_Miscellaneous.

We have high authority for confirming the report of an early dissolution, of Parliament. The event may be looked for about the middle of JULLI4, and it is intended that both Houses shall reassemble in October, for a short session Manchester Guardian.

The New House of Lords was opened for public view without tickets on Wednesday. Admission was confined to parties of twelve at a time; who entered by the door at the North of the• Peers' entrance to the obi House of Lords, in Palace Yard. The admission is to be continued at certain hours when the Lords.are not-raring.

laMeetings have been held in Scotland and the Provinces on the Govern- ment Education scheme. Their proceedings, however, were not sufficiently distinguished from those of last week to warrant individual mention in our already crowded columns.

According to the advices by the West India mail, which left Jamaica on the 26th of March, the admission of sugar in this country for distilling pur- poses, and the alteration of the rum-duties, had proved, very agreeable to the colonists.

The Governor of Nova Scotia, Sir John Harvey, hark addressed a warn- ing despatch to Lord Grey, representing the condition of the colony to be such as to unfit it for the reception of poor emigrants from Ireland' and Scotland. There is no demand for unskilled labour; and any large immi- gration would be disastrous to the colony, as well as to the people arriving from the Mother-country.

In noticing the news from South Australia, the Times mentions that " the sick season had commenced rather earlier than usual." We have looked in vain through the file of papers for evidence of so unusual an occurrence as a season of sickness in a country possessing a remarkably healthy climate; where, indeed, fever is almost unknown.

After causing Mr. Enderby to delay for two months the execution of his project for reviving the Southern Whale-fishery, the South Sea Company, who volunteered proposals to-carry out his project, have declined to pro- ceed. Mr. Enderby's plan is to establish a station at the Auckland Is- lands, (lying South of New Zealand,) of which he has received a grant from the Government; and he now proposes to carry out the plan by the aid of private capitaL Sir Robert Peel has been visiting an estate which he has at Blackburn, and the Manchester Guardian reports his movements in the place- " Tuesday morning, the right honourable Baronet breakfasted with his relatives at Accrington House, and then proceeded on a tour through the farms in the neighbourhood of which he is the proprietor. The inspection of the farms and buildings was made with great minuteness; and resulted in orders by Sir Robert for the complete repair of the buildings, and the improvement of the land, a thorough drainage, &c. The right honourable Baronet in his peregrinations met with some adventures which wild furnish materials for capital after-dinner stories. Among others, was an obstreperous invitation, by an old woman who occupied a cottage on the estate, to`room an' look at th' heawse boo it rained i' th' roof' Sir Robert carefully examined the tenement, and gave instructions for its repair. The old.likly took her visitor for the head factor. Sir Robert also visited the new mill of Bullogh and Co., at Stonebridge, and minutely examined the patent looms just introduced in it; the peculiar construction, action, and advantages of which, were fully explained to and readily comprehended by Sir Robert."

The Naval and Military Gazette contradicts the report that Major-Gene- ral William Napier is to vacate the Lieutenant-Governorship of Guernsey and Alderney.

Louis Philippe has recently-created M. Munoz a Duke of the kingdom of France, by the title of Duke de Montmorot. The prostitution of a French dignity, has created great scandal in Paris, but it is set down as the price paid by M. Guizot for the aid given by M. Munoz to M. Guizot in the lifontpensier marriage intrigue. It appears that the manner in which Louis Philippe has awarded the title was not altogether gracious. Queen Chris- tina first asked for the title of Duke de la Malmaison; which was refused; she then asked for that of Duke of St. Amelie (the patron saint of the Queen of the French); which was also refused: and at length she was obliged to be satisfied with the title of Montmorot, a small property belong ing to her Majesty in the South of France.—Paris Correspondent of the Morning Chronicle.

The accounts of Mr. O'Connell's health from even the members of his own family are most gloomy, and no hope is now entertained of his being ever enabled to appear on the political stage again. His periods of great dejection are becoming more frequent, and his impatience to reach Rome alive such that this very anxiety retards the object he has so much at heart. Although the doctors have reported that there is no trace of organic dis- ease, yet I have heard from very well-informed persons that a softening of the brain is apprehended, and his legs have a tendency to swell. The Freeman's Journal either preserves an ominous silence as to Mr. O'Connell's present condition, or is very general and vague in the language it uses.— Dublin Correspondent of the Globe.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Walter Scott, eldest son and last surviving child of the author of Waverley, died of dysentery at the Cafe of Good Hope, on his way home from Madras. Sir Walter was born in 1801, and was a Lieute- nant-Colonel in the Fifteenth Hussars. The Baronetcy is extinct; but the Abbotsfbrd property passes to Walter Scott Lockhart, a Cornet in the Sixteenth Lancers, the only son of the editor of the Quarterly Review, and only grandson of the author of Waverky. Sir Walter was married in 1825, to Miss Jobson of Lochore, Fife; who still survives to lament, as all who knew him must do, an excellent officer, with many amiable qualities and muchkindriess of heart.—Globe.

Among the deaths announced this week is that of Mrs. Disraeli, wife of the author of " The Curiosities of Literature," and mother of the Member for Shrewsbury.

A correspondent informs us that Mr. Newman has received instructions from the Pope to undertake a new English translation of the Vulgate, in which the fidelity of the Douay version of the Holy Scriptures is to be preserved with more regard to propriety and elegance of expression. Mr. Newman is authorized to associate other competent scholars and divines in the execution of this important task; and the work when completed is to undergo the revision and receive the approbation of the Holy See. The selection of Mr. Newman for this office is regarded by the Romanists as a high mark of favour towards that gentleman. It is not, we are informed, intended that Mr. Newman's literary occupations on his return to England should interfere with his missionary labours; which are to consist chiefly in preaching and giving what are called "retreats" or courses of instruction and other religious exercises in different churches, without reference to any particular diocese or district. Our correspondent also informs us that the Pope has shortened the customary time of probation or noviciate for the Oratorian Institute in the instance of Mr. Newman and his friends, in order to allow of their speedier return to England. They are expected to leave Rome towards the close of the present year.—Morning Post.

A troop of Spanish comedians and dancers are now performing at the Italian Operahonse in Paris; and they are to visit London. The comedians are repre- sented as indifferent, but the dancers are much praised.

The Moniteur announces that the Parisian Chamber of Commerce, "de- sirous to participate in a grand and highly useffil enterprise," had voted a

sum of 5,000 francs (2001.) to defray part of the expense of surveying the Isthmus of Suez in order to the opening of the canal which is to unite the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

It is reported that her Majesty has recently subscribed 2001. in aid of the Gaelic schools under the superintendence of the Free Church.—Montrose Review.

The subscriptions to acknowledge the conduct of Senor Camp the master, the chief mate, officers, and crew of the Spanish brig Emilio, whose intrepid exertions saved the lives of seventy-nine persons wrecked in the Tweed, amounts to 1,3731. Amongst which are her Majesty's Government, for Captain Camp (in addition to a gold medal), 5001.; the Royal Mail Steam-packet Company, for Captain Camp, 2001.; the same company, for Mr. Villaverde, the chief mate, 1001., and 1501. for the crew. The Alliance, Indemnity, Royal Exchange, and London Assurance Companies, 501. each, &c.

A despateh has been received at Lloyd's from the Board of Trade, announcing, from a letter received from the British Consul at the island of Owyhee, the exist- ence of sulphur in abundance in that island, at a distance of twenty-six miles from a shipping-port.

A Parliamentary return of the number of accidents on railways, during the last six months of 1846, has just been issued. It appears that 81 persons were killed, and 154 hurt. The majority of the fatalities occurred to people employed on the railways, or to persona trespassing on them; and more seem to have been the re snit of negligence or temerity in the sufferers themselves than of any culpability on the part of others.

Professor Fearon, the late interpreter to the Chamber of Commerce at Canton, and Registrar-General of Hong-kong, who has just been installed in the Professor-

ship of the Chinese language, founded by public subscription, at the King's Col- lege, Strand, gave his first. and introductory lecture, preparatory to the opening of classes for instruction in the Chinese language, on Wednesday. The theatre was crowded with literati, noblemen, and gentlemen.—Glebe.

It has long been an £1X1.0111. of English law, that the judge is the prisoner's counsel: No such notion, however, would prevail among those who may ever chance to be witnesses of the mode in-which the business of "summing up" to a. jury is conducted by the gentleman who presides in the Second Court at the Sessions in Preston. On Thursday last, Mr. Marshall wound up his summary with the remark, "You cannot have any doubt as to the prisoner's guilt; his very countenance would hang him!"—Preston Chronicle.

For the last few weeks the quiet and peaceable inhabitants of Glen Urquhart have been much bewildered, if not confounded, by the hearing for several evenings after the setting of the sun extraordinary sounds descending down the glen, which at times resembled that of the tinkling of military cymbals, at other times that of an instrumental band of music, and sometimes the firing of shots, similar to that of rifle-shooting. This strange affair has led to much gossip and conjecture

in the glen for some days back among the peasantry; but the general conclusionis, that it is the precursor of an eventful period. The above clearly shows, that notwithstanding schoolmasters being abroad in our Highland glens and dales, titsdelusive days of superstition have not yet altogether disappeared from amongst

us.—Ross Advertiser.

Sir Henry Vassal Webster, who entered the Army in 1810, and served in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, committed suicide on Monday morning. He had been ill for some time, and had recently returned from the Continent, where he had been in quest of health. His valet found him lying on the floor at the foot of his bed with his throat cut; and he died in a few hours.

An inquest was held on Wednesday. The medical attendants of the deceased stated that they had observed the disordered state of his intellect, and laud warned his family of it ; though they had given no directions for restraining Sir Henry. A verdict was returned that he destroyed himself while in a state of temporary, insanity.

The particulars of the destruction of the steamer Grananile, on her voyage from Liverpool to Drogheda, are still very imperfect. It seems, however, that the fire broke out among the opals, and no exertions of the crew could get it under; at this time the vessel was about thirty miles from Lambuy. One of the boats was lowered on the first alarm; but so many people rushed into it that it was swamped, and nearly all perished. Though the flames had not burst through the deck, yet the fate of all the people seemed to be death, when a fishing-smack bore down to their assistance. This turned out to be the Bossy, of Ringsend: the crew had observed that the steamer had met some disaster, and they hastened to her aid. By great exertions, the brave fishermen got no fewer than sixty-nine persons—forty-five passengers, and twenty-four of the crew—on board their smack; taking them by means of their boat from the steamer's deck and sides. Mr. Bowden, the master of the steamer, perished in the noble discharge of his duty: he declared that he would not quit-the vessel until everyone was taken off; his body was picked up in the sea, with a life-preserver attached to it : lie had leapt from the deck when he could no longer hold his post. When the crew of the Bossy saw that they had got every one off the steamer, they made for Dub- lin; which they reached in safety. Several of the people saved had suffered much. An inquest has been held on the body of the captain, and a verdict returned that he was accidentally drowned. The Jury added to their verdict a warm eulogy of the conduct of Mr. Pollen, the master of the Bossy, and his crew; while they condemned the apathy of the people of another smack, who would not render any assistance to the sufferers. From no list having existed of the number of people on board the Granauile, it has been found impossible to arrive at a correct estimate of the loss of life: it seems, however to have been confined to those who perished by the swamping of the steamers boat and the master of the vessel.

The American emigrant-ship Rochester, bound to New York from Liverpool, has been wrecked on the Wexfoni coast, at Blackwater, near Arklow. The ship struck on a bank. There were some three hundred emigrants on board; but all were saved by boats, and carried to Arklow ; where their arrival, totally desti- tute, added lamentably to the claims already pressing on the Relief Committee.

We have seen a private letter from Leipsic, in which it is stated, that on the evening of the 13th instant an express came in from Vienna, bringing accounts of a great fire at Bucharest, in Wallachia. The fire had consumed a large portion of the city, but had not yet reached the quarter in which the warehouses of the principal merchants are situated, although several warehouses in the city had been burnt down. The consternation- n Leipsic was very great, and the next post was looked for with the deepest anxiety. Property, we believe, is not insured in Bucharest. There are in Leipsie just now many purchasers from that city; and the intelligence which the express brought from Vienna was, that the bankers there would not for the present accept any drafts made upon them by Bucharest. merchanta—Manchester Express.

Letters from Hildensheim, in Hanover, of the 10th instant, report two serious disasters. " Yesterday evening, during a moat frightful storm, the town of Bockenem was reduced to ashes: only a few out of 330 houses remain standing.. One of the largest silk manufactories in Brussa caught fire last week j and IUD almost wholly destroyed: the damage is estimated at 250,000 piastres.

Stone is quarried at Clifton, in the neighbourhood of Bristol, in a locality thickly inhabited. The residents have complained of the danger of the blasting operations; and their fears have just been fatally verified. On Wednesday morn- ing a blast was fired apparently. without warning the people who might be near, and the fragments of stone flew in every direction; several persons were struck ; a. little girl was killed on the spot; and another child is said to have died since.

Zymetle (or Spidemie, Endemic, and Contagious) Diseases Dropsy, Cancer, and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Morrow, Nerves, and Seams Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Orman of Digestion D.sessee of the Kidneys, Sc Childbirth, diseases of the Uterus, Sc.

Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, Se.

Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, Sc.

Old Age

Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 211 28

Total (including unspecified causes) 981 914

The temperature of the thermometer ranged from 82.0° in the sun to 14.5° in the shade; the mean temperature by day being colder than the average mean temperature by 3.6°. The mean direction of the wind for the week, with the- exception of the first two days, was North and North-north-east.

Results of the Registrar-General's return of mortality in the Metropolis for the week ending on Saturday last--

Number of Spring deaths. average.

185 isa

100 99 167 158 321 575 51 29 69 70 17 10 13 5

as 67