EUROPEAN NEWS.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 176, 28 June 1859, Page 3

EUROPEAN NEWS.

From our impression of the 21st instant, we continue the London letter of lhe Melbourne Herald correspondent :— London, 18th April. Ofthe state of Europe if is difficult to know what to write; eacb day brings its report, which not only excites its modicum of hopo yf peace, or of fear of war, but, what is more to my_ purpose, changes the situation, aud with it the point of interest. Towards the close of the last' month, Russia proposed that a Congress should be held to try ana arrange existing difficulties, and negotiations have been actively going on ever since as. fco the basis for its deliberations. Sardinia at once claimed to be present, but so far as is yet known her claim has been disallowed, and the Congress* is to be limited to the rive Great Powers. Austria stipulated at first that Sardinia should previously disarm, and England agreed to invite France to join her in insisting on this being done.' We may safely infer that France refused, for Austria changed the proposition into one for simultaneously disarming by all the powers. The semiofficial Patrie says' on this point that as France has not anned1, she cannot be called to disarm; Austria herself is therefore the only one of the five powers to whom her stipulation applies, and she of course has it iv her power to carry it out whenever she pleases. This will give you a fair notion ofthe amicable and conciliatory spirit existing, and enable you to judge of the probability of a peaceable result from the congress, should it ever assemble. Austria's policy seems to be, by making concessions with respect to the other' Italian States, to obtain a new guarantee of her LoiabiU'doVenetian provinces—bufc this she will scarcely •succeed in; England has agreed that ucitb»r_.tke 'territorial arrangements,nor the treaties of 1315 shall be touched ; but Louis Napoleon is reported to have declared that he will not sign anything in which the treaties of 1315 are mentioned. Pamphlets, French and Italian —bitter articles in official newspapers, French and German —and diplomatic documents, Austrian and Sardinian, have been published iv considerable numbers; but important and interesting as the3ywere on the day they were issued, I doubt whether it is worth anybody's while in Australia to read them; even here the publications of one week are out of d-ite the next, and while I write I am by no means sure that before I close my letter intelligence will not arrive that will tike all. the interest out of what I have written. I fully expected that we should have had debates in both Houses to refer to in time for this mail; iov Lord Palmerston gave notice a fortnight ago that on the■■Bth he would ask a question on the subject; but on that day* Mr. Disraeli implored him "not to do so, and promised to make a statement on the following Monday or Tuesday. ■■On.'the' Tuesday he named Friday, but on Thursday he postponed it till tonight. The uncertainty whether the congress will ever meet, and the great probability that it will issue in a quarrel if it does, makes us, and I hope will make you also, bear these postponements with equanimity. The disappointment is chiefly annoying inasmuch as the delay in telling us what our government is doing prevents the action of public opinion on their proceedings. Meanwhile the preparations for war have been going on with unremitting speed. In augmentation of the 150,000 men Austria had in Italy, 50,000 more were sent about ten days ago, to be followed by yet other 60,000. France has assembled more than 150,000 men about Lyons and Gienoble, within six miles of the Ticino, with heaps of forage at every relay of Mount Conis; and has gent for five steam frigates to Algeria, to be ready for the conveyance of troops, 80,000 of whom, it is said, are prepared for transport into Italy. Piedmont has raised her forces to about 80,000 men, and swarms with volunteers from all; parts of Italy, among them many young men of noble families, who have joined the ranks as common soldiers; and a general subscription has been organised throughout Italy to supply her with funds. With such a mass of inflammable material, what probability is there of any progress being able to keep the people? Piedmont has been for some time the barrier between Italy and revolution; how long could she maintain the position if the consultations of the congress went adverse to the hopes she has excited ? Two small items arc all I can add on the subject of foreign affairs. The King of Naples, if not dead afc the time I write, will be so, there seems no doubt, before you read. I cannot help grieving that the hangman should be deprived of an opportunity of exercising his function on his Majesty's behalf. The Conferences on the Danubian Principalities have met at Paris, and it is understood that Couza's election as head of both Moldavia and Wallachia, thus virtually uniting the two principalities, will be recognised, spite of the remonstrances of Turkey. It is said that the Russian Grand Duke Michael is about to honor Colonel Couza with a visit!

The Indian mutiny is now officially considered to be over. The thanks of Parliament were last week voted in both Houses to everybody concerned in its suppression, and the Archbishop of Canterbury has been directed to prepare a form of prayer and thanksgiving to be used in churches on the first of May. Everything is settled except "the little bill,*" the necessity of providing for which is now pressing rather heavily on men's minds. The deficiency which it was thought would be covered by a loan of seven millions, for whicli a bill has been passed, appears to he about.eleven millions and a half, and another' loan of five millions is talked of. The Indian authorities seem to have muddled their market till no more money is to be borrowed, and it is obvious to everybody here that a complete change in the Indian Government so far as relates to finance, is as necessary* as the reduction of expenditure and the levying of fresh taxes. Six batteries of artillery that were on the point of being.sent to India, have been stopped by the remonstrances occasioned by this state of tilings —with just a glance at the possibility of tlieir being wanted nearer home.

Trade generally, in the uncertain state of affairs at ■home and abroad, has naturally been very quiet. —there being no inducements to extend operations beyond the most absolute requirements. In the money market, the demand.has considerably mr creased, few bills being done below the. Bank minimum of 2_- per cent.; but there has been ho pressure, and the tone of the. market is satisfactory; The bullion in the bank has decreased more than a million and a quarter since last mail, principally to be accounted, for by the payment of the dividends, but doubtless aided materially by the great demand for silver in the East.

The Spectator of the 13th says, in reference to the arrangements for the dissolution of Parliament, and the elections:—

The prorogation is expected to take place on Tuesday next, the dissolution on Thursday; the writs will be proclaimed on Saturday, the borough elections will take place on Easter Wednesday, ,the county elections on the following Monday— the county members appearing before the public simultaneously with th« pictures of the Boyal Academy. By the explicitness of the announcement in'the Times, almost on authority, ministers have disarmed the suspicions that they were contriving delays, and the Parliament will be enabled to meet early euoiigh in the summer to do practical work.

So far as we have gone at present, we have but one striking fact to report in the progress of the election preparation. Ministers have made no further sign with reference to the course which they intend to pursue in the next Parliament. On the other hand, the Opposition have already gained something nofc unimportant. We no*iced last week the manner in which Lord John Bussell had thrown his position more open to receive accessions from other sections of the liberal party, and this week we find Mr. Bright making, on bis part, a very independent but by no means uncordial response. The sturdy member for Birmingham does not abate one jot of his principles, and retains all the preference for his own bill: but, put in brief, his observations on Lord John BuskcH's bill amount to a declaration that it would present an important extension of our representative system, and that if put to the vote it will have the support of Mr. Bright. The London Gazette contains tbe following announcement :—Downiug-street, 10th March.—The Queen has been graciously pleased to dhect that

letters patent te passed under the great teal, granting and declaring that the degrees of Bachelor' * of Arts, Master of Arts, Bachelor of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor of Laws, Doctor of Laws, Bachelor of Music, and Doctor of Music, - already granted or conferred, or hereafter to be' grained or conferred, by the University of Melbourne, in the colony of Victoria, shallbe recognised as academic distinctions and rewards of merit'," and be entitled to rank, precedence, and considera- ■ tion in the United Kingdom, and in,the. colonies and possessions of the Grown throughout the world, as fully as if the said degrees had been , granted by any university of the United King? dom. .. ■ ' ■ ,'•''"'

■ — . . _. . | ___ . In mir issue of the\2lst ijjstant, wo,published \ the latest Indian news received'by w«y of Melbourse, viz., from JJombay to the 28th of Ajril. This morning we continue oiir extracts. . , The Oude rebels have " made several ineffectual attempts to leave .'/Nep'aul, but they have been invariably, repulsed. Since the defeat ofthe Begum near Betaul on the 24th-of March, large bodies have made their way to the westward, where before but small parties had appeared. Kelly, after the action, moved through the hills westward driving the enemy along the Ganges in the direction of Oukherea and Toolseepore. For some time past a force under Colonel Smith, of f-I. M.'s 73rd, consisting of two guns, Brasyer's Sikhs, 100 Bengal Yeomanry Cavalry, and ti. M 's 73rd, had been stationed at Dukherea previous to Kelly's first action at Betaul on the 24th of March, and a force under Major Ross had been sent out from Colonel Smith's column to the ea#tward, in the direction of Tillewarrah Kote, a place situate in the mouth ofthe Kartee pass, and considerably to the west of Bjetaul, .Boss's force raet some of these rebels near Tillewarah, in the jungles on two occasions. On the first of these they were in small numbers, on .the.second (24th. March) they were more numerous, and the Major thought it wise to retire. Jt is evident that Kelly's ' action had forced the rebejs to fly in a westerly direction, and there is every reason to infer from the course they took that they hope to re-enter the hills by the Kartee pass. The.presence of Boss', detachment induced them to hasten on, and abandoning the Kartee to try the Jurwee pass in ire to the west, near Toolseepore. They were destined to be disappointed again however. They I marched by B'shwuha, three miles above. Siswa, 0:i the 2itd of April a part of them came upon Gordon's Seikhs, between Siswa and Toolseepore. They are said to have numbered 13,000 infantry and 700 cavalry, an exaggerated estimate no' doubt. Brigadier Iloisford supported the, Seikhs, and a general action ensued in the open field, in . which the enemy left 150 killed. On our side, . however, heavy loss was sustained. Captain Gordon was killed, and two officers, fifty men were wounded. From tin's fatal field the rebels fled again in a westerly direction, and popsing Toolsepore, they appeared near Chnndunpore, due noitli of Bhinga, between Baptee and tho hills. They had been unable evidently to enter Nepaul through the Jurwce. pass, and wero bent on doing co now through the defiles of the Baptec, where lately* - Horsford made such a successful raid. Bnt here again they were encountered. Whilst Brigadier Horsford pursued them from the TooUeeporb direction, Maj'ir Ramsay, who held Cl.unduupore, attacked them (no date given) with the Kumaon "battalion find a squadron of the Ist Puirbmh Cavalry, and though he had no'guns-lie defeated them completely, driving them back with loss into the jungle about Toolseepore. , It appears that since then the rebels have dispersed to1 a certain extent; part of them have crossed the Baptee in the neighborhood of Bhinga (6th April), and others are in the jungles east of Toolseepore, where Brasyer with part ofthe Dukhurea force is. pursuing them. A rather numerous body of fugitive rebels were, utterly" beaten and dispersed about eight miles from Gjinda, on the Fyzabad road, by a wing of her Majesty's 20th Begimerit, three guns, and 180 men of the Ist Sikh Cavalry • under Lieut. Colonel Cormick. The action lasted about two hours, and it is supposed about 400 ofthe Budmashes were killed. Their retreat was cut off hy the Horse Artillery and Cavalry*. Thus forced to fight, their Infantry, which' could not get away, suffered severely. They were chiefly men of the old regiments at Cawnpore, the Ist, 53rd, and 56th. The colors of the 53rd were taken by the Ist Sikh Cavalry. Our- loss was trifling, there having been no European casualties. One of the patrols of tbe force under LieutenanfColonel Boss, had an affair on the 10th instant, at the foot of the hills, two and a half miles from Torlewah ; seven men ofthe Bth and 15th Irregular Cavalry surrendered, eleven sepoys fully armed were killed, and eleven more made prisoners; only one man on our side having been severely wounded. The telegraph wire between Gonda and Fyzabad was cut on the 11th, but has since been repaired. Beni Madho, Bala Bao, the ,Begum; and Nana are believed;.o be still on the borders of Nepaul, .among the lo.werjiills, on the : .,, Oudh and Goruckpore frontier. Sir Hope Grant : has advanced in person to the Goghij and is able to direct from .Fyzabad the. operations of the English army. The positions we hold: are all judiciously chosen. Brigadiers Horsford, Kelly, and Smith are on the extreme edge of the Nepaul territory, between Toolsenore and Tillewarrah. Major Vaughan at Sidhonia, Major Bamsay at or y between Musha, Chundunpore, Bhinga, and Ak-y bona. These brigades and detachments form a chain along the frontier. There are troops besides at-Nanparali, Baraileh, and Gonda, being as it . were a second line of posts. Behind them again and nearer the Gogra stand two regiments of Hudson's Horse, a detachment of Ist Sikh Cavalry, and H.M. 20ch, 4th company Bo.yal Engineers, H.M. 54th left wing 15th " Punjaub Infantry (Sowars) at Fyzabad. The 2nd Dragoon Guards, a b.ifctery of artillery, Gth company 13th battalion Boyal Artillery, at Niiwaubgunge, Bara Bankee. Af Goruckpore, Bowcroft's force, so that we may be said to be armed at all points. Scinde, the Punjaub, our north-west frontier, the North-west Provinces, and the Nizam s domi» nions, are all for the present perfectly tranquil. There has been a disturbance in Nuggur porkur, aud a field force has been despatched from Kurra? chee to restore order, At Madras the new Governor is busy with the great work of reform, and judging by the com-? mencement he has made, wo should say his ad» ministration will be a most successful one. In Bombay we have been rather dull during the fortnight. The Governor has gone to Mailables!.war, and with the'exception of the arrival of the 78th Highlanders, we have had but few eveuts to_ relieve the general monotony: On the morning of the 15th instant the venerable Parsee Baronet, Sir Jumsetjee Jeejeehhoy, expired at his residence in the Fort. He was horn in this island, of poor but respectable parents, on the loth July, 1783, and had consequently reached the advanced age, of 76 years. Left an orphan when he was, yet a child, he was brought - up in the family of his father-in-law, Mr. Framjee Nusserwanjee. m partnership with whom his carreer in business began. He seems to have made five" successful voyages to China, before completing his twenty-fourth year, and to have afforded early promise of that enterprise and sagacity ,for which he became so conspicuous' in after life. He had been ailing for some days", but it was not generally known that any apprehensions were entertained of his approaching dissolution. "His medical attendants, however, had warned the' family that, owing to his advanced age, they had better prepare themselves for the worst. On the 14th, tho day proceding his dissolution, the disease (dropsy), from which lie suffered, exhibited alarming symptoms, nnd it soon became evident that he had not many hours fo survive. He had for a;, long time been sensible that his last hour was approaching, and he f unserved his faculties to within a few minutes of tie death. He yielded his last breath, almost without a sigh, at his residence in the For*, in tlie bosom; of his .family and friends. He had nearly attained the patriarchal age of seventy-five years, * and hia whole career was ■wir.hout'Stain or blemish. The sums he devoted to p.srpnsc- of public aud private benevolence, amount, in th-? aggregate, to nearly a quarter of a million of pounds sterling. His charities, were, moreover, as universal us they were magnificent—all classes, castes and creedi ' having been made participators in.liis boanty,