GENERAL SUMMARY.

Southland Times, Issue 1003, 14 August 1868, Page 2

GENERAL SUMMARY.

.. :.. :.; . LONDOW,JvLOO 19. The Queen is in good health, and at Windsor. She visits Germany in the autumn, and intends holding a series of. public breakfasts at Buckingham Palace. The first of the series will be given on Tthe arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Michael "of- Servia has been _shot-dead^—~lhe -assassins —were—a-father and his two sons. The Prince was killed on the spot, and a lady who was with him was fatally wounded. He lived long enough to name the assassins. The Prince of Milan has been raised to. the throne, under the tutelage of a guardian. A. vote of thanks has been passed by ; toth Houses of Parliament to the Abyssinian field forces. The Conference of the International; Peace League assembled at Berne on the"'i 31st of May. Delegates were present; , from France, Germany, Eussia, and Italy. The prompt trial and execution of O'Farrell have given great satisfaction throughout the country. The name of South Danvers, Massachusetts, has been changed to Peabody, being Mr Peabody's birthplace. . The. Mont Cenis railway was opened successfully for passenger traffic on the 15th June. The only daughter, of the Emperor of Budaia is reported m- . affianced to the Crown Prince of Saxe- ; Weimar. . . "Mx Gladstone's Irish Church Appoint- • ments Suspension Bill passed the House '; of Commons on the 16th of June, amid the loud cheers of the Liberals. Mr Stuart Mill has presented to the : Commons a petition from the Home and ;.. Foreign Affairs Committee of Macclesfield, praying that a commisson maybe appointed to inquire into the Abyssinian war, and the murder of Bang Theodoras 1;' Mr Eearden, who asked in the House of Commons whether the Queen had not better abdicate, never rises now in the: House without being assailed with eon?.-.--temptuous yells. The Irish national papers say that the Australian legislators who passed the Treason Felony Bill are political eunuchs, . who are sunk in the slime of infamy, -j The 'Nation' expects to hear of posecutions, fines, imprisonments, rioting, and " bloodshed. .-■".: ..-■-., : At Birmingham, on the 29th of OMJ»y» :^ meteoric, atones fell in Jarge quantities. Several persons were killed by the lightning. .■■-.- '■.■*. ■-■.;... The <^ueen has .sent, a; message \<o£ ,>; thanks-to the Abyssinian troops. It was '■* enthusiastically receiyed. ,v r r;'\ : v A grand battle has- taken place b<BV tween; the Eussian army and: tbe Bjo^x ) kharians. .The Eussians took possession _ of the capitai.'..:.).; , ; , r? The affairs of Europe are quiet and > ipeaceful.. ' r Mr Disraeli will appeal to the country.\\'."■ The Government have obtained one - year'ssupplies. .. h ;. The Grand Jury having ignored the r bill against ex-Governor. Eyre, the Government will pay his expenses, but will . not, as asked, bring in a bill to stop •further prosecutions. . : ,] :: The Conservatives of Westminster are.. ' getting funds together to enable GK>veiv" !f nor Eyre to contest the next election with Mr Stuart Mill, his great prosecutor.

Money is exceedingly plentiful. Bus: ness ia everywhere dull, although souuc The Lombard-street rate of discount i one and a half per cent., and the Ban rate is two per cent. The Ascot Stakes were won by th Earl, carrying Bst 10b ; Cap-a-pie was second, carrying Bst 3lb j Suffolk thirc carrying Bst 101 b. A great fire has occurred in Shoreditcfc at Gtappy and Copeatake'a warehouses Fourteen buildings were destroyed. The Government has consented to pa; the damages caused by the Clerkenwel exploison. Risk Allah has brought an actioi against the "Daily Telegraph." Thi damages are laid at £20,000. The harvest promises to be good, bu there; has been no lain for a longtime The %&y crop and the crop of vegetables vrill t 'tnerefore, be short. A commission has been appointed it the Tichbotne case to examine witnessei in Australia and South America. Large discoveries of coal have beei made in Russia. Longfellow, the American poet, ha* arrived in England, and has been enthusiastically welcomed. He has taker the honorary degree of L.L.D. at Cambridge. The report of the P. and O. Company shows a dividend of three per cent for the half-year. A satisfactory comparison is made' between the past six months 1 operations and those of the corresponding periods of 1866 and 1867. Mr P. D. Hadon is the new chairman. Two new steamers, the Magdala and Hindostan, each of 3,000 tons burden, and 600 horse power, are now being built for the P. and O. Company. The Panama, N.Z., and Australian Company's report shows that a considerable lofts has been sustained, partly attributable to the fear of yellow fever in the West Indies last Autumn, and to the falling off in the traffic between New Zealand and Australia. An improve-, ment in the receipts, and a reduction of the expenditure are expected this year. The shareholders of the Messageries Imperial Company have decided on raising additional capital. Napoleon has signified Iris assent to the Emperor of Russia's proposition, to prohibit the use of explosive missiles in time of war. He says round shot should be sufficient. The report of the commission on the French Budget has been distributed among the members of the Legislative hodj. It says the armaments which have taken place do not conceal a warlike intention, and adds that .Prance neither threatens nor fears anyone. She wishes for peace; and her G-overnment resolutely desires, it. Everything leads to the hope that peace will not be disturbed. Th& prospects of Italy are improving ' The Times' ' correspondent says that the country has concentrated its attention on its own international affairs. Fresh taxes to a very large amount have been voted, and there is a probability of the re-establishment of afinancial equilibrium. The funds have risen, and a splendid harvest is being gathered. In the * Opinione' of Florence it is stated that the French troops will be withdrawn from Rome before the convocation of the oecumenical council. An extradition treaty has been concluded between Italy and Spain. Telegrams from Rome state that an amnesty will be granted to all political prisoners on the anniversary of the Pope's accession. It is announced that in the next session of the Spanish Uortes the Government will bring in an Electoral Reform Bill. From the Ist January next the use of metrical and decimal systems will be observed, and transactions on those systems will be obligatory throughout Spain. ' The Bavarian Government are willing to participate in the formation of a South German confederation, to embrace all the South German states ; and neither. North nor South Germany to take up an isolated position, or to lean upon foreign powers for support. Count Bismarck has been advised by his physicians to go into absolute retirement, which is necessary for the restoration of his health. He is suffering from the over-taxation of his nervous system, and will be compelled to abstain from all participation in public affairs. The Federal Council of North Germany has- adopted a resolution requesting the Chancellor of the confederation to negotiate a treaty with the foreign powers, for rendering private property at sea inviolable in time of war. An Imperial ukase has been issued by the Czar of Russia, granting an amnesty, under certain restrictions, to all prisoners detained in Siberia. They are to be conveyed abroad, and will not be permitted to return to Russia. Russian correspondence says the accounts from the south-east mention that an abundant harvest is expected this year, especially on the shores of the Sea of Azof. The late rain had a most beneficial effect on the standing corn. Obituary. — Sir H. Halford, Sir John Liddell, Mr G. B. Bruce, Prebendary Randolph, the Hon. and Rev. F. Baring, Sir' James Brooke (Rajah of Sarawak), and the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot.