ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL Via Suez.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 98, 25 January 1868, Page 6

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL Via Suez.

The s.s. Phoebe, Captain Wheeler, arrived at the Picton Wharf at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The Bombay anchored in Hobson’s Bay at 6 a.m. on the 13th instant. She brings intelligence of alterations in the mail arrangements. In future the Australian mail via Suez will leave England every four weeks, giving thirteen mails yearly. The next homeward mail will leave Sydney on the 2nd of February. There will be no mail from Australia in January. GENERAL SUMMARY. Loxnox, [November 26. The Australian mails via Suez were delivered in London on the 16th and 23rd. The Queen is at Windsor, and is in good health. The Prince and Princess of Wales are at Sandringham. The Princess is able to walk with the help of a stick. Mrs. Disraeli has been seriously ill, but is recovering. Parliament has approved of the Abyssinian expedition. The address in reply to the Queen’s speech passed unopposed. Of five Fenians condemned to death for the murder and rescue, three were hung, one was pardoned, and one reprieved. The gaol and scaffold were strongly guarded by military and police , 2,000 working men acting as special constables. There was great anxiety throughout the country concerning the execution, but no disturbance occurred." The Fenians threatened to burn eveiy town in England if the men were executed, and great efforts wore made to obtain their reprieve. Deputations of working men waited on the Home Secretary, who refused to see them ; another deputation endeavoured to see the Queen, who referred them to her Minister. There were disgraceful scenes at the Home Office and at Windsor.

News received from St. Thomas’s states that 300 bodies have been recovered and buried. The loss to the Royal Mail Company is estimated at £250,000. At Tortola the storm occasioned a loss of 100 lives, and great distress was occasioned. ' "Relief funds" are being raised at Southampton and at London. The Queen has subscribed £2OO.

Trustworthy information has been received of the safety of Dr. Livingstone. Major Westley Blackall, Governor of the West Africa settlement, has been appointed Governor of Queensland.

The apartments of the British Minister at Home were searched during his absence by the police. Explanation was demanded and given, and is considered satisfactory. . The new P. and O. contract gives fiftytwo mails yearly at Bombay; twenty-six tcTChina ; and thirteen to Australia. The subsidy is £400,000 ; and the duration of the contract is twelve years. Earl Russell will introduce Education resolutions in the House of Lords. He proposes to extend the Government aid to elementary and middle class schools; to reform the Universities, and appoint a Minister of Education.

Mr. Disraeli and Lord Stanley will attend a large Conservative banquet at Bristol in January. John Bright objects to the scheme of sending working men to Parliament. Thomas Hughes, M.P., for Lambeth, has seceded from the Reform League.

Lord Derby has refused the request of the Orangemen to repeal the “Party Proceedings'Act.” The Bishop of New Zealand has declined the Bishopric of Lichfield. Conservative Working Men’s Associations are being successfully formed throughout the country. The Danish Journals contradict the rumoured violent death of the Countess of Danner.

Charles Dickens is in America, and has been well received there. Stevens, the Fenian, is in France, in great poverty. Burke the Fenian has keen arrested. Fenian General Halpin has been sentenced to 15 years’ penal servitude. The banquet to Mr. Disraeli, at Edinburgh, was attended ,by 1,300 gentlemen. He was presented with the freedom of the city„ and an honorary degree by the University. A, colliery explosion has occurred in Glai morganshire; 170 men and' boys were killed, i Serious riots have oecurfed in Ritualistic , Churches at Lambeth. A petition. has been presented to the | House of Lords, signed by 3,000 persons, I accusing the Bishop of Salisbury of preachl iag hn scriptural doctrine. I '

Gold win Smith emigrates to America soon. Dr. Eusscll has been appointed the Times correspondent at Paris. Julia Matthews has been well received in English opera at Covent Garden. Lord Stanley thinks the Eoman Conference is useless. The programme is prepared beforehand. OBITUARY. Lord Wriottcsly, the eminent astronomer, the Earl of Moray, Mr. Edwin James, M.P., Q.C., the Countess de Flanault, and Marshall O’Donnell. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. London, November 26. In the discount market, supplies of money arc still large at slightly advanced rates, the object being an assimilation to the Bank rate of two per cent. The latest quotations in open market for the best paper were 1§ to LJ. Half-a-million of bullion has been withdrawn from the Bank of England for thc Abyssinian expedition, but the reserve is still excessive. Business on the Stock Exchange is quiet. Confidence has been restored, but transactions were limited to English funds, with but little fluctuation during the month. A second dividend of 3s. has been paid in the estate of the New Zealand Banking Corporation, and a dividend of Is. in Overend and Gurney’s estate, making the dividend paid in this estate 13s. At a meeting of the shareholders of the Eoyal Bank of Liverpool, a call was increased from £5 to £lO per share. Great dissatisfaction was expressed with the management, and a committee of investigation has been appointed. The Government has resolved to take the management of the telegraph, which has given great satisfaction.

No failures of importance have taken place. LONDON WOOL MARKET.

The further series of colonial sales was opened on the 14th November. The catalogue comprises 4,237 (?) bales. There was a fair attendance of English buyers, but the attendance of foreign buyers was under the average. The bulk of wool catalogued consisted of Cape wool, and scoured Australian. Prices have fallen below September rates. The fresh decline is attributed to the bad state of business, and over-production of wool. SHIPPING. Departures.— For Port Chalmers, Lochiel; for Nelson, R. P. Turnbull; tor Wellington, Commodore; for Canterbury, Matoaka. FRANCE. At the opening of the Chambers, the Emperor made a pacific speech, and accepted frankly the changes in Germany. He would not interfere unless French interests were affected. No hostility was felt towards Italy; but the September convention must be respected, pending the decision of the Conference. Paris papers assert that Russia, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Relgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Bavaria, Wurtemburg, and Baden, have unreservedly accepted a Conference on the Roman question ; its acceptance by England and Prussia is probable. Munich is proposed as the place of meeting. The new English Ambassador', Lord Lyons, has been well received by the Emperor, who expressed his friendship for England. The French Exhibition was closed on the 3rd November, without ceremony. LATEST TELEGRAMS*. London, December 7. The Duke of Montrose explained in the House of Lords the terms of the postal contract with the Peninsula and Oriental Company. He said the Brendissi route had not been adopted, because the present railway communication is insufficient. Steamers are to call at Nassau (?) instead of Malta, thus saving twenty-four hours. The postage increased threepence per half-ounce. The American Congress has met. The Judicial Committee has presented a report in favor of the impeachment of the President. The House of Commons has voted £2,000,000 for the Abyssinian expedition. The vote was passed after a protracted discussion. Lord Stanley’s speech, in July last, was held to have induced a belief that no expedition was immediately intended, and it was found that preliminary steps for it had been taken. Lord Stanley vindicated the course pursued by the Government, and stated that the expedition was not finally resolved upon till .after the close of the last session. The £2,000.000 required is provided as follows : : —From surplus of next budget, £200^000; additional Id. on income tax, £840,000 ; and remainder from balances of exchequer bonds. Mr, Gladstone approved of the means proposed. V

. Sir Stafford Horthcote’s resolution, that the ordinary pay of troops forming the Abyssinian Expedition should be borne by the Indian revenues, was lost by 193 to 223. The Times and Daily News opposed the motion.

The House of Commons has approved of the contract with the Peninsula and Oriental Company for the conveyance of the mails to India and China. It is considered doubtful whether the proposed Conference on the Homan question will be held.

Telegrams state that a Mazzini conspiracy has been discovered in Italy. The French debate on the Homan question is concluded. The French Minister stated that the kingdom of Italy would never possess Home. Julcs Farve attacked the Government vigorously. The Italian Parliament has been opened. Ministers explained the Italian policy on the Homan question, and declared it not soluble by violence ; the Pope would find Italy his strongest support. The American Congress has passed an Act repealing the cotton tax. Advices report the occurrence of another earthquake at St. Thomas. The news is regarded as doubtful. Garibaldi has been transferred to Caprera on account of his health. Earl Hussell’s Education Resolutions were avoided, by moving the “previous question.” The French troops are leaving Home. The Fenian executions are generally approved, and it is considered they will effect good. Jacob Bright (John’s brother) has been returned for Manchester. Archdeacon Chester is dead.

The October Australian mail, via Panama, had not arrived on the 3rd December. Wool is selling better.