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Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 523, 20 July 1866, Page 7

An extraordinary meeting has been convened of the shareholders in the Agra Bank, for Vne purpose of considering a proposal for voluntary liquidation. Loxdox, June 13th. Commencement of war in Europe. Cotton advancing. Garibaldi entered Yenetia. Pope fled from Koine. June 14. Panic at home still raging ; some of the greatest financial houses in England are freely spoken of. Failures — Oriental Commercial Bank, European Bank, limited, Duff, Caddell and Co., and H. Wittle, Liverpool, Gillatly, Hankey and Co., shipowners, Consolidated Bank. Paris, 30th May. The occupation of the Danubian Principalities by the Turkish troops has been countermanded. The Austrian Government has given orders for the raising of a forced loan in Yenetia. THE CONGRESS. Losvdox, 31st May. The Governments of Austria, Prussia, Italy, and the Federal Diet have formally accepted the invitations to the Congress. EGYPT. JjOsdos, Ist June. The annual tribute payable by the Viceroy of Egypt to the Sultan has been increased by £350,000 sterling, in consequence of the abolition of the collateral succession. CHINA. The reported murder of Consul Mor- j rison has been contradicted. It is said j that the rebels have captured Linghan, the capital of Kangsu. The Nieufl took Newehang, and was afterwards attacked by the Imperialist forces and driven from the garrison. Grant's new line of telegraph by way of Siberia is already partially in opera.; tion, and it is expected that within a few months London and China will be brought within ten days' communication. JAPAN. Sir Harry and Lady Parkes visited the Satasumas Palace. THE WAE BETWEEN CHILI AND SPAIN. By the arrival of the Fanny Small at j Auckland, from Tome, we have the lilercurio of sth March. A naval engagement took place on 6th of February, between two Spanish ships of war and four of the allied (fleet of tiie Chilians and Peruvians. Spanish vessels : The Villa de Madrid and La Blanca, 94 guns in all. Allied vessels : Apurimac, 28 guns ; Union, 12 ; Covadonga, 3. The scene of the combat was near 'the island of Chiloe, in the archipelago, between the main land and the former island, close to a place called Abtao. It appears that the Spanish vessels, encountering a little coaster, with two men, a woman and child on board, all of the aboriginal race, made them believe that their vessels were Peruvian men-of-war, coming to rendezvous with the allied fleet. The aboriginals thereupon served them as pilots in the archipelago. At six a.m., the allied fleet observed two strange vessels standing in toward their bay. At nine a.m., they made them out to be the Villa de Madrid and the Blanca. Captain Williams being absent on a cruise with the Esmeralda, Captain Yillar, of the Peruvian navy, took the command, and went to meet the Spaniards with the Apurimac and Covadonga, engaging at once La Blanca. The firing began at 1200 to 1300 yards. About 1200 rounds were fired on both sides, the Spaniards retiring, evidently crippled. The Covadonga followed the Blanca to within 400 yards, but was beaten back, as no support was given her, through the machinery of the Apurimac getting out of order. The America having been from the beginning in -an unfit state to move; the Union alone rendering any active assistance. The fire of the America, Apurimac, and Union made, however, considerable havoc on board the Villa de Madrid, which had also tWetire. The allies lost two men, the Spaniards thirty-five, according to the statement of the aboriginals, who, having served as pilots, were landed before the combat. The light lasted for two hours and a half. La Blanca had her mainyard shot down, and several shots behind wind and water. Pieces of her bow and stern have drifted ashore, also many bodies, arms, legs, and the remnants of a boat which was sunk by a shot, with twenty Spaniards, who were trying to reconnoitre. The day previous to this combat, the Italian steamer Lautaro (formerly Leizand) burst her boiler in running the blockade from Abtao ; five men were killed and sixteen wounded by the explosion. Williams has joined the allied fleet in the Esmeralda. The tendedcy of the public voice, as enunciated by the Mercurio, is to continued resistance to the demands of Spain. The means of defence to be shortly adopted are to be a closing of all SpanishAmerican ports on the Pacific ; monitors, with 300-pounders, stationed along the most important points of the coast ; and telegraphic communication along the whole coast. The commerce of Chili being carried on by neutral vessels, the main object of the Spanish blockade is therefore lost. From Conception the reports on wheat are as follows : — Seventeen vessels loading on the 4rd February; the supply \ being more abundant this year than j almost any other year.