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raised him and held him long pressed in his arms. This affect ing scene made a profound impression on the assembly, and tears produced by the sweetest emotions were mingled with numerous cries of Vive le Roi! Vive le Dauphin!' The enthusiasm of the spectators was without bounds. His Majesty afterwards took the sacrament in both kinds; after which the Dauphin approached the King, and delivered his crown to him again. His Majesty remained a few moments on his knees in prayer, after which the archbishop took from him the crown of Charlemagne, and gave him a lighter one.

"He afterwards returned to his apartments, and repaired to the royal entertainments in the great hall of the archiepiscopal palace."

JUNE.

GREAT BRITAIN.

London Bridge.-The first stone of the New London Bridge was laid by the Lord Mayor with much civic ceremony. The stone used on this occasion was a mass

of Aberdeen granite, weighing nearly five tons, and the foundation of the pier rests on piles driven 20 feet into the bed of the river; upon these is a layer of timber two feet thick, over which a course of brick-work, and another of stone, each two feet six inches deep, formed the floor. In the centre of the pier (which is 40 feet by 90), a rectangular space was excavated to the depth of seven inches, 21 in length, and 15 in width. The Latin inscription on the plate is from the pen

of the Rev. Dr. Coplestone, of which the following is a translation:-" The free course of the river being obstructed by the numerous piers of the ancient bridge, and the passage of boats and vessels through its narrow channels being often attended with danger and loss of life by reason of the force and rapidity of the current, the city of London, desirous of providing a remedy for this evil, and at the same time consulting the convenience of commerce in this vast emporium of all nations, under the sanction and with the liberal aid of Parliament, resolved to erect a bridge upon a foundation altogether new, with arches of wider span, and of a character corresponding to the dignity and importance of this royal city: nor does any other time seem to be more suitable for such an undertaking, than when, in a period of universal peace, the British empire, flourishing in glory, wealth, population, and domestic union, is governed by a Prince, the patron and encourager of the arts, under whose auspices the metropolis has been daily advancing in elegance and splendour. The first stone of this work was laid by John Garratt, Esq., Lord Mayor, on the 15th day of June, in the sixth year of King George the Fourth, and in the year of our Lord M.DCCC.XXV.; John Rennie, F. R. S. Architect."

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London University. The following is the prospectus of the London University. The whole expense of education will not exceed 251. or 301. a year, including the sums paid to the general fund; and there will not be more than ten weeks of vacation in the year. A fortnight's vacation will be allowed at Christmas and Easter, and six weeks from the middle of August till the end of September. The money being raised by shares and contributions, each holder of 100l. share will receive interest on the same at a rate not exceeding four per cent., payable halfyearly, and be entitled to send one student to the university. The shares will be transferable by sale and bequest; and they will descend to the holder's representatives in cases of intestacy. The money due on them will be paid by instalments, as it may be required; but it is calculated that only two-thirds will be called for; and the remaining 33 per cent. will be considered as a fund of reserve, in case of any extension of the plan, or other unfavourable exigencies. No person can hold more than ten shares. Each contributor of 50l. will have all the privileges of shareholders during, his life, except that of receiving interest, and transferring his rights. The interest will be paid out of the revenues of the institution, and the yearly produce of the sums received from time to time beyond what is required for current expenses. Each student is to pay five guineas a year to this general income, besides one guinea to the library, museum, and collection of maps, charts, drawings, and models.

Turnpikes.-The report of the

select committee on Metropolis Turnpike Trusts shews there can be no doubt that the present system of management pursued under these trusts, is one which ought to be terminated as soon as possible. In every respect the public suffer from it. More money is raised than is necessary, and yet the roads are not in so good a state of repair as they ought to be. The multiplicity of these trusts is also a source of great loss and inconvenience. A memorable specimen of the excess to which this evil has been carried may be found in the fact, that

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no less than four several acts of Parliament, constituting four separate trusts, viz. City Road, Old Street, Bethnal Green, and Shoreditch, with different bodies of trustees, and all the expenses attendant on four distinct establishments, comprise within them only a distance of four miles and a half." The vexatious delays and intolerable expense resulting from these causes, constitute no trifling grievance. By way of remedy, the committee strongly recommend "a consolidation of the whole of the trusts (sixteen) in the county of Middlesex, under one act of parliament, to be conducted by one uniform system of management."

Mint Assay. An assay of coin from the mint took place. The jury saw the experiments on the coins made by calculation, and afterwards melted a certain quantity, to ascertain if the quantity of alloy in the coins was in the proper proportion. By the account of the gold monies coined by the master worker of his Majesty's mint, from June 29th, 1824, to the 1st of July, 1825, agreeably

to

to the indenture dated Feb. 6, 1817, the total value of the coinage amounted to 5,046,300l. A similar account of the silver coined at the same time, after the rate of sixty-six shillings to the pound weight troy, of the standard of eleven ounces two penny-weights of fine silver, and eighteen pennyweights of alloy; together with an account of the small monies coined for his Majesty's maundy, within the year 1825, the whole of which was only of small amount -state the total value of the coinage at 137,7617. 16s.

Gloucestershire. -Some yarn, which it was ascertained belonged to Messrs. Wyatt and Co., of Vatch Mills, was lately found at a weaver's house, and seized by a number of weavers, who had struck for higher wages, and carried back to the mills, in consequence of which a riot ensued, when some of the party were taken into custody that evening; the next morning nearly 10,000 persons assembled, threatening to pull down the prison if they were not liberated. As the principal evidence against them was endeavouring to get to the magistrate's office, he was seized by the mob, and ducked. The captives, however, were all discharged, excepting one, who was held to bail. After this the mob proceeded to Nailsworth, where they secured fourteen weavers, who had refused to strike, and also ducked them. The disturbances continuing to increase, a party of the 10th hussars was sent from Gloucester, but by the time they arrived the riot had totally subsided.

The number of children educated in Ireland, according to a parliamentary return, is as fol

lows:-Of the established church, 91,026; presbyterians, 43,236; protestants of other denominations, 3,308; Roman-catholics, 357,249; religion not stated, 3,822-total, 498,641. These are exclusive of Sunday - schools. According to the returns furnished by the Roman-catholic clergy, the whole number of children educated is 522,016, and a still larger proportion of them in the catholic schools. It thus appears that elementary education is received by a larger proportion of the inhabitants of Ireland than England.

AUGUST.

GREAT BRITAIN.

Don Juan Romero Alpuente has lately arrived in London, having been proscribed by the government of Ferdinand, at the advanced age of 80. After undergoing incredible hardships, he effected his escape to Gibraltar, and sought an asylum in this country. He was one of the most distinguished deputies of the Cortes during the period of the constitution.

Leicestershire. At Kibworth, the church having been for some time undergoing repair, whilst the workmen were gone to take refreshment, the whole mass of the steeple, tearing itself from the other part of the building, fell to the ground! The fall took place on the western side, and involved in one immense pile of ruin, the bells, clock, and every thing before connected with the building. The bells have been taken from the mass uninjured. No human being suffered.

Monmouthshire.-The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of a new bridge, to be erected over the

river Wye, a little above Bigswear, took place in the presence of a very respectable meeting of trustees, and an assemblage of the neighbouring gentry. This bridge, which is to consist of a single arch of cast iron, 160 feet span, is to be erected in a new line of road now making, to form a communication between the towns of Chepstow and Monmouth. Commencing at the admired village of St. Arvan's, it takes the course of the Wye to Redbrook, and, winding along its beautiful banks, presents a continually varying scene of beauty and grandeur, including the picturesque grounds of Piercefield, the sublime and richly wooded height of Wyndcliff, the celebrated ruin of Tintern Abbey, &c.

The first stone of a monument, near the town of Carmarthen, in honour of General Sir Thomas Picton, was laid with great pomp. Beneath it were placed specimens of all the gold, silver, and copper, British coins of the present reign, together with the Waterloo medal of the late Sir Thomas Picton. They were covered with a plate bearing the following inscription:

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RUSSIA.

A race took place on the 4th of Aug. near St. Petersburgh, between 2 English and 2 Cossack horses, distance 71 versts, or 47 1-3 English miles. The stakes were for 50,000 roubles (about 20001.) and the road fixed upon was from the Ligova canal, through Zarskojeselo to Galchina, a distance of 35 versts, and back to the starting post. The road is paved at the bottom, and the surface hard and stony. The Cossack party had taken every precaution to procure the best horses of the breed. Count Orloff Deneessoff went himself to the Don, to pick them out, and there was not a tribe of the Cossacks but what furnished their quota. Cossacks of the Don, the Black Sea, and the Ural, Calmucks, Bashkers, and Kirgues, all sent their most celebrated racers; and in this way, about twenty horses arrived at St. Petersburgh, from which the two best were selected, after a variety of trials. In the mean time, the English horses were neither seen nor heard of. It was only known that Count Matueszewic had imported some for the purpose, with grooms to train and ride them. The horses fixed upon were a bay Cossack, of the stud of the late Hetman, Count Platoff, and a chesnut Leonide, of the stud of Count Kuteinikoff. The former was rather a coarse, vulgar animal, high in the hips, but good in the loins, and shewing considerable powers. The latter, though bred on the Don, was a very neat horse, betraying clearly its Arabian descent.-The English horses brought to the post by Count Matueszewic, were Sharper, bred by the Earl of Egremont;

Egremont; and Mina, bred by Lord George Cavendish. The horses started at five minutes past five in the morning, the Cossacks leading on one side of the road, at a moderate pace, and the English following on the other side, about three or four lengths. Before they had gone half a verst, the stirrupiron of the person who rode Sharper, broke, and the horse ran away with him, passing Mina, who would not stop behind. Owing to this accident, the two English horses ran at a tremendous pace up Pulkova hill, and through Zarskojeselo, bidding defiance to the utmost exertions of their riders; the Cossacks following about two hundred yards behind. The English horses arrived at Gatchina in one hour and four minutes, the Cossacks coming in two minutes after them. The English horses were quite fresh, as was the chesnut Cossack, but the bay was much distressed, and fell about three versts after turning, never appearing again in the race. Before reaching Zarskojeselo, on their return, Mina burst his coronet, from the hardness of the road, and was immediately pulled up and taken away. Soon after this, the remaining Cossack began to flag, and the accompanying Cossacks, contrary to all rule and agreement, began to drag him on by the bridle, throwing away the saddle, and putting a mere child on his back. Before reaching Pulkova hill, Sharper shewed the effects of the pace he had gone when running away at the early part of the race, and on descending the hill, was much distressed; but it was evident he must win, in spite of the foul play of the Cossacks, who

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now fairly carried on their horse, some dragging him on by a rope and the bridle at his head, others actually pulling him on by the tail, and riding alongside of his quarters to support him, and push him along, relieving each other repeatedly in this fatiguing employment. Sharper cantered in much distressed, but game enough to have gone considerably farther. He did the whole distance in two hours and 48 minutes and forty seconds; and had it not been for his running away, might have done it in less time, without being so much distressed. The Cossack was warped and carried in eight minutes after him; and had he been left to himself and his rider, would undoubtedly have remained at Pulkova hill. The English horses, at starting, carried full three stone more than the Cossacks, and during the latter half of the race, the difference was still greater, the Cossack being rode by a mere child, for form's sake. The concourse of spectators was immense, and amongst others, the Grand Dukes Nicholas and Michael were present. The road for the whole distance was lined with Cossacks of the Guards, at regular intervals.

But few original works have appeared in Russia during the last year. Among the principal are the History of Russia, by M. Karamsin; Tales, by M. Naréjny; and Travels into Mongolia and China, by M. E. Timkofsky; the last of which contains some new and curious details. Ancient literature has been enriched by the publication of an old manuscript of John the Exarch, of Bulgaria, with notes, by M. Kalaïdovitcht;

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