ARRIVAL OF THE SS. MADRAS IN HOBSON'S BAY, WITH ENGLISH NEWS TO THE 5th MARCH.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 50, 1 May 1863, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SS. MADRAS IN HOBSON'S BAY, WITH ENGLISH NEWS TO THE sth MARCH.

We Tiave Tecerved our Melbourne files to the ISth. in&t, The following summary of English news is from the Leader of that date: —

The s.s, Madras arrived in Hobson's Bay -early on the mornujg of the 14th bringing English news up to the sth March, and American to the 14th of February.

Parliament opened on the sth February. The most noticeable incident of the morning was the first appearance of •the Prince of Wales in the House of Lords.

The Royal Speech was read by commission. An allusion to tke approaching marriage, regret for the American war, which her Majesty's Government had resolved not to interfere with, thanks to Greece, a hope of a slight revival of trade in the manufacturing districts, treaties with France and Belgium, peace with Foreign Powers, and a general promise of useful measures, at present in a nebulous state, constituted the main items of the Speech.

The Ministers have suffered one defeat. But it was upon a question of local interest, involving no principle whatever. Mr Peacock moved for an address to the Crown, praying that no forestal rights nor facilities for the enclosure of land within fifteen miles of London, should be granted by the Crown. The motion was opposed by Sir George Grey and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.; but it was nevertheless carried by a majority of 1 1 3 against 73.

The text of the treaty with Denmark for the marriage of the Prince of Wales to the Princess Alexandria has been published. After stating that the marriage is to be celebrated in Great Britain according to the rights and ceremonies of the Church of England, the- treaty goes on to secure to the Princess Alexandria £10,000 a year, to be paid half-yearly, and should she become the widow of the Prince of Wales, £30,000 in lieu of dower.

Sir Roderick Murcbisoa has been gazetted a K.C.B.

The English military commander at Corfu has ordered the cessation of all work on the fortifications and of all repairs. Orders of a like nature have been issued, it is stated, in the other lonian Islands.

The papers from New York contain some interesting correspondence between members of the Confederate Government and their agents in Europe, which has been intercepted. One curious feature revealed by this is, that Mr Spence, of Liverpool, well-known for his able advocacy of the cause of the South, is a financial agent of the Confederacy. Mr Spence indignantly denies that he has been the paid advocate of the South.

The Quebec papers represent the result of the recent visit of Canadian delegates to this country as likely to be an arrangement with an English company for the construction of telegraphic line and a waggon express road from Canada to the Pacific, the Canadian Government guaranteeing 4 per cent, on £500,000 of capital.

The Home Secretary is said to have decided upon an immediate change in the ticket-of-leave system. According to this reported arrangement no convict, after a second conviction, will under any circumstances, obtain & ticket-of-leave.

A project is oa foot, of coining for colonial use a British silrer dollar, of the weight andf rains probably of four ami a half English shillings, Ott tbe I2tft February Sir William Armattfoffg sent m his resignation as ordnance engineer and snperintendant of rifled brfamce.

The arnsy estimates for the year bare been issued. The redaction ©o the estimates of last year amounted, a»in the case of the nary, to a tiifle over a million, meikmgt as far as yet appears, a j reduction of two millions on the year's expenses." [ Captain Barton and M. Dv Chaflht hare ! settled to visit the gorilla country in company on a sporting tour. Garibaldi has now got quite rid of b» doctors, but ho cannot yet walk about without the aid of crutches. M. Basile, who was in attendance upon him until the 31st January, thinks that he will be able to ride about on horseback in about a fortnight. I Advices from Turin announce the marriage of M. Rita«zi, lately the head of the Italian Ministry, and the Countess de Solms, nee Bonaparte- Wyse. '••■The Yelverton marriage case has been set down for hearing on appeal in the House of Lords, bul it will probably be not heard till immediately after the re-as-sembling of the House at the close of. the Easter recess. A strange stOTy comes to us in relation to the famou9 Roupell will case. It is said that a wimess has turned up who swears that he saw old Mr. Roupell sign the deed of sift of his estate to William Roupell. This deed of gift William Roupell declared he had forged, and for forging it he is now under sentence of penal servitude for life.

It is reported that Prince Alfred, who is at present serving on board the liae-of-battle ship St. George, on the Mediterranean station, was suffering from an attack of fever. Telegrams since received state that " The Prince is progressing favourably." The Prince of Wales has avowed himself a " broad" Churchman, by choosing for his chaplains Rev. Dr. Stanley, the canon of Christ Church, Oxford % the Rev. Charles Kingsley, the Rev. H. M. Birch, and the Rev. C. J. Tarver. For his phy sicians ira ordinary he has chosen Dr. Jftnner and Dr. E. Sieve King ; for his surgeons, Mr. Paget and M«\ Pollock, and Mr Mintner for his surgeon extraordinary; for his honorary physicians, Dr. Chambers, Dr. Acland, and Dr. Armstrong.

A lamentable fire took place on the llth February in Liverpool, by which six persons were burned to death, and two more so injured Chat they are not expected to survive.

A fire eonsuraed property estimated at £30.009 in Newcastle on-Tyne on the morning of the 13th February. A melancholy coal-pit accident happened on the 19th February, near Wednesbury, at which there were at the time three men and a "boy. Only -the ijoy was found alive.

The prospects of the operatives in the cotton manufacturing districts are of the gloomiest description. A-n occasional diminution of the distress is reported from week to week, but that appears to result from merely accidental fluctuations, and realise the probability of closed mills, small trades and enterprises of all kinds checked, stifled, and crushed.

The Era. of 22nd February says • — "The twHve English Cricketers for" Australia are nearly all selected. They comprise eleven of the best cricketers in the world — three from Cambridgeshire, three from Notts, three from Surrey, one from Yorkshire, and the best gentleman player ever yet before the public The twelfth has yet to be decided on. Their names are R. Carpenter, T. Hayward, G. Tarrant, Mr. E M. Grace, Julius Caesar, W. Caffyn, T. Lockyer, George Anderson, J. Jack.son, T. Parr, and R. C. Tinley. The English journals are full of details of the great preparations which are making for the celebration of the marriage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The reception to be given to the Prince's bride on her arava! promises to be one of the most spontaneous and magnificent popular Welcomes ever given in England. The case of the late terrible collision at Winchburgh came before the High Court •of Justiciary on the 16th February. Mr. Latham, general manager, and Mr. Thompson, traffic superintendent, of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, were charged with culpable homicide and culpable neglect of duty. After eight hours' trial the Lord Advaeate intimated he could not pres3 for a conviction. The Court concurred, and a verdict of " not guilty** was returned.

Lord Palmerstou is to arrive at Glasgow on the 30th March, and will take up his residence with the Lerd Provost. As Rector of the University he will deliver his installation address to the students in the forenoon, and will attend a banquet given by the citizens in the City Hall, on the evening of the day of his arrival ia Glasgow.