THE STRANDING OF THE TYNE STEAMER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 467, 25 April 1857, Page 4

THE STRANDING OF THE TYNE STEAMER.

The hopes of saving the vessel appear doubtful. A'considerable portion of the luggage and a small part'of the cargo have been rescued. \There are two feet,of water in the saloon.- '[ he boilers Have moyed about sikjiiches forward, and the steam' pipes are burst. A cqastguardsman was drowned on Tuesday night, whilsfgoiiig off to the ship. ■ : '- ' '

The ship was only going half speed when she struck. Her valu^e was The company does not insure, but have a reserved fund to meet losses. ■.■•'.' ■■■■■ „. : ... ■-..■;.■.- :•.•

In general home news the progress of opposition to the Income-.taxstandsout prominently. Amongst the latest meetings <>n the subject was one at Drpitwich, on Tuesday afternoon, at which Sir John

Pakington was the principal Speaker. After all that has been spoken and written oh this subject with n the last two months, it is not to be expected that anything vjery new or very striking can be put forward. Sir John based his opposition on the argument that, to continue the wai tax for two years after the restoration of peace, would be contrary to the spirit of the law by, which it was granted. He made some general remarks on the inequalities aud oppressive character of the Income-' tax; and, then, referring to the circumstances under which Parliament would shortly reassemble, he said that, while the war with Russia was happily at an end, they had become involved in fresh hostilities with two different parts of the world.

The subject of our little embroilments in the East thus afforded Sir John an opportunity of flying off at a tangent from the immediate subject in hand. Referring to the war lately broken out -irj Persia, and to the collision with the Chinese nation, he said it would be the duty of Parliament to demand explanations from the Government. He expressed grave doubts as to the policy which had led to the war with Persia, and-to the justice of the British attack on the Chinese.

Mr. S. Gregson, M. P., who is chairman of the East India and China Association, has written, on the part of the society, to the Earl of Clarendon.The writer says they are interested in the trade and maintenance o,f peace with China, and that they hope free ingress and egress into and out of Canton will now be secured for English traders. He sug-, gests a new treaty and a great many concessions from the Chinese, for the purpose of giving England a firm commercial and political footing in the Celestial empire. Mr. Gregson observes, in conclusion, that our trade with China has become one of the greatest national importance. The import of tea at the time of the treaty was, in 1842, 42,000,000 lbs, and has been, in 1856,87,000,000 lbs, Qf silk, in 1842 (yearly average), 3,000 bales; 1856, 56,000 bales. Lord Clarendon has promised attention to these suggestions, and undertakes, to. receive with satisfaction, from the East India and China Association, any suggestions or advice with respect to the new treaty which it is desirable tv negotiate with China.

On the other subject alluded to by Sir John Pakington—the difficulties with Persia—our information is not so definite as in respect of China. Accounts from Teheran to the 27th November state that the Persian corps d'armee sent into the the province qf Ferah had occupied the fortresses of Gourian,.Lach, aqd Djoulne, situated in Serdjestan, and Ferah. The army of the Shah' had established itself without difficulty on these points, as uo, fighting took place except a trifling affair between the Persian cayalry.'and that of Dost Mohammed, the former remaining niastersi'bf the field. The Affghans seemed discouraged, and a great number of the tribes which had been long hostile to Persia were every day making their submission. Dost Mohammed had lost muoh qf his prestige, in consequence of the report everywhere spread, that Herat would be re-taken in a few days, by the allied troops coming from India, but which promise has not been realised. In confovmationof the news published yesterday, that thr declaration of war by England was not known at Teheian, a letter in the Mojiiteur de VArmke, from the Persian capital, says: ' The Shah so little considered the situation in which he stood towards England as a declared state of war, that he had given the most formal orders that the relations with the English subjects established in his states should be maintained as previously.' ' . '

Ferouk Khan, the Persian Envoy to the Court of the Tuileries, has arrived in France. •■.■< As a diplomatic mission,! writes the Paris correspondent of the Globe, ' the visit of Ferouk Khan will carefnlly, avoid allowing itself to be drawn into the complicates w^ich "threaten to arise in Persia. It will' undoubte.dly lend its good offices to effect a reconcilatio'n Between the Court of Teheran and the East India Company ; hut it is improbable that the Persian Eriyov is in the possession of sufßcient powers to enable him to offer the only conditions''1 that can now be accepted by the British authorities^ In a social point of view, the arrival of the Persian' mission will prove, invaluable, for at this moment the want of a novelty is distressingly felt. The. Burmese Envoys, the last lions, have left, and the ( field is now vacant for. the new arrivals, who could not have selected a more favourable period for their mission.' . ' ' ■' '

Tbe purification of the Church of St. Etienne tlu Mont,the scene of tbe assassination of the Archbishop of Paris, took place on Monday morningl. Verger, the assassin, has announced his intention of conducting his own defence. •' From the nature of the writings found in his possession," says the writer in the 'Globe,' " it is anticipated that a terrible denunciation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception will proceed from his lips, and that so far from attempting, to, deny his guilt, he will exult in'its consummation. Verger is represented as a distin4 ■guislied-looking man, possessed of ungovernable passioiiSf His boldness admits of no contradiction, and it'k; therefore, not improbable that, on histr^al,

lie -will' seek, by an1 assumed violence of conviction, to lay claim to a species of martyrdom." The correspondent of the .' Daily News' at Rome states that the telegraphic anuouncemeiitof the Paiis tragedy deeply affected his Holiness, and spread consternation in the Papal Court. ■ - ,-. Italy is again showing signs of life. At the first sitting of the Chamber of Deputies, at Turin, Mr. Broffero, the Radical leader, announced his intention of addressing a question to the President of the Council touching the state of Italy. Count Cavour declared himself willing to answer it, provided the honourable member would wait until after the presentation of the Budget-of 1858, which was agreed to. This will take from the motion the aspect of a want of confidence in the minister^. On the Neufchatel affair we have but little to add to the intelligence already before the public. The •Times' correspondent, however, points out some errors in these accounts, and gives the following as the real state of the question at the present moment: (i -fhe Federal Council agree to the liberation of tie prisoners, not on the demand of the King of Prussia, but in the exercise Of the sovereignty of the Confederation. The' French Government previously engages to use all its influence with the King of Prussia for the renunciation of the claims or rights as specified in the treaty of Vienna, and the protocol of 1852; and for the entire independence of Neufchatel. The words ' the exercise of its sovereignty ' and 'entire independence' were required by the Federal Council to be' inserted on agreeing to the liberation of the prisoners. In the exercise of that'sovereignty,' riot merely the prisoners but all who were inculpated M the charge of insurrection, or who were to be tried by default, shall he previously removed from the Swiss territory, and kept so removed until the affair shall be comDletely and definitively settled. The fact of such, removal is, in itself, the proof of the independence of the Confederation. If it had no right to try the prisoners, it could have no right to banish them for however short a time. There is no doubt whatever,. I believe, of the King of Prussia adhering to these terms."

The f Advertiser 'mentions an impression iri wellinformed circles that her Majesty will not open Parliament in person. I The ' Advertiser 'can stats with confidence that the Chancellor of the Exchequer,, yielding to the pressure not only from without, but from his col-' leagues, has assented to the principle—that a reduction of the income-tax will be a leading feature of the budget for the year commencing April next.