been a fortified station, have produced numerous human bones, a medal of one of the Antonines, &c. A memoir has been drawn up on this subject, and communicated to the Society of Antiquaries of Normandy.

The Abbé Desroches has published a most valuable History of Mont St. Michel, and the ancient diocese of Avranche. It is in 2 vols 8vo. and is indispensable to the Norman antiquary.

GIRONDE.-M. Merimée, Inspector General of Historical Monuments, recommends the Palais Gallien at Bordeaux to the especial care of the authorities, and urges that it should be completely separated from the adjoining buildings.-He has also been to visit the Byzantine Church of St. Macaire, remarkable for its frescos and valuable architectural details, as well as the Church of Loupine, the walls of Cadillac, and the remains of the magnificent Chateau of the Dukes of Epernon.

The Fort du Ha, at Bordeaux, one of the oldest and most considerable of the municipal fortresses of France, has been lately demolished, in order to allow of a new Palais de Justice and prison being erected on its site. This fort had itself been constructed out of the remains of the wall, which, after the time of the Romans, had been erected round Bordeaux; and this wall again had been formed out of the wrecks of Roman tombs, temples, and houses, that lined the high road leading from the city or the streets. The consequence has been that a considerable quantity of fragments of altars, cippi, tombs, &c. have a second time come to light. In making a well in the Rue Devise St. Catharine, at Bordeaux, the workmen, at a little depth below the soil, came to some Roman statues, lying horizontally. These they cut through, left the portions not in their cutting sticking in the earth, and then walled them up, along with the rest of the well, where they will remain for future ages to exhume! A Roman column had formerly been found close to this spot.

ILLE ET VILAINE.-An ancient canoe has recently been found in a marsh near St. James, in this department. In form it resembles the Canadian canoe, and is formed out of a single piece of oak. It is about 15 feet long, by 3 feet wide, and at the time of its discovery contained two skeletons. It is in perfect preservation, and was so near the surface that one of its extremities protruded from the ground. The river Beuvron runs through the marsh in which it was lying.

LOIRE. The fine Chateau of St. Vincent de Boisset, near Roanne, has been sold by the Duke de Cadore for 700,000f. to the Abbé Lacordaire, who intends to convert it into a house of religious instruction. It is one of the grandest specimens of the early part of the last century and the pannels of the principal apartments are most exquisitely painted.

LOIRE INFERIEURE. — At La Mothe Saint Heraye some recent excavations in a tumulus have exposed to view a gallery and cave, formed by nine stones placed upright, which support an enormous slab, more than 24 feet long. The interior of the cave was filled with human skeletons and bones. The head of each skeleton touched the side of the cave, and by each were placed vases of baked earth that had contained provisions, intended for the defunct in the other world. Some nuts and acorns were found quite entire in these vases. Two axe-heads and two flint knives, with some other small cutting instruments, were found, as well as two necklaces, one of which was made of shells, the other of baked earth; several boar's tusks, the bone of a dog, and some fragments of an earthern plate, with rudely traced designs. Of the vases near the skeletons four were in good preservation, and one of these is supposed to be the cup of a Druid. The tumulus is about 200 feet in circumference, and 18 feet high.

MAINE ET LOIRE.-In one of the halls of the Bishop's palace at Angers, built by one of the Counts of Anjou, M. Schmidt, Inspector General of cathedrals and religious edifices, having ordered some plaster work to be removed from the walls, has discovered a fine series of circularheaded windows, the architraves resting on small shafts, and in the best style of the 11th century. The hall is about 70 feet by 20 feet, and should be visited by whoever passes through Angers. This district is one of the most remarkable in France, not only for the monuments it contains, but also for the enlightened taste and public spirit of the principal inhabitants, who have not only formed a very excellent museum of medieval antiquities at Angers, but have also done all in their power to prevent the degradation of the remains of the middle ages scattered over the surface of the country.

NORD. The ancient Church of Verlinghem has been entirely destroyed by fire.

SEINE INFERIEURE.-The Church of Bourdun, near Rouen, has, to use the energetic language of an antiquary of that city, just been given over to l'ignoble balai des badigonneurs."

The Prince de Joinville arrived on the 30th November at Cherbourg, with the remains of the Emperor Napoleon, which were disinterred at St. Helena on the 15th of October. It appears, by the reports of the French and English Commissioners, that they, on that day, arrived at the place called Napoleon's Valley, in St. Helena, where they found the tomb guarded by a detachment of the 91st regiment of English infantry. They commenced operations at midnight, and began by removing the iron railing which surrounded the tomb; they then removed three ranges of masonry, and came to a vault eleven feet deep, nearly filled with clay; a bed of Roman cement then presented itself, and underneath was another bed, ten feet deep, bound together with bands of iron. A covering of masonry was then discovered five feet deep, forming the covering of the sarcophagus. The external coffin was found perfect; and on opening the third by the doctor, the body of Bonaparte was exposed to view. His features were so little changed that his face was recognised by those who had known him when alive; and the uniform, the orders, and the hat, which had been buried with him, were very little changed. The coffin was then closed, and having been placed on a funeral car, the corners of the pall were held by Lieut. - General Count Bertrand, Lieut.-General Baron Gourgaud, Baron Las Cases, &c. Minute guns were fired during the procession. The Governor then delivered the body to the Prince, who had it conveyed on board the Belle Poule with royal honours, viz. the firing of salutes and maning the yards. On the following day a funeral service was performed, and the body was then lowered between decks. On the 18th of October the Belle Poule and her companion, the Favourite, set sail for France.

Bonaparte's remains were removed from Cherbourg to the church of the Invalides in Paris, on Tuesday Dec. 15. The funeral procession was splendid, the coffin being conveyed on a car, and the number of people assembled is stated to have been 500,000. The King and the royal family attended at the ceremony,

and 60,000 National Guards were in attendance. All passed off peaceably.

Christina, the Dowager Queen of Spain, has visited Louis-Philipe at Fontainebleau, where she received an affectionate welcome. Her aunt, the Queen of the French, presented her to the Duchess de Nemours and the Princess Clementine. She has now, we understand, left France for Italy.

SYRIA.

The celebrated sea-port of Palestine, St. Jean d'Acre, was taken by the allies, on the 3d of November. It appears that Col. Smith, who commands the forces in Syria, directed Omar Bey, with 2,000 Turks, to advance on Tyre, and occupy the passes to the northward of Acre; in the mean time Admiral Sir Robert Stopford sailed from Beyrout Roads, having on board 3000 Turks, and detachments of English artillery and sappers. The forces and fleet arrived off Acre at the same hour. At two o'clock p. m. a tremendous cannonade took place, which was maintained without intermission for some hours; the steamers lying outside throwing, with astonishing rapidity, their shells over the ships into the fortification. During the bombardment the arsenal and magazine blew up, annihilating upwards of 1,200 of the enemy, forming two entire regiments, who were drawn up on the ramparts. A sensation was felt on board the ships similar to that of an earthquake. Every living creature within the area of 60,000 square yards ceased to exist. At two o'clock on the following morning a boat arrived from Acre, to announce that the remainder of the garrison were leaving the place, and as soon as the sun rose, the British, Austrian, and Turkish flags were seen waving on the citadel. The town was found to be one mass of ruins-the batteries and houses riddled all over-the killed and wounded lying about in all directions. The defence of the place was entrusted to a Pole, who lost his arm, and is among the prisoners, which amount to more than 3,000 men. The slain are estimated at 2,500, and those who fled exceed 1,000; but the latter were hourly being brought in by the mountaineers, who dash on horseback

into the town by hundreds, seizing carbines and cartridges, then fly to the mountain passes, to intercept the fugitives. The loss of Lieut. Le Mesurier, of the Talbot, is much regretted. In this attack, 17 were killed and 36 wounded on board the fleet. The Turkish troops were landed to garrison Acre, where a vast quantity of stores and materiel were found: there is also a park of artillery of 200 guns in first rate order, and a large sum in specie. Col. Smith remarks, that the moral influence that will result from the surrender of this formidable fortress is incalculable to the cause in which the allies are engaged. The town contained near 20,000 inhabitants. Three days after the capture of the fortress a powder magazine unfortunately blew up, by which accident nearly three hundred persons, principally natives, were killed and wounded.

By accounts from Alexandria, dated Nov. 26, it appears that the Egyptian question is probably settled. Mehemet Ali has expressed his entire submission to the Sultan, and full assent to the demands of the British Admiral. The Turkish fleet is to be immediately restored to the Sultan, and the hereditary government of Egypt secured to Mehemet Ali. Syria is to be abandoned, and other arrangements are instantly to be entered into.

CHINA.

Highly interesting intelligence has been received from Admiral Elliot and Commodore Sir John Bremer, the officers commanding the expedition against China. The forts and junks at Amoy have been destroyed. The city and island of Chusan were captured on the 5th of July, by Brig. Gen. Burrell, after a very slight resistance. The latter was appointed

Governor, and steps were taken to render it permanently a British possession. Chusan is on the Chinese coast, and its capital, a walled city six miles in circumference, is named Ting-hae-heen. The great advantage of taking this place is, that it enables the Admiral to stop the enormous trade which is carried on by the rivers and ports, which he has placed under blockade. The mandarins along the coast showed no decided hostility to the English, yet none of them could be prevailed upon to carry Lord Palmerston's letter to the Emperor, as they declared the certain penalty would be instant death. Three magazines, containing gunpowder, shot, matchlocks, swords, bows and arrows, steel helmets, uniform, clothing, &c. have been taken at Chusan. The cannon are all small, ranging from two to nine pounders. The Chinese had about 25 men killed, and their admiral is also said to be wounded. The English troops escaped without any loss.

EAST INDIES.

Accounts have been received from India, which state that Dost Mahomed had been defeated on the 18th of September, on the northern frontier, by a small force under Brigadier Dennie; and the inhabitants of Affghanistan have, therefore, not risen up in arms against us, as they would have done had the scales of victory been inclined the other way. The enemy were 10,000 strong, and left 500 men dead on the field, together with all their baggage, &c. Dost Mahomed fled, seriously wounded. Sinde was tranquil ; and Capt. Brown had evacuated the fort of Kahun by treaty with the Murrees. It appears that the Asiatic scourge, the cho lera, had re-appeared at Candy.

The Queen, having recovered from her accouchement, is gone with her Royal Consort to Windsor Castle. Mrs. Kempthorne, the widow of the late Rector of St. Michael's, Gloucester, has been appointed, by her Majesty's direction, Superintendent of the Royal Nursery. Regimental Schoolmistresses. Her Majesty has signed a warrant for the appointment of a schoolmistress to every regiment of cavalry, and every regiment, battalion, or depôt of infantry. Her du ties will be, to instruct the female children of soldiers in reading, writing, arithmetic, and plain needle-work. For this she is to receive a salary of 207. a-year, or where a regiment of infantry is on detached ser

vice, or in depôt, at the rate of 31. a company. Wherever it is possible, it is intended that this situation shall be held by the wife of a non-commissioned officer of the regiment to which she is appointed.

Workmen have been employed in effecting a great improvement to the entrance of the court-yard of St. James's Palace. The awkward building which has for many years projected from the wall of the residence of the King of Hanover into Cleveland row, generally known as the "suttling house" for the military on duty in the Palace, is now razed to the ground, which will afford a much better entrance to the Park through the Palace-yard. Another great improve

ment has been made by erecting a new frontage to the house of the Dowager Marchioness of Westmeath, which overlooks the Colour-yard: the whole of that side of the quadrangle has been re-erected, and is now in keeping with other parts of the building.

The Royal Exchange.-The workmen engaged in removing the foundation of this building have found it necessary to have recourse to explosions by gunpowder. Several portions of figures, supposed to have belonged to the original statues which were damaged when the Royal Exchange was first burnt, have been discovered in the old foundation, where they appear to have been used along with the other materials. The gilt surface representing armour has prevented the adhesion of the mortar, and the remnants of the specimens are comparatively perfect. They will be added to the newly-formed collection of antiquities at Guildhall. Application is intended to be made for an act of Parliament in order to remove the remainder of the church of St. Bene't Finck for the contemplated improve

ments.

A bill is prepared for the sanction of parliament to construct a new street or way from the west end of Newgate-street and the Old Bailey to the end of Fetterlane, whereby the dangerous declivities of the present lines by Holborn and Snowhills are avoided. It is to be called Victoria-street, and will, at its beginning, intersect Green Arbour-court, Braziers'-build. ings, and Castle-street, on the eastern side of Farringdon-street, and will be connected to the western side by a bold and splendid viaduct of one arch of considerable architectural beauty. The line will then continue westward, crossing Shoe-lane, Thavies-inn, and Bartlett'sbuildings, where it will make a curve to the northward, and occasion the removal of some houses at the end of Fetter-lane, to bring it upon a level with the top of Holborn-hill.

Whitby Abbey.The several parts of this interesting ruin have lately been repaired; of which it may be said that time has brought it precisely to what it should remain; and that, a single feature further allowed to perish, the effect now so pic. turesque would be marred or destroyed. In 1830, when the tower fell, the regret was general; but it is new acknowledged, that, from the loss of that low square mass in the centre, a finer composition in the view is obtained, particularly from the south, the transept on the north or further side, previously hidden by the tower, being now open from the interior, so that with its tall lights and pinnacles it is traceable

in the distance from the foundations, with the arcades and stories of the choir.

NEW CHURCHES.

A

The church which has been erected at Bickleigh, co. Devon, through the munificence of Sir R. Lopes, Bart., is in the Gothic style, composed of a nave and two aisles, with a chancel extending eastward, and a vestry leading from the same at the end of the south aisle. The whole breadth is divided by two rows of columns and arches of granite; the principals of the roof, which spring from stone corbels, and all other timbers of the roof, remain the natural colour of the wood, as frequently seen in our old Churches. The sittings are made of solid oak; those in the nave being in the old style of open seats, with handsomely carved ends; while those in the aisles are in close pews. There are no galleries, but rising seats for the choir are placed at the west end. noble arch, of considerable height, lays open the extreme length from the altar window, which is of stained glass, from a design by Mr. Fowler, and executed in London; right and left, at the head of the window, are the arms of Sir Ralph Lopes and those of the See; in the centre the Royal arms richly emblazoned; the under compartments are formed into gothic foliage and tracery; and at the base there is an inscription on a band, bearing the date of the restoration of the Church, and the name of Sir Ralph Lopes, as the donor. The altar-piece, altar-table, and the pulpit and stairs to the same, are all of stone, beautifully carved, and otherwise enriched; these were executed by Mr. Samuel Knight, of Exeter, whose kill has been previously shown at Honiton new church, and other ecclesiastical edifices. The builders were Messrs. Marshall and Nicholas, of Plymouth.

Oct. 15, was opened for public worship the new Church at Ponthewyndd, a hamlet in the parish of Pontypool, the scene of the Chartist outbreak of last year. This is the 64th church or chapel which owes its rise to the fostering encouragement of the Church Pastoral Aid Society.

Oct. 22. A new Church at Iping, Sussex, was consecrated by the Bishop of Chichester. It has been erected in the Gothic style, by Mercer, of Midhurst.

Oct. 27. The Bishop of Rochester consecrated the church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, at Sunning-hill Dale, in the parish of Old Windsor; the first stone of which was laid by her late Royal Highness the Princess Augusta in Sept. 1839. The architectural style is strictly

Lombardic; and it is the first erected in this style in England. The whole expense of the building (about 13007.) and the sum for its endowment (19007.) have been raised by voluntary contributions. It contains nearly 400 sittings, about half of which are free. The patronage is in the diocesan, the Bishop of Oxford. James Stewart, esq. of Sunning-hill Dale, most liberally subscribed 500 guineas towards the expenses of the building, besides presenting the communion plate, and giving 107. annually towards the endowment. The Commissioners of Woods and Forests gave 2007., the Queen 1007., his late Majesty 1007., and the Queen Dowager 301. The parish of Old Windsor (containing a scattered, but numerous population) is 10 miles in length. The new Church is upwards of six miles from the old parish church, and will be useful to portions of the parishes of Chobham, Egham, and Windlesham.

On the same day, the consecration took place of St. Matthew's, the first of the ten new churches proposed to be erected within the limits of the borough of Birmingham. It is a very plain but elegant structure, and was designed by Mr. Thomas, of Leamington, who liberally presented the committee with a window of stained glass. The church contains upwards of 1000 sittings, including about 400 free seats.

The new Church at Derry-hill, near Calne, was consecrated on the same day by the Lord Bishop of Salisbury. The Marquess of Lansdowne and other landowners have contributed very liberally to the undertaking, assisted by grants from the Church Building Society, and the

Diocesan Church Building Association. At the close of the ceremony, a liberal collection was made towards building a residence for the Minister.

Oct. 28. The Church of the Holy Trinity, at Stratford-upon-Avon, was reopened for Divine Service, after its recent renovation under the superintendent of Mr. Egginton, Architect, of Worcester, who had previously exercised his taste in the improvements of the chancel, where the ashes of Shakspere repose. The church has been entirely re-pewed with oak, carved in the Gothic style, the fronts of the two galleries, each extending the whole length of the body of the church, presenting, in open Gothic carved-work, an exceedingly light and beautiful appearance. The pulpit and reading-desk, placed side by side, near the venerable arch that opens into the chancel, are finished like stonework of pure white. One of the great improvements is the increase of sittings, the number of additional seats being 550, affording, altogether, accommodation for 1,340.

Nov. 18. A new Chapel at Holywell, in the parish of Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, was consecrated by the Bishop of the Diocese, and a collection was made of 5301. 68. 114d. as the commencement of a fund for endowment. The Chapel has been erected under the auspices of Mr. Watson, and Mr. Kempthorne was the architect. The whole height of the building is 70 feet, including the bell tower; the breadth 30 feet inside, the length 67 feet, including the chancel; and the roof is of massive oak in the ancient style.

Dec. 9. Master Herbert Lowther Wilson to be Page of Honour to her Majesty.

Dec. 11. Colonel William Wylde, R.A. to be C.B.

Dec. 14. John Hamilton, Earl of Stair, to be Keeper of the Seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be made use of in place of the Great Seal of Scotland.

Dec. 15. 7th Light Dragoons, Capt. T. E. Campbell to be Major.-35th Foot, Major B. F. D. Wilson to be Lieut.-Colonel; Capt. John Gordon to be Major.-36th Foot, Capt.C. Ashmore to be Major.-Brevet Capt. C. Jones, 5th Foot, and Capt. P. Browne, 25th Foot, to be Majors in the army; brevet Lt.-Colonels J. N. Colquhoun, R. A. & R. C. Alderson, R. E. to have the local rank of Lieut.-Colonel on a particular service.-To have the local and temporary rank of Major, on a particular service. G. F. Herman, esq., W. L. Freestun, esq.George Grey, esq. to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of South Australia, and Resident Commissioner of Public Lands.

Dec. 16. Robert Power, esq. to be Surveyor General in the Island of Van Diemen's Land;