GENERAL SUMMARY.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 3

GENERAL SUMMARY.

London, September 26, 4 p.m. The Queen remains at Balmoral, and continues in excellent health. The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived at Elsinore on the 6th September, and were well received, notwithstanding the antipathy of the Danish people to England. The Crown Princess of Prussia gave birth to a son on the 15th September. The Duke of Newcastle's health i 3 considerably improved. One of the vacant garters is confen-ed on the Marquis of Lansdowne. Lord Palmerston, though in his eighty-first year, appears to be almost übiquitous. He is performing his duties as actively as ever. The British Government have despatched the Earl of Aii-lie to the United States with their views on the present aspect of affairs, and with instructions to offer himself to the Confederacy as a medium of communication with the British Government. The Times discloses a plan which Eu3sia intended adopting in case Englaudhad gone to war with Poland, Kussia hilly expected the breaking out of this war, and issued instructions to Russian Admirals on American and Californian coasts to, leave thoir respective posts by different routes for a known place of rendezvous. The fleet was then to hold itself in readiness, in the event of war being declared, and bear down on tho Austral" inn Colonies. Melbourne was to be the first attacked, next Hobart Town, then Adelaide, Sydney, and New .Zealand. Ships from Now Xork station would har? mustsred 15G guns; Japan, and California, 48 guns. The numbejr of seaman would havo been 2971.— Officers- 127. Yoosels wore principally to bo armed with 68---pounders, but tho orders to Admirals wore to obtain whatovor rifled guns they might require at New York. However the Polish disputo is now forgotton, and we are again upon good topn\« with Rusaiai Tho Oonnel, qitflaUon continues to exoHs tfluoh (lisoussiQiu Ifc hijs been suggested that by weans

she might take charge of our convicts, or cede a portion of her Siberian possessions," where our criminals could be sent. Capt. Speke, discoverer of the source of the Nile, is dead.. He accidentally shot himself whilecrossing a fence. , '-. • The Emperor; of Abyssinia still keeps the British Consul in irons, because he delayed making favorable reply to his offer of marriage to Queen Victoria. '. ■■ : ; ■ • :•■..'■ The owner of the Georgia has received intimation from the Foreign Office that the seizure of that/ vessel must go before .an American Prize Court/ and that the owner must defend his own interests' before that tribunal. '. ri The new screw propeller, invented by James Steele, : Liverpool; average^ four times the speed of an ordinary screw, with same engine, and same pressure of steam. ■■•-■'-' The Home 2Ve«>j?;has disclosed. an unparalleled ! increase of brutal murders and other criminal offences in Great Britain. r ' ; ■ '- A frightful colliery explosion has occurred near North Shields'; 18 persons were killed: . . „ • : A great fire has taken place in London. .The estimatccL loss amounts to /jEIOOjOCXK 'Haberdasher's Sail, in Greaham-streefc^ was almost totally destroyed. Franz Muller, the ! supposed murderer of Mr. Briggs was arrested at New York on the '2.4 th of August, and arrived in custody at Liverpool on ' the 16th September: He pleaded not guilty. The examination caused a wonderful : sensation. Muller's defence waa warmly taken up by the German society, who b«lieve' him innocent.' Colonel M'Murdo retires from the inspectorship of volunteers. An earthquake was distinctly felt in Cheshire on the 21st instant. ...■■: During the past week 47 wrecks were reported, making a total during the present year of 1255.. The Poor Law expenditure for the year ending 25th March last was £6,527,000, being an increase on previous year of £450,000. The Queen has conferred the Victoria Cross on Assistant-Surgeons Manley and Temple, Lieutenant Picai'd, Ensign Down, and Drummer Stagpole for bravery during the New Zealand campaign. The Roxburgh Castle and Light Brigade sailed with reinforcements for New Zealand. At Doncastor September meeting the Great Yorkshire Handicap was won by Magnum Bonum ; Revolver second ; Raglan third. The St. Ledger Stakes was won by Blair Athol; General Peel second ; Cambuscan third. The Portland Plate — Persuasion, fii-st ; Woldga second; Lyra third. The Doncaster Cvp — General Peel first ; Hyppolyta, second ; Monia, third. The Great One-mile Champion Handicap Pedestrian Match was won by Brunell ; — time, 4 minutes, 26 seconds. The two-mile swimming match for the Champion Club was won by Gurr, of London, time 32 minutes, 4 seconds. A {ireat skiff race took place between Chambers and Cooper, for the championship of the Tyne. Was won easily by the former. The Fight between ilace, the English pugilist' and Coburn, the 'American pugilist, for £500 a side is to come off in Ireland, on the 4th og October.