f s cellantous.

The Conde de Montemolin has received daily visits from several noble- men and gentlemen of " distinction ": among the most assiduous have been, Viscount Ranelagh, Lord John Manners, Mr. Borthwick, M.P., Viscount Strangford, and the Earl of Lonsdale; also several Spanish gentlemen, and the Marquis de Barbancois, through whose instrumentality the Count escaped from France. But the Morning Post, which duly records the pro- ceedings of " his Majesty," mentioned on Monday a more important inter- change of visits- " On Saturday, his Majesty transacted business until two o'clock; and at that hour proceeded to Carlton House Terrace, attended by one of the gentlemen of his suite, to call upon Viscount Palmerston, who bad paid his respects to his Majesty two days before. Ilia Majesty remained with the noble Viscount nearly an hour, and then returned home; where he received several distinguished

vist- ters."

The Grand Duke and Grand Dutchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz left London on Monday, for the Continent; travelling to Dover by the South- eastern Railway.

The Count de Paris has addressed the following letter to M. Le Verrier- " Monsieur, I have received the map of the heavens which you have had the kindness to send me. I shall see in it with pleasure the planet which you have discovered. I thank you very much for what you have sent me. I hear you have a son about my age: be so good as to embrace him for me, and say to him that I congratulate him on having for a father so distinguished a savant."

Count de St. Aulaire, the French Ambassador, arrived in London from Paris on Monday.

Malta papers announce the arrival of Miss Harriet Martineau in that island, on the 16th November, on her way to Egypt. She was visited by many persons of distinction.

Alarming reports respecting the health of Admiral Sir George Cockburn have got abroad. Sir George, it appears, has had a slight attack of paraly- sis; but he is said to be recovering.

The following appeared only in a part of our impression last Saturday-

" Rowland Hill is installed in a permanent position at the Post-office. A state- ment on the subject, however, which appeared in a provincial paper, is incorrect. Colonel Maberly remains as Secretary to the Department of the Post-office; and a new place is created for Mr. Hill, who, without solicitation, is appointed Secretary to the Postmaster-General, with a salary of 1,2001, a year. What is to be the precise line of distinction between the duties of the two offices we do not know; but we do know the most important object of the appointment—Government means to afford Mr. Hill the power of carrying out his plans of Post-office improvement in their integrity."

Mr. Hill entered upon his duties on Monday, at the Post-office in St. Martin's-le-Grand; where he received congratulatory visits from Lord Clanricarde the Postmaster-General, Colonel Maberly, and Mr. Thomas Duncombe, M.P.

Tuesday's Gazette announced the appointment of the Venerable Walter Augustus Shirley, MA., to the Bishopric of Sodor and Man, vacant by the translation of Dr. Thomas Vowler Short.

It has heen announced that Sir Henry Pottinger will take his departure for the Cape Colony today; leaving Southampton by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company's ship Haddington.

Lientenant-General Sir Benjamin D'Urban has received the appointment of Commander of the Forces in Canada; and proceeds there with his Ex- cellency the Earl of Elgin, the Governor-General.—Globe.

At a Court of Directors in the East India House, on Wednesday, Ma. Frederick Currie was unanimously appointed a Provisional Member of the Council of India.

Advices from Sydney, to the 9th August, mention the arrival, on the 2d of that month, of the Carysfort frigate, with the new Governor, Sir Charles Fitzroy, and his family.

On the authority of its Sheerness correspondence, the Globe states, "that the Admiralty have it in contemplation to train all the able-bodied men in the several dockyards to the use of the long guns and musketry, and to form them into an available corps to man the batteries or the block- ships in cases of necessity. The details of the measure have been com- municated to the Superintendents of the Dockyards; who are requested to discuss them in council with the principal executive officers. Uniform is to be worn by the corps; and when called out for exercise they are to be paid so much per hour. They will be embodied in every respect, we believe, as the out-pensioners of Chelsea."

An order from the War-office, addressed to the Staff Officer of Pensioners, announces a plan under which Government propose to send out pensioners of the army to New Zealand, to serve as a protective force. Their pensions will be continued; in lieu of enrolment money, &c., (about 21. annually,) they will have, on landing, a cottage and one acre of land; to become theirs in perpetuity on the expiration of the seven years of their engagement. Six companies are to be sent out; each comprising four sergeants, four cor - pore's, two drummers, and seventy-six privates.

Experiments with Mr. Warner's "long range" have been tried; and the result is said to have been "total failure." The place was the Isle of An- glesey: the Government Commissioners were Captain Chads, R.N., Colonel Challoner, R.E., and Colonel Dundee, R.A.; and Government allowed Mr. Warner 1,5001. for his expenses. The proceedings are thus narrated— -

" The scene was a valley, eight miles in length, and at the extreme end there was a solitary tree: of course this could not be seen from the ground where Mr. Warner was placed, but the exact bearings were furnished. Mr. Warner was re- quested to fire in that direction, and endeavour to strike the tree, or propel a shell near it. Two of the officers stationed themselves at proper distances, to observe the result. After some time had elapsed—in Mr. Warner getting all ready, which he kept a profound secret, not being interfered with by any ot the committee— the explosion took place; but the shell fell very far short of the object. Several other trials afterwards were made; but on no occasion did the shell ever reach three miles. After some time, Mr. Warner admitted that he had failed in his ex- periments; and the investigation finished."

The Clamor Public° of Madrid says, on the authority of a letter written at Vittoria on the 20th November—" The expedition of General Flores promises to be a failure. The depots of officers and men established at Durango and Ordnna are dissolved, in consequence of two mutinies, the first at Zornoza, and the second on leaving Orduna on the route to Santan- der." His recruits had dispersed about the country.

It is currently reported in the Bankrupt and Insolvent Courts, that a speedy change may be expected in the administration of the laws relating to insolvent debtors. It is thought probable that two of the Commission- ers and all the Insolvency business will be transferred from Basinghall Street to Portugal Street.

A deputation " from the citizens of London" waited on Sir George Grey, as Home Secretary, on Wednesday, with a memorial to "open the ports.'

The spokesman was Mr. Charles Cochrane, the same by whom Lord John Russell was baited; and he tried to extract from Sir George what Lord John Russell meant by an "extraordinary necessity." Sir George Grey

was studiously and patiently polite-' taking care to intimate that no um- brage had been taken at what passed in the interview with the Premier.

He professed himself unauthorized to explain Lord John Russell's meaning; but as for himself, he said that he should require statistical facts, proving the condition of the country to demand the measure of opening the ports:

he certainly should not consider public meetings to constitute a " neces- sity." As to the memorial, he should have great pleasure in presenting it to the Queen. Fluent Sir George seems to have talked out and bowed out the deputation with much temper and tact.

The agitation for reduction of the tea-duties boasts several formal adhe- sions. At public meetings in Leeds and Blackburn, resolutions have been adopted for sending deputations with memorials to the Government. The Edinburgh Town-Council has resolved to memorialize. A branch associa- tion has been established in Dublin.

" There is a rumour prevalent," says the Mark Lane Express, " that the Conservative party mean to support a reduction in the duty on tea, in preference to that on malt." But the discreet Express adds, " We cannot answer for its correctness."

The branch railway of the South-eastern Company from Ramsgate to Margate was opened for traffic on Tuesday. The occasion was celebrated by an excursion of the directors from London; a procession at Margate, with a triumphal arch, illuminated at night; and a sumptuous dinner in the Assembly Rooms. The length of the branch is three miles and three- quarters; there is only a single line of rails.

A very long order has recently been given by the York and Newcastle Railway Company—for three miles of trucks! The number now in use is almost countless; yet so immense is the traffic on this great trunk line of railroad, that the directors are under the necessity of ordering additional trucks, not by the score, but by the mile.

The Times exposes a tricky project on the part of the State of Michigan to force a compromise on the holders of repudiated bonds. An endeavour is to be made to induce the holders to buy unfinished railroads in Michigan, and pay for them in bonds taken at the rate of 40 per cent.

The Vienna Gazette publishes a commercial treaty between Austria and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. By this treaty the differential duties on the productions of the two countries are to be abolished, and entire freedpm of trade and navigation is established.

The Reverend W. Sinclair, of Leeds, had the offer of Bradford Vicarage, on the resignation of the Reverend Dr. Scoresby; but declined it.

The following announcement has appeared among the marriages in the papers this week—" On the 2d of August last, at the British Embassy, Paris, by the late Bishop Luscombe, Dr. Lardner, to Mary, only daughter of Colonel Spicer, late of the Twelfth Lancers; the marriage having been previously solemnized in the United States."

Mr. Henry Pownall, son of Henry Pownall, Esq., Magistrate for the county of kfiddlesex, and who formerly opposed Mr. Byng at the election for that county, has just joined the Roman Catholic Church.—Morning Post.

We hear the information for poaching against the Dutchess of Marlborough has been defeated on a technical point of law. The statute, not looking to a violation of its provisions by females, only introduces the masculine gender, "he"; and therefore "she," the Dutchess, escapes its operation.—Globe.

Mr. Claude Lascelles is steadily recovering from the effects of his late accident.

The Morning Post jocosely reports a very culpable practical joke. A party was given, on Wednesday evening, by. Mrs. B—, at S— House; there was a country-dance; after dancing to " Sir Roger de Coverley," a young lady sat down, and her dress exploded with a loud noise. A young officer of Engineers had con- cealed some gun-cotton in it.

A Newcastle paper reports, that Mr. Hudson, while hunting with the Duke of Cleveland's guests at Ruby Castle,. amused the company by performing the part of John Gilpin—hatless, and hugging the neck of his runaway hunter. Mr. Hud- son might have turned the laugh the other way: if he had challenged the scoffers to venture in one of his railway trains, it would have been their turn to grow pale.

The Bentinck Benevolent and Provident Fund, including the sum of 2,1001. Consols, being stock purchased with money subscribed for a testimonial to Lord George Bentinck, now amounts to 2,4001. Consols. The fund is established for the "benefit of trainers and jockies, their widows and children," under the pro- visional management of the Bentinck Testimonial Committee, viz. the Dukes of Beaufort, Bedford, and Rutland, Lords Chesterfield and Eglintonn, and the Honourable G. S. Byng.—Standard.

The submarine telegraph was laid across Portsmouth Harbour on Saturday, from the watering island in the dockyard to the steps at the Royal Clarence Yard. The former expenments were repeated; and they fully confirmed the fact that one wire, as prepared by Messrs. West and Taylor, is sufficient for electric telegraph purposes under water.—Hampshire Telegraph.

At the Nonington agricultural meeting, Mr. Rice, M.P., mentioned that Mr. Ransome had received orders from Ceylon to make some ploughs for elephants.— Bury Herald.

A Vienna journal states that the amount placed at the disposal of the Baron de Kubeck by the Austrian Government for the purchase of railroad shares, in order to check the fall at the Bourse of Vienna, is ten millions of florins, nearly twenty- six millions of francs.—Gatignanis Messenger.

Several sermons have recently been preached in the Town-hall of Kelso by a boy only ten years of age.

Reports have been rife at Brighton, that a titled person, accused by a soldier, has been suffered to escape by means of written instead of oral proceedings and a false name: the Brighton Guardian says that he is a Peer of the realm. Morse, the Postmaster of Barnet, who is charged with forgeries to a large amount on the Post-office, has been arrested in Belgium. He was traced to I

Bruges, and thence to Brussels and Ostend: the authorities of the latter town seized him for travelling under a false name.

The Messrs. Bremner's report to the owners of the at Britain has been

published, describing the actual position of that nnfort te vessel and the amount of damage she has sustained by the action of the ewes. e emjunes, they found, were slight, and did not affect the general constniction of the ship; and they speak with perfect confidence of getting her off on the return of the fine weather. The breakwater which these gentlemen recommended has since been destroyed during a storm, but it does not appear that the vessel has suffered any further harm.

The Norwegian papers contain a series of statements touching the appearance of the " sea-serpent 'in the larger fiords. The monster has been seen quite close, in different places and at several different times, by about sixteen persons, principally fishermen; but among the number who have formally testified to the phienomenon are an archdeacon, a candidate in theology, a sur- geon, a merchant, and a bookseller. The accounts agree in representing the crea- ture as dark in colour, about fifty feet long, and of the circumference of a man's body. It is described as showing itself only in calm weather, and as then swim- mi with its head elevated, in vertical undulations of its body, like a leech.

There has been a new waterfall discovered in the river St. Louis. This cataract falls into the Western part of Lake Superior, which has never yet been described by the geographer. It would appear that this new wonder is second only to the Falls of Niagara. The volume of water is immense, and the height of the fall is fifty feet.—La Revue Canadienne.

The proper commencement of the winter in London may be dated from last Saturday night, when a pretty sharp frost set in; and continued on the following days, with a slight sprin.kling of snow now and then. In the North of E land the same fall of the thermometer occurred. At Newcastle, and also in Yorkiro, there have been rather heavy falls of snow. Skating commenced on Monday about Liverpool. Edinburgh has had frost and snow. At Dublin, the frost, which began on Friday night, has been very severe.

The scrap of geological gossip which we had from America about the discovery of a human fossil has created quite a sensation. A journal of modern Athens repeated the account, appending a commentary, in which the writer wavered between doubt as to the correctness of the report and awe at the conclusions which it involved. Our contemporary's rifaccia- mento has gone the round of the press. By the way, should any of our readers have encountered it again, quoted as if it originally appeared in the Northern print, they must not suppose that we palmed off upon them what was not our own " exclusive intelligence," borrowing from other sources without acknowledgment: the fact is, that our readers had the first of the tale, taken by us from a private letter; and the bone that they see going current under other names is our bone. Well, it was seized by one " Philo-Anti-Megatherium' " who requested the Times to reprint the pas- sage all over again, with a further commentary. Apparently, " Philo-Anti- Megatherium " belongs to the Dean of York school in geology—those who have been termed the " Short-Chronology men," because they resist views of creation which they account adverse to the direct interpretation of Scrip- ture: but the difficulty presented by this fossil bone is got over in a very ingenious manner. In military phrase, the fossil is turned. The writer hails the bone as disproving " the horrible and disgusting supposition, that this same earth was created millions of ages before man, its chief inhabitant, and for whom alone it was created,"—a supposition arising simply because divers philosophers have not been able to find any of man's fossilized bones in the same stratum with those of lizards and crocodiles and other " appal- ling" " prte-Adamitical brutes."

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

Zymotic (or Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious) Diseases 168 • • • 2 Dropsy, Caacer,and other diseases of uncertain or variable seat 90 • • • 101 ... 104 Diseases of the Brain, Spinal Marrow, Nerves, and Senses 144 • • • 151 ... 167

deaths. average. .. l

e..aVerage.

Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration 311 • • • 313 ... 295 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 37 • • • 29 ... 27 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 70 • • • 70 ... 72 Diseases of the Kidneys, dm 17 • • • 8 ... 7

Childbirth, disease, of the Uterus, Re 18 • • • 1l ... 10 Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, ge 8 • • • 6 ... 7

Diseases of the Skin, Cellular Tissue, fie 5 • . • Old Age 47 • • • 66 ... 67 Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 26 • • • 27 ... 26 - - - Total (including unspecified causes) 944 ... 1,000 ... 988

The temperature of the thermometer is given imperfectly, the instrument for observation being out of order: the mean temperature by day was warmer than the average mean temperature by 4.2°. The mean direction of the wind for the first five days was South-south-west, and for the remainder of the week North-west,

Notes issued £20,313,515 Proprietors'Capital Rest

Public Deposits.

Other Deposits

Seven Day and other Bills

BANE1ND DEPARTMENT.

£14,03.000 Government Securities, (In-

3,479,987 eluding Dead WeightAnnuity1612 608,119 8,447,560 Other Securities 13,662,822 8,018,391 Notes 8625,745

891,335 Gold and Sliver Coin 694,557

£32,391,273 £35,391,273

• including Exchequer, Sayings Banks,CommissIonenof National Debt& Dividend Account.:

BANK OP ENGLAND. An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and 8th Victoria, cap. 32, for the week ending on Saturday the 28th day of Nor. 1848. MOE DEPARTMENT.

£28,313,645 Government Debt ...... £11,015,100 Other Securities 2.984,900 Gold Coin and Bullion 11,807,067 • Silver Bullion 2,606,458 628,313,545