31iigrtlinutnuo.

The Government have at length determined to arm the disembodied militia regiments with the Enfield Rifle. Requisitions are to be sent to the Director of Stores, War Office. The instructors in musketry are to gra- duate at Hythe.

The Volunteer movement makes rapid advances. In every quarter corps are in course of formation. Glasgow shows great public spirit at her meetings, and backs it with a muster roll of 2000 men. Other towns in Scotland show similar energy. In England, Manchester, which has been a laggard, is putting forth her strength, although op- posed secretly by the old peace party. It is understood that she will not allow Liverpool to surpass her, and she has already subscribed 40001.

In the Metropolis, recruits are joining the various corps every day. Even the Inns of Court have been impelled into a movement. The City of London has not, however, half enough men in proportion to its popu- lation and means. The South Middlesex is making great way. Gene- rally the movement is now advancing in London towards something like what it ought to be, and we do not despair of seeing the project we put forward in January last—that London should furnish 20,000 volunteers —realized before the spring.

Among other indications of the spread of Volunteering is the appear- ance of journals for volunteers. One of these, the Volunteer &mice Gazette, we have before us, and it appears to give a good account of what is doing in the country towards raising a respectable volunteer force. It would be wiser, however, to give volunteers sound advice and information than to write purely anti-French articles.

The peculiar position in which Mr. Miller, M.P. for Leith, and Mr. Lindsay, M.P. for Sunderland, placed themselves, during the contest for power in the summer, has called forth speeches and lettersnot the least curious of which are the following, furnished by Mr. Lindsay to a Sunderland paper in his own vindication.

Mr. Lindsay to Mr. Disraeli.

"Now, though the report referred to is absurd (as any one connected with Parliamentary life ought to know that in all important questions the policy of a Government can only be made known in Parliament), and though those who acted with me would have been as simple-minded as Lord Derby infers we were, if we had expected' a document containing matters of vast public importance to be signed by his Lordship, or by any member of the Cabinet ; nevertheless, as you are well aware, there was an understanding, in regard to two great public questions, which was put by me into writing, read to you, and discussed on various occasions with you ; and it was on the faith of that being carried out (if your Government was kept in office) and for no other consideration, that we agreed to vote against those who desired to overthrow the then existing Administration. 1 ven- ture to bring these facts to your recollection, because I see that writers in various newspapers express an opinion that there was neither an agreement nor an understanding of any- sort, and that the statement was a mere subter- fuge by way of excuse for the votes which had been given."

. . .

Mr. Disraeli's .Reply.

' Torquay, November 14, 1859.

" Dear Sir—I return'you the printed paper. " I regret that an absurd statement, which has been disclaimed by its pretended author, should have occasioned you to be misrepresented to. your constituents.

" It is true that, at the assembling of the present Parliament, yourself and many other independent Members were unwilling that the late Ministry should be displaced by a motion which might have the appearance of fac- tion, provided you were assured that the Government intended, in due sea- son, to deal with the question of Parliamentary Reform.

" They, and you among them, were assured, on authority, that such was our intention; and that, in passing the measure, we should not -hold our- selves hampered by the bill recently rejected, but should deem ourselves free to make such a proposition as the requirements of the country with a due consideration of the recent expression of public opinion, might fairly warrant..

" You were frankly informed that the intended measure could not be in- troduced during the present year.

" Throughout this communication your, conduct was open, honourable, and straightforward ; it was actuated, I believe, entirely by public spirit, never for a moment impugned your independence, and would have been sanctioned by every candid mind acquainted with the circumstances.

" I have the honour to remain, dear Sir, very faithfully yours, " W. S. Lindsay, Esq., M.P. B. Disitam."

Mr. Edwin James has put in circulation a draft of a bill proposing that every Member of Parliament should in taking his seat make a solemn declaration that he has gained his seat neither by bribery or, in- timidation, in any form, directly or indirectly. The form of the decla- ration is embodied in the bill, and is very sweeping -and stringent in its

terms. • It was announced at the meeting of the Zoological Society, last Tues- day, that a Herring-gull, which was bred in the Society's gardens in 1857, had just returned to its native place after an absenee of nearly nine months. The same bird was also away during the whole summer of 1858, and now, on its return for the second time, it is as tame and fa- miliar as any of its old companions. It is well known that gulls will come back to particular spots along the coast where they have been tamed, but for them to return in two following seasons to a place so far removed from, and unlike their natural haunts as London, it is believed, is altogether unprecedented.

At the evening meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, on Mon- day next, the following papers are to be read-1. Sun Signals for the use of Travellers : by F. Galion, Esq., F.R.G.S. 2. Latest Accounts of the Central Africa Expedition : from Dr. Livingstone, with illustrations. 3. Notes on Captain Montgomerie's Map of Kashmir : by W. H. Par- don, Esq., Executive Engineer, Punjab.

Why is Mr. Fitzroy destroying the trees and shrubs planted by Lord Llanover in Hyde Park and the Green Park ? These shrubberies and flower borders were great ornaments and vast improvements.

The Cattle and Poultry Shows of the season are now near at hand. The show at Birmingham, always popular, begins on Monday ; and on the Tuesday of the following week, the exhibition of the Smithfield Club will be accessible to the public. Great improvements have been madein stock and roots, and the latter products are not only more extensively cultivated than ever, but are heavier and of better quality.

The Reverend E. H. Beckles, rector of St. Peter's, in the island of Antigua, has been appointed Bikhop of the fatal diocese of Sierra Leone. He is the fourth Bishop within seven years ; his three predecessors have been killed by the climate. Mr. Robert Laurie, Norroy King of Arms, has succeeded the late Mr. Pulman, as Clarenceux King of Arms, and principal herald of the south and west parts of England. Mr. Leonard Horner has resigned the office of Inspector of Factories. The Factory Act does not provide for the case of a vacancy produced by voluntary resignation. The vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Horner cannot, therefore, it is said, be filled up.

The Earl of Dalkeith, eldest son of the Duke of Buceleuch, and Lady Louisa Hamilton, daughter of the Marquis of Abercorn, were married at St. George's, Hanover Square, on Tuesday. The service was performed by the Reverend Lord Wriothesley Russell, the uncle of the bride. got ..,1TFPi dent" otkrfgairfoilisitift-niii4itent MM. Moon, Sir James ,Duke, „and David -thi-ee' • formerly Lord Ifiniqs -thliaM41.11-LitflorreOfffirxIleftry,/ffitiggeridge, Alderman"; C. Wreal4v;q41049liaittlrfdismits Wegattin, .Thomas Dent,, William Gladstone, lJohnhithatinstowlesyldatthew, Uaielli; and Sir . William Topham, Com- mumdfic efAheilloyal Bod4sHasaidi have been nominated Chevaliers de la

Lady Molesworth, has presented the portrait of the late Charles Buller to the town of Liskeard.

If bits_

pits#ARt,,4t4res at present at Holitseh, in Hungary, on a u„V449Th s Ribec 91-arkes, who belongs, as is well known, to the Sardinian

army, Just fained a twelve month's leave of absence. It is said that, in company with his brother, the Count de Paris, his old tutor, M. de Beau- voir, and Captain Merin, he will spend his furlough in visiting Greece, Egypt, and Palestine, The Priace ,of _Capita has been reconciled to his nephew the King of Naples, and is now permitted to return home. He married Miss Penelope Smith of the County Cork, and gave mortal offence thereby. He purchases peace by ceasing to demand royal rank for his wife.

Baron de Talleyrand will replace the Marquis de Moustier as French Am- hassador at Berlin. The Margin/ de Banneville will be appointed Ambassador at Athens.

;.The.Marquis Villamarina has been appointed Governor of Milan. The 'post of Sardinian Envoy at Paris vacated by him falls to M. Desambrois, to Plenipotentiary at Zurich.

- General Comonfort, who has played a leading part in the political airs of Mexico, has arrived at Marseilles from that country.

The great Indian statesman, the Honourable Mounstuart Elphinstone, died on Sunday, at his residence, Rockwood Park, near Limpsfield, Surrey. He retired from the Indian Civil Service in 1827, after a long and distin- guished career. He leaves behind the light of a great reputation.

Mr. James Ward, the oldest of the Royal Academicians, died on Wednes- day evening, at the patriarchal age of ninety-one.

Sir John Forbes, the eminent author and physician, having lately suffered from severe illness, has intimated his intention of retiring from active life. Sir John has generously presented his very valuable medical library, num- bering about 3000 volumes, to the Marischal College Aberdeen, where he received his early education. He graduated in medicine at Edinburgh in 1817.

Dr. George Wilson, Professor of Technology in the University of Edin- burgh, and Regius Keeper of the Industrial Museum, died on Tuesday. He was seized with inflammation of the lungs on the preceding Friday, and his constitution, undermined by hard work, could not resist. He was greatly esteemed-and much beloved.

General Viduarre Leal, Intendant of Valparaiso. was shot in a riot on the 18th of October. During the celebration of mass the populace strove to seize the arms of the National Guard. The General left the church to aid in suppressing the tumult, but when he appeared on the steps, one of the insurgents deliberately shot him. The insurgents were routed. Many of them belonged to "the highest circles of society."

While M. Bertsch exhibits prints of animalcule) enormously magnified, M. A. Wagner exerts his ability in an opposite direction ; he exhibits micro- scopic pictures of objects which are really astonishing ; one of these is a reduced photograph of the proclamation of the Emperor of the French to the French people at the outbreak of the last war. This proclamation contains 264,9 letters, all of which can be distinctly read with the aid of a suitable mIgnifying power, although they are included within a space of two milli- metres square. M. Testud de Beauregard is said to have obtained photo- graphs in natural colours of flowers, by simple exposure to the light ; for example, roses, pale violet, and green, produced without the aid of the colourer.—The Photographic News.

Baron Maroehetti's statue of Richard I., the model of which was ex- hibited in 1851 in Hyde Park, and which became so familiar to visitors to the Great Exhibition held in that year, is about to be placed in Palace Yard, in the large open space opposite to the Peers' entrance to the new pa- lace at Westminster.

A colossal statue of Mendelssohn, modelled byMr. Bacon, was on Tuesday cast at the bronze works of Robinson and"Cottam, Belgravia.

The. Council of the Horticultural Society have given notice to the Govern- ment that they are now prepared to execute their portion of the works on the Kensington Gore Estate. Mr. George Eyles has been appointed super- intendent. 'Plans for the construction of a place of business, including a spacious meeting and committee-room at Kensington Gore, are to be nil- taediately prepared.

The King of Sardinia has issued a decree for immediately applying a sum of forty millions to fortifying Lonato, Pizzighettone, Cremona, and Pavia.

At a rifle volunteer meeting in Glasgow, Mr. Laurance Oliphant told the following anecdote as illustrative of the inferiority in seamanship of the French navy. " As an illustration, I may state that going up the Pei-ho little more than a year ago I was accommodated in an English gunboat, and in going round one of the narrow, sharp corners of that river we saw a French gunboat on a sandbank—as French gunboats often were—and our Lieutenant, who was a good fellow, determined to go and help her off. The French offioer, who spoke English pretty well, came on board to explain his difficulties ; and at this moment the British Admiral came by. What are you doing there, Sir ? ' he exclaimed. To which my friend, the Lieutenant, replied in his kindly, rough, bold voice—' I am taking care of this French- man, sm., ,, A good deal of scandal has been caused by a report that a ship laden with bones from Sebastopol—human bones—had arrived arHull. The explana- nation, however, is that the bones imported from the battle-field are not human. Several shiploads have arrived, and care has been taken to ascer- tain whether any of the bones are human. Asioyet no human bones have been broUght.

Captain Penny, the, well-known Arctic voyager, arrived on Monday morn- ing at Aberdeen, from the whale-fishing at Cumberland (off Baffin). He left Aberdeen at the end of last June m the Lady Franklin, and returns thus early with three whales, about sixty tons of oil, and a few tone of bone.

The Paris correspondent of the Literary Gazetk, apropos to dresses' says " there is a system established at Compiegne, that to English ideas does seem something positively wicked. Four toilettes a day are about the general requirement, though there are days when only three are necessary ; the invitations are for eight days, and no lady is expected ever to be seen

twice wearing. the same gown. Count this' up, aid yolf inwe

of thirty of thirty-two toilettes to be carried down to tfiC. court. - S

female" invitee not to be alone; but to have a daughter (or two • dins

with heryou come at once to,ninety or ninety-six dresses ! Now theraVer- age of these go-trns will be.250 franca (lot.), because, srhilit the fiai ones cost 300; 400, or 500 francs each, there may be some which cost oilly 120 or 150 francs; but put them all a 250 francs, you reach, for each perSott, the figure of 3001. or 3201. ; and if two persont, 6001. or 640/. ; if three,

9001. or 9601." " The Duke of Wellington, a ship of 1000 tons, bound from Liverpool to Bombay, has been burnt at sea, 200 miles off Cape Finisterre. The captain and crew, thirty-two men, took to the boats, and after seeing the lust of their ship, made for Finisterre. They were picked up by a French schooner and carried to Lisbon. They speak of the French in the highest terms.

The quarantine at Malta, on arrivals from Tripoli, has been abolished, while that on arrivals from Bengazi and Derma has been reduced to seven days.

A recent publication of the Ministry of Algeria and the Colonies makes some curious statements relating to the pilgrimages to Mecca during the present year. The ceremonies at Mecca terminated on the 1 1 th of last i

month, in the presence of about 50,000 pilgrims, of whom 17,850 had come by sea, and 32,160 by land. In 1858, there were 160,000 pilgrims • in 1867, 140,000; and in 1856, 120,000. This great decrease in the number in 1859, is owing, the natives declare, to the events of Djeddah last year, and also to the dread of the cholera, which made extensive ravages in la.