BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 366, 26 April 1861, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

London, Tuesday, February 26. Gaeta has capitulated, after a severe bombardment, and the ex-king Francis 11. is now at Rome.

: The Italian Parliament was opened on Monday last, by Victor Emmanuel in person. In his speech he referred to Venetia, and hinted that it was prudent to wait the course of events. In other words, he does not intend to hastily attack it. Yet he calls for the means of immediately making preparations by land and sea.

Garibaldi's volunteers are being enrolled once more, in four divisions, under Generals Goseri, Bixio, &c.

Austria has just granted a constitution, an Upper and Lower House, with power of legislating.

Hungary is in a critical position, ready to revolt at any moment. Croatia and Transylvania are in a state of popular agitation. Prussia threatens—Denmark intends to give way.

The fall of Gaeta has caused great popular excitement in Rome, and the government is not likely to be able long to witnstand the demonstration.

Russia emancipates the serfs, to the number of twenty millions, on the 3rd March, 1861.

Liberty of the press has been granted in France, under restrictions. The legislature of France has been permitted to vote an address in reply to the speech from the throne, and to express its views freely, while the Government will forward a summary of the debate to the French papers every day.

The Syrian conference has commenced its sittings at Paris.

There has been a serious outbreak in the con.vict establishment at Chatham.

Some severe hurricanes have occurred on the coast, and some hundreds of vessels have been ..wrecked.

M. Mires, the great financialist and speculator, of 'Paris, has been arrested on a charge of fraud, forgery, and embezzlement. His liabilities are rumored at from twelve to twenty-four millions .sterling. Seveial noblemen and .others are implicated. ' The Bank rate is up to 8 per cent., and much tightness in the money maiJiet. Greek interest is weak. Trade is ver}' dull, but sound in general. A crisis was thought to: be impending, but it had passed : pff.

The slave -states of America have seceded from the Union, and erected themselves into the Southern Confederacy. . There has been great talk of a civil war, but matters are looking better. The Union will be divided into North and South, with perhaps a third, the Border States; A collision between the federal and the forces of th.er seceded states has been several . times threatened, but'it has been as yet avoided.

( From the Home News. )