_Miscellaneous.

A meeting of Conservative Peers took place on Thursday, at the resi- dence of Lord Stanley, in St. James's Square, for the purpose of considtr- , ing the course which ought to be pursued in the House of Lords with re- spect to the Sugar-duties Bill. We understand that there was but one opinion among the Peers present as to the measure; which has excited the- greatest disapprobation, both as regards the injustice to be done to our- Colonies and the deplorable stimulus which will be given to the slave- trade by the proposed scale of duties becoming law: at the same time, it was unanimously resolved, that at this late period of the session the ques- tion ought not to be carried to a division, however strongly Lord Stanley and other noble Lords may think it necessary, on the introduction of tile- measure to the House of Lords, to place their own sentiments on the sub- ject, and those of the party generally, before the country.—Morning Post.

The Gazette of Tuesday announces the following appointments—The Honourable Charles Beaumont Phipps, to be Equerry in Ordinary to the Queen; Sir Watkin Owen Pell, R.N., to be one of the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital; and Samuel Nicholas Rooks, Esq., to be Solicitor- General of the Island of Tobago.

The Paris Moniteur announces that the King of the French has received: - a letter from Queen Victoria congratulating him on his late escape from. , assassination. • A letter from Lisbon, dated the 23d July, states that the Queen of Portus gal was on that day safely delivered of a son. Ibrahim Pacha arrived in. the Tagus on the same day, and was present at the "To Deum" performed., in the cathedral on that occasion.

A letter from Naples states that the Princess D'Aquila was safely de- - livered on the 22d ultimo of a Prince.—Galignanis Messenger. ' We are authorized to state that the reports circulated of the illness of the King of Denmark are utterly unfounded, ath that his Majesty enjoys. perfectly good health.—Times.

The Count de St. Leu, Ex-King of Holland, and father of Prince Louis, died on the 25th July. He was in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and had been long in a declining state of health. He lived at Leghorn in great retirement, and kept himself totally free from political intrigue. The only person with him at the moment of his death was a young man whom he brought up, and who is believed to be his natural son. To this person, it is said, he has left his fortune; but it is surmised that Prince Louis Napo- leon, the Count's legitimate son, will dispute the validity of the will. The income is small, not exceeding 50,000 or 60,000 francs a year. Prince" Louis was unable to visit his father; permission to repair to Leghorn having been refused by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Count de St. Lou was the last of Napoleon's brothers save one, the Prince de Montfort, Ex-ring- of Westphalia, who is now in his sixty-second year.

Baboo Dwarkanauth Tagore, the rich Hindoo gentleman who has been for some time in England, and much lionized after the custom of our coun- trymen, died on Saturday, at his hotel in Albemarle Street; in his fifty- second year. His constitution had been impaired before he left India; and: he is said to have "sunk under the effects of fever, heightened by some organic disease of a small portion of the lungs." His son was with hime His remains were interred, on Wednesday, in a vault at the Kensal Green Cemetery: but his heart was removed from the body, for transmission to India. The following particulars of the life and character of the deceased are taken from a notice in the Times- "Dwarkanauth Tagore was born in 1795. He was the second son of Ram- money Tluikoor, the son of Nealmoney Thakoor. In 1799 he was adopted by his _ paternal uncle, Ramlochun Thakoor; who died in 1802, leaving Dwarkanautlr, while yet a child, under the control of his adoptive mother. Under these circum- stances, Dwarkanauth inherited, with other landed property, the Cornmercolly es- tate, (well known in the commercial world for its valuable silk of that namet) and also estates in Cuttack, and houses and land in and adjoining Calcutta. His- spacious family residence in the Chotpore road descended to him from his grand- Ether. He was brought up wholly in the tenets of Hindooism; and in 1812 was married to the daughter of Prawn Nauth Roy Chowdry, of Naranderpore, Jessore, with the usual expensive marriage fe-stirities, and alms to Brahmins, which cost no less a sum than 30,000 rupees or 3,0001. sterling. "At an early age, however, his predilection for European society and for corn-- mercial enterprise began to display itself. When only eighteen he proceeded to his Commercolly property, and remained there a year in its active management. In 1821 he built himself Sylladak and other indigo factories on the estate of that name, which he carrlei on with ability entirely from his own pecuniary reioarces; while, with unwinarspirit of enters:ale for a jou* 'Hiram, he purchased a large ship, the Resolution t and himself deepatchedat to South America with a valuable cargo of his own. In 1822, at the invitation of the pnblie authorities, he followed the custom then obtaining among young natives of family and opulence, and ac- cepted a high office under Government, and became the Head Dewan of the Salt Department; a situation of considerable native importance, and in which he secured the honourable approval of the members of the Board, and has since enjoyed to the day of his death the friendship of some of its most distinguished functionaries,

'Since quitting the Government service for the more independent operations of commerce and the management of his own estates, he has held a high position in the Calcutta community; distinguished there for his princely hospitality, and his munificent support of every public enterprise for the improvement of Ins country. His donations to the different institutions and colleges, and his active advocacy of every measure to advance the education and civilization of his native brethren, need no enumeration at our hands. Perhaps there is no individual in India, be his rank or position what it may, who has more largely patronized the advance- ment and fortunes of the many around him; and we believe there are not a few now in India and England who owe entirely to Dwarkanauth Tagore the blessing of their present success and independence. "In 1838, he presented 10,0051. to the District Charitable Society, for the relief ofthe destitute and blind. He endowed the Medical 'College with certain annual prizes; and has recently sent . here, at his own expense, two medical students, whom he .supports at the London University. No public project ever appeared without his name as one of the largest and most liberal supporters. His opinion was one of the foremost on the abolition of the Suttee. He ever boldly broke through the trammels of mere ceremonial caste; and has shown a noble example to his countrymen, not only by venturing to Europe himself, but by bringing his youngest son and nephew for the purpose of advancing and finishing their education. His loss will be severely and deeply felt by many, and is a as public well as private source of regret; for, althou i

gh simple n his character, unobtrusive to the last, and averse to put himself prominently forward in political discussions , there are few men who had sounder views as to Indian policy, and who upon important questions could offer a safer or more comprehensive opinion."

Mr. George Lewis, one of the Poor-law Commissioners, was examined before the Andover Union Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday, on several of the points spoken to by Mr. Chadwick last week; some of which he stoutly contradicted. The following is a summary of a few salient pas- sages in Mr. Lewis's statements.

When be was first appointed to the Poor-law Commission, in 1839, it was not -the practice for the Secretary to attend and take minutes of the proceedings be- fore the Board: he, therefore, simply continued the existing practice. The late Law Officers of the Crown and Mr. Tomlinson were consulted on the validity of the record which is now kept; they have given their opinion that it is quite sufficient, and that there is no necessity for its being made by the Secretary.

"It is the habit of the Commissioners each to take a portion of the correspond- ence, and to dispose of it provisionally; reserving points upon which there were any grounds for doubt, to be determined on joint deliberation." "The Commis- sioners have never acted separately in the making of orders; and though when consulted, a single Commissioner may give his opinion, yet he will not do so unless he is sure that that opinion is in accordance with the opinions of his colleagues 'on the same point." "The correspondence of the Poor-law Office is so large, that when any orders are under consideration, and the business in the correspondence department is not important, it is absolutely necessary for them to resort to some plan for the divi- sion of labour in order to get through the affairs of the day. There is not, I be- lieve, a single board in the kingdom in which some such arrangement has not been adopted."

He denied the statement made by Mr. Chadwick, that representations of abuses had not been well received by the Commissioners. "I am confident that there is no abuse which I myself, or any of my colleagues within my knowledge, has ever -discouraged the Assistant-Commissioners from using their best endeavours to de- tect and report to the Commissioners. No doubt, however, some of the Assistant- Commissioners have thought it was expedient for the Commissioners to use more vigorous measures, and adopt a more stringent policy in the execution of the Poor- law Amendment Act, than the Commissioners were bound to use." In the course of his evidence Mr. Lewis referred to a paper which he held in -his hand. The Chairman asked—" What paper is that you are referring to?" Mr. Lewis—" It is a paper which Mr. Chadwick prepared." Mr. Christie—" Is it not marked 'confidential' in large letters on the first page?" Mr. Lewis—" Yes: the paper is one in which Mr. Chadwick submits some opinions of his own." Mr. -Christie--." To whom ?" Mr. Lewis—" To Lord Normanby." Mr. Christie- " When? " Mr. Lewis—" When Lord Normanby was Secretary of State for the some Department." Mr. Christie—" Can you tell the Committee how you pro- -cured a paper written to Lord Normanby, and marked 'confidential?'"

Before the question could be answered, the room was ordered to be cleared; and when the doors were again opened, the Chairman intimated that Mr. Lewis ought not to read any part of the paper, but might refer to it for the purpose of giving -evidence. This decision, however, was almost immediately altered; the Committee

deciding that the paper could not be made use of in any way. • In reply to a question touching Mr. Chadwick's complaint that he had been blamed for using harsh expressions in letters which he had not written, Mr. Lewis -stated, that he knew of two instances in which fault of that kind was found. One was on the 19th March 1841, when Sir Robert Peel commented on a sentence in an official circular, written by the Secretary; but the blame was attached by Sir Robert to the Commissioners. The other instance occurred in the same year, in the ease of a letter written in explanation of a peremptory order' and com- mented on by Sir James Graham. That letter was not draughted by Mr. Lewis, -but beheld himself responsible for it. Mr. Christie—" Do the Commissioners receive their salaries for any other pur- pose than to act as a Board?" Mr. Lewis—" No." Mr. Christie—" Does not the Commissioner who fails so to act neglect his duty ?" Mr. Lewis—" I think not: the arrangement is one effected for the purpose of transacting business; and it is the practice of other boards." Mr. Christie—" On the day when you came to town did jon not st..n the minutes recording acts which you were not a party to?" Mr. Lewis—" I frequently did so, signing the minutes on the faith of my colleagues' judgment." Mr. Christie—" We have found that letters have been -despatched before they have been minuted." Mr. Lewis—" That is not the prac- tice, and is an irregularity: but I am not aware that it frequently occurs." Mr. Etwall—" Was the decision to withhold the return demanded by the order of the House of Lords arrived at by two Commissioners at a Board; and was their deci- Bite on the subject recorded?" Mr. Lewis—" No."

On Thursday, the examination of Sir Frankland Lewis was commenced. Be spoke to the practice with respect to the sitting as a Board. He de- pended on the discretion of his colleagues for the selection of matters of importance requiring joint deliberation. They trusted each other; they

• could not have got on without it. As illustrating the practice, Sir Frank- land Lewis mentioned, that on two occasions the assent of his colleagues had been obtained to certain orders of which he was not duly apprized. [In the course of his examination Sir Frankland caused some amusement by his statement that the Secretaries of the Treasury kept to their own TOOMS, and-deemed it infra dig. to attend the deliberations of the Lords of the Treasury!]

. The great storm which visited London on Saturday was the country. At Oxford, Newbury, Reading, and Ciren... scribed as awful. The injury to vegetation was very great.

mals-weie killed by the.lightning. -4- • The storm began at Leicester between five and six o'clock. The streams; and the lightning was fearful, followed by thunder that " no

describe.' " At half-past seven the lightning unfortunately struck the utiful spire of St. Georges Church, and severed it within twenty feet of the battlements, going through the roof into the gallery, and materially injuring both the clock and organ. This is the greatest loss the town has to deplore. Close to the church a small public-house was struck by the same flash; which took out one of the windows, extinguished all the lights in the house, and lifted a little infant from the arms of its nurse some inches, letting it fall down again unhurt into her lap." "Half the corn of Leicestershire mast be very seriously injured, as the farmers have been so busy during the whole week cutting."

Nottingham was visited at the same period. No damage WAS done by the lightning in the town itself; but at Nuttall, a short distance off, a straw stack was burnt, and three horses were killed. "All the country-people appear to have been much terrified; and many of them state that they passed the greater part of the night on their knees, being apprehensive that the day of judgment, with all its promised horrors,.was really commencing." East Weldon suffered severely by rain, hail, and lightning. Scarcely a house but had its windows broken, and in some cases the roofs were beaten in. " For miles round, torrents of water were seen rushing along the slopes, carrying away sheaves of corn, sheep, and pigs, numbers of which were drowned. One farmer in the neighbourhood has lost from twenty to thirty sheep and two young colts; and many others, too numerous to specify, have sustained severe losses." The house, with the offices and conservatories, of Mr. Collingford, at Mount Wilford, was rendered a mere wreck. In the green-houseanot merely the glass was broken, but the very framework was dashed in. Great damage is done to the standing corn in the neighbourhood, which is beaten down by the hail. At Rushton, a youth was swept away by a torrent of water, and drowned.

In Liverpool there were storms on Saturday afternoon, Sunday night, and early on Monday morning. The first was preceded by a whirlwind; and such clouds of dust were carried through the town that people thought there was a fire. The Sunday night's storm was the most severe. A great many persons, including several policemen, were knocked down by the lightning; but none were seriously hurt. The damage to property was trifling. There does not appear to have heal any hail.

The tempest prevailed on Saturday and Sunday at Birmingham and the sur- rounding district. It was very severe at Walsall. The wheat crop in that vici- nity had been nearly gathered in.

The storm of Saturday was preceded by others at distant points. One A Southampton on Friday has been mentioned. At Carlisle and Kendal there was a fearful tempest on Thursday morning, The low parts were flooded, cattle and sheep were swept away, and the crops were greatly injured. On one estate sixty sheep perished. On the same morning there was a storm in Cornwall, at Truro. Many buildings were struck by the lightning, and much property was destroyed. A man was struck dead at Chacewater while looking out of window. There were storms at Yeovil and Sherborne on Friday and on Saturday morning.

In Cardiganshire great injury was inflicted' by floods, and a loss of life occurred. " The Tivy burst its banks, and flooded the highway leading from Lampeter to Aberystwith for many miles, doing immense damage. But the heaviest visitation took place at Talsarn. The river here, which had previously been comparatively tranquil, rose like a vast wall, and dashing onward in its headlong course swept *away no less than twenty-five houses in the village, with all their contents. SA the most awful part of the tale remains to be told. Dr. Rogers of Abermeirig, a County Magistrate, was preceeding along the highway leading' from Talsarn to Aberrstwith, accompanied by his servant, both being on horseback: suddenly the vast "flood swept across the road, and in an instant 'both human beings and quad- rupeds were snatched from existence. In addition to the damage done at Talsern, there are no less than four bridges between Aberayron and Aberystwith that have been utterly demolished by the flood."

The tempest of lila Wednesday seems to have been more violent in the country than in London, if not so long in duration. At Portsmouth it was terrific: the hail which fell beat down crops and broke a great quantity of glass; while the accumulation of water did much injury in all low-lying spots and in the fields. The electric telegraph has been rendered unworkable for the present from the effects of the lightning. Rochester and Chatham suffered a great deal. Many houses were flooded. Several vessels on the Medway and houses in the towns were struck by the light- ning; and a number of people were hurt by the same cause. The storm passed off to the Northward.

At Windsor the tempest was very violent, but of short duration. The light- ning was forked and exceedingly vivid, and was followed by tremendous cradles of thunder.

The storm of Monday morning prevailed at Poole and the neighbourhood. At Langton Matravers, the wife of a quarrier was killed by the lightning. The tem- pest having alarmed her, she rose from the bed and opened the door of the room: at that moment the lightning descended the chimney, shivered the tire-place, and struck the woman dead. The husband, who remained in bed, was unhurt.

A violent storm prevailed in Dublin about two o'clock on Monday morning. It lasted for two hours, and came from the East.

Cork was swept by the Thursday's storm.

The Calecionum Mercury reports a great storm at Hawiek on Wednesday week: it began at two o'clock in the day, and lasted till nearly midnight.

A correspondent of the Times, who was at a house in the Camberwell New- Road during Saturday's storm, gives the results of some experiments which he tried on the hail-stones that fell in the garden of the house. He gathered 947 hail-stones' the smallest weighed 9 2-10th grains, and the largest 84 grains. Of the 947, "there were 61 of the largest size. Five of them hastily selected, as far as the eye could judge nearly of the same size, weighed 405 grains; which gives 81 grains as the average weight of each. Five others, apparently the smallest of the number, weighed 394 grains, which averages 78 grains each. One of the first five measured 9-10ths of an inch in length, 6-10ths of an inch in breadth, and was about 5-10ths of an inch in thickness. It had, like most of the others, the shape of a flattened pigeon's egg. A dozen bad a shape approaching a flattened sphere. In general it may be observed that no two hail-stones, al- though nearly of the same size, had nearly the same form, or seemed to have been produced under the same circumstances.' The largest stones appeared to have the greatest density; the smallest being spongy, as if formed of premed snow. The momentum of the fall of the hail was very small. It is reported that at Kennington lumps of ice fell of a much greater magni- tude and weight than any mentioned above; and a Mr. Brewer, residing in West- minster, writes to the Standard, "One hail-stone that fell and broke my window measured 3 inches and 5-8ths."

During Saturday's storm a depth of rain equal to four and a half inches fell, and on Sunday morning there was an additional half inch of rain; making a total depth of five inches. As the average depth of rain in a year in the neighbour- hood of London does not much exceed twenty inches, there was nearly the quan- tity of three months' fall of rain within twenty-four hours.

Harvest became general at the close of last week; and although the great storm of Saturday, with the slighter storms of Sunday and Monday, inter

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Tupted, they have hardly suspended the operations of the field. In some exposed district, the cut wheat sustained considerable damage from the hail and wind; neither did the growing crops escape. The accounts from most districts speak of a plenteous harvest; and prices have still a down- ward tendency.

We understand that an expedition which promises the most important results both to science and commerce is at this moment fitting out for the purpose of navigating some of the most important unexplored rivers in South America. It is to t e under the command of Lord Ranelagh. Several noblemen and gentlemen have already volunteered to accompany his Lordship; and the enterprising and Scientific bend, it is said, will sail as soon as the necessary arrangements shall be completed.—Times.

Number of Summer Annual deaths. average. average. ZyrootIc (or Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious) Diseases 329 ... 201 ... 198 Dropsy, Cancer, a ud other disesseS of uncertain or variable seat 119 ... 99 ... 104

Disease, of the 'train, Spinal Barrow, Nerves, and Senses 152 ... 155 ... 157 Diseases of the Lungs, and of the other Organs of Respiration 233 ... 227 ... 294 Diseases ,,t the Heart and Blood-Teasels 29 ... 23 ... 27

Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion 111 ... 67 ... 72

DilleaSla of the Kidneys, Se

Childbirth, disease- of the Uterus, elte 19 ... 9 ... 10 Rheumatism, diseases of the Bones, Joints, Sc. 0 ... 6 ... 7

Diseases of the skin, Cellular Tissue, Se.

Old Age 51 ... 62 ... 67 Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 24 ... 26 ... 28 Total (including sumpecilled causes) 1,086 ... 998 ... 968 The temperature of the thermometer ranged from 106.9° in the sun to 53.9° in the shade; the mean temperature by day being warmer than the average mean temperature by 7.7°. The mean direction of the wind for the first two days was South-west; and for the rest of the week it was variable, but inclining towards the North.

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