311toul1autuno.

The Committee appointed to inquire and report on Civil Service exa- minations have completed their task : they say, in a summary to their report— Up to the end of 1859, the total number of nominations to which the order in Council had been applied is 10,860. The competitors for 732 ap- pointments have been no less than 2821, or four to one. In the last year, 1179 persons competed for 259 appointments. The severest competition, however, in point of number was that for nine clerkships in the India Office' nl candidates contested these prizes ; it was the only occasion "on which the principle of an entirely open competition has been practically tested." The number of rejection was greatest in 1855-6, when out of 1686 more than one-half failed to pass the test. The number has since decreased, rather, the Commissioners state, from a lower standard of examination having been adopted than from an improvement in the attainments of can- didates. It is scarcely credible that, of the whole 2479 failures, all but 106 were rejected for ignorance in the very rudiments of education— arithmetic or spelling. This, the Committee thinks, should be borne in mind when complaints are made of needlessly high educational require- ments being imposed by the examiners.

The opinions of the heads of departments differ as to the effect of the examination. Mr. Arbuthnot, of the Audit Office, thinks a better body of men have been introduced, but that a discontented body of men has been created. Sir B. Hawes, of the War-office, is in favour of the system. Mr. Trevor, Inland Revenue, does not think the new men are better than the old race of clerks, although they are better educated. Sir T. Freemantle, of the Customs, is of opinion that too much stress is laid on intellectual acquirements, and too little on physical fitness. Mr. Tilbury, of the Post-office, says the new system has made no perceptible difference.

Lord Elcho writes to the Times, to recommend the admission of work- ing men into the Volunteer corps already existing : he deprecates the formation of separate corps, and his lordship suggests a plan—

"-It has been already shown that a volunteer can be neatly, comfortably, and effectively equipped for 3/. 3s. I am confident that no greater service could be done to the Volunteer force at the present moment than for the Government to recommend the adoption of a cheap working dress and the practice of the strictest economy. If, in addition to this, the Government could be induced to give, free of cost, a certain fixed allowance of ammu- nition to each effective Volunteer, and if they would give a few drill-ser- geants to each county, there would be no occasion for special artisan corps. All classes would then be able to mix in the same ranks, and a brotherhood in arms would be established such as would secure our country against all dangers, whether from without or within. There is only one other point in connexion with this subject to which I would allude—viz., that I believe there exists among the artisan class a proper feeling of independence, which would deter them from joining any corps which proposes to create an dee- mornmary fund for the purchase of their uniforms ; for, to use their own expression, they do netlike to be thus 'patronized.'" The Great Eastern had proceeded on an excursion to Cape May, with over 2000 passengers. According to the newspaper reports, the trip was any- thing but a satisfactory one. A letter from on board says-

" Nearly three-fourths of the passengers slept on deck, including many ladies, no accommodations being Provided below, on account of the intoxication of the stew- ards. The provisions also gave out, iced water was not to he had by the majority, and even facilities for washing were entirely ignored. Twenty-five cents were paid for a glass of water to drink, and one dollar for a basinful. Immense indignation prevails, and a large number of the passengers return home tonight by way of Phi- ladelphia. An indignation meeting nos held on board this morning, denouncing the whole affair as a gigantic swindle. Most of the members of the press were up all night, with one or two exceptions ; one of whom slept in a Sheep-pen with a New York detective. The directors on board were evidently unprepared for the emergency, and did all in their power to alleviate the necessities of the excursion- ists. All gave up their apartments freely, and they were occupied by strangers."

The New York Herald makes a rough calculation of the financial result Of the vessel's trip to New York-

" Let us see now how the profit and loss accountof the voyage stands. The ship left Southampton on the 16th of June, and she will leave this country for England on the Nth nf August, which, allowing ten days for her return trip, would make the Period of her whole voyage just seventy days. Her expenses average about 1200 dollars a day, or probably not quite so much, at which rate the expense of the voy- age would be WOO.dollars, or we will say, in round numbers, 80,000 dollars. She will have received before the voyage is completed about the following sums from various sources—From 150,000 visitors in New York, 75,000 dollars ; from her trip to Cape May, including tickets and profits from the restaurant, about 15,000 dollars ; ,from visitorsatt that point, say 5,000 dollars more ; from her visit to Anna- polis, 15,000.dollars in coal ; from visitors at Annapolis, Baltimore, Norfolk, &c., 15,000 dollars ; her freight home to England will probably pay 15,009 dollars ; and her passengers and other sources about 10,000 dollars, making her total re- ceipts 150,000 dollars. Thus she will have made a clear profit of 70,000 dollars by her first Atlantic voyage."

The Great Eastern is expected to arrive at Nayland, Milford Haven, on the 25th instant, from New York.

Zile revenue of the London and North Western Railway for the last half year amounts to 2,012,3421., an increase of 179,445/. on the same months of 1859; the expenses are only increased '80,363/., so that there is a net in- crease in prdfit of '99,082/. The Greet Northern Railway retenue was 659,010, and the expenditure 63,084; increase respectively on the pre- ceding half year 62,0711., and 32,820/.

The report of the Royal Insurance Company shows funds in hand 685,8631.; reserved.fund, 147,142/. ; and premiums for 1859 of 228,314/. in the fire branch alone. The annual life premiums are 62019/.2 coveting insurances of 1,982,504/.

The Builder reports that "the traction engine, which was manu- factured under Boydell's Patent, by Messrs. E. T. Bellhouse and Co., engineers, of Manchester, has arrived in Brazil, and is the first steam locomotive in the empire which has ascended to the height of 3000 feet above the sea. The ascent from the Maua Railway to the city of Petro- polis, 3000 feet in a distance of eight miles, was achieved successfully, we are informed, and the Vbry sharp curves were easily turned.

J. sad accident happened at Bareges on the 9th instant, when an English lady and gentleman attempted to make the ascent of the Pic du Midi. Darkness coming on, they were unable to see the danger of a pass before them ; they urged on their horses, which hesitated to advance, and all fell together down a precipice. The gentleman had his head severely cut, and his wife had an arm broken, having escaped with their lives by a miracle.

Alnwick Castle, the seat of the Percys, is approaching the completion of its restoration ; a writer in the Builder describes the effect of the work already accomplished—

"The effect of the decorations is gorgeous; the minutely carved ceilings blazoned with gold and colour, the friezes rich in the ripe warm colouring of the South, the diodes of choice woods in lozenge patterns, the marble mantel-pieces sculptured in Rome, produce a striking result. Looking upon one of the apartments, the same flash of brilliant colouring is reflected on the eye as when standing before one of Turner's sea and sun pieces; but no reminiscence of the ancient Pereys is recalled to the mind. And herein lies the gist of' all that has been said about the remodelling of Alnwiek Castle. The identity of the building as the home of the chivalrous Earls of Northumberland, who fought and bled at Otterbourne, Bramham Moor, Towten, and St. Alban's, has not been preserved. The old Percy dining- hall, the Armeurer's Tower, and the Falconer's Tower, have been succes- sively sacrificed. To accommodate the newly-arranged apartments to the Italian interior, the new Prudhoe Tower is built in such a position that the view from the windows would have been blocked out by these old towers ; in consequence they are levelled to the ground. The decorations of the ceilings of the state bedrooms are of plaster, cast from models made by Signor Taccolozzi for the purpose."

The Reverend T. Binney appealed to his congregation at the Weigh- house Chapel on Sunday evening for the poor sufferers in Syria, and though no previous notice had been given, about 112/. or 114/. was collected at the close of the service.

A curious phenomenon has for the last few weeks attracted the attention of the inhabitants neir Liewe. On the road from that place to Ongree, on a property called the Belvglere, a stream of gashes risen in the middle of a potato-field, and having been set fire to, it has kept burning in a steady flame, about three feet high for the above-mentioned period. The gas proceeds from a vein of coal which exists under the field. [This phenomenon was exhibited for years at the old exploded Wallsend "pit" near Newcastle.)

The Paris correspondent of the Allgemeine Zeilung, under date of the 10th instant, says—" The Pope has written a most melancholy letter to a car- dinal in Prance. He looks upon all as lost, and although he is convinced that he shall die by the bullet of an assassin, he declares he will quit Rome under no condition and at no price."

The Roman army now at the disposition of General Lamoriciere amounts to 20,000 men. These troops the French general drills and exer- cises incessantly. He is now with the centre of the army, examining tho fieldworks and inspecting the numerous corps he has posted en echellon along the frontier of Tuscany and Romagna. He recently had a long in- terview with a foreign general, supposed to be in the service of Austria ; but of the object of the conference nothing has transpired. Lamoriciere scarcely gives breathing time to his men he marches and countermarches them for the double purpose of exercising the troops and deceiving the Italians as to their exact number. He orders earthworks and batteries to be constructed, then suddenly demolishes them to throw up others else- where. He thus keeps the officers of the artillery and engineers continually in motion. no sees all and directs all himself.