SUMMARY OF LEADING EVENTS OF THE MONTH.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 370, 17 March 1871, Page 2

SUMMARY OF LEADING EVENTS OF THE MONTH.

[" KEW3 OF THE WORLD," FEB. 16.] The news of the capitulation of Paris, which has doubtless reached the colonies ere this, was finally confirmed on the 27tli ulfc., and the present issue will be found to contain a full and complete account of the events preceeding and following it. The Germans.have occupied the whole of the outer forts of Paris and an armistice which will undoubtedly be extended, was at any rate to last until the 19th inst. The elections for th"c: National Assembly of France, now proceeding, haye demonstrated that while the cities are'mo^e or less in sentiment, the departments or provinces still adhere either to an Imperial form of Q-OTemment, or would .support the Orleans Princes. The chances for the establishment of a Republic > France ai-e very slight, and it ni'iy well be doubted whether the French people understand, or are ready for a form of popular G-ovevnment. Mail communication has been established with Paris, and large quantities of provisions have been sent in to its famished people, the liberal contributions of London largely swelling the amount. Vessels have been already despatched'from the United States laden with food' for,unfortunate France, and every large city inthe country is contributing its quota of niOTiey and provisions. A large sum has "bero. already raised for this purpose in San 'Irancisco. The Germans will enter Paris on the 19th inst. (three days after the sailing of the mail steamer for the present month.) A mass meeting at Bordeaux has called for a prosecution of the war to the biiter end, and other French cities, noticeably those which have not tasted much of the horrors of the conflict, are said to be favorable to its prosecution. But it is generally believed and hoped that toe war is over. - Although England is preparing actively tor the possibilities of war, she has conceaea something to Russia, wisely refusing longer to, fight " for an 'idea," and it is now believe? that there is no danger of any new conipuc^ tion. The full text of the Queen's speech™ opening Parliament will be found in anotner column. A mixed English and American Commission is about to assemble at Wasuingj ton for the consideration of the Canadian fishery troubles and the Alabama claims -iWJ it settle those vexed questions for eTer<Y us hope that the year which °Pen?jLi fl blackly, may. yet be .mainly notl£Q in after years as an era of a6sr peace, and that the dream of the Anglo-a*" confederation, which has been ajehensbea»j» with mauy wise and good men, and hf) may remark, was so well expounded oy » Hon. Mr. Vogel in his recent address oeiu our Chamber of Commerce, may beoonw. The detention in our port on t}^\ oeT^ of the mail steamer for New Zeal^X Australia for one day later was awae* W burning of the mail which left NeW J'S*^. the 7th iust., by the Hudson River it*"* A full account of that terrible disaster «" found in our Atlantic summary of teieg^

niiittfli'. The mail contained advices for Australia, and the detention was made to give some chance of replacing the letters by teleuraphio despatches via San Francisco. The admirable address of the Hon. Julius Togel beforo the Chamber of Commerce of gan Francisco will be found in another column. It is fully understood that Mr. | Voxel's contract with Mr. Webb has been ! definitely arranged, although no particulars have been published. We hoped in this issue to have been able to record the passage of the Australian subsidy bill in Congress, which however has been delayed. The prospect of sucl. passage is believed to be undoubted, although unfortunately for our const, the matter lias been mixed up and entangled with a number of less worthy subsidy bills, some of which are believed to be, to use plain language —unmitigated swindles. It is hardly possible, however, to doubt that the general good sense of Congress will distinguish between such attempts at robbing the National Treasury, and a scheme like our own of vital importance to our sido of the world, and destined to open up a most important route of travel, by the establishment of a genuine American steamship line. The liberal example of New Zealand will also undoubtedly wak« up up senators and members to the immediate necessity for such action.