THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1754, 19 March 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1874.

TjtfE English and European news brought by the Otago, which arrived at the Bluff yesterday morning, is, in many of its details, of more than ordinary interest. The most prominent item' is that the Ashantee war is virtually concluded, aud it is to be hoped that the taxpayers of England are once more liberated from the payment of the cost of one of England's "little wars." Our last telegrams informed us that General Wolseley, and the forces under his command, had, after a hard fight .of five days' duration, captured and burned Coomassie, the capital of the King who was in arms against us ; and the news brought by the present mail not only corroborates that, but also that the King of Ashantee had bten captured, and was held a prisoner by General Wolseley, while the British army, regular and auxiliary, was rapidly marching towards ■the Coast. It was necessary that the operations connected with the campaign ; should either have been concluded or postponed for a long period, owing to the setting in of the wet season, and this may also account not only for the activity with which these operations were performed, but also for the rapidity of the retreafyif such it may be called, after the burning ••f the ; capital : of the King of Ashantee. The. brief, outlines we have received by telegraph lead us to hope that a salutary lesson has been tauaht by the results^of this, the latest of England's "little wars," to many tribes on the West Coast of Africa who have of late shown a strong inclination to interfere with the commerce of England. One item in connection with the termination of this war which is sure to be specially noticed by a mining community, is the>fact that the first instalment of the; indemnity imposed by General Wolseley was paid by the . King of Ashantee in 1000 ounces of gold.

With regard to Home politics, Parliament was to be formally opened r>n the members of the new ponservatiye Ministry would have to go to ; their constituents to be re-elected. In consequence, no speech from the Throne would be made Until the re-assembling, about the 19th. March! 'A question of considerable importance to the country at large awaits decision. _Who is to be the Leader of the Liberal Pfarty in the) House of Commons, seeing that Mr Gladstone has declined any longer to occupy that honorable position 1 Tjhere are very few other domestic incidents to note. The Duke and' Duchess of Edinburgh arrived at Grayesend fromj St.. Petersburg- on the 7th, and were warmly, received by the people. Marriages in] fctie' Royal Family are now coming fasti for scarcely has the Dulse of Edinburgh landed his bride in England than is said that the cousin of the Prince of Hesse aspires to the hand of the Prinjcess Beatrice, and that a marriage is probable. From Russia to Hesse ! Verily the inters marriage political complications of I the English nation are becoming something alarming. j