ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 641, 29 December 1858, Page 5

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL.

ENGIiISH NEWS TO OCTOBER 20. , The Lord Ashley, lias brought down the English October mail, which arrived in Melbourne on the llfh instant in the European, and was forwarded thence to Wellington by the Boomerang on the 16th. It arrived in our port on Sunday morning, the hulk of the mail, dating from October 12, being 74," and the Marseilles portion 70 days old"; while by telegraph to Malta we have news as late as the 20th, only 60 clays old. It will be seen that there is little positive intelligence of interest from England; the maintenance of an;improved condition in commercial and monetary matters, the anticipated further rise in wool, and not least the acceptance of the Australian Mnil Service by the Peninsular and Oriental Compnny are the most satisfactory pieces of general information; while the doubtful existence of the Atlantic Telegraph is perhaps the only disagreeable topic. We fulce the following summary of news from Europe, India, and China, from the Melbourne ' Argus,'.of Dec. 13th:— ENGLAND AND THE CONTINENT. We have received from our Malta Correspondent the following telegram from London, despatched on the 20th October. " London, 20th, 7.53 p.m. " Alpacas will shortly be shipped. " The Mayor of Melbourne was entertained at Birmingham yesterday. " Portuguese difficulty unsolved. " New- York Crystal Palace destroyed by fire. "Money market and securities unchanged." Our correspondent adds : —" I have nothing of interest to communicate to you from this, beyond the removal of quarantine on arrivals from Alexandria with clean bills of health. This was decided upon by our Board of Health on the 18th inst." (FBOM. OUS OWN CORRESPONDENT.) London, October 16, 1858. There is a proverbial saying, -which, although its scientific accuracy has been disputed by natural philosophers, has given patience, courage, and consolation to many, a cloud-environed mind~'* It'is. always' darkest before ' dawn." This popular aphorism is singularly applicable to the present gloomy condition of tbe Australian postal service. Never before has there been a month' so darkened by tidings of irregularities, disasters, and hopeless confusions as this present one. Here is the 16th of the month, im& the Marseilles correspondence is only just distributed ; while by a telegram received on the 10th; we learn that the May and June mails from England only reached Melbourne on the Ist and" 13th of August respectively. Other mysterious intimations, too, have reached us of the grounding of steamers, the transshipment of mails, and advertising for a vessel to complete the interrupted voyage. Things could not possibly be much worse; and deep is tbe indignation which is gathering against these flagrant and ruinous irregularities, which have no parallel in any other part of the world. Well, this is the darkness which immediately harbingers the dawn. Now for tho streaks of a brighter era. I informed you last month that tenders were about-to be invited by Government for the conveyance of the mails via Suez. This has been done. It is universally reported that only two companies, the Peninsular and Oriental and the' Royal Mail, sought the contract. The tender of the former company being by far the lowest, has been accepted. There are some modifications in tbe route. The vessels are to call at Mauritius instead of Point de Galle, and'to touch at Kangaroo Island to transship the Adelaide mail, both outward and homeward.' But owing to the interest of the subject to all .your readers, I subjoin the follo\vin_r details from the * Daily News' :— "The passage between Southampton and Sydney is to'be performed in fifty-five days, whilst the time allowed for the route via Marseilles, is fifty day's. The amount of tbe subsidy has not transpired, but we have reason to believe that it is about the same as that agreed upon with the European and Australian Royal Mail Company, tbe affairs of which_ are now being wound vp —viz., about £185,000 per annum. The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, ifc will be remembered, are under engagement to carry on tho existing monthly servjeo until February next. The now monthly service by tho Peninsular and Oriental Company will commence on the 12th March-from Southampton, an that tho first outward mail will bo due nt Melhrmvne on tho 6th of May. The first bo'newitrd mail under tho new contract will lo.ive Sydney on the.' 15Mi of February, and will be due at Suez on the 28th March. The Peni'wnlar amhOriontal Company are at present in the habit of de-sp-itching an ' extra' mail for Bimbay on the llth of each month—-a service wJ»>«h is not required by tho terms of their Indian contract. As soon as their Australian nontraet commences they propose to send both a Bombay and ati Australian, mail on the l£tt\ ol each month from Southampton (the mail via Marseilles being made up iii London on tho evening of the 16th), so that existing iirraiujemonts will not bo unnecessarily unsettled. llio vessel with each outward mail will land it at Melbourne and then go on to Sydney, staying

at the latter' port seven days. When she touches again at Melbourne 13 days will have elapsed since the delivery of the outward mail. A decided improvement upon the existing service ib involved in the arrangement thai the Peninsular and Oriental Company's vessels shall touch at Kangaroo Island, to land and receive the Adelaide mails. On the. passage between Australia and Su eZ the steamers will call at the Mauritius, instead of Point de Galle, with a view to avoid the monsoons. It is calculated that the distance,by this route will not be more than TOO miles longer than that via- Ceylon. Ihe Salsette, of 1,900 tons and 400 horse-power, will leave Southampton for Australia on the Ist November, via the. Cape, to inaugurate the homeward service. She will be followed by the Malta, Northam, Benares, and two other firstclass- steamers, about the same tonnage as the Salsette, so that there will soon be six steamers permanently on the line between Australia and Suez. It is, understood that the Peninsular and Oriental Company's rates for carrying gold will not be below those at present charged by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company ; but should the. promise of increased regularity in tbe service; be realised, it is anticipated that large quantities of gold will take the Suez route, the saving in.the shape of interest being a point of importance."

It has further been officially announced that the Imperial Government will call for tenders for a.monthly service between Great Britain and Australia, via Panama, as soon as the preliminaries . of' the--present route have been adjusted.

Mr ; E.Wilson, in a letter to the • Times,' complains, by anticipation, of the new arrange nient. He contends that the period allowed for tlie voyage is too long, and fears that " the communication by Suez is deliberately kept slow that it may not out-run its Panama competitor." By. a careful calculation which he has made, and of which he has challenged the most searching criticism, it is computed that 48 days_would allow ample space and verge for the service to and from Melbourne.

The autdrnn season commences with us under very favorable circumstances. With the lon"---continued fine weather a most abundant harvest has been gathered in the best condition. A general revival of business, and the accumulation of bullion, has given a decided stimulus to the money-market. During the present mouth consols have risen 2 per cent., securities of all kinds arc-in rather active demand, and so great is the plethora of unemploj-ed capital that, although for the present the Bank directors have refrained from reducing the minimum rate of interest, so as to approximate it to the low terms accepted out of doors, yeb it is pro-, bable such a step cannot be much longer postponed. At present there are no signs of a revival of unwholesome speculation. There is a general disposition to invest the surplus capital of the country in scheaies of colonial and local improvement.

The biddings for popularity and power in connection with the expected measure of Parliamentary reform are commencing; and signs of preparation for a strenuous contest on the Church-rate question in the ensuing session are thickening daily. Beyond these premonitory heralds of the coming, campaign, however, nothing of interest is transpiring.in the political world. Tlie only-exception to this remark, perhaps, is the publication by the Government of Lord Canning's defence of the Gude proclamation. This document has revived for a season the remembrance of the Parliamentary faction fight of the last session, and has served to exalt the Governor-General still morg highly in the estimation of his political friends and the public at large. Further letters.received from the officers engaged in Lady Franklin's Expedit'on convey the gratifying intelligence that they have crossed in safety the middle ice of Baffin Sea, and that they were in a fair way of successfully accomplishing the noble object of the enterprise. There is a talk of establishing a sanitarium for invalid European troops from India in the neighbourhood of St. George's Sound, on account of the salubrity of the climate. Several' Canadians of distinction are now in this country,.- conferring with.the Imperial Government respecting tm? federation of the whole of the British North American provinces, and the completion of the unfinished links of railway between Halifax and Quebec. Lord Bury, too, has just started from Gal way across the Atlantic oh the same mission. Tbe Atlantic telegraph still remains, dumb. The hope entertained from the intelligence lately received from the United States has proved illusory. A baronetcy has been conferred on Sir James Outram and his heirs, and the freedom of the City of .London, with a magnificent sword, have simultaneously been bestowed on that Indian hero and Lord Clyde. A Greek merchant and two Frenchmen have been apprehended at Birmingham, charged with manufacturing a large quantity of Turkish coin, with intent of defrauding the Ottoman Exchequer. The disclosures made during the protracted examinations are exciting a great, deal of interest. Another party, too, have been captured, implicated in the fabrication of copperplates for the purpose of forging 10-rouble notes of the Bank of Russia. _ Tho British Association having concluded their labours at Leeds, the National Assoc.alion for the discussion of social topics have begun their voluminous talk at Liverpool, led off by Lords Russell and Btongbam. No fewer'than 140 papers have boon read in three or four days, to the distraction of nearly all tho reporters of tho country and the staggering of newspapor readers. _ There has been another awful colbory accident

nave been sacrificed.

•u-d,! v 7 at "^'-looking complication has amen between the French and Portuguese Governments,, which has caused considerable miea*ine»*. A barque called the Charles «t Georges and suspected of being engaged in the slave trade, under the plausible pretext of conveyiug "..immigrant negro labourers," has hem seized in the Mozambique waters, after clearly transgressing Portuguese regulations. The vessel has since been brought home. The 1< rench Government demanded the restoration ot the ship,.with satisfaction for the outranand to enforce the demand, two men-of-war were despatched to the. 3frgus. The most peremptory orders were issued to the officer in command to proceed to extremities if thetprm* were not agreed to by the 14th. The offer of the^ Portuguese authorities to submit to the arbitration of a third Power was at first refused, but subsequently, it is understood, the proposal was conditionally accepted. The last accounts afford reasons for believing that this unpleasant affair will be pacifically arranged ; of course, by the qualified submission of the weaker Power. It is worthy of remark that this nefarious traffic in " free laborers "-. is continually bringing the French Government into trouble, from which it does not emerge without a tarnished refutation. *

The struggle which has been so long and obstinately maintained for the government of Prussia has at length been terminated by the formal relinquishment of the ruling functions by the King into the hands of his brother, the Prince of Prussia. Thus the party favourable to constitutional order and progress has triumphed. The Regent has lost no time in commencing the work of purgation. The dismissal of M. Yon Westphalen, the head and mainstay of the Russian party, was one of the first acts of the Regent's new authority. Other changes of great moment are pending. The new Chambers are convoked for the 20th instant. The King has departed to Meran for six weeks, where he is to undergo the ■*' grape treatment," which consists of eating to repletion of the large and luscious grapes grown in the South Tyrol. The parting between his Majesty and the Berliners was very affecting. Multitudes were in tears.

The Emperor Alexander 11. has been making a tour in the provinces of his Empire, on purpose to disseminate his views and designs respecting his grand reforms. At Moscow, he used, aome weeks ago, very severe language to the recusant nobles, and commented in severe terms upon their selfish and egotistical conduce. He has stated that " from the bases of reform. he had fixed he could never swerve." His tone and attitude are those of a man of courage and firmness. At Tver, Kostrema, Jaroslay, Nijni-Novgorod, and Vlandimir, he has appeared on the Imperial platform of popular patriotism. At one place he has indulged in a species of despotic rebuke to the nobles; at another his congratulations have had in them something manly and touching. The success of the magnificent enterprise in which the Emperor is engaged is regarded with many fears and misgivings, owing to the mighty obstructive power of the old Moscovite aristocracy. It takes a great deal of Imperial magic to tame these haughty Boyards.

The arrival of the Emperor and Empress of France at St. Cloud, after an august demonstration at Rheims-—the celebration of the nuptials of the Duke of Malakhoff, and his return to England with his bride.—the breaking out of active warfare between the railway and canal interests in France—the promised reduction*' of the Austrian army by one-fifth—the projected establishment of a line of steamboats for the conveyance of the mails between Spain and the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico—the revolt of many of the Moorish tribes against their Caid, Oured Rachid, in . consequence of heavy taxation—the assassination of the Vice-Consuls of Spain, and France at Tetuan.in' Morocco, and the despatch of an avenging fleet from Toulon —illuminations in Naples, in honor of the hereditary Prince—a panic on the Vienna Bourse —the despatch of military reinforcements from France to Pome—constitute the sum of minor foreign intelligence.

We have advices from New York to the 2nd inst., butthe items of intelligence are few and unimportant. The treaty between Great Britain and Nicaragua has been drawn up and published. It is expected to be approved and ratified by the two Governments. Sir W. Gore Ouseley is waiting at New York to go out to San Juan, and complete the treaty, after which he will propose one to the other Central-Ameri-can States. The. case of the Echo was still under discussion; its commander, Capt. Townsend, having been remanded for further examination. The expedition to Paraguay is rapidly getting ready ; its object being to make the power of the Washington Government felt among the distracted South American Republics. The vomito prevailed extensively at Vera Cruz, and was proving vary fatal. A destructive fire had occurred at Jacrnef, Hayti, by which the best part of that commercial city lias been laid in ruins. As the election approaches, there are signs that the Republicans and Americans will join forces, or " fuse," in the New York State, the political leaders on both sides being impressed with tho importance of starting well in that influential part of the Union. The battle of the railways has been terminated; and tho four great American companies are about, as in .London, to exchange mutual pledges of goodwill and friendly co-operation. A convention to this ollect has boen signed. Indian troubles in Texas and Oregon are assuming a formidable Mill serious character. An army is to be sent against the disaffected tribes. Unfavourable

accounts had begun to come in from the Kansas gold-fields. Many of the miners who had rushed to Pike's Peak were returning to the States, and the emigration companies in the course of .organisation in L-a yen worth and Lawrence, discouraged by the tidings were duhanding. A most determined and coldolooded duel is reported from California between two pugnacious editors, both of" whom, after four shots _ each, were wounded. News from Fruzer Jtiver is highly encouraging. The rumors are busily employed, and are realising from five to * fifty dollars' worth of dust per day. The Indians were somewhat troublesome, and several white persons had been killed by them. For the present a truce had been patched up by the Governor. The King of Itaiatca and Tahaa fifth son of Queen IV mare) has been deposed by the Governors, and ihe Islands offered to the Government of the United States.

Cornrnerciul advices from New York to October 2nd speak of a general revival ct" business in that city. The hotels are filling, streets are crowded with stranger*, busmen men wear a more cheerful air, stocks are being reduced, ana other signs appear of returning confidence and prosperity. There was <'-.n improvement in most classes of securities, but especially in such favourites as the Panama, tbe Pacific Mail, and the New York Central. In the money market there was great ease, it being difficult to make loans on first-class security, &t 3 per cent. Cotton was active, flour dull and declining, wheat ditto, oats steady, hides were moving off briskly, freight engagements were light, and no change to notice in rates for Australia or California.

In France, an important imperial decree has ! prolonged for another year the free admission lof corn into that country. No appreciable | effect, however, has been produced by this mea- j I sure on the Paris flour market. While the rise in the French funds is tolerably maintained trade is still extremely sluggish, and considerable distress prevails among tbe shopkeepers of the capital and of many of the provincial towns. Numerous operatives, hitherto em- i ployed on the public works have lately been j discharged. The monthly account of the bank of France, published yesterday, exhibits a large ! diminution of its cash, which, it is presumed, I has been employed in speculation. Stocks are running low in the warehouses of the manufacturers, and in tbe bonded stores. There is an outcry for more liberal credit on the part of the great houses. Transactions in both raw and thrown silks have lately been extremely active, and there is a general confidence that the | animation will continue. European descriptions continue very firm, while in those from China there has been a considerable rise. The vintage promises to be abundant aud satisfac* - torv. Stocks of old wine, however, are held at high pi-ices, London, October, 11,1858. Dulness still reigns supreme, aud paralyzes every, department of. life beneath its leaden sceptre. News of the piquant and stimulating order, to which for a long period we had become accustomed, has lately been a rare and precious commodity. One of our weekly journalists not- long since penned a clever and witty article, setting forth the hardships of himself and brethren of the pen in these times of quiettnde, under the title of " Nothing Particular.' The editor's burden still continues to be the correspondent's lament. There being nothing but small-talk, and the fag-ends of old tonics, the readers of the ' Argus' mast try and put up for once with such fare as remains aft or the banquettings of blood, crime, and disaster with which we have so long b-?en sated. There is not even, for a wonder, a newly-discovered conspiracy to report; and the canards, usually so rife at this season, are both few in numbor and 'insignificant- in character. When tho most re- . cha-cfts topics for comment and discussion con- . sist of the comet, which is now blazing m our north-western sky—the meetings of scientific societies—the speeches delivered by members of Parliament at gatherings of their constituents —the inauguration of" statues—the vacation rambles of royal and imperial personages— nay. sad wranglings and recriminations going on"between the electricians, whose mutual jealousies are anything but an editying spectacle to the world. _ The formal incmiry instituted by the Bishop of Oxford into the Boyne-hill confessional ease has resulted in the acquittal of Mr. West, the indiscreet curate, charged with putting indecent questions to Mrs. Arnold. The ' Times' pronounces the affair an " ecclesiastical sell"—the woman turning out, on inquiry, to be a notorious adulteress, and, therefore, requiring none of the spiritual interrogatories to extort a knowledge of what was already patent to the whole neighbourhood. Among"" tho more tragic incidents ot the month, are two occurrences which are entitled 'to a brief mention. The first was a concerted emeute of a most formidable character, amongst the prisoners confined at Portland. Happily, owing to the disclosure of the plot, such arrwemenN were made, and military reinforcements concealed on the s.>ul, as enabled the authorises to supjvess the revolt of these uesperate ruffians without bloodshed. But for these tiuielv precautions the carnage must have been appalling. Tho other calamity was n fen-ful (ire at-Page Bank colliery, about six miles from the city of-Durham. Eighty-*;:; men and boys were in the pit nt the tune, and for a long period their rescue w.,s daemeu Hopeless By almost sunerhutnan exertions, how- j ever, all except 10 were brought un iv a slate j of exhaustion. The rest were suffocated. Ihe | sights and sounds on the spot are described as heart-rending. „ .„, ... The colliery strike in the north has now

lasted nearly 20 weeks. Hands having been procured from a distance nud set i 6 SYOr £ t , ■ black sheep were fiercely attacked M nd plundered, and their dwellings fired by the luruouts. Several arrests have been made. '{>„, ...„ are signs, however, oi" arrangements V.civ.ii made, which will speedily terminate this unhappy state of affairs.

Leeds has enjoyed quite a gala month; After sunning itself in'the- beams of royal favor, the meetings of the British Association immediately came on, when its pavements were honored by the tread of many of the greatest savans of the age. Before ail the philosophers and poets and statesmen had quitted the town, the Mechanics' Institute held its anniversary meeting, and was enabled to secure the services o. a galaxy of stars of first or second rate magnitude; so that altogether Leeds has been for some weeks past in a blaze of intellectual glory, from which it is to be hoped she will profit. Liverpool has been listening and responding heartily to the eloquent appeals of Sir James Brooke on behalf of bis adopted principality— Sarawak. Mr. Henley has been defining Conservatism in tlie new sense, and getting terribly castigated for bis pains. Lord Brougham lias been im-uigurating a statue to the honor of Sir Isaac Newton, at Grantham, with a speech worthy of that veteran's robustest days. Stockport has been rejoicing in the opening of a People's Park. Lord Derby has been' going through tlie sham process of selling his racing stud—clearing off the refuse and retaining the horses of any mark—which the ' Times' improves into a political parable. A Railway Congress, at several sittings, have been attempting to put an arrest on" the war of the lines, and to agree upon some elements of harmonious co-operation for the future. The Weedon Inquisition is well nigh concluded, after laying bare a system of infamous official negligence and corruption. There is great dissatisfaction and agitation among the letter-carriers of the metropolis, and meetings have been held to express their grievances, whereat Lord Colchester, the Postmaster General, waxes wroth, and threatens those who have recourse to such unconstitutional modes of redress with the pains and. penal'ies of disgrace and dismissal. The ex-M.P., Mr. Townsend, is creating quits a furore in the minor theatrical world ; and the trial of Walter Savage Lander has had the curious effect of driving him into the arms of his wife, from whom he had been separated for 40 years. He is now residing at Genoa. Electricity is beginning to supersede the use of chloroform iv the extraction of teeth.