London, Saturday, December 15.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 350, 26 February 1861, Page 2

London, Saturday, December 15.

The Italian question is now but smoul- _ dering., The great subject of discussion and interest at this moment is that of the state of affairs in China. The accounts are in one respect all that could be hoped or wished for, but the satisfaction they afford is still marred by the knowledge that some, European prisoners are in the merciless hands of the Chinese, and it is feared that gross cruelties, too horrible too hint at, have been perpetrated. The fate of these poor fellows is now a popular subject of .the deepest interest. Every one talks about them as if they were their own near and dear relatives. , ■ . , " The sacking of the summer palace of the Emperor, the entry of European troops into, Pekin, &c, must have a wonderful influence on the public mind in China and future events in the empire.

The King of Sardinia hastily returned^ from Sicily to Naples yesterday, Week, iia' consequence of ihe serious character of the. reactionary movements at Caserta, Oversaw iSora, Parma, and several other, provincial towns. The royalist feeling f seems l to bei* gaining strength, and if; the. king sfaouid be bat fortunate enough to disperse^if U wex%

possible, the Sardinian army, which besieges Gaeta, there can be but little doubt of the influence it would exercise. It is, however, neither to be hoped nor expected. The bombardment of that fortress commenced again on the 7th instant, and was replied to with spirit—the Queen herself passing from battery to battery, encouraging the men. It is asserted in accounts from Gaeta that France, England, and Russia have urged the King to cease "his fruitless defence," and retire; and, further, it is said this advice has been accompanied with the intimation from the former power? that if the King refuses to withdraw, the Emperor will withdraw his fleet from Gaeta, and leave it to the attack of Admiral^ de Persano. This would of course cut off his Majesty's retreat. The Italian army is to be of 300,000, in two divisions, North and South. Garibaldi has informed his friends that he will again be at their head on the Ist March to combat once more for Italian independence, and the Nationalities of Turin publishes the following proclamation from the great patriot. Italy and "Victor Emmanuel. — The Italians must not on any account abandon this programme. Victor Emmanuel is j^!.pnly indispensable man in Italy, around whom all the men of our peninsular must rally. I do not cave whether the Minister's name be Cavour or Cattaneo (the latter is preferable); but what I care for, and what all Italians mv ;f inexorably demand, is that on the sth March, lUtil, Victor Emmanuel be at the head of 600,000 soldieis. Garibaldi. - November 28. . ■ There is no mistaking this. Here it is well understood in every circle, politicaland otherwise, that the spring will usher in either a peaceful settlement of the remaining portion of the Italian question or the re-com-mencement of the War of independence, with the prospect of a general blaze in all Europe, and people cry ihat England ought to insist upon Austria giving up Venetia, but into a discussion of this matter, it is needless for me to enter —suffice it that I give the fact of what the state of feeling is. Count Persigny has ratified the liberty of the press in France. All the " warnings" to the French press have been cancelled up to the 10th instant. This concession to the "times" is undoubtedly great, and must gratify the French people, who, if permitted to talk their effervescence down will probably not proceed to deeds of revolution. Another great change of significant import is a modification ot the Austrian ministry. Baron Schmerling has accepted the office of Minister of Stale, but on condition that hte programme of policy be adopted. This effects a complete revolution in the Ministerial policy, and cannot but have a most' important influence on the destiny of Austria. The programme includes the aboli-; tion of the Concordat, religious equality, the repeal of the provisional statutes recently promulgated, and a constitution common to all the empire except Hungary and Venetia. In Hungary, the Gomitat of Pesth has declared in favor,of the restoration of the laws of 1848, and great excitement prevails there and in other towns, which has caused the concentration of troops at all points. Hungary* in a few Words, is all but ripe fora declaration of independence, and this will, no doubt, take place in the spring, when the Italian campaign is reopened. In Poland, also, popular demonstrations have taken piece, but the authorities wisely have not interfered, and all has. quieted down again. The Prussian Government has instituted State enquiry into its police, and disclosures pf the grossest kind have been made in consequence. The police from the highest to the lowest have set all law and justice at defiance. Russia is re-colonizing the Crimean The secession movement in the United States-continues, but with abated force. Matters in Mexico are approaching a crisis. Merango has seized £200,000 belonging to the bondholders of this country that had been placed in the strongroom of the British Legation. The seals had been broken, and the room forcibly destroyed to get at the money, under protest of all the foreign representatives. Alter such an act as this the British Government must in-terfere-rit is in fact a casus belli. So much for politics. Now for a little domestic news* and first of all-let me announce the name of the new Governor of New South Wales, in the person of Sir John Young, formerly Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islands. The Princess Alice is betrothed to the Grand Duke PrinceJLouis of Hesse, eldest son of the heir presumptive to the Grand Duke of Hesse. The marriage is to take place in 1862, when the Princess will be in her nineteenth year. It will interest all Freemasons, of whom I am one* that H.R.IT. the Prince of Wales, will, I believe, be installed next year. I derive this interesting information by a private whisper from the Grand Lodge. Her Majesty the Empress of the French left London, on her return to France, on Wednesday evening, and arrived at Paris the following evening. Her Majesty was, on Monday last, visited at Claudge's Hotel, by her Majesty the Queen, the Prince Consort, the Princess Alice, Prince Arthur, and Prince Louis of Hesse, the visit lasted an hour. The French people are delighted with the reception her Majesty received here. The Earl of Aberdeen died yesterday morning in his 77th year. London, Saturday, December 22. The news this week from China is highly interesting. On last Saturday afternoon a telegram was received at the Foreign Office through St. Petersburg, and communicated to the Sunday papers that intelligence had been received from China to he effect that peace was concluded and the **Uficationa exchanged. Pekia evacuated.

On Thursday a despatch from Sir John Crampton, her Majesty's Minister at St. Petersburg, announcing the receipt of a letter from Lord Egin, dated Bth November, was received, confirming the news. To the valuable assistance of General IgnatiefF, the Russian Minister at Pekin, are we indebted for the early accomplishment of our designs. Subsequently Sir John Crampton received the substance of a despatch of the Russian Government irom Pekin giving the names of the persons who had been massacred by the Chinese. The French Government have also a despatch from Pekin announcing the completion ot all the objects of the allies. As you will before this have received particulars of the course of events in China, 1 do not repeat the details. The King of Naples is firm—he refuses to accept the advice of France, England, and Russia to abandon the defence of Gaeta and retire, and the bombardment of that place which had been suspended at the request of the Emperor Napoleon until the negotiations had terminated, has.been resumed. The French fleet, in consequence of this resolution of the. King, will retire from Gaeta, and thus leave the Sardinian squadron at liberty to attack the place from the sea. The King has despatched letters to Vienna, Berlin, St. Petersburg, and Madrid, calling for help, and entreating those powers to urge France not to withdraw from him the protection of her fleet. He has also issued a proclamation to the Neapolitans, calling upon them to make a Jast effort to preserve their nationality, and guarantees their liberty—to grant district Parliaments to the Two Sicilies, and an amnesty. In other words, the last dying moments of his sovereignty, he will, rather than lose all, promise anything—but the time has gone by for such claptrap pledges. His Majesty states that if obliged to succumb, he will maintain a firm hope of returning to his dominions. He has likewise issued a proclamation to his troops, praising their courage, and calling upon them to defend the fortress to the last. The bombardment of Gaeta was to commence on the 19th instant. A pamphlet has appeared in Paris, entitled "The Emperor Francis Joseph l.and Europe," which is understood to represent the views of the Emperor Napoleon and the French Cabinet on the question of the proposed sale of Venetia. The English ambassadors at Berlin and Vienna have been summoned to London to take part in deliberation on the question of Venetia. Hungary ia about to solicit from the Emperor of Austria the grant of the electoral law or 1848. The Austrian naval fleet has been placed under a war footing. In consequence of revolutionary manifestations on the principalities, Russia has sent a threatening remonstrance to Prince Couza, and has concentrated 12,000 troops on the frontiers of Bessarabia. ThePresident'smessage.has been received from America. It ; is very pacific and conciliatory, and pleases neither the North nor the South, and a stormy discussion has taken place in the Senate; reference being made to the coming "civil war" by the Southern States seceding from the Union. If the North attempted to coerce, war would ensue, &c, &c. », Parliament is to meet for the dispatch of business on the sth Februarj', as was expected. • The Dowager Queen of Sweden, widow of " Bernadotte," died suddenly on Tuesday evening. She was about to visit the Theatre to see the representation of " Life is a Dream." The Turkish loan has been taken by M. Mores, of Paris. Allow me to direct your attention, editorial and otherwise, to the bankruptcy disclosures in the leather trade here, re Steatfield, Lawrence, and Mortimore. There is mnch iustruction to be gathered from their perusal. The Marpuis of Dalhousie died on Wednesday evening, in his 48th year. \ London, Wednesday, December 26. A merry Christmas and a happy newyear to Australia! The wish is present, its receipt future, yet at the same time past. Your correspondent feels the influence of yesterday's cheer—the roast beef and plum pudding of old England—and mightily disinclined to work, so if you find my closing communication brief, please excuse it for the sake of " Old Christmas," who this year has really appeared in his old English dress of a sharp frost of some days' duration, and a snowy mantle—genuine old English Christmas weather for once in a way. Monday was made a holiday, and yesterday of course was one. To-day it is again a holiday with the working classes—onehalf the shops to-day are closed, as also on Monday, and a general disinclination to do any kind of business or perform any kind of work is everywhere apparent. One-half of the people are lazily inclined from yesterday's racket; the other half are bent upon present enjoyment, in return for yesterday's extra labor. Sally and Sucky, Susan and Sue, have joined Willy and Billy, Bobby and Ben, and are out for a day's holiday on Boxing Day, finishing off at the theatres, or rather, I should say, the the-a-tors. Theirs is real enjoment, for no cares intrudeto mar their pleasure. s. ; Well, I suppose I must begin with the real matter of fact record of passing events, and the state of public affairs. Despatches have at last arrived from China with the particulars of the important events at Pekin, at the close of October and beginning of November. The indemnity money is to be doubled, amounting to £2,400,000 for France, and the same for England. A British Minister is to reside ac Pekin. Tientsen is opened to trade; and Kowloon ceded to the British Crown. The King of Naples is firm ia his defence

jof Gaeta to the very last, which is being bombarded by the Sardinians with great vigor. Some of the shells and shot on the 17th instant fell into the garden of- the palace, where the King and Queen were ,dining with the Spanish ambassador. His Majesty, in reply to a letter from the Emperor Napoleon expressive of sympathy, but urging that his defence has been carried far enough lor honor's sake, thanks the Emperor, but considers it his duty to persist in the defence of Gaeta. Anns and munitions of war are being forwarded by Austiia, Spain, and his Holiness the Pope. The Wiener Zeiliuig of Sunday contains a circular by Baron Schmeriing to the Governor of the provinces, explanatory of the leading principles of his policy. The Baron says:—"lt is the mission of the Ministers of State to carry out fully and effectively the resolutions and intentions of the Emperor, as expressed in the Imperial manifesto of the 20th October. "As regards freedom of religious worship it is the will of the Emperor that political and civil rights shall in that respect also be preserved against any encioachment and that the mutual relations of the different confessions shall be established upon an equitable footing, and upon the real love for one's neighbor (Nachstenliebe). "Public instruction will be promoted by every possible means. " The free development of the nationalities is accorded. " With respect to the public press, every preventive interference is removed. "The development of agriculture, commerce, and industry will be pursed with redoubled energy on the path hitherto followed. " The communes will enjoy an independent existence. *• The administration of justice is to be separated from the governmental administration. "Publicity and the oral form of proceedings are.to be-introduced into the civil-and penal courts of law." As regards the Provincial Statutes, the Ministry of State has been authorised to introduce into the fundamental laws the principle of representation of the different interests by means of direct elections, and the extension of electoral rights and eligibility, the right of initiative, and the publicity of debates. On the Council ,of the- Empire, to whose province belongs the general legislation, while the Provincial Diets are only competent to legislate on provincial questions, is therefore conferred the right of originating projects of law and publicity of debates. The Council of the Empire will be composed of members unconditionally elected by the Provincial Diets, and will, besides, receive additional members. The Provincial Governments of the minor Crown lands, recently suppressed, are to be re-established. . In conclusion, Baron Schmerling exhorts the public functionaries to a conscientious discharge of their duties, to the furtherance of the interests of the inhabitants of their provinces, to a strict observance of the laws, and to candour in their official reports on the condition of the country.