CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Evening Post, Issue 1, 8 February 1865, Page 3

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

principal topic of interest in the Vdth Elizabeth papers is connected with the desire for emigration to New Zealand, which has been lately manifested by a portion of, the, laboring class o£ tliat place. We gather from local papers, and from tho correspondent of. the Graham's Town Journal,, that the movement, has been very greatly exaggerated, and that although about 260 applica-* tions for passages have been made, the applicants are not so valuable a portion of the community as has been represented. Tho Eastern Province Herald says 1-7 " Owing to tho many and conflicting rumors of war in tho Orango Free State, in addition to extracting from the Friend all matter bearing )tpon this important. question, we have made every possible inquiry from the principals of some of the mercantile houses here who have correspondents across the Orange River. The result of our information, so obtained, is, that the Windburg and Cronstadt burghers were ordered to assemble at the former place on the 24th instant, for the purpose of clearing the Wittebergen. While at Cronstadt, an express message arrived fqr President Brand, stating that one of the outposts had been attacked. This eventually turned out to be mere rumor, but the excitement consequent thereon throughout the Free State was intense. The accounts of the devastation by the locusts are in no way exaggerated, and should a war take place, great distress will be occasioned through scarcity of food. However, from ihe general tenor of correspondents' letters, strong hopes are yet entertained that a war maj be averted." A reliable correspondent of the same paper, writing from Fauresmith, states:—" There is a great talk about the threatened war here. The President has sent to all the < field cornets, demanding immediately a list of all tho effective men. His Honor is now at Cronstadt, making arrangements with the President of the Transvaal. The general impression is that there will be war, 1*

Captain Shield, of the barque SpringboV, tells a mysterious story. While out on the Atlantic he sighted a vessel, he says, which bore down upon him till within hailing distance. He asked several questions, to all of which he received the same answer, in good English, " Captain, I do not know what you say." He also heard frantic calls to him to v heave to," and, as there appeared to be confusion on board, he hove to, when the strange vessel put up all sail and made off. Captain Shield bore up in chase, but the fugitive outstripped him. As she distanced him he saw a woman upon the topgallantmost, wringing her hands and shouting, and evidently in great distress; but she was dragged down and driven aft by who appeared to be in charge of the ship.