land of Borneo, and the distance of 10 geographical miles from the island of Labuan. Every measure is to be taken by both parties for the suppression of the abominable traffic in slaves. The visit of ceremony to the Sultan of Borneo by Sir James Brooke was undertaken Oct. 26, when Sir James presented the Sultan with a ratified copy of the treaty with the Queen of England, inclosed within a handsome silver box. Sir James then, in the name of the Queen, informed his Highness that, eternal friendship having been sworn between them, her Majesty had directed him to present his Highness with 3,000 Spanish dollars, as a mark of respect for the free cession of the island of Labuan. The accounts from Labuan itself are unsatisfactory. The site selected for the town appears to be an unhappy one, being in the centre of a swamp, part of which is below high-water mark. INDIA. The Bombay troops joined Gen. Whish on the 21st December. The army besieging Mooltan now amounted to 15,000 British troops, the allies amounting to about 17,000-or 32,000 in all. The artillery amounted to about 150 pieces of ordnance, of which nearly one half were of the largest calibre. On Christmas Day and the day following the force changed ground: on the 26th the troops advanced in four columns to the attack, and, clearing the suburbs and driving in the enemy on all sides, established themselves within five hundred yards of the walls. Batteries were now constructed in every direction, and on the morning of the 28th a terrific cannonade and bombardment commenced. On the 29th, the heavy guns were battering within eighty yards of the ramparts. On the 30th, the principal magazine in the fort blew up with a terrific explosion-nearly 800,000lbs. of powder are reported to have been stored in it -blowing a vast column of dust a thousand feet up into the air. The destruction it caused all round must have been tremendous. A mighty conflagration, supposed to be that of the principal stores, was now spreading in the town; 50,000l. worth of grain was afterwards found to have been destroyed. The enemy's artillery slackened their fire, but still continued unsilenced. On the two next days the cannonade continued: shells were thrown sometimes every minute, sometimes in intervals of ten minutes, and fearful salvos were from time to time discharged from the heavy batteries. A furious cannonade having been kept up all the previous night, on the morning of the 2nd a column of Bengal troops, commanded by Colonel Franks, consisting of her Majesty's 32nd and the 49th and 72nd N.I. pushed forward to a breach near the Delhi Gate. Here they found the enemy determined to oppose them to the last; the breach, besides, proved impracticable, so the troops retired and moved round to the opposite side of the town, where the entrance of the Bombay column had already been effected. The breach stormed by them had been much more complete than the other, and the enemy defending it were driven off at the bayonet's point. The Fusiliers entered first, and speedily placed their standard within the walls of the town. The Bengal column followed them, and the city of Mooltan, which was captured about 3 p.m. was before sunset filled with British troops. The fire from the fort, which had for a time slackened, was meanwhile renewed. In the course of the night a mine was sprung on us, which occasioned some mischief. Moolraj seemed determined to maintain himself to the last, and showed no sign of fear amidst his reverses. On the morning of the 3rd, the cannonade was again resumed by us, and the Dowlut Gate, the last hold of the enemy, destroyed. DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. LONDON AND ITS VICINITY. Bridgewater House, Green Park, the new mansion of the Earl of Ellesmere, is now completed. The situation is one of the finest in the metropolis. The plan approaches a square; the south front is 142ft. 6inc. from east to west; and the west front 122ft. from north to south; and there are two small courts within the mass to aid in lighting the various apartments. The palace residences of Rome and Venice furnish the general types for the elevations, skilfully combined in good GENT. MAG. VOL. XXXI. proportions; the details are mostly very elegant, and the general effect good. The projection of the wings is very slight. The south elevation differs from the west in having no projections of the front wall. Vases surmount the dies of the balustrade. The entrance porch will be in the centre, and be surmounted at the angles by similar vases. The whole of these fronts, and part of each of the other fronts, are faced with Portland stone. In the interior care has been taken so to plan the building that freedom of access 2 R to his fine gallery of pictures, which Lord Ellesmere proposes to grant the public, may not be interfered with by the private requirements of the liberal owner. The gallery occupies the whole of the north side of the house, and is carried out a few feet beyond the east wall of the ground floor. The height of the gallery is 32 feet, and the width is the same. That old and well-known resort at Pentonville, White Conduit House, with its large room and pleasure grounds, is to be removed, to make way for a new street. The work of demolition com. menced on Thursday, Jan. 25. The large building in Threadneedlestreet, built a few years ago by Mr. Moxhay, the biscuit-baker, and called the "Hall of Commerce," has been closed, after remaining open to the public for six years. The undertaking of the projector has turned out a hopeless failure. CHESHIRE. Jan. 18. The Lord Bishop of Chester consecrated St. Mark's Church, Dukinfield. Its style is early-English, and designed by J. Clarke, esq. of Lincoln's Inn Fields. The stone was laid on WhitFriday, 1847, by F. D. Palmer Astley, esq. who gave the land and 1001. for the erection of the church. C. Hindley, esq. M.P. also gave a similar sum. The cost of the church has been 31087. Os. 9d.; of the schools, 14557.; the money having been all raised by subscription, with the exception of about 4007., which will remain on the buildings. Mr. Heffill is the incumbent. Jan. 31. The Bishop of Chester consecrated the new district parish church of St. James, Congleton. The district of St. James was the first constituted under Sir R. Peel's act by the Ecclesiastical Commission, and is now, in consequence of the consecration of the church, a separate parish. The church, which consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, is built of stone, and has accommodation for 700 persons, the whole of which is entirely free. The site was given by E. L. Mallabar, esq. of Congleton. KENT. Jan. 8. A new National School, erected at Canterbury for the education of 720 children, was opened for use. It is placed in Broad-street, on the site of the old city mount; and is built in the early English style, from the plans of William Butterfield, esq. at the cost of 3,2001. LANCASHIRE. Nov. 13. The Bishop of Chester consecrated the church of Everton, in the parish of Walton-on-the-hill, Lancashire. This church, consecrated by the name of Christchurch, contains 1000 sittings, 337 of which are free, and is endowed with the sum of 1000l. The cost has been 10,500., and the whole expense of building and endowing it has been defrayed by T. B. Horsfall, esq. the Mayor of Liverpool, and the other children of the late C. Horsfall, esq., by whom it is intended as a lasting monument to the memory of their late father. Dec. 16. The Bishop of Manchester consecrated the new church at Lumb, in Rossendale, dedicated to St. Michael, and the burial-ground attached; on the 22nd, the new church at Great Marsden, chapelry of Colne; on the 27th, the new church at Inskip, parish of St. Michael at Wyre; and on the 28th, the chapel at Garstang. Dec. 22. The new church of All Saints, in Great Nelson-street North, Liverpool, the foundation stone of which was laid in March last, was consecrated by the Right Rev. Dr. Graham, the Lord Bishop of Chester. This church has been built, at a cost of about 4,000l. from the funds of the Liverpool Church Building Society, from the designs of Mr. A. H. Holme. It is a plain structure of red stone, in the early English style. It will accommodate about 1,050 persons, 600 of the sittings being free. The front to Great Nelsonstreet comprises a tower, with a neat and well proportioned spire about 120 feet In the high, finished with a gilt cross. centre of the elevation is a lofty gable, with lancet windows, and circular windows on each side, filled with the simple tracery of the period. The tower contains one staircase to the east, and another in a similar tower to the west. There are four entrance-doors, two of which, in the centre compartment, have porches. From the extraordinary pitch of the roof, and the large skylights, it has the appearance of a clerestory building. The gallery is supported by bronzed spiral pillars. The whole of the interior is in good taste and well-finished. The font is a beautiful specimen of masonry, and the pulpit and reading-desk are well-executed: the clerk sits at one side, and not immediately in front of the pulpit. The benches or free sittings have sloping backs, footboards, hat-rails, and all the modern improvements for convenience and comfort. OXFORDSHIRE. The fine old property so long in the hands of the Fitzherberts of Begbrook, called the Begbrook-hill Estate, which was purchased by the late Thomas Robinson, esq., of the representatives of Mr. William Young, has been sold to the Duke of Marlborough. Mr. Robinson had greatly improved the property by his admirable arrangement of the homestead and farm buildings. · WARWICKSHIRE. Feb. 5. The opening took place of a new place of public amusement at Leamington, called the Elliston Rooms and Theatre Royal. The Director is Mr. C. R. Elliston, and the evening's performances were Mrs. Centlivre's comedy of The Wonder, and Planché's Who's your Friend? Among the performers were the veteran Mrs. Glover, Mr. J. Wallack, and Mr. B. Webster. The following excellent prologue or opening address, written by Nicholas L. Torre, esq., was delivered by Mr. Conway : Friends of our Thespian art! if, banish'd long, Unnumber'd moments of their sting disarm, bowers, Their charms again dramatic scenes impart, And England's Court upholds Dramatic Art. Yes-raise thy head!-in Windsor's regal dome, Where queenly virtues gild the joys of home, Thy sway returns; in fashion's mock disguise, Whate'er new bubbles for a time may rise, No more depress'd the Drama's cause shall wane, But mighty Shakspere be "himself again." Long live the Queen! may Heaven, propitious, bless With choicest gifts our Royal Patroness! WILTSHIRE. Dec. 13. The church of Rodburn Cheney, recently re-erected at a cost of 2,7007. was opened for Divine service. The living is under 1007. per annum, and the Rev. H. T. Streeton, the present incumbent, retains it for seven years only; yet upon the parishioners contributing 5007. he took the sole responsibility of the expenses upon himself. The sum of 1,000l. was raised by other subscriptions and a grant from the Church Building Society; and 1,2001. was left for Mr. Streeton to contribute. The sacred edifice is now considered one of the best village churches in the county, and contains about 600 sittings. The elevation of the tower is 70 feet, and the west window of the tower is in four compartments, beautifully moulded and glazed in stained glass, with figures of the four Evangelists. The east window of the south chapel is also in stained glass, beautifully enriched, and bearing various texts. All the seats are open, with framed backs. The front is of Painswick stone, in the early-English style, and raised upon two stone steps. The reading-desk, which is on the south side of the chancel arch, is open, panelled, and filled in with tracery. On the north side is an octagonal Painswick stone pulpit, on a moulded pedestal. The altartable is of oak, standing upon six octagonal pillars. YORKSHIRE. Jan. 24. Another of those awful catastrophes, for the prevalence of which Barnsley and its neighbourhood have obtained a painful notoriety, occurred at Darley Main colliery, by which no less than 75 human beings and eight horses fell victims to an explosion of fire-damp. This colliery has been the scene of two former explosions; the first was in the early part of 1847, when six lives were lost; and in August of the same year a similar calamity resulted in the death of two colliers. Within the distance of two miles is the Oaks or Ardsley Main colliery, where, on the 5th of March, 1847, an explosion of fire damp killed 73 persons. Darley Main colliery is the property of Messrs. Jeffcock and Jarratt, of Doncaster, and is situated about two miles to the south of Barnsley. The works are very extensive, extending in one direction nearly a mile from the shaft, and this appears to be the "dip end," or deepest portion of the workings. The explosion is supposed to have taken place here, which is about 1,000 yards distant from the shaft, and near to what is called a through," or a break in the seam." A coroner's jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death," accompanied with a recommendation that her Majesty's Government should appoint a scientific and practical person to inspect the collieries, see that there is proper ventilation, and hear any complaints of the workmen. A subscription has been set on foot for the 31 widows and the 55 children who have been left in distress through this awfully fatal explosion. The Darley Main Company commenced the subscription with a donation of 2007. besides defraying all the expenses of the funerals of the 75 sufferers, Mr. J. Jeffcock, the owner of the coal field, has contributed 1007. The Rev. J. Andrew, the incumbent of Worsborough, received a check from the Queen Dowager for 251. and one from the Archbishop of York for 207. in aid of the benevolent ob ject. There is good ground for believing that a concert will be given in Barnsley or some other town in the West Riding, at which Mademoiselle Lind will give her valuable services in aid of the fund. WALES. The increasing importance of the town of Cardiff as one of the principal outlets of the mineral wealth of the principality is becoming a subject of great interest. Owing to the individual exertion and praiseworthy foresight of that greatly lamented nobleman the late Marquess of Bute, the port is now daily rising in the estimation of the commercial world. Seven years since the number of vessels entered at the Custom House numbered between seventeen and eighteen hundred; from the 5th of January, 1847, to the same period in 1848, these numbers increased to six thousand four hundred and sixtyfive! During the last year of unprece. dented mercantile depression there were, from the 5th of January, 1848, to the 5th of January, 1849, entered, eight thousand seven hundred and twenty-four, shewing an increase, in one year only, of two thousand two hundred and fifty-one vessels ! In addition, the new works in preparation in the vales of Aberdare and the Rhondda must of necessity find means of egress for their produce. Thus, there is very little doubt but the ports on the western side of the Bristol Channel will shortly rival the docks of Liverpool. SCOTLAND. There have been serious inundations in the north of Scotland, owing to the melting snows on the hills, and continued storms of wind. On the 25th Jan. the fine old bridge over the Ness, at Inverness, was swept away in the torrent of the flood. This bridge was at the foot of the romantic hill on which, according to Shakspere, Macbeth's castle stood, and spanned the swift waters of the Ness by seven well constructed arches. The flood so inundated Inverness, the inhabitants were obliged to escape from their houses in boats and such other craft as could be got at. Happily no lives were lost. Feb. 6. The launch of the Floating Railway for ferrying the trains over the Frith of Forth took place at Messrs. R. Napier's ship-building yard, near Glasgow. The vessel was built "broadside," and not in the usual manner with her bow or stern, to the river, it being conceived that, owing to the elevation of the ground above the high-water level of the Clyde, its launch on the broadside system could be more safely and easily effected. The signal being given, the blocks were removed and the stopper ropes cut, when the vessel, 170 feet long on deck by 34 feet wide between the paddles, and 10 feet deep, strongly framed and plated to sustain the great weight of a train of loaded trucks, glided with a gently increasing velocity to the end of the ways, fell about 2 feet to the river, gave two or three heavy rolls, and then drifted into the centre of the stream, and was towed to the Broomielaw, where she received her machinery. Her engine is 56-inch cylinder, and 3-feet-6-inch stroke, working each paddle. A chimney on each side allows a clear space in the centre for three trucks loaded abreast, and the captain stands above them, between the paddles, to steer cither end foremost. The vessel is of iron, ribbed; the plates on the bottom being half an inch thick. Feb. 17. During the performance at the Theatre in Dunlop Street, Glasgow, the sudden ignition of some gas which had escaped (though immediately extinguished) occasioned a frightful loss of life by the panic which ensued. The occupiers of the gallery rushed down stairs, and the foremost being carried off their feet, the whole staircase became com. pletely choked up. Sixty-one were taken out dead, and four who were carried to the infirmary have since died, making in all sixty-five. They were chiefly young people of the working classes. PROMOTIONS, PREFERMENTS, &c. SHERIFFS FOR THE YEAR 1849. Cumb.-A. F. Hudleston, of Hutton John, esq. Suffolk.-Lord Henniker, of Thornham-Hall. Surrey.-W. F. G. Farmer, of Nonsuch-Park, esq. Sussex.-Richard Shuttleworth Streatfeild, of the Rocks, Uckfield, esq. Warw.-Sir Theo. Biddulph, of Birdingbury, Bart. Wiltshire.-R. Parry Nisbett, of Southbroome House, esq. Worcester.-John Dent, of Walcot, esq. Yorkshire.-O. Vernon Harcourt, of SwintonPark, esq. WALES. Anglesey.-Stephen Roose, of Tan-y-lan, esq. Brecons.-William Pearce, of Ffrwdgrech, esq. Carnarv.-S. O. Priestley, of Trefan, esq. Carm.-W. R. H. Powell, of Maesgwynne, esq. Cardigan.-Henry Hoghton, of Hafod, esq. Denb.-T. Griffith, of Trevallyn-Hall, esq. Flint.-P. L. Godsal, of Iscoyd-Park, esq. Glamorgansh.-Robert Boteler, of Llandough Castle and Maesmawr, esq. Montg.-R. Gardner, of, Plas-y-Court, esq. Merion.-R. D. Jones, of Aberllafenny, esq. Pemb.-S. P. Allen, of Cresselly, esq. Radnor.-E. M. Evans, of Llwynbaried, esq. GAZETTE PROMOTIONS. Jan. 13. Arthur James Earl of Fingal, to be Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the county of Meath. Jan. 27. Lanarkshire Yeomanry Cavalry, the Marquess of Douglass and Clydesdale to be Major Commandant.-Wm. Drury Holden, of Locko Park, co. Derby, esq. eldest son and heir of Robert Holden, late of Nuttall Temple, co. Notts, by Mary-Anne, only child and heir of Wm. Drury Lowe, of Locko Park, esq. to take the name of Lowe only, and bear the arms of Lowe, quarterly, with his own arms, Jan. 31. Knighted, Elkanah Armitage, esq. late Mayor of Manchester. Feb. 2. Cleland Cumberlege, esq. to be her Majesty's Consul at Tampico.-31st Foot, Major J. St. John Munro, to be Major.-Brevet, Capt. W. G. Beare, of 1st Foot, to be Major in the Army.--Staff, Col. A. S. H. Mountain, 29th Foot, to be Adjutant-General to the Queen's Forces serving in the East Indies.West Somerset Yeomanry Cavalry, Major E. A. Sanford to be Lieut.-Col.; Capt. W. Pinney, M.P. to be Major. Feb. 9. Sir Edmund Lyons, Bart. G.C.B. (now Minister Plenipotentiary to Greece), to be her M. Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Cantons; Thomas Wyse, esq. to be Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of Greece.-George William Anderson, esq. to be Governor of Mauritius.-14th Light Dragoons, Major H. E. Doherty to be Lieut.-Col.; Capt. W. Clarke to be Major.-21st Foot, Capt. J. R. Stuart to be Major.-Royal Canadian Rifle Regt. Major R. Muter to be Lieut. Col.; Capt. P. L. M'Dougall to be Major.-Brevet, Capt. E. F. French, 74th Foot, to be Major in the Army. Feb. 13. At the Court, the Right Hon. Tho. mas Wyse sworn of the Privy Council. Feb. 16. 71st Foot, Lieut.-Gen. Sir J. Macdonell, K.C.B. from 79th Foot. to be Col.79th Foot, Major-Gen. J. Hay, C.B. to be Col. -3d West India Regt., Major-Gen. W. Wood, C.B. to be Colonel. Feb. 23. 7th Dragoon Guards, Lieut.-Col. Charles P. Ainslie to be Lieut.-Col.-54th Foot, Major John Norman, from half-pay Unatt. to be Major.-Brevet, Capt. Charles Bulkeley, 90th Foot, to be Major in the Army. NAVAL PROMOTIONS. To be Commanders,-G. J. Napier and C. C. Forsyth. Appointments,-Capt. E.A. Inglefield (acting) to Melampus.-Comm. R. B. Miller (acting) to Ringdove; A. Cumming to Rattler. Members returned to serve in Parliament. Devon (South).-Sir Ralph Lopes, Bart. Portsmouth.-Rt. Hon. Sir F. T. Baring (re-el.) Yorkshire (W. Riding).-Edmund Denison, esq. ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS. Rev. J. Smith, to be Bishop of Hong Kong, in China. Rev. T. F. Barker, Thornton-in-the Moors R. Rev. W. H. Bond, Steventon V. Beds. Hon. and Rev. F. N. Clements, Norton V. |