News to 25th Hay.

Colonist, Issue 88, 24 August 1858, Page 2

News to 25th Hay.

(From the Sydney Morning Herald.)

The overdue mail-ship Victoria, with the May mails, arrived in Hobson's Bay on the first instant. . .

The delay in the arrival of, the Victoria is attributed to the inefficiency of her machinery: " She was stopped (says the Argus), it is. said, upwards of thirty times for the repair of her machinery, whilst the annoyance occasioned by these perpetual hindrances was aggravated by incivility, by bad provisions, by a failure to maintain the necessary discipline of the ship, and by almost every circumstance that can add to the discomfort of a sea voyage."

The French misunderstanding seems to have blown over, and, in a political sense, the alliance of the two nations was not affected by recent occurrences.

English politics derive their interest almost entirely from Indian affairs. The publication of a proclamation from Lord Canning, confiscating the territory of Oude, and of despatches addi'essed to him condemning that measure, had given rise to long and animated debates in both Houses of Parliament, and a motion tantamount to a vote of censure, proposed by Mr. Cardwell, for several days imperilled the existence of the Ministry. It was ultimately withdrawn, at the instance of several of the leaders of political sections. Mr. Disraeli's resolutions, to form the basis of a new India Bill, were under discussion, the principle of the second resolution, nominating a Minister for India, having been affirmed by a large majority. The new Oaths Bill was defeated in the House of Lords by a majority of 39, Indian news is by no means satisfactory. The enemy were regaining many of the towns and fortresses from which they had been driven. They retreated wherever the British forces shewed themselves, but rallied immediately the military power was withdrawn. The policy of Lord Canning' had failed to consolidate a feeling of public confidence in the wisdom or effectiveness of his Administration.

The rumours that reached us by the Alice Maude, of the pacification of China, prove to have been unfounded. The progress of negotiations was slow and unsatisfactory, and fresh collisions between the natives and the English forces are narrated.

Tho Duchess of Orleans is dead,

The death of Mr. John O'Connell is announced in the Freeman's Journal of the 23rd May. He expired, somewhat suddenly, at Kingston. The Christian Knowledge Society lias issued a special appeal for India. They propose to devote .£IO,OOO (or £2000 per annum for five years) towards the promotion of various objects "connected with the extension of Christian knowledge in that land. To meet this great liability, they "hope that large and liberal additions will be made to the pecuniary means of this society." At a recent meeting the society agreed that .£IOOO should be granted towards the endowment of the new see of Brisbane, the colony which her Majesty's Government have announced their intention' of forming out of the northern portion of New South Wales.

The position of our mail service is evidently precarious. The E. and A. Company are unequal to its effective maintenance, and there seems every likelihood of their abandoning the contract. The Oneida is reported .to have been sold. Nothing further is stated as to the additional vessels which have been promised, for some months. The project of amalgamation with the Royal Mail Company has not been carried out.

Co vent Garden Theatre was opened on the 15th of May, with "Les Huguenots;", Grisi, Mario, and I'ormes, respectively appearing as Valentine, Raoul, and Marcel. The house was crowded to the ceiling. ;

[From the London Correspondent of Sydivy Tlerald.) London, Monday, May 17.

One of the most severe political struggles in Far- I liament is now pending, and the fate of the Derby Ministry is most critical. The facts are simply' these. Lord Cauning, the Governor-General of India, issued a proclamation, confiscating the territorial rights, &c, of parties in Ouclc, a copy of which lie sent to England, accompanied by a private letter to Mr. Vernon Smith, .whom he supposed still President of .the Board of Control, stating that he had hoped to have sent a full explanatory despatch, but was prevented by urgent business. This letter Mr. Vernon Smith chose to consider as a private one addressed to him as a private individual, and by further consulted Lord Palmerston, and they mutually agreed not to make it known to Lord Ellenborough. Lord EUenborough, unaware of this letter, or that an explanation was to follow, wrote a despatch condemning the proclamation. This despatch was published, and the Opposition, through Lord Shaftesbury (Lord Palmerstou's son-in-law,) and Mr. Card well, bring forward motions conveying a censure on the Government for " publishing this despatch condemning the proclamation," and the result is a majority in favor of the Government in the Lords of 10. The debate in the Commons will not close until Wednesday morning, and the result is very doubtful. The whole matter turns on a trick, and nothing else. The Commons have disagreed to the Lords' amendments on the Oaths Bill, and .a committee appointed to draw up reasons for their dissent, on which committee Baron Rothschild has been placed. Clause 1 of the Church Rate Abolition Bill has been carried. It proposes the immediate abolition of church rates, for years a vexed question. The young and virgin Queen Consort of Portugal left Plymouth last Tuesday, on her voyage to Lisbon.

If the Ministry stay in, it is rumored that Lord Stanley will succeed Lord Ellenborough as President of the Board of Control, and Sir E. Bulwer Lytton succeed Lord Stanley for the Colonies. But I do not think these wili be the changes.

Spain is again in a Ministerial crisis. Herrera has succeeded Diaz as Minister of the Interior, a.nd the Cortez were dissolved 6th instant.

The Neapolitan Government has replied to the note from England for compensation to the English engineers on Board the Cagliari—-it is a negative reply, but admits of further negotiation. Sardinia in this matter is desirous of acting in concert with England, and has submitted three courses for the approval of Lord Malmesbury. The European Powers (with the exception _of Austria) have pi'opounded a scheme for the internal government of the Danubian Principals ies, to give them a joint Legislature, with separate Hospodarates—-the Hospodars to be appointed for life, with separate armies oh an equal footing to operate in unison. There have been, several severe engagements between the Turks and Montenegrins, in which the former have been signally defeated. France and England, however, purpose to interfere, with the view to obtain a reconciliation.

The House Committee of Congress has delivered a report condemning the Clayton-Bulvver Treaty, and directing the President to take immediate steps for its abrogation. Mr. Layard has returned from India, and has given a lecture on his tour through India, in which he offers views different from his Parliamentary colleagues. .The Ministerial crisis has checked and depressed business of every kind. Consols are duil and flat at 97J to hi Railway shares very heavy, Northwestern 98 to Gold is now coming in fast. The Invincible, the Thames, and Swif'tsure arrived last week, and to-day there are the Sydenham, the Colero'jn, and Roxburgh Castle. These vessels bring together about i' 750,000 gold, which will check the drain upon this country. * The Bank: of 'England- has within the last month lost a million of its bullion, and all the supplies that have arrived have been absorbed.