WELLINGTON.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 721, 8 October 1870, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(from our own correspondent.) October 4.

The news from Europe has, as you may well imagine, taken off the attention of every one here from matters of purely colonial or provincial interest. The downfall of Napoleon, whose life, if sketched in a novel, would be deemed too highly imaginative, is the subject of conversation at every corner and house. The " Strange Story " would surely be eclipsed by his biography if it were drawn even in the most sober colors. At one timo in London, (living, unknown, a life of poverty and obscurity )<, at another the Autocrat of ono of the most powerful Empires in tho world, he is now, after having swayed tho destinies and influenced the political economy of all

Europe, an exile for the second time in his life ; and all his vicissitudes of fortune have been spanned by the brief period of twenty-five years. It is difficult to think of his many changes of circumstances, without admitting what he firmly believed in, namely—that he was driven on by fate from first to last. How else can we reconcile his former cool passionless judgment and tact with which he made and held his position for so many years, with the sudden outbreak of an apparently purposeless passion which hurried him on to a war that has proved his ruin. Few will sympathise with him in his downfall, brought about, as it was, by the commission of a fearful crime.

1 have very little to tell you of. We are very quiet here socially, commercially, and politically. In regard to commerce you may be interested to learn, as a proof of the coal trade of this port, that during the past week four vessels have arrived here, bringing about 2000 tons of coal, and two more are on their way here with about 12Q0 tons more. Does not this speak rolumes of the importance to the colony of opening up the coal trade of your district? These 3200 tons of coal represent so much money going out of the colony for which we get absolutely nothing, beyond, indeed, the small margin of profit made by our | merchants. Even the shipping employed in the trade does not belong to this port, and the freights go to benefit the shipowners of another colony. lam glad to notice that the Star of the South, loading here for London, has on board 1300 tons of the best dressed flax that I have yet seen turned out in the colony. It comes from Blenheim and is a proof that some people, at least, know something of flax dressing, The same vessel is also I taking 90 tons of tallow, and the Halcione, also loading for London, has 100 tons of tallow on board.

In my next letter I shall probably have to tell you of the interesting ceremony of the ceremony of the consecration of Archdeacon Hadfield as Bishop of "Wellington. It will take place on Sunday morning next at St. Paul's Church, Thorndon, during the morning service.

I think, in my last letter, I mentioned that the Government steamer Luna reported having past the dead body of a man floating in the harbor, Eepeated efforts efforts have been made to recover it, but without success. Eor several days conjecture as to who the unfortunate fellow might be was busy, but no one was known to be mis&ng. At length it has transpired thit a young man, named Protens, has disappeared for the last eight or «.W ai»ve. Jiuder circumstances that man. Wia ""'*«*> «s the drowned

The burlesque company, from Christchurch, are still playing here with Mr and Mrs Darrell (Mrs Eobert Heir,) to very poor houses.