Alexandria.

He is about ten months old, and weighs probably 500 lbs.; he is perfectly under the command of his Arab keeper, who sleeps with him in a berth built close to his sleeping-place. The keeper on the voyage was seldom away for more than five minutes without a summons to return, in the shape of a loud grunt. He is as quiet and docile as a kitten, and nearly as playful. He was placed in the Zoological Gardens, whither he attracted a great number of visitors. There was brought at the same time, for the Zoological Society, a valuable and interesting collection of animals, birds, and reptiles, among them an ibex, a lion, some wild cats, cats, pelicans, gazelles, and several rare specimens of lizards, and serpents; the latter attended by an Arab boy of curious aspect, who feeds and handles them as any one else would a pet dog or a perfectly harmless crea

civet

ture.

25. EXPERIMENTS WITH ROCKETS. -Some rockets of a novel kind, the invention of Mr. Hales, were experimented on at Shoebury-ness in the presence of the Directorgeneral of Artillery and other officers. One novelty consisted of an iron rod with a balanceweight, attached to the tube, by means of which a resisting pressure can be given to the rocket, so that it shall acquire any graduated additional force before starting. This invention seemed to answer its purpose. The other novelty seems calculated to add new terror to these formidable missiles. It consisted of a compound rocket formed of seven rockets, each ten pounds in weight, enclosed in an iron case, open at both ends. The compound rocket

was placed in a triangular-shaped wooden trough, open above, and placed at an elevation of 25°, and, seven matches being placed, they were all ignited at once, and presented a most magnificent spectacle as they ascended into the air, until the object, although so large, was lost to the sight; and it went onwards to so great a distance, that its falling could not be distinguished by the naked eye. These seven rockets were filled at the Royal Arsenal. Seven rockets, bound up in the same manner, which had been filled by Mr. Hales's hydraulic pressure, were then placed in the trough, and ignited, and their ascent was beautiful, proceeding to an ap parently greater elevation than the former, until they were lost sight of in the air. When the experiments were concluded, a number of boys went over the sands in the direction in which they were sent, and found one of them at a distance of between three and four miles from the spot where they were discharged. Some of these reached a distance of nearly two miles before they touched the ground, and afterwards ricocheted to a considerable distance.

27. ATTACK UPON HER MAJESTY.-Her Majesty was again subjected to one of those brutal indignities which have before called forth so much disgust and indignation.

Her Majesty, accompanied by her children and Lady Jocelyn, had called upon the Duke of Cambridge (who lay ill of his mortal sickness) about six o'clock in the evening. About the same time, and while the carriage was within the gates of Cambridge House, a man, respectably dressed, and to outward appearance a gen

tleman, was observed loitering about the entrance, and as though waiting for the departure of the Queen. No notice was taken of so common a circumstance as that a gentleman should interrupt his walk for a few minutes in order to see the Queen drive past. A little after six, the carriage drove out, and just as it was passing into the road, and was proceeding at a slow rate to turn the corner, this person sprang forward, and with a small stick struck a smart blow at the Queen's face. The blow took effect upon her Majesty's forehead, the bonnet, which was of light texture, being crushed in by the blow. The ruffian was instantly seized by the bystanders; his stick was wrested from him, and he was conveyed to the stationhouse. The Queen proceeded to Buckingham Palace, amidst the cheers of the passers by, and sustained so little injury from this dastardly assault that she was able to appear at the Opera in the course of the evening. Upon ker Majesty's entrance the opera was stopped, and the national anthem was sung amidst the most enthusiastic cheering.

The ruthan who made the attack gave his name at the station house as Robert Pate, of 27, Duke Street, St. James's. It appears by the Army List that he was appointed to a cornetcy in the 10th Hussars on the 5th of February, 1841, and became a heutenant in the same regiment on the 22nd of July, 1842, and retired by the sale of his commission in 1846, At the stationhouse he refused to give any explanation of the motives which had induced him to make this dastardly attack upon the Queen.

The prisoner was examined at

the Home Office on Saturday, when the facts were proved as above stated. The prisoner was a person of the most gentlemanly appearance, nearly six feet two inches high, little more than 30 years of age, and dressed with peculiar elegance. His father, who is a gentleman of the highest respectability, and had served the office of sheriff of Cambridgeshire, in 1848, was present at the examination.

At the re-examination on the 5th of July, Sir James Clark, her Majesty's physician, described the injuries. Her Majesty had a severe bruise, accompanied by swelling, at the right angle of the forehead; the skin was slightly broken, and blood had flowed.

The prisoner was committed to take his trial for the misdemeanour of assaulting the Queen. (See July 11.)

28. EPSOM RACES.-The first day's racing presented no feature worthy of remark. The Craven stakes were won by Collingwood; the Woodcote stakes by Mr. Clarke's Marlborough Buck.

On the Derby Day, Wednesday, the glorious weather, and the unusual interest of the probable sport, conspired to draw from London the largest concourse, though not the most aristocratic one ever witnessed on Epsom Downs.

The great event, "The Derby," was won easily by Lord Zetland's Voltigeur. Twenty-four horses started.

On Friday "The Oaks" was won by Mr. Hobson's Rhedycina.

JUNE.

5. FATAL COLLIERY EXPLOSION AT LITTLE USWORTH.-The col

liery of Little Usworth, near Washington, was the scene of of one of those fearful casualties of which so many have been recorded in this work. Between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, when there were about 160 men and boys in the pit, the back shift men having just gone down to relieve their "marrows," an explosion of carburetted hydrogen gas took place in that part called the South Neuk Flat. It was occasioned by the coming off of a "blower," or bag of gas, from the Maudlin or Bensham Seam, which is a very fiery one, and that in which the fatal explosions at Wallsend and Jarrow occurred. Two men, working out the whole coal in a cross cut, fired a "shot" by which the gas was dislodged. Eleven men and two boys were killed, four of them by the explosion itself, and the rest by the after-damp. Five more were seriously injured, and are not expected to recover. There were likewise four ponies killed.

7. SUICIDE ON THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.-As the two P.M. up-train from Southampton was approaching the Wimbledon crossgates a man was perceived by one of the guards to emerge from behind a tree, and, having run upon the line, he stood in front of the train, evidently for the purpose of committing suicide. The moment the engine-driver noticed the unfortunate person he sounded the whistle and shut off the steam, and at the same time the guards applied the breaks most vigor ously, and did all that was possible to stop the train in time to save the life of the man, but without effect; before it could be brought to a stand-still it dashed against the poor fellow, breaking in his skull, and throwing him across the rails,

when the wheels of the numerous, carriages and trucks passed over his legs and body, mangling them in a most awful manner. The engine was immediately backed, and the mangled remains were gathered up, which being done, the clothing of the deceased was searched. In his pockets a number of printed bills were found, which showed the unfortunate to be of the name of Kemp, a commercial traveller.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE HAMPSTEAD PONDS. A melancholy accident occurred in one of the ponds situated in the vicinity of the Lower Heath, Hampstead, which resulted in the death of Mr. Sibley, schoolmaster at Highgate, and the son of Mr. Barnes, aged 13, of Brecknock Villa, Camden Town. Mr. Sibley had left Highgate with his pupils for the purpose of walking to Hampstead, as was his usual custom on the Saturday afternoon, and, while in the vicinity of the pond, he was alarmed by the cries of a youth who was bathing, and without removing his coat or hat plunged into the pond, which is of considerable depth, to rescue the unfortunate youth. In the attempt to save the sinking lad, he became so faint (although a very good swimmer) that he also sank, and both perished.

8. SHAKSPEARE'S "TEMPEST" AS AN OPERA.-Although the excellence of the musical version of Othello has familiarised the English mind to the translation of the English Bard to the opera stage, yet that opera, beautiful as it is, is rather a lyrical tragedy adopting Shakspeare's story of the Moor, than a transfusion of the mind and action of the poet into the lyrical form. Nor does the prejudiced mind of Englishmen

MANKORT & WHT ventret u tamner W the voleret scenes but X. Sin the most austr Üre mats. The most stitu and exPAZIONAL BOWMAT the wich has eter SPOL. DI Text To Humse BUC & THAT BUDOWOC VILI & KOOL THrceptor of Creme beauces, GEMOVE THE DEDIALDIS CASE.

In the construction of the Limete të ~ La Tempesa" Serie has shown the s judgment, and inventive power which have ganed for a tundred triumpas in the bell of the musical drama He says, in a prefatory letter, that be - has respected the inspirations of the immortal author, and that all the musical situations he has created are suggestions taken from Shakspeare's ideas." And this is on the whole true; for, although he has invented incidents and situations calculated for the exigencies of the opera stage, there is no incongruity between them and the original matter. The

novelties are the in

witch Sycorax as r; and the in

The music of Halevy is equal to the beautiful tale: without any very striking sirs, it is remarkable for the richness, freedom, and variety of the choral and concerted posces-the score is free and unembarrassed amidst the utmost complication of harmony. The several parts were beautifully sustained; that of Miranda by Me. Sontag. But the striking and original character of the piece was the Caliban of Lablache-the great basso dressed, acted, and sung the part in a most striking manner. The "delicate Ariel" was performed by Carlotta Grisi with elegant and expressive pantomime.

11. ASCOT RACES.-The principal events of this favourite meeting were as follows:-the Queen's Gold Vase was won by Mr. Bas

tard's Mildew ; the Coronation Stakes by the Earl of Oxford's Exotic; the " great event," the Emperor of Russia's Plate, by Lord Eglinton's Flying Dutchman, who defeated his chief opponent, Lord Stanley's Canezou, with great ease. 13. DESPERATE BURGLAR.-At the Central Criminal Court George Hacket, 23, shoemaker, was indicted for feloniously cutting and wounding John Storey, a policeconstable, with intent to do him grievious bodily harm. The chief circumstance of remark in this case is the desperate character and skill of the criminal. In April he was apprehended for an outrageous assault on a policeman, and was remanded for enquiry as to his participation in a daring burglary. He was then brought from the House of Detention, and placed in one of the cells of the Marlborough Street police-court; the gaoler left the prisoner and four others safe in the cell, and locked the door, the lock being one of Chubb's patent, and also secured it by two bolts on the outside. About a quarter past 11 o'clock the gaoler went again to the cell, for the purpose of taking the prisoner before the magistrate for examination upon the charge of burglary, and at this time the door appeared in the same state as when he left it, but on opening it he found, to his astonishment, that the prisoner and another man were gone, and that three prisoners only remained. From this time nothing was seen of the prisoner until the Derby-day of Epsom Races, when Storey saw him in a chaise-cart going over Londonbridge, and proceeded to apprehend him. The prisoner jumped out, and attempted to make his escape, but the constable seized

him, and they both fell down, and while the officer was on the ground the prisoner struck him several violent blows on the head with a life-preserver, and then ran off, followed by the constable, calling "Stop thief!" The prisoner brandished the life-preserver as he ran along, and when any one attempted to arrest his progress he aimed desperate blows at them with this formidable instrument, and might possibly have made his escape, but at the corner of Miles Lane, a labouring man named Cheer courageously closed upon him, and succeeded in wrenching the life-preserver from his hand, and upon Storey and some other persons coming up, the prisoner was secured, not without a desperate struggle, during which Cheer received an injury from a kick by the prisoner which had prevented him ever since from following his ordinary occupation; Storey also sustained very severe injury, and he was still unable to go upon duty.

The jury found the prisoner Guilty.

The ruffian was sentenced to be transported for 15 years. While in Newgate, he prepared to make his escape, but his plan was discovered. At the Model Prison, he had cut through some of the bars of his cell, but the officers detected him, and means were taken to make doubly sure of the persevering prison-breaker. All was in vain. On Sunday evening, the 1st of Dec., Hacket went to the chapel with the other prisoners; he had managed to conceal about him the sheets and rope of his bed, the spring of the cell-door fashioned into a "jemmy," and a metal weight. As soon as he entered his compartment in the chapel, he seems to