ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL AT HOKITIKA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 5, 25 February 1871, Page 9

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL AT HOKITIKA.

NEWS TO THE 23rd JANUARY. CAPTURE OF GARIBALDI AND 3000 TROOPS. FORTS NOISY. NOGEN, VANYERS, ISSY, IVRY, AND MONT ROUGE SILENCED. CONSPIRACY OF 50,000 FRENCH PRISONERS DISCOVERED. INSURRECTION QUELLED. CAPTURE OF FORT AVRON. SORTIES STILL CONTINUE. Private telegrams per pigeon express : The siege continues, and a successful sortie was reported on the night of the 21st. ; The head-quarters of the Prussian army are at Vitry. The Prussians are in the neighborhood of Abbeyville. On the 21st December, the French made a desperate but unsuccessful attack on the Prussian line before Paris, and firing recommenced from the forts, but without success. On the day following 10,000 unwounded prisoners were captured by the Prussian army. Many French officers imprisoned in Germany have been removed from the Rhine to the Russian frontier. The branch mail steamer Rangatira, with the English mail, was sighted off Glenelg on the 16th, at twenty minutes past six, and the news was telegraphed from Adelaide in the course of the evening. The Geelong steamer, with the Melbourne mails, arrived in Hobson’s Bay on the 17th. xy - ' London, Dec. 80. The French army, 'commanded by Ferdscherbes, was attacked on the 23rd Dec. by General Manteuffelle, to the north-east of Amiens. Both sides claim the victory—night putting an end to the battle. The trial of the Directors of the Monarch Marine Insurance Company has terminated in a verdict of not guilty. It is stated that the Queen intends to open the parliament in person. Th 6 Fenian convicts have been released conditionally upon leaving the kingdom. The foundation stone of a new general post office has been laid by the Hon. Mr Aystown. A scheme for the fortification of London is said to be under consideration. A serious railway accident occurred on the 6th December between Sunderland and Newcastle, in which Fred. Young, the actor, was killed. The Roman Catholic Bishop of Brisbane made a speech at the meeting held at St. James’ Hall on the pth December, expressing his sympathy with the Pope. The postal rate of letters between England and Australia is reduced to 9d per half ounce. J. O. Hamlev, from New Zealand, has been appointed deputy-comptroller for Dublin. General Robert C. Schenck has accepted the post of American Minister to London. A new Cabinet has been formed in Greece. King Amadeus has embarked for Spain. A protest has been issued by Don Carlos addressed to the Spanish people. It is stated that the capture of Avron has caused great discouragement in Paris, It is also reported that the sufferings of the population in Paris are excessive, but beyond the bombardment of the forts little damage has been done which cannot easily be repaired. The official journals of Paris declare that the Government rejects all idea of capitulation. The bombardment of the whole of the Paris forts continues lively on all ■.Bides. .. : ... v

Forts Noisy, .Nogent,y»nvres, Xssy,

Mont Rouge, and Ivry are rileficed.; r Very severe weather lias set in for the last week, and all the ponds in the parks in the neighborhood of London are frozen over. It is reported that ten thousand incendiary shells were fired into the city on the 15th. It is stated that a protestation signed by all the members of the Government, was issued against bombardment without notice, to allow the women and children to leave the city. On the 18th of Decemoer, a deputation from the Reichstad presented an address to King William, offering him the Imperial Crown of Germany. The King replied that it was only in obedience to the unanimous wish of the German nation, through its representatives, that he could recognize this call, which he regarded as dictated by providence. On the 4th January the Germans officially announced that the country people around Orleans and Artenaise were starving, and were being fed by the German commissariat. Belfort is being vigorously besieged by the German army. The defenders are acting on the defensive till the end of the siege of Paris. Gambetta left Bordeaux for General Chancev’s head quarters at Vendome. The towns of Behrozine and Bechaune were burnt on the Bth. ■.. Rocroy capitulated. The Germans capturing 70 guns and 300 prisoners. General Ferdescherbes claims a victory at Bechaune, though the Germans assert that they prevented his advance on Paris. The German batteries have reached the bridge of St. Michael, across the Seine, and the French have unmasked additional batteries on the south side of Paris. The Germans attacked Bijou in great force on the 22nd, but the French maintained their position. The German batteries have been brought within 300 yards of the forts of Paris. The King of Prussia has accepted the crown by proclamation. A great sortie took place on the 20th from the fortress of Mont Valenen ; it was repulsed. The bombardment continues with good results. La Valle and Tours have been occupied by the German forces. Longivy has been burnt. The German army occupies Beuraont, Allencon and Bole, London, January 23. General Bourbaki’s army is in full retreat, being victoriously pursued by General Werder’s army of the North. They were beaten before Quintin after several hours’ fighting. 4000 prisoners and 20 cannons were captured. The Hon. Mr Childers has resigned his position of First Lord of the Admiralty, in consequence of ill health. General Sir William Denison, K.C.8., late Governor of New South Wales, is dead. The Germans reported that General Werder repulsed every attack made by Bourbaki. On the Ist, along s the whole line, the battle lasted nine hours. General Ferdscherbes has occupied Albert, and is now advancing from the South. Vigorous sorties were made on the 12tb, towards Bourges, Doncherry, Meudon, and Clamart, hut were repulsed. News by balloon, dated the 10th, states that the bombardment was very violent, two thousand shells fell in Paris on the night of the loth, reaching the Pantheon, the Sorbonneand St. Sulpice, and several private houses. The conduct of the population is admirable, and they are declared to be more than ever determined not to surrender. . ; - The barracks at Mont rogue and Vanvres, it is said, are burning, and shells have fallen in the garden of the Luxembourg. The siege of Langres has been raised. Generals Bourbaki and Garabaldi are marching on Nancy and Belfort. General Bourbaki’s head-quarters are at Dijon. The Germans announce that General Werder has stormed and taken Villiers with 600 prisoners. The French attempted to retake it, but were repulsed; they howeyer Qlaita r ' v

General Manteuffel has been appointed to command the army against Bourbaki,

General Garibaldi has surrendered with 3000 prisoners. The French report the, complete repulse of the Germans on the 30th and the capture of their position before Vendome. The Germans account of the same affair states that the French attack was repulsed. The Germans evacuated Bondy on the 31st, after a sharp engagement with the Franc-Tireura, and they are falling back on Gren.

The King of Prussia made a speech thanking the army for their exertions. He said their task was not finished, they must complete the fight to’ bring about a permanent and honorable peace.

On the 14th General Trochu issued a proclamation that Paris will never capitulate.

A French redoubt at Clamart has been occupied by the Prussians, and the guns mounted there turned against Paris.

A conspiracy has been discovered between the French prisoners detained at Mayence, Coblentz, and Cologne--50,000 in number—their object being to fight their way back to France. The scheme, however, was frustrated on the 30th of December.

Medieurs capitulated. The Germans captured in this place large stores of provisions, 116 guns, and 2000 prisoners.

Severe fighting occurred between Errars and Bechaune on the 2nd and 3rd of January. The French claim a complete victory. The Saxons have occupied Mont Avron, capturing great quantities of artillery and ammunition, and two 24pounders. Vitry has been destroyed. The Germans have evacuated Dijon. The French state that General Roy has captured the Prussian position on the height of Labonalle. AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY. MELBOURNE, Feb. 17. The elections are causing great excitement. Twenty-six out of twenty-nine of the old members have been re-elected. The majority of members returned are not Ministerialists. Wilmot, a railway station-master, has pleaded guilty to the embezzlement of Government money. The popularity of Chang, the Chinese giant, continues. Mr Fisher has repurchased the stud horse Angler, and intends sending him to England as a specimen of the Victorian bred horse. A man named M‘Donald received fifty lashes for garrotting. The punishment was very severe. Flour—trade parcels of Victoria move slowly at £l4 to £l4 ss. The Adelaide Company’s brand has the same range of quotations; wheat, 6s to 6s Id, and difficult of sale ; New Zealand oats unnoticed at 3s Bd. Sydney, February 16. Some fresh cases of kidnapping have occurred at New Hebrides. The clerk of the Lands Office has absconded with £2OOO ; supposed to have gone to Fiji. _ Maber, a bushranger, has been committed to trial for robbing the mail under arms. The cargo of the Pearlshell iin Torres ! Straits, realised £14,000. A new gold field has been discovered twenty-seven miles from Forbe’s, the sinking 27 feet, the gold coarse and nuggety. >■; The steamer Lady Young has been wrecked on the voyage to Brisbane, but the passengers were saved. One million two hundred and twenty sovereigns were issued ■from the Sydney mint last year. Lawlessness is reported to he spreading at Fiji. Adelaide, February 16. Read Haining, for 30 years a resident and the first Presbyterian minister in Adelaide, has retired. Wheat firm at 4s 9d to 4s 9£d. A private telegram from London quotes New Zealand wheat at 58s per quarter. Hobarton, Feb. 16. Sailed—Jane, for Nelson. At the Church oLjEngland Synod a motion for a select committee to enquire into the claim by Archdeacon Reby, of Launceston was made. Steeplechase,—-Narcisse first. Tamar Hahdicap---Little |)iek. J; .- ;