(after a preliminary examination) so brought forward to his notice

a fit can- didate for a Staff appointment, his name will be placed on the list ; and, as vacancies occur, the senior officer on the list will undergo a course of instruc- tion, at the public expense, to qualify him for the Staff. The establishment for instruction is proposed to be limited to about fifty officers; and every, facility will be given to the candidates for acquiring a perfect knowledge of their duties, without any expense to themselves. A. properly-qualified general officer of great experience would be appointed to examine the whole of the officers in the establishment periodically, when the most efficient officer would be selected, and appointed to the first vacant Staff-appoint- ment."

There is to be a reorganization of the Pioneers upon a new basis. These men are in future to be for use, not-show.

The Secretary of "the Bradford Committee for Investigating State Affairs" have called Mr. Cobden's attention to the fact that the British Government is violating the treaty of Paris by maintaining a fleet in the Black Sea; a course which he condemns. If Russia refuses to fulfil her engagements, we ought not to imitate her, but to withdraw Lord Node- house from St. Petersburg. Mr. Cobden replies by stating, that he is at a loss to see how he can interfere, in the absence of official information. "I do not presume to know the precise objects of the Bradford Com- mittee for Investigating State Affairs' ; but if its attention be chiefly, di- rected to our foreign relations, I would venture to suggest, that, instead of wasting its efforts in the vain attempt to unravel the thread of our foreign policy, it would more wisely apply itself to the task of laying down an in- telligible and honest principle on which the intercourse between this country and other nations ought to be carried on. There seems to me to be signs of a growing conviction that some restraint on our diplomacy is necessary; and I do not think it would be difficult to find a common ground on which a large amount of argument for a reform of our foreign policy might be se- cured among men of every shade of opinion on domestic politics. At least I submit, that even an attempt to define the functions of our Government in its foreign relations would be a more promising occupation than the inter- minable and fruitless task of ' investigating' acts which are generally shrouded in mysteu, and which are too often referable to no higher prin- ciples or motives of action than the caprices of practically irresponsible in- dividuals."

The Gazette of Tuesday contained a proclamation by the Queen, stating that Parliament stands proaegued from the 16th December to the Sel February ; and commanding and requiring the Members of both Houses to attend on the latter day " for the despatch of divers urgent and important affairs."

The Registrar-General reports a slight decrease in the number of deaths last week. The number registered was 1156 ; last week it was 1261. The mortality is 120 below the corrected average. The severe weather has told upon the aged. " Of 48 persons who had attained their eightieth year, or were in a still more advanced stage of life, 7 were ninety years old or more, and the oldest was the widow of a Russia mer- chant, who died at Clapham Rise at the age of ninety-nine years."

The names of Colonel Wilson Patten, M.P. for Lancashire, and of Mr. J. W. Henley, M.P. for Oxfordshire, are added to the Royal Commission for inquiring into the practice of the Courts of Law at Westminster and the mode of conducting the business of the Superior Courts.

Lord Palmerston has provided for one of the Consuls dismissed by Presi- dent Pierce : Mr. George B. Mathew, formerly Governor of the Bahamas, and late Consul at Philadelphia, is appointed British Consul-General at Odessa.

Mr. Sergeant Kinglake having vacated the Recordership of Exeter upon his promotion to Bristol, Mr. J. S. Stock, Recorder of Winchester, is trans- ferred to Exeter ; and Mr. G. A. Arney, of the Western Circuit, is appoint- ed Recorder of Winchester.

We believe that Sir Alexander Duff Gordon, of the Treasury, is likely to be appointed to the vacant Commissionership of Inland Revenue.—Globe.

Mr. Thackeray commences his course of lectures on "the Four Georges" at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, on Wednesday the 10th instant. Judge Haliburton, author of Sam Slick, has engaged to deliver an address on the 16th to the members of the Manchester Atheneum. This address is to be followed by others during the winter, from Lord Lyttelton, Sir Robert Peel, and Lord Stanley.

The Nottingham Review states that a Civil List pension of 100/. a year has been granted to Mr. P. Bailey, in consideration of his talents as a poet.

Earl Granville gave the second of the Cabinet dinners of the season on Wednesday.

Mr. Disraeli arrived in Paris last week. He has had an interview with Count Walewski, but not as yet with the Emperor.

The Emperor and Empress of the French have attended a ball given at the Paris Operahouse for the relief of destitution in the Twelfth Arrondisse- ment.

The Bing of Prussia has sent to the Empress of the French a present of four black horses, bred at the Royal establishment at Trakehn : the Em- press had greatly admired a black horse from that stud which was ridden by a Prussian officer at a review in France.

Another noble act of Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy has just [been .publicly noted—he sent 5001. to Lord Mayor Salomans towards the inundation sub- scription for France.

A grand ball has been given by French naval and military men to the officers of the Russian fleet now at Cherbourg. The Russian Admiral re- paid this by a great dinner on board his ship to French officers : all the principal dishes were brought in a van from Paris.

It is asserted positively that the aged Marshal Radetzky is about to retire from public life.

General Prim has been ordered to reside at Bilbao. He was at first ordered into exile at the Canaries, but he boldly appealed to the Queen. If Spanish Generals were treated in that manner the troops might mutiny. This obtained him a milder sentence.

• While we are discussing the propriety of other Arctic voyages, one of the early leaders of the modern expeditions has passed away. Rear-Admiral Frederick Beechey died on the 1st instant, in his sixtieth year. His father was Sir William Beechey, R.A. At the age of ten he entered the Royal Navy, and served on board various ships, and in some minor actions du- ring the French and American wars. In 1818 he began his Arctic career ; serving in the Trent under Commander Franklin. In 1819 he went to the ice-region with Parry in the Hecla. On his return, Commander Beechey accompanied Captain Smyth in his surveying expedition to North Africa ; - and he surveyed the coast of the Pentapolis from Tripoli to Duna. In

1824 he was appointed to the Blossom, of 24 guns ; and in that vessel, he penetrated twice through Behring's Straits, and executed surveys in the Pacific ; retarding home in 1828, after having traversed 73,000 miles. Since that period, Admiral Beckley has executed surveys in the Bristol and Irish Channels, and filled the post of superintendent of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade ; which last office he occupied at his death.

The " elder brethren " of Wellington's famous Army of the Peninsular campaigns are gradually dying away. The last departure is that of General Sir Henry Cumming„ on the 28th instant. He was a cavalry officer, who entered the Army in 1790, and had fought with the Eleventh Light Dra. goons through six campaigns. He began with the war, and went through it distinguishing himself in Holland and Flanders, and winning the thanks of the great Duke at El Bodon, and the gold medal for Salamanca. Re was Colonel of the Twelfth Lancers.

M. Cabet, the founder of the Icarian settlement at Nauvoo in Illinois, died on the 9th of last month, in his sixty-ninth year.

Baron Hammer-Purgstall, the great Orientalist, died at Vienna on the 24th November. He was occupied in writing as death approached ; he suddenly covered his face with his hands, and resting. them on his desk, fell asleep, to wake no more. The students of the Oriental Academy ob- tained permission to carry his remains to the grave, the Baron having once studied in the Academy.

A letter from Munich, in the Monitewr, dated the 28th November, says- " A sad accident happened yesterday to M. von der Pfordten. The Minis- ter, while returning to his hotel, where he had invited the members of the Corps Diplomatique to dinner, slipped upon the snow, which has been deep on the ground for the last three weeks, and broke his arm near the shoulder. However painful the fracture may be, it is hoped that no serious conse- quences will result from the accident."

A curious announcement. " General Rogdanowitch, of the Russian Ar- tillery, who has been ordered by the Emperor Alexander to write an official history of the siege of Sebastopol, has arrived in Paris."

On St. Isabella's day, the Queen of. Spain presented a magnificent cloak of white velvet, embroidered with gold, to the marvellous image of our Lady of Montserrat, which is so highly venerated by the Castilians. The Dowa- ger-Duchess of Noblejat, one of her Majesty's Ladies of Honour, is directed to present the cloak on the 2d of next February, the anniversary of the day when the Queen's life was preserved from the danger which menaced it.

The scheme for fortifying St. Petersburg is again under consideration : Admiral Napier notwithstanding, Cronstadt is not thought impregnable by the Russians.

Of the seventy Russian vessels sunk at Sebastopol only two or three have yet been raised : most of those now under the waters of the Euxine are pro- nounced of little or no value, but they must be removed to prevent impedi- ments in the entrance and anchorage of the harbour..

The great Russian steam-navigation company is reported to be going on vigorously in its organization—all shares subscribed, deposits paid,. directors appointed, thanks to "the zeal shown let its behalf by the Government."

Some Vienna capitalists are inclined to support the Russian railway scheme ; and they are pronounced unpatriotic, as the railways would be formidable to Austrian power.

The United States has now a " frigate " larger even than the Merrimac— the Wabash is six feet longer, 262 feet 6 inches between the perpendiculars. Her complement is 600 hands.

The Marine Department of the Board of Trade have returned to Mr. Strutt, the commander of the Tay, his master's certificate of competency, Mr. Traill's report not having attributed the loss of the ship to his '• wrong- ful act or default" ; but "my Lords" express their "strong opinion of the slovenly and unofficerlike manner in which the ship was navigated" by Mr. Strutt.

W e are glad to learn that one of our most enterprising Australian firms, who have hitherto restricted their operations to sailing-ships, are laying down auxiliary screw-steamers of 4000 tons register. " To this complexion it must come at last," and the sooner the plan is followed by others the bet- ter it will be for al.—Limped Albion.

We have had a taste of sharp winter early this year. After some severe but transient frosts two or three weeks back, the temperature fell at the end of last week, and the frost continued, with slight falls of snow, with much severity in London and the vicinity till Wednesday ; there was then a thaw. In the evening a sudden return of cold converted streets and roads and paths into sheets of ice. Locomotion became difficult or perilous, and many persons were taken to the hospitals with hurts the effect of falls. driving was very hazardous, and early in the morning horses were falling in all directions. On Thursday evening, thaw and rain came together. Friday morning exhibited a considerable rise in the temperature, with sloppy streets and a fog. In the early part of the week there was a good deal of skating in the Parks, with the customary duckings and falls.

In the more Northern parts of the country, there has been much snow as well as biting frost. In Scotland, to the North, roads have been blocked up by drifts of snow, cutting off communication by vehicles in many places. Many vessels have been imprisoned for the winter at St. Petersburg and Cronstadt by the early advent of severe weather : as some thousands of casks of tallow are on board the ships, tallow has been enhanced in price in our markets. Generally throughout the Continent an early winter is re- ported. A considerable space is occupied in the journals this week by accounts of shipwrecks.

What will probably turn out to be the most serious loss occurred oil the coast of Amerka. On the 1st November, the screw-steamer Le Lyon- nais left New York for Havre. She was an iron vessel, built by Mr. John Laird, and belonged to Messrs. Gaultier and Co., or the "Franco-American Company." There were thirty-nine cabin-passengers on board, and the steerage-passengers and crew are estimated at 150 persons. Late at night on Sunday the 2d, some sixty miles from the Nantucket light-ship, the Lyonnais was run into by the bark Adriatic, bound for Savannah, and. the after-part of the steamer quickly filled with water. The Adriatic was little damaged; she continued her course, and put into Gloucester : her people say that they were not aware that the steamer had suffered much--they thought she continued her course. It was not so. The two after-compart- ments of the Lyonnais were full of water, but the fore-part of the vessel re- mained out of the water. Attempts were made to save the ship, but they were fruitless. Next day the people abandoned her in the six boats—only one of them a life-boat—and on a raft which had been constructed. The weather was bad ; one boat was swamped, but the people got on the raft. There are contradictory statements as to how the boats were provisioned and provided with instruments. At the last advices only one boat had been heard of; it contained the second mate, some passengers and seamen —eighteen in all. A passenger and a seaman died from cold ; fhe rest existed in misery till the following Sunday, when they were rescued by the Bremen bark Elise, and taken to New York. The worst fears are entertained for the fate of the 160 or 160 persons in the other boats and on the raft : a steamer was sent to search for them. The master of the Lyonnais, M. de Vain, was the last to leave his ill-fated vessel.

The Superior steamer was wrecked on Lake Superior on the 30th October, during a fierce storm, by which she was first greatly damaged, and then driven broadside on to a ledge of rocks. About eighteen persons managed to get to the rocks alive, whence they subsequently escaped : thirty-five perished. News has just arrived from New Zealand of the actual fate of the Auor- kus Month, of Memel, which was missing in March last. On the 10th March, in the evening, while the vessel was working up the English Chan- nel on her way to Filu, she was run down by another ship ; which then left her to her fate, in spite of the cries of the mariners. All perished except Michael Krattiat, who managed to keep afloat on some of the wreak • he was rescued on the following day by the Sandford, bound for Auckland, and was carried thither.

The steamer Neva, from Cronatadt to Hull, on the 25th of last month sprang a leak ; a heavy sea put the fires out ; and the vessel foundered, about a hundred miles from the coast of Jutland. Crew and passengers had taken to the boats, and in about an hour they were picked up by the Bel- ford of Dundee, bound for London. There seems no doubt that the Roslin steamer, one of the Hull, Hamburg, and Leith Company's vessels, was destroyed in a tempest on her trial-trip, after leaving Stettin on the 8th November and the Sound on the 10th. All hands must have perished ; putting many a family at Leith and the Clyde ports into mourning. The Regina, of London, was lost in the North Sea, on the Hirtshall Shoal, on the 10th of November. The crew were tossed about for three days in a small boat, with only a little biscuit to subsist on. Four died, and four got to land at Ringkiobing.

The Dublin steamer Sylph, early on Thursday morning last, ran down, off the Kentish Foreland, a Dutch galliot. Four men were rescued from the sinking vessel, but two men and a boy perished.

Lord Hastings—Peer of the Realm and Chairman of a Bench of Magis- trates—has enunciated a new law of libel : he has notified to the editor of the Norfolk News, that if he makes unpleasing remarks respecting a certain Holt rabbit case, he will inflict personal chastisement on him.

Mr. Greeley has been indicted in Virginia for a " newspaper published, written and and_printed in the city of New York, and styled and entitled the New York Tribune, with intent in him, the said Greeley, then and there to advise and incite Negroes in the State of Virginia aforesaid to rebel and make insurrection, and to inculcate resistance to the rights of property of masters in their slaves."

Perot, Gr4let, and Debut, charged with frauds on the Great Northern of France Railway, have applied to the New York Courts to be discharged, on the plea that they were arrested on irregular and insufficient grounds. The Judges are considering the papers submitted to them.