LATEST ENGLISH NEWS,

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 93, 20 June 1846, Page 3

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS,

The English news received by way of Sydney confirm the report we published on the 30th May of the dissolution of the Peel Ministry, which appears to have arisen, like Antceus, stronger from its fall. As the subject is one of considerable interest we have made some fiyther extracts relating to it. The following was the proposed list of the Whig Ministry :—: — Lord John Russell, First Lord of the Treasury ; Lord Cottenham, Lord Chancellor ; Lord Morpetb, Home Secretary ; Lord Falmerson, Foreign Secretary ; Lord Grey, Colonial Secretary ; Lord Auckland, First Lord of the Admiralty ; Mr. C. Wood, Secretary at War ; Mr. Macauley, Duchy of Lancaster ; Mr. Labouchere, President of the Board of , Trade ; Mr. Charles Buller, Secretary for Ireland ; Sir T. Wilde, Attorney General ; Mr. Austen or Mr. Romilly, Solicitor General ; Vice- Admiral Sir C. Adam Warren, Rear- Admiral Elliott Deans Pandas, Com-

modore Sir C. Napier, and Mr. Tuffnell, Lords of the Admiralty ; Mr. Pigott and Mr. Rutherford, re-occupying their respective positions in Ireland and Scotland.

Expected Visit oe Queen Victoria to Paris. — It would be a pity if the Ministerial crisis, which has taken place in London, should derange in its consequences all the charming plans formed by the Queen of England and his Majesty Louis Phillippe for the approaching spring. It is not a mere visit to the Chateau d'Eu that is now spoken of. The Queen of England is coming to Paris, to the court of the Tuilleries — a right royal jour- j ney on the one hand, and a right royal reception on the other. The Queen of England will take up her residence at the Grand Trianon, and already a crowd of workmen are restoring, embellishing, and preparing for the reception of Queen Victoria the palace which was once occupied by Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette. Louis Phillippe thinks of nothing but f&es, balls, and theatrical representations, as if he were a young king but yesterday arrived at the throne. He directs every thing — superintends every thing. He has determined, in the first place, on a grand spectacle in the Salle d'Opera at Versailles, and, like an able and provident director, he is taking steps beforehand, for the getting up of the representation, which he wishes to be worthy of the best times, and of the magnifU cence of Louis XIV. — Globe. Major W. A. M'Claverty, of H.M. 48th Foot, has been Gazetted as Deputy-Quarter-Master General to the forces in New Zealand, with the rank of Lieut. -Colonel in the army. — Australian, May 23. The lighthouse fixed by Mr. Bush on the Goodwin Sands has disappeared. The exact time of its sinking in the sands is not known, as the fog prevented observation for two or three days. — lllus. Lon. News, Jan. 3.

Suicide op Colonel Gurwood. — Col. John Gurwood, well known for his very able work the " Despatches of the Duke of Wellington," committed suicide at Brighton on Saturday, Jan. 3d, by cutting his throat with a razor. At the inquest on Monday, Lieute-nant-Colonel Sir Henry Webster spoke to the Colonel having been latterly ia a very depressed state of mind, and said that he had no doubt that it was all caused by the relaxation of the nerves, in consequence of his great work, the " Despatches of the Duke of Wellington" having been concluded. The medical witness, Sir George Hall gave similar testimony. The juiy accordingly returned a verdict " that the deceased destroyed himself while in a temporary state of insanity, which was caused by mental relaxation." In the obituary for December we notice the names of the Earl of Belmore, aged 44, and Sir John Chetwode, Bart., M. P., in his 82d year.

Naval and Military. — Not only have orders been given completely to fortify the naval arsenals, but guns are to be sent to all the colonies which are exposed to attack, and batteries and fortifications are to be forthwith erected in them all. A new system of drill is about to be issued to the Army. Several judicious and economical changes in the dress and equipment of the Army have been officially announced. They consist of an elastic leather stock in place of the present stiff one, thick cotton shirts instead of linen, and the substitution of light worsted trousers in place of white linen or duck. The introduction of railways into the colonies was evidently attracting" fav<ur in the eyes of the English capitalists. Almost every West Indian Island will have one, and some more than one line ; and in Jamaica, the line from Kingston» the commercial capital, to Spanishtown, the political capital, had been completed and opened. In Canada there are several lines in progress.

Potatoes. — We have almost ceased to hear anything on this subject now. Few affeot alarm, and though particular districts have suffered, chiefly through the ignorance or the indocility of the people, the general opinion is, that Providence has spared us an abundance for our wants. The fact is, a great improvement has taken place in the quality ; immense quantities supposed to have been lost are found available for food, and now that people can look calmly at the state of their fields, they find that there was no adequate cause for the fears they at first gave way to. — Cork Constitution. j

President Polk's Message. — Mr. President Polk has made his first Message to Congress, and the document is before Europe. In style, it is a decided improvement on the lucubrations of his immediate predecessors ; free alike from the pedantries and the Yankeeisms that came to full flower in the compositions jpf Mr. Tyler. It is for the most part homely,- plain* and business-like ; it is not statesman-like. Its principal topics are Texas, Oregon, and the Tariff. The completion of the annexation is urged in a kind of glorifying tone, meant to please the popular pride, The American claima upon Oregon

ore asserted as if they were not only valid, but unquestionable ; and Mr. Folk proposes at once to give the year's notice of bringing the joint occupation to a close : that would force s close to the negociations, either in a final adjustment or in a war ; and as negociators who are conscious of power seldom come to satisfactory conclusions while sensible of impending compulsion, Mr. Polk's recommendation is little better than a proposal of war with England hereafter. In the Tariff, he proposes to substitute for the high protecting scale of duties a lower ad valoiem scale, a "revenue standard" — that is, not higher than the rate most productive of revenue ; but regulating the protection incidental to all customs duties in accordance with the claims of " domestic industry" and the wants of the poorer classes of consumers. This plan looks practical and judicious : it would require a more intimate knowledge than we possess of American parties, and of Mr. Polk's influence as a statesman, to hazard a conjecture as to the probability of his making any way with it. Other schemes by the same author are, a revival of the " sub-treasury" plan, and a reduction of the upset price for waste lands in the settled States. Mr. Polk wishes to facilitate the occupation and settlement of waste lands ; which indicates a greater regard for a certain topographical completeness than for sound political economy. Throughout the whole of the document there is a strong demagogue twang — a canting disparagement of " capitalists," and a care to pander to the passions of the populace, said to be characteristic of republics ; we believe it to be common to the vulgar class of place-hunters in all forms of political society. — Spectator.

Egypt. — The festivities at Cairo on the occasion of the marriage of the Pacha's daughter are to be most splendid, and are to continue for eight days, commencing on the 21st inst. It is said that a sum exceeding £50,000 has been expended in preparations for public show and amusement, besides the dowry which is to be bestowed on the husband of the young princess, which is variously estimated in jewels and other property, at sums closely approximating £1,000,000 sterling.

Madagascar. — Captain Fleming of the Waterioich, from the Mauritius, reports that intelligence of the arrival at Rio de Janiero of the English fleet to act against Madagascar had reached the Mauritius on the day heforo he sailed (12th March). The following is the account we find in the Mauricien of March 11th: — "The French expedition against Madagascar is fully determined on, but it is thought it will not sail till January. The Constitutionel says it is composed of the frigates La Gloire, Captain Aubry Baillant ; Armide, Captain Despointes ; Seine Blanche, Captain Catier ; Belle Poule, Captain Grael ; and Psyche, Captain Doret. But as Captain Grael is appointed Governor of the Island of Bourbon, he will, on his arrival, be replaced by Captain Defosses, Commandant of that station, who will take the general command of the expedition. The frigates will not take out their full complement, because they will have to carry troops of infantry, marine, artillery, and engineers. Two or three store ships will accompany them. The command of the troops is given to General Duvivier, who has served for a long time in Africa. The Courtier Fran' caise says, if the information that we have received is correct, the instructions to be given to the Commander of our expedition, Mr. Remaine Defosses, have been agreed upon in a Council of Ministers. England is to intervene at Madagascar conjointly with France: the two intervening powers, after having chastised the Ovas, are to demand simply for the traders of all nations the right of establishing tb emselves on the coast,possessing land and carrying on the trade. The only advantage which the two powers are to preserve to themselves will be the exemption in favour of their respective nations from all customs and navigation laws. The two governments have agreed that their intervention shall be on the same basis for each. — South Aus. Gax.

Algeria. — The National gives a frightful picture of Marshal Bugeaud's doings in Africa. According to the accounts published by this paper, fifty prisoners were shot' in ont day in cold blood — thirteen villages burned — the Dahra massacre acted over again ; for it appears that a portion of a tribe having hid themselves in a cave, the same means were resorted to exactly as were employed by Col. Pelissier, and all smoked and baked to death. The maishal himself is the author of all the»e horrors, — his last ti-imnph was a monster razzia — he has ordered the most strict secrecy as to his barbarous proceedings ; and the writer of the accounts, of which we havt just given a summary, calls him a second Attila, for he puts all to the sword and fire, sparing only women and infants. "We leave to the French Press the duty of commenting upon such acts, and we cheerfully acknowi ledge that duty will be fulfilled. We fancied that it required the dark phrenzy of the agr of the Inquisition to throw up such a monster

as this Bugeaud. The National says: — "Two letters, from which we give extracts, bring us news which will awaken in the minds of our readers sentiments of indignation, such as the dreadful exploits of Colonel Pelissier gave birth to some months back. M. Bugeaud recommences the barbarous war which he had the deplorable courage to cry up in his official journals. Furious ajt not being able to put down the insurrection which bis incapacity had favoured, he takes revenge somewhat in the manner of those savages who use a victory only to proscribe and massacre. Already have thirteen villages been burnt down in the neighbourhood of Tlemcen. General Bourjolly, in the words of one of the letters, goes on rooting out the populations, and killing without pity every man that falls in his power. As many as fifty prisoners have bepn shot in a single day. In fine, to inaugurate worthily the new work of extermination, the horrible drama of the Dahra has been renewed — two grottoes have been smoked out, and God only knows how many poor wretches have been killed there I In place of burning men and villages, M. Bugeaud would do better to direct his attention to our enemy, who profits wonderfully by the delays of our army ; it was necessary for the Emir to advance as far as Loha, near Tiaret, for the General-in-Chief to consent to send after him one of his lieutenants with some battalions ; and to come up with his antagonist, of such known activity, he placed at the disposal of General Jousouff a column composed principally of infantry ! It was with 1,100 foot soldiers and 300 cavalry that this officer went in pursuit of the Emir to the skirts of the desert of Sahara. Infantry to act against a man almost unapproachable, well served also by innumerable spies, and surrounded by the best cavalry in the province of Oran ! M* Bugeaud, however, deems it more useful and more glorious to renew the lamentable success of the Dahra ; he is sure to be in every spot were Abd-el-Kader is not." The Echo de Vesone gives the following from a letter written on the 19th ult., at Marshal Bugeaud's camp : — "The Marshal reached Bel Assel to-day, bringing with him the spoils of a monster razzia made in the environs of the Riou. General Bourjolly's column is on the Menassa, among the Flittjs, where he has fixed his camp, at a place called Dad Sidi Ben Abdallah. From this spot he sends out detachments in every direction, as from a centre, to the extent of twelve or fifteen leagues, harassing the people, and killing without mercy every man they meet with. On the 7th, forty-four Bedouins were shot in the country of the Garbousas. Yesterday were scoured the frightful ravines of the Chaufas, in the country of the Sidi Gayas, and two grottoes, in which about 100 persons had taken refuge, were filled with suffocating smoke. We are carrying on a war in the true spirit of an Attila. Women and children alone are spared. Abd-el-Kader has become more powerful than ever." The latest accounts from Algeria state that Abd-el-Kader was only one hour in advance his deadly enemy, General Jousouff, whose indefatigable perseverance, cunning, and courage, seem to menace the Emir with capture or death.

Chinese Vegetable Tallow. — We have been favoured with the sight of a London letter dated the 15th November, addressed to a mercantile friend in Melbourne, in which the following important paragraph appears :—": — " We observe a public sale of Chinese vegetable tallow, which brought 455. per cwt. for candlemaking, and it is said may be had from China ad libitum, in which event all other kinds of tallow will be reduced in value; this is quite a new era in the article, and requires attention in reference to future operations at your port Sydney* We have seen soap made from this tallow, which is a better quality than from any animal tallow, and requires only half the quantity ; beautiful stearine dandles can be made from it." — Port Phillip Herald.

The late Disturbances at Canton. — When the Quangchowfoo ordered the young man to be flogged so severely, three of the oldest residents fell on their knees before him in the street, praying for a pardon to the unfortunate sufferer. Instead of obtaining their request, they were themselves punished by his orders. To those who know the great respect shewn by the Chinese to old age, it will not be surprising that such measures produced a tumult. The whole affair, however, was gone about in the most systematic manner. No plundering was allowed ; several individuals, who attempted to appropriate part of the Uuangchowfoo's property, were obliged to give it up to the flames, and one or two who hesitated to do so were themselves pushed into the fire until they did. Properly to the amount of 80,000 dollars is said to have been destroyed, including fourteen boxes of clothing, jewels, &c. The whole of the public records, however, which .at first were reported to have been consumed, were carefully saved ;

and, contented with the vengeance they have inflicted, the mob have intimated to their late ruler, that he need fear no further violence, hut may walk about where he pleases. He is said to have been extremely penurious in bis habits, never paying wages to a servant, but on the contrary, receiving sums from them for liberty to oppress (squeeze) the inhabitants. Accounts of the latest dates mention, that all continues quiet, and all fear of an attack upon the factories seems to have been laid aside. We have received the February number of the overland Friend of China, published at Hongkong. The last instalment of the indemnity had been paid, and according to the stipulations of the Chinese Treaty, the island of Chusan was to be evacuated by the British troops. But it seems that Sir John Davis has formally intimated to the Chinese authorities, that until the City of Canton is thrown open to the British residents, and the residents themselves are efficiently protected by the Magistrates from the continued insults and assaults of the Chinese rabble, the possession of Chusan will be retained by the British troops. Apprehensions of a serious outbreak at Canton were entertained, and several vessels of war were ordered to take up a position for threatening and probably bombarding the town. China and India appear to agree that Sir Henry Pottinger has made a lamentable blunder in consenting, under any circumstances, to restore Chusan, which, from its position, fertility, and salubrity, was superior to all others for a British settlement. — South Australian Gazette, May 9.