MOST IMPORTANT NEWS. GENERAL WAR! [From Supplement to Sydney Morning Herald, July 14, 1848.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 315, 5 August 1848, Page 2

MOST IMPORTANT NEWS. GENERAL WAR! [From Supplement to Sydney Morning Herald, July 14, 1848.]

The Port Phillip Mail of this morning brought the startling intelligence that war had been declared by England and France in concert, against Russia, Austria, and Prussia. The c"sus belli is said to be the invasion of the Papal States by Austria, whose aggression is supported by Russia and Prussia. There was a rumour that Sir Charles Napier had been despatched with a powerful squadron to blockade the Russian ports. This information was not contained in the English files received at Melbourne, but was obtained by the Captain of the Mahomed Shah, who spoke on the 29th April, off Madeira, the French brig Benares, bound from Marseilles to Monte Video, and received, through signals, the intelligence that war had broken out in Europe ; doubting the accuracy of the news, he hove to, and sent a boat on board the Benares, and there learnt that the brig had but recently spoken a British frigate (bound expressly for St. Helena) from which he had received the above intelligence. The frigate ran alongside the brig to impart the information— and particularly mentioned the expedition of Sir Charles Napier, but the partici • pation of Prussia was only rumour. There had been great disturbances throughout the Prussian and Austrian dominions (in particular,) and further there was every certainty of a Germano-Russian contention ; a powerful sympathy having been awakened on behalf of the Poles (commencing with the compulsory liberation of all the state prisoners,) in Silesia, and throughout the whole of Germany. Several members of the Prussian Diet had resolved to bring the case of the Poles (an antiRussian movement,) forward at Berlin. This, added to the fact that the Prince of Prussia was amongst the visitors at Buckingham Palace on the 27th March, seems to go some way in favour of the belief that the coalition, offensive and defensive, of Prussia with Austria and Russia was but "a rumour." However, should the triple union be as stated, the two gigantic powers against which they have coalesced have sufficient resources within themselves "to meet a world in arms/

The King of Bavaria has abdicated and gone into temporary retirement with Lola Montes. He is succeeded in his throne by his son Maximilian the 2nd. The English local news is not of much interest. The state of trade was improving, and money plentiful. We have only time to refer to our extracts to shew the disturbed state of the continent. The Queen was safely delivered of a daughter on the 18th March. Her Majesty and the infant princess were doing well. There was a report that Lord John Russell was about to receive a peerage, and that Lord Lincoln and Mr. Cardwell were to join the ministry. We ha^e been unable to ascertain much about the state of trade, but we fear the prospect was a gloomy one. The Young Ireland party were anxious to bring their " physical force" arguments to a practical issue, and had preached so much sedition that Mr. W. S. OBrien, Mr. Meagher, Mr. Mitchell, and some of the lesser lights of the party had been arrested and committed to take their 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 made several important modifications of the treaty, and it was not known whether it would be ultimately ratified. Being anxious to publish this highly important and exciting intelligence with as little delay as possible, we shall forbear making any comments, and refer our readers to the following extracts, for which we are principally indebted to a Supplement of the Port Phillip Herald.