAlke.—Prepa-
rations are being hurried on at Norwich for the reception
of the Prince and Princess of Wales in that city. On the
Tuesday in the festival week their royal highnesses will
arrive at the Wymondham station, and proceed to Cossey
Hall. On the Wednesday morning their royal highnesses
will leave Cossey-hall, and be met at the city boundary by
the mayor, sheriff, and the city officials, who will escort
them from thence through Heigham and St. Giles'-road to
st. Giles'-gates, where a handsome triumphal arch will
have been erected ; at this point the procession will be
formed, consisting of the magistrates, town council, cor-
porate officers, deputations from the Odd Fellows and
other friendly societies, the Norwich volunteer corps, the
Ist Norfolk Light Horse, acting as a guard of honour. On
arriving at the Guildhall, the royal visitors will alight, and
ascend to the council-chamber, where addresses will be
presented from the corporation of Nom Ich, and the lord
bishop and clergy of the cl'oeese. After the presentation
of the addresses, and the replies thereto, the proces-
sion will be re-formed, and precede their royal
highnesses to St. Andrews-hall, where the Norwich
Musical Festival will be proceeded with. At the con-
clusion of the morning's conoert, their royal highnesses
will be escorted by the same procession, by way of Princes-
street, Tombland, London-street, Market-place, and St.
Stephen's-street, to the chapel field, where it is at present
proposed their royal highnesses should plant two trees to
commemorate their visit to Norwich, and conclude the
proceedings of the morning by formally opening a new
drill-shed. Due honour will be paid to the occasion, and
the loyalty of the citizens will be manifested by a brilliant
illumination, which is to take plate in the evening. On
the Friday evening there will be a display of fireworks on
that part of the castle hill called the Haymarket. One of
the trees, it is expected, will be planted by the Prince, and
the other by the Princess. That to be planted by the
Prince is the Weilingtonia gigautea, and will be presented
by the Odd Fellows, together with a handstftne silver
spade. The other tree, it is understood, will be planted
by the Princess in the name of the ladies of Norwich, and
is to be selected from Cossey by Lady Stafford.
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
was honoured by the company of the Queen of Denmark
and the Prince and Princess of Wales at dinner, en Friday
last, at Gloucester-house.
We understand that the contemplated visit of
their Royal Higlinesaes the Prince and Princess of Wales
to Lord and Lady Londesborough at Grimston Park, York-
shire, which was expected to take place in the course of
next month, is unavoidably put off.
The Duke of Leeds slid Ladies Osborne have
arrived at Torquay.
The Duke and Duchess of Manchester arrived in
town at the close of the past week from their seat in Ire-
aIrICELIANSOCI3 TOPICS. land, and to-day go to Kimbolton Castle.
The Times discredits the statement that the temporal The Earl and Countess of Minto have left town
power has found a new champion in Queen Isabella, for Brighton.
The object most probably assigned to the Spanish frigates The Earl and Countess Russell and Lady
at Civita Vecchia, is to offer the Ex-King Francis 11. of Georgian& Russell, who left Pembroke Lodge, Richmond
Naples a safe conveyance out of what has since Wows Park, on Thursday for the Continent, are expected to
become an unsafe refuge. The Spanish Queen, it is said, leave Paris either to-day or to-morrow for Italy.
is using her influence for the establishment of a joint The Right Hon. Sir George Grey, Bar t•, M.P.,
protectorate of all the catholic powers over the Holy See, has arrived at Pentodes, his seat in Northumberland,
and there is no doubt that if every catholic state would from a tour of visits in Scotland.
tax itself to make the Pope a position, to enable him to The Loan Exhibition at Southampton will be
live in all the splendour and dignity befitting the primate , closed to-morrow by the Earl C•rnarvon, amidst grand
of their church universal, it would require no great effort ceremonies ; 100 singers will take part in the choral cele-
to bring Pius IX. to relinquish a sovereignty which has brations. Upwards of 2,000 persons visited it daily last
become for him a snare and a mockery. 1 week. On most days the price of admission was reduced
The Past has disoovered that Mr. Ey re's literary friends
are almost without exception advanced liberals. It is not Gd. and nearly 401. was taken every day.
On Saturday Mr. Strange, of the London Alham-
easy, our contemporary adds, to conceive what the Jamaica bre,
Committee hope to gain in return for the 10,000/. which Exhibition allowed his musical band to perform in the
building during the afternoon. A large
they propose to expend. A verdict recorded under the
number of artisans and mechanics have won prizes
direction of the presiding judge would not meet their
for works which they have exhibited. Amongst the
requirements ; a verdict of acquittal on the merits leer- p
tainly not desired ;and if the verdict which they claim pries which will be distributed to-morrow will be a silver
medal and a certificate of honour to Thomas Chamber-
were to be set aside by the royal pardon, the question
raised would be left open precisely as it now is. But they layne, Esq., one of the richest landowners in the south of
England, "far the skilful execution of a serial of turnings
probably feel that they have committed themselves too in ivory, especially of an endless chain, turned out of a
far to permit of their retreating with safety. single piece of ivory, and for ingenuity in the desifp of
The Herald begs the Irish patriot to have faith in the in- cirtain improvements in railway carriages."
tentions and the ability of the conservative government. , On September 16, the anniversary of Mexican
Not only are they not prevented by any principle of their independence, the Emperor received at his palace, in the
policy from doing justice to Ireland, but they are better
city of Mexico, a large deputation, who presented con-
thelified to do so than their predecessors. They come to
tniatory addresses. In reply, Maximilian, considering
task at least with minds unhampered by old traditions
the dangers that surround his throne, made a remarkable
and old prejndicea, and perfectly free to adopt a new line
.speechHe . --" I still firm is the Position which
of policy if they please. They have • right to fair play •
the votes of the nation have made me occupy, notwith-
end a free trial. I standing all the difficoltiee, and without failing in my
duties ; for it is not in adverse moments that a tree
PROPOSED ALTERATION OF THE MILITIA &WEIL-- Hapsburg abandons his post. The majority of the nation
The Marquis of Salisbury has addressed to the Secretary elected me to defend its most sacred rights against the
of State for War a letter, suggesting a plan for the modi. enemies of order, property; and true independence. The
field-ion and extension of the maws sysaam, so as to render Almighty should therefore, protect us, it being a sacred
it more available as a permanent defensive force. By an act truth that ' the voice of the people is the voice of God.'
of IMO, it is remarked, power was given to commute the This was shown in a miraculous manner at the time of our
personal obligation of those whowere fit to bear armsto
nserve first national rising ; it will be shown in the present re-
into a local tax upon the community, and this • rdpio generation. The great heroes of our country look upon
was distinctly recognised. Clause 10 of the 22nd and Find
our efforts. Let us follow their immortal examples with-
' Victoria, cap. 126, having given tall power to pariah" to out vacillstion, without distrust ; and to us will then
adopt this mode of providing their quota of men, the belong the enviable task of consolidating and crowning
noble marquis thinks it should be rendered imperative to the werh of independence, which they began with their
blood."i
adopt this mode of levying men, arguing that this would Preeieue
remove the oppression upon a particular elan which I A letter from Verona of the 16th says :—" The
most accompany any system of conscription, and be at the Teatro Nuevo was opened to-night with a piece in which a
same time a saving of large expense to the public purse, priest reconciles all sorts of quarrelling people, finally
and a great diminution of the local taxation incident upon and with great difficulty a Garibaldian and a Bersagliere
raising a militia force. It is suggested that the poor-law the former being especially untractable and bursting oni
union system should be used for the purpose of supplying into Viva Garibaldi' on every possible oocasion. A
the quota ; that the present retaining fee to the volunteer great deal of good advice was given, Rome was openly pro-
militia should be paid frequently in order to secure that posed as the next object of their ambition, and the excel-
the men may be forthcoming when wanted ; that the men lent priest was made to ray that their religion was one of
should be mustered once in every quarter in their reipee.- progress.He brings forward a sneaking-looking fellow,
five divisions ; and that the penalties upon unions for not evidently intended for a Jesuit, and tells him that his
furnishing the quota to which parishes are liable should religion is one of backwardness, sloth, and even of hi:gond-
be rigidly enforced. The noble marquis observes under age, and that he must change all this.isr the good of
existing circumstances it would not he prudent b res. riot , Italy. A real priest was making a speech from a balcony
the number of men for England to lose thaa 200,000, 'in the market-place to-day, when the Austrian role and
and & proportionate number for Scotland and Ireland. I Austria's maxims were animadverted upon very strongly.
PROPOSED STATUE OF THE QUEEN IN LIVERPOOL. It was spiced far the crowd, and they enjoyed it
—Now that the statue of Prime Albert bas been rean- ; thoroughly, being kept in a perpetual laugh at the sallies
ideted, a proposition will be laid before the town council ,of the priest. Lag may they keep their good humour ;
to-morrow to erect as equestrian statue of the Queen on the but they will wen miss, and rata for some time, the money
east aide of the St. George's bath, as a sompanion to that ;
of her late husband. The WWI to be entrusted to Mr. spent here by the Austrians
Thorneycroft, and the estimated oat is 5,0001. I METRIPOLITAN FRES HOSPITAL, DEVONSETRE-
REGISTRATION APPEALS.—The appeals from the SQUARE, Cl/T.—The aggregate number of patients relieved
Revising Barristers' Courts must be lodged within four during the week
which 641 were cow "Seg.
ending Oct. 20 was—Medical, 799 ; mu,
dnys of the ensuing term, and heard before its conclusion. irked. 634: total. 1,433 01