Sydney Morning Herald Office. Friday, 1 o'clock p.m.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 228, 5 August 1848, Page 3

Sydney Morning Herald Office. Friday, 1 o'clock p.m.

Tin: Port Phillip Mail of this morning bi ought the slaitling intelligence that war had been dccl.ucd by Knglaud and France in concert, against l\U'-sia, Austria, and Prussia. The casus belli is s.iitl to be the invasion ol'thc Papal States by Austiia, whose aggicssion is suppoited by Russia and Pmssia. 'Ihore was a rumour that Sir Charles Napier had been despatched with a poweriul squadron to blockade the Russian ports. This inhumation was not contained in the Englirh files received at Melbourne, but was obtained by the Captain of the Mahomed Schah, who spoke on the 20th Apul, oil Madeiia, the Ficneh blig Benares, bound lioni Marseilles to Monte-video, and leccivcd, tluough signals, the intelligence that wai had biokcn out in Euiopc; doubting the accuracy of the news, ho hove to, and sen I u boat on boaid the Bennies, and then 1 learnt that the brig had but lccently spoken a Biilish Irigate (hound express for St. Helena), trom which he had received the above intelligence. The frigate ran along sido the biig to impart the information — and particularly mentioned the expedition of Sir Charles Napier, but that the participation of Pi nssia was only tumour. There has been great disturbances throughout the Prussian aud Austrian, dominions (in particulai), and fnither there was cveiy certainty of a Gcimano-Russian contention ; a powcriul sympathy having been awakened on behalf of the Poles (commencing with the compulsory liberation of all the state pnsoneis) in Silesia, and tluoughout the whole o( Germany. Several mem hois of tlie Pnissian Diet had resolved to biing the case ot the Poles (an anti-Russian movement) h»wavd at Berlin. This, added to the fact that the Piiuce of Prussia was amongst the visitors at Buckingham Palace on the 27th March, seenu to go fcomo wuy m a>our of the belief that the coalition, offensive and defensive, of Prussia with Austri* and Russia was but " a rumour." However, should the triple union be as stated, the two gigantic powers against which they hnve coalesced have suftuvent resources within themselves to " meet a world in arms." The King of Bavaria lias abdicated nnd gone into temporary retirement with Lola Monte*. He is succeeded in his throne by hit son, Maximilian the Second. The English local news U not of much interest. The utate of trade was improving, and money plentiful. We have only time to refer to our extracts to show the disturbed state of the continent. The Quupn was safely delivered of a daughter on the 18th Maich. Her Majesty and the infant Princess were dump; well. There wan a report that Lord John Rusuel waß about toareceive a peerage, and that Lord Lincoln and Mr. Crdwell w<re t<> join the ministry. We have been unable to ascertain much about the state ol trade, but we fear the piospcct was a gloomy one. The Young Ireland party were anxious to bring theii " physical turce" argument to a practical 'mue, and had preached so much ■edition, that Mr. W. S. OBrien, Mr. Mtagher, Mr. Mitchell, and some of lesser lighis of the party, had been arrented and committed to take theii trials. General Scott had concluded a treaty of peace with Mexico, making the Rio Grande the boundary line, and giving New Mexico and California to the United States. Congress, however, had niade several important modification of the treaty, and it was not known whether it woald ultimately be ratified. Heing anxious to publish tins highly important and exciting intelligence with as little delay as possible, we shall forbear making any comments, and lefer our readers to the following extracts, for which we are principally indebted to a Supplement of Port Phillip Patriot:—