LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Southland Times, Issue 1145, 21 April 1869, Page 3

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Londoh, March 9th. , Gallb, March 24th. Addresses from the Houses of Parliament have been presented to the Queen. In the House of Commons, Mr Cardwell, iv reply to a question, from Mr Ellice, concerning the relative position of the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of War, said the authority of the Secretary was supreme, and might be brought to bear even on minor promotions in the army, while it ought, moreover, to bear on the general discipline of the army. Mr Cardwell has announced that in future all military appointments will be submitted to the Secretary of State for War before presentation to Her Majesty. The patronage, however, remains in the hands of the commander-in-chief. Government has decided to release forty-nine Fenians. On tbe debate on the Irish Church Bill, Mr Gladstone said that the greatest promptitude was necessary in the settlement of the question. The process of disestablishment \ would be divided into two stages. The first would be transitory until 1871. The bill proposes the appointment of a new ecclesiastical com-; mission, and that the whole property of the church BhaU be vested therein. The bill would absolutely take effect in 1871, when not only woidd the separation of J church and state be complete, but the*

existing ecclesiastical jurisdiction would also cease, and the peerage of bishops would lapse. The value of the property of the church was estimated to £16,000,000, and from £7,00,000 to £8,000,000 would remain after all claims were satisfied. Of the surplus, a portion, he proposed, should be devoted to the relief of distress The bill was read a first time. Her Majesty's Government bad been instructed that Mr Stanton would take the necessary steps for the relief of the American mission which had * sited Abyssinia for the purpose of effecting tbe liberation of captives. ! tfhe Princess Christian has given birth to a prince. I The army estimates have been published. They show a reduction of £1,089,000. The army is to be reduced by 11,200 men, chiefly in the infantry. The navy estimates have been pub- ; lished. They show the proposad expendi- I ture for the present year to be I £9,600,000, or a reduction of £1,200,000. | The newspapers, the Conservative journals excepted, praise Mr Gladstone's scheme forthe disestablishment of the Irish Church. A Supplementary Estimate shows the cost of the Abyssinian expedition to have been £3,600,000. The Commons passed the necessary grant. Edwards, ofthe Court of Bnkruptcy, has been dismissed, on account of his connexion with the firm of Overend Gurney, and Co. The prosecutien of Messrs Lane and Chil<?s, committed for trial in regard to calls made by the Merchants Company, has been abandoned. Colonel Tyler is visiting the Italian railways, with the view of establishing communication direct via Brindisi. Lord Gough died on the 3rd inst. Sir Emerson Tennent died on the 6th inst. It is the intention of the present Government to establish flying squadrons, and build three tunet ships, to be the most powerful vessels in the world. Mr Childers has stated that the reduction to take place in squadrons on foreign stations will be from eighty to sixty-four ships. The China squadron will be reduced from thirty-four to twenty-five ; the Indian, from seven to six ; the Australian will remain unchanged. India is to pay £70,000 per annum towards the expenses of the vessels maintained in the India Seas. The prospectus has been issued of a company for the purpope of establishing a direct submarine telegraph between England, India, and Australia, via Gibraltar, Malta, and Bombay. The rate of discount at the Bank of England remains unaltered. It is stated that Sir J. Lawrence will be raised to the peerage. Oxford has again beaten Cambridge in the boat race by four lengths. Lord Strathnairn has been gazetted Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards, vice Lord Gough. To-day, Mr Gladstone moved the second reading of the Irish Church Bill. Mr Disraeli proposed the rejection of the bill in a long speech. He said the measure was unjust, impolitic, and sacraligious. The debate was adjourned till the 20th. The health of Pr-ace Leopold is improving. England is mediating in the French and Belgian question. The monster declaration got up in Ireland, denying the moral competence of Parliament to disestablish the Irish Church, has been signed by upwards of : fifty peers, and 1000 deputy-lieutenants, magistrates, and landowners. An Irish deputation has presented a petition to tbe Queen at Windsor, praying for the disestablishment and disendow ment of the Irish Church. Her Majesty, in reply, reiterated the expres. sion of the deep interest she felt in the condition of Ireland. From New York we learn that the committee of the Senate have unanimously recommended the rejection of the Alabama treaty. The North German Diet was opened at Berlin by the King of Prussia. In his speech he said the foreign relations of the country were very friendly. Congress has assembled at Washington. The President, in his Message, strongly advocated the payment of the public debt ?n gold, a return to specie payments, and the faithful collection of the revenue, with Btrict accountability. He will deal equitably with foreign nations. In conclusion, the President said he desired to adopt an amendment of the laws on the suffrage. President Grant's Cabinet is formed. — Secretary of State, Mr Washbourne ; Secretary of War, General Schofield; Secretary of Finance, Mr Stewart ; Secretary of the Interior, Mr Cox ; Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Porter. From New York we learn that the Congress bas passed a^ bill declaring the national debt payable in gold, and legalising gold contracts. Lamartine is dead. Advices received in London from Washington announce that Mr Stewart has resigned the secretaryship of the Treasury, being disqualified as a trader from holding oflice. President Grant has requested that the disqualification should be repealed. Prim has declared in the Cortes that a Bourbon will never re-ascend the throne of Spain. The Cortes thanked the Provisional Government. Serrano made a patriotic Bpeech on his assumption of oflice. He has announced the reappointment of tbe former Ministers, and a resolution maintaining the principles of the revolution has been adopted. The Austrian frigate Radetsky waif blown up, near the Island of Lissa, in the Adriatic, with the loss of 400 lives. Advices from Paris state that great j excitement exists regard : ng the Luxemburg Railway Bill. The tone of the French press towards ' j Belgium is threatening. "-

Telegrams from Spain have asserted that Prince Ferdinand of Portugal was disposed to accept the Crown of Spain. It is stated that the Turkish loan has failed. France and Belgium have agreed to refer their differences to a mixed commission, President Grant has accepted Mr Stewarts resignation* The basis of the intended negotiations of the commission appointed to settle the Belgian and French question is undermined. Thei French Government insist on the validity of the acts of the former commission as to the concession made to the French company. Heavy reinforcements of the West India spuadron have been ordered. The Constitutionnel says that France and Belgium have agreed to a satisfactory solution of their railway differI ences. I In Spain the insurgents have been vanI quished. | New Yoek, Feb. llth The resignation of Mr Washbourne, Secretary of State, and by Mr Shoheld, ofthe secretaryship of war have been accepted. Bontwell succeeds Stewart, and Washboutne has been appointed minister to France.