EUROPEAN NEWS TO THE 15th MAY. [From the Melbourne Argus, August 2.]

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 663, 21 August 1852, Page 3

EUROPEAN NEWS TO THE 15th MAY. [From the Melbourne Argus, August 2.]

The following conversation took place in the House of Commons on the 14th May :—: — Mr. Mastermu-n —l beg to ask the right lion, gentleman, the Secretary for the Colonies, whether Her Majesty's Government have adopted any measures to prevent the desertion of Bailors in Australia ? Sir J. Pakington —l think the House will ngreo that the question which has been put to me by my hon. friend relates to a portion —and not to the least important portion —of that most extraordinary emergency that has arisen in two of th(i Australian colonies, in consequence of the recent discoveries of gold —an emergency to which 1 hope it is not necessary to assure the House the most anxious attention of the Government is directed. (Hear, hear.) Ac the question of my hon. friend has alluded to the number of ships from which desertions have taken place in rather indefinite terms, it may bo satisfactory if I state —which I am able to do —what is exactly the position of this matter in the port of Melbourne, where they have been carried to the largest extent, and where those desertions have formed the subject of g/ievous complaints. (Hear, hear.) lam able to state that on the Oth of January there were thirty-five ship. 1) in Melbourne, and that the Hggregate number of the crews umounled to 81G. Out of that number of 810 sailors, 417 had deserted. (Hear, hoar.) But, sir, it is not on this subject only that the most pressing representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government by the Governors of the two colonies of New South Wales and Port Phillip. (Hear, hear.) We have received despatches from them, urging upon the Government the necessity of military and other assistance, uu-

Trade in England. — The Board of Trade returns for the month and three months ending the sth of April, show a continued state of activity in almost all of our great national products. It is too much to expect that we can go on every month and year increasing our exports, because at some time or other the utmost tension must be reached. But whether with regard to the quantity of goods which we send abroad, or to those which we receive from foreign countries m return, the result is such as to satisfy the most sanguine Free- trader, and to justify all that Mr. Disraeli has said in his budget relative to the buoyancy of the revenue under the existing system. The exports of the month arc slightly below those of the corresponding month last year } but the three months show an increase of i,50,000. In grain and flour the imports show a diminution, and there is a decrease, too, in cotton, linen, and woollen products ; metals, also, have diminished, but it will be remembered that in the month ending April 5, last year, the increase of exports whs very considerable — far beyond the average of the year. As regards the imports, it is gratifying to find a large increase in tea, codec, sugar, cocoa, and tobacco — the great necessaries of life, and the last named a luxury which is widely participated in by all classes. In shipping we find an increase in the outward clearances for the three months and a decrease in the entries and the cleai'ances of both British and foreign tonnage for the month. This is the second return of the kind which the Tories have made since their installation. It may be readily imagined that these periodical proofs of the triumphs of Free-trade are not held in much favour by the present occupants of Downing-street, who were not very scrupulous in charging the Ministry which they succeeded in " cooking" — so undeviating was the tale of success which the returns told. Now we have the Protectionists in power, and yet no ingenuity can prevent these undoubted evidences of the national prosperity from speaking out, trumpet-tongued in proof of the fact that the less Government interfere with trade, and the less they arc cramped with restrictions, in the same ratio will it fructify and prosper. — European Times. Mr. Jlmnc, Mr. Booker, and Sir Joshua Wulmsloy,have been exerting themselves in endeavouring to prevail upon the Government to grant a remission of the sentence of Frost, the Chartist. These gentlemen had an interview with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on Saturday for that purpose. By tho American papers we arc told that the celebrated Mrs. Bloomer was recently killed in

Bridge-street, Boston, by her husband, who is supposed to be insane. Mr. Feargus O'Connor lutB gone to Now York, Several mosses in the north of England have caught fire, and great damage to property has resulted. The papers indignantly denounce tho authoririties at Plymouth for receiving Hobos, the merciless but defeated despot of Buenos Ayres, with marks of honor. The European Times says — " Kvury Englishman must have felt his check burn with shame when ho road an account tho other day of tho honours heaped by the authorities at Plymouth on the ox Buenos Ayrcan dictator, Rosas', when he reached our shores, — one of the most sanguinary ruffians that ever disgraced humanity, who waded through blood to tho head of tho Argentine confederation, and preserved his power «]) to the timo ol his expulsion by aperies ofatrocitiosjwhich rival those of Nero and Caligula. The figure which the Ministry cut in the Ilouso of Peers when questioned about this business on Thursday was most pitiable. Like flic usurper, in the slay, when confronted with the ghost of his murdered victim, " Thou canst not say I did it !" was the exclamation of each of them. But the deed was done, tho honors wore given by command from Uowning-street, to thiswise, bad man, who for twenty years past has been tho scourge of the Plate and tho scandal of human nature. The honours paid to Rosas are very significant and will not speedily be forgotten. ' The late Lord Panmure left sums for various charitable institutions amounting to £4700. A( lotto;* from Stiomncss, dated April 20, states that tho Arctic expedition, under Captain Sir E. Belcher, arrived there on the 23rd, all well. Tho expedition left Stromness on the 20th, Tho work of removing the Crystal Palace commenced on May Ist. It has been bought by a body of speculators for £'70,000. The Weslcyan Missionary Society's income for tho last year was £'111,730 10s. Od., and its expenditure £'111,555|145. 4d. The Society has 47(> missionaries, 702 paid agents, 0477 unpaid agents, and 79,843 scholars attending its schools. Sir Charles Rowan, Commissioner of the Metripolitan Police, is dead. The Emperor of Morocco has sent Her Majesty two splendid Arabian steeds. Iho Chincso jnnlc, lyiug at Blackwall, is to be sold by auction. The submarine electric telegraph is completed to Boulogne, and a second lino is to be laid down between Dover and Obtend. The whole Continent of Europe will thus bo brought into instantaneous communication with England. Mrs. Chisholm has arrived in Cork. Douglas Jorrold has undertaken the editorship ok' Lloyd's Weekly newspaper. A company with a, capital of £100,000 has been started to colonise Spain with Irish peasants. The Spanish Government patronises the scheme. A court martial has boon held at Portsmouth to investigate the circumstances attending the wreck of the Birhenhcad. Five of the escaped seamen and petty officers of the ill-fated vessel were nominally placed upon their trial, and the proceedings lasted through two entire days. Some voluminous evidence was taken ; but no facia -yero elicited which the new&papor correspondence had not forestalled. The trial ended, as was expected in a vei'dict, pronouncing a panegyric upon the dead, and an honourable acquittal for the liviug.