atiortIlaututto.

Touching the San Juan difficulty the Times publishes the following paragraph, which, it will be seen, confirms the statements which we made last week.

" We have reason to believe that General Harney, the commander of the United States forces in Oregon, took the step of placing a military post on the Island of San Juan on his own responsibility, and without instructions from the Federal Government at Washington. He has declared to the British authorities that he did so because American citizens had been arrested on the island, but that he did not mean his occupation to be per- manent, though it was his intention to hold the island until he heard from his Government at Washington." Colonel Hawkins, Chief Commissioner of the Oregon Boundary Com- mission, arrived in London on Tuesday with despatches from Governor Douglas.

Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Koppel has been appointed Groom in Ordi- nary to the Queen, in the room of Lieutenant-General Berkeley Drum- :mond, resigned.

The Queen has approved of the appointment of Mr. Persse as Consul for the United States at Galway.

The Overland Mail understands that Major-General Sir Hope Grant is to command the expeditionary force that will be sent from China. It will consist of 10,000 men, selected from the regiments in India. It is understood that the whole, or the greater portion of 4; in- teresting relics of the ill-fated expedition of Sir John Franklin, brought home last week by Captain M'Clintock, of the Fox, will be deposited in the Painted Hall of Greenwich Hospital, and will thus complete the relics already exhibited in that establishment as having belonged to Sir John Franklin and others of the crew of the Erebus and Terror, deposited a few years ago.

A course of six lectures on Social Science, embracing all the relations between Labour and Capital, is about to be delivered by Mr. William under the authority of the Committee of Council on Education, at the South Kensington Museum. These lectures are particularly ad- dressed to school teachers, but the general public will be admitted as far as there may be room in the theatre. The first will be given on Tues- day, 11th October, and they will be continued on each succeeding Tuesday.

The Devizes Gazette states that Mr. Darby Griffith, M.P., prompted by his warm sympathy for the Italian constitutionalists, has proceeded to Italy to obtain personal information on the state of affairs. The honourable gentleman has visited Turin and Milan, intending to proceed to Parma, Modena, Florence, and Bologna, putting himself at each of those seats of legislative action into communication with the newly- elected political leaders, generals, &c. With the gallant General Vall- iant Mr. Darby Griffith had several interviews at Milan, described as mutually of the most agreeable and satisfactory nature.

In reporting the wreck of the Neptune in the Bay of Bengal, Major Swaffield says, " The behaviour of the troops was most admirable. They were stationed on the poop until the sea washed over that part of the ship, and came forward as their names were called. There was not the slightest symptom of a disposition to run, or even to rush to the boat, though it was perfectly evident that the ship was in momentary danger of going to pieces, and before the last of the troops left, the sea washed over every part of the vessel."

Later news has been received at the Cape of Good Hope from Dr. Livingstone up to the 30th of July. He had been very successful in ex- ploring the Zambesi and the Shire. He found them navigable far into the interior, and that they traversed districts very favourable for colonization. A new lake has been found greatly surpassing the N'Gami. The following letter to Sir George Grey, written on the 1st June, describes his discoveries.

" River Shire, June 1.

" My dear Sir George,—We have lately discovered a very fine lake by going up this river in the steam launch about 100 miles, and then marching some fifty more on foot. It is called Shirwa, and Lake Ngami is a mere pond in comparison. It is, moreover, particularly interesting from the fact reported by the natives on its shores that it is separated by a strip of land of only five or six miles in width from Nyanja or Lake N'yinyesi—the Stars —which Burton has gone to explore. We could hear nothing of his party at Shirwa, and having got no European news since you kindly sent some copies of the Times last year, we are quite in the dark as to whether he has succeeded or not. Lake Shirwa has no outlet, and its waters are bitter but drinkable. It abounds in fishes, leeches, alligators, and hippopotami. We discovered also, by examining partially a branch of the Shire called Ruo, that one portion of Shirwa is not more than thirty miles distant from a point that may easily be reached by this launch, which by newspaper measurement draws thirteen inches, and actually thirty-one inches. The Lake Shirwa is very grand ; it is surrounded on all sides by lofty green mountains. Dzombo, or as people nearest it say:Zomba,' is over 6000 feet high, of the same shape as Table Mountain, but inhabited on the to : others are equally high, but inaccessible. It is a high land region, the lake itself being about 2000 feet above the sea ; it is twenty or thirty miles wide, and fifty or sixty long. On going some way up a hill, we saw in the far distance two moun- tain tops, rising like little islands on a watery horizon. An inhabited moun- tain island stands near where we first came to it. From the size of the waves it is supposed to be deep. Mr. Maclear will show you the map. "Dr. Kirk and I, with fifteen Makololo, formed the land party. The country is well peopled, and very much like Londe in the middle of the country, many streams rising out of bogs—the vegetation nearly identical also. Never saw so much cotton grown as among the Manganga of the Shire and Shirwa Valleys—all spin and weave it. These are the latitudes which I have always pointed out as the cotton and sugar lands—they are preeminently so, but such is the disinterestedness of some people that labour is exported to Bourbon instead of being employed here. The only trade the people have is that of slaves, and the only symptoms of impudence we met were from a party of Bajana slave traders ; but they changed their deport- ment instantly on hearing that we were English and not Portuguese. Thereare no Maravi at or near Shirwa—they. are all west of the shire, so this

lake can scarcely be called ' Lake Moran '—the Portuguese know nothing of it ; but the Minister who claimed (Blue-Book for 1857) the honour of first traversing the African continent for two black men with Portuguese names must explain why they did not cross Sheriva. It lies some forty or fifty miles on each side of the latitude of Mozambique.

' They came to Tete only, and lacked at least 400 miles of Mozambique. We go back to Shirwa in July, and may make a push for N'yinyesi. . . " Davin LIV1210STOWS."

A return was printed on Thursday showing the number ot general and other officers holding staff appointments, both at home and abroad, specifying the number who belong, or who, being now on half-pay, have belonged, to the Guards, to the cavalry, and to the infantry of the Line ; distinguishing those on the general staff of the Army from those on the personal staff of general officers, with some other particulars. Examining first that portion of the return relating to tho Guards, we find that 4 general officers have general staff appointments, 2 being on half-pay ; 2 colonels have similar appointments, 1 being on half-pay ; 4 lieutenant-colonels, 1 on half-pay, hold general, and 1 personal, staff appointments ; 2 majors are on the general staff, and 7 captains on the personal staff; 38 general officers belonging to the Line are on the ge- neral and 1 on the personal staff; 61 colonels on the general and 4 on the personal; 21 lieutenant-colonels on the general and 5 on the per- sonal; 27 majors on the general and 9 on the personal ; 34 captains on the general and 28 on the personal ; and 20 subaltern officers on the general and 11 on the personal staff.

At a meeting of the British Archreological Association at Newbury, Mr. Pettigrew read a paper on the death of Lady Amy Robsart, at Cumnor

in 1660. Mr. Pettigrew sought to show that most of what had hitherto been written in reference to this subject bore more the character of fiction and romance than real historical truth, and that Ashmole had so far im- bibed the prejudices of the people that he asserted all as facts without being careful to test their accuracy. He read the letters which passed between Lord Robert Dudley and his cousin Blount, with other extracts from ancient documents, and argued from them all that the death of Lady Dudley was an accident, and that Lord Robert had not incited any parson to poison her, nor, in fact, was poison administered to her. A careful review of the whole facts,, he stated, had led him to the belief that no murder had been perpetrated, and he rejoiced in taking a step to rescue the character of Dudley from the stigma of having been connected with the commission of so foul a crime. Mr. Blundell did not sympathize in the views of Mr. Pettigrew, and regarded the letters which passed be- tween Dudley and Blount as being what, in his profession, were tech- nically called " showable," and made too much of a case. They proved more of the guilt than the innocence of Dudley. The sentiments ex- pressed by Mr. Blundell were warmly approved by the visitors, while a smell portion only were in favour of the views enunciated by Mr. Petti- grew.

An illustrious company have been entertained this week by Mr. Sidney Herbert at Wilton House. There ware the Grand DuchosaMarie of Russia, the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, the Earl and Countess of Shaftesbury, the Earl and Countess of Ripon, and the Earl and Countess of Shelburne. On Wednesday the host and hostess and their principal guests drove over to Broadlands to call on Lord and Lady Palmerston.

The Comte de Paris and the Due d'Aumale have been on a visit to the Duke of Northumberland, at Alnwick Castle, and Lord Ravensworth at Eslington. Park, where they have been entertained with true Northumbrian hospitality.

" On Monday last," says the litrerness Courier, " the Duke and Duchess of Manchester left Tomnadown, in Glengarry, to proceed to visit Lord Malmes- bury at Achnacarry House. They set off on foot, expecting to overtake their ponies, and were accompanied by a guide. When about half way the guide was dismissed, the Duke conceiving that he was sufficiently acquainted with the road over the hills. Unfortunately, however, his Grace turned to the left instead of the right hand, and came down upon Loch-Lochy instead of Loch-Arkaig. The journey, however, was proceeded with, and about eight in the evening the Duke and Duchess arrived at Achnacarry, having travelled from twenty to twenty-five miles of rock, bog, and steep carries—a pedestrian feat which probably no lady in the peerage ever surpassed."

Sir George Grey, ex-governor of the Cape of Good Hope, landed at Ply. mouth on Monday.

Several of the French journals announce the arrival of Mr. Disraeli at Bayonne, and evidently are under the .impression that it is the late Chan- cellor of the Exchequer who is thus travelling in France. But, says Galignanis Messenger, it is the brother of the English politician. Mr. Henry Kavanagh, the intrepid guide who, it will be remembered, dauntlessly and successfully led the British troops under Sir Colin Campbell to the relief of the garrison of Lucknow, arrived in Dublin on Tuesday. Sir John Lawrence is also at present sojourning in Dublin, after having made a tour of the country.

General Evelegh, who bore the oldest commission extant in the Royal Artillery, died on Saturday, at his house in the Isle of Wight, at the age of eighty-seven. Ho entered the Artillery in 1793. Mr. Krehmcr, Consul-General for Russia, died suddenly on Saturday at his house in Chester Terrace, Chester Square. The fact being reported to Baron Brunnow, he requested that an inquest should be held. A post- mortem examination and the evidence of Dr. Aldis showed that Mr. Kreh- mer died of disease of the heart.

"We learn from Rome," says the Bulletin de Pam's, "that Prince Lu- cien Bonaparte is likely to obtain the Archbishopric of Ravenna, vacant by the death of Monseigneur Falconieri." "Prince Napoleon," says the Youvelliste Vaudois, " has purchased for 720,000fr. a fine estate called the Bergerie, situated on the banks of the Lake of Geneva."

The Reverend Dr. Amhuret, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Northampton,

has been making a " visitation " in Suffolk. Such a i proceeding, the Bury Post states, has not taken place since the Reformation. A report current in Norfolk that one of the principal noblemen of the county, who has also large estates in Scotland, has "gone over" from the Anglican Church.

Signor Enrico Lemmi, who played a distinguished part in the Italian war of 1848, notably at Curtatone and Rome, has been appointed Italian tutor to the Prince of Wales.

The health of London is at present good. The Returns of the Registrar- General have for some weeks shown improvement. Last week the number of deaths fell 1058, a number under the average at this period.

The Home Secretary has come to no decision upon the point whether there shall be a commutation of the sentence of Dr. Smethurst. The delay which has been occasioned arises from the fact that circumstances have transpired which lead to a suspicion that there are other cases of a serious character against Dr. Smethurst, which the police have received instructions to investigate.—Globe.

A boatman of the Tyne, Robert Chambers, has wrested from the water- men of the Thames the championship of the river. The late champion Kelly was beaten, on Thursday, by Chambers. The course was from Put- ney to Mortlake. Chambers won a close contest by eleven lengths. On the 8th instant a brace of snow-white partridges were shot upon the manor of Sir William Payne Gallwey, Bart., M.P.

The rapidity with which gigantic vessels have been built within the last few years is perfectly astonishing. It is not so long since the line-of-battle ship Pennsylvania was quite a lucrative " show " to the city of Norfolk, thou- sands going from all sections to look at her; then the Great Britain was, for a while, the wonder of the world ; and the Great Republic, Niagara, and Himalaya each, from its huge proportions, attracted public attention for a time. The Journal of Commerce has constructed a brief table, giving the principal dimensions of fifteen of the largest vessels. Placed in line, even without bowsprits, they could cover a space of one mile in-:length. Sub- joined are their names :—Great Eastern, 580 feet, 19,000 tons ; Adriatic, 38(1 feet, about 3500 tons; Niagara, 375 feet, 4680 tons ; Himalaya, 360 feet, 5000 tons ; Duke of Wellington, 240 feet, 2400 tons ; General Ad- miral, 326 feet, 6000 tons ; Orlando (recently launched for the British Navy;, 337 feet, 3727 tons ; Atrato, 386 feet, 3476 tons ; Royal Charter (running " inside 60 days " from Liverpool to Melbourne), 306 fee; 2720 tons ; Great Republic, 302 feet, 3366 tons ; Pennsylvania, 300 fee; 3241 tons; Arabia. 300 feet,. tons - Great Britain, 274 feat, 3500 tons ; Asia, 280 fee; 2226 tons.; total, 5181 feet, 68,428 tons.—Beaton (U.S.) Courier. Captain John Dunn, of the schooner Rover, has seen. a monster in the deep. On the 20th of August in latitude 69.14 N. longitude 59.10 W. he saw what he thought was a vessel bottom Upwards. " Brought the schooner close alongside and to our great astonishment found it to he a living monster. The large part of the body, or shell, was about fifty feet long and sixteen feet high, conical shape and sharpening to the fore part, with a long neck and jaws about fourteen feet from the body. At the junction of the neck with the body was a large horn. It had large white ties, some- thing like the wings of a bird, under the middle of the shell. We were scarcely, thirty feet distant when we saw the head come above water and turn towards our boat, when we hauled off, tacked, and stood in on the other side for a further survey. The right fin was more under the water than the left, and the horn we could see distinctly. It was very long and blood red. The neck and head again moved tower& the boat,, when we got somewhat alarmed and made all sail from this floating monster. We counted the streaks from the centre of the back to the stater fifteen to a side, and the top of the shell was partly covered with birds' dung. The shell was of a dark colour, and came down in wash with the water. 'Under the shell we could plainly see a curve, and then a second projection. The hind part very much the shape of a turtle, but the fore part was sharper." The Quebec Chronicle gives currency to the sailor's statement.

Why is it not made a part of education for every child to learn early to swim ? asks Miss Martineau. Where is the difficulty ? Where is tilt objection ? Many years ago a boy was drowned in bathing in one of the great private schools of the dissenters. The usher was with the party, but the boy got beyond his depth, and sank because he did not know bow to keep himself up. Instead of taking measures to show every boy how to do that, the masters forbade bathing altogether and amore awkward squad than the pupils of that school could not well be seen. They never learned the proper use of their limbs'; and they were consequently timid where well-trained lads would have been without a thought of fear. A boy who can swim like a fish is pretty sure to do other things well : to row, to bowl, to drive, to ride j and every child ought to swim like a fish. ow this consideration again brings us back to the topic of mortality ! 'Mere ever a summer when we do not see a succession of paragraphs about persons drowned in bathing ?- Is there ever a tourist season at the Lakes in which every considerable lake has not its victims ? A skiff is upset—a bather has got out ofhis depth—an angler has fallen over-board ; and as none of them can swim, they all go to the bottom. So we go on, year after year. This year 1859 has been mournfully distinguished by coroners' inquests on this kind of needless death. Oxford and Cambridge have offered up their victims, and seas and rivers have sent their bad news to swell the in- dignation and shame with which we have to confess that we, a maritime nation noted for our manly sports, have not yet learnedto swim !—Once a Week.