ENGLAND.

Press, Volume II, Issue 51, 3 May 1862, Page 3

ENGLAND.

The following items of news, brought by the | February Mail, are compiled chiefly from the ' Home News':— Parliament met on the 6th of February. As far as j the session has gone, no legislative chamber ever prei sented so quiet an aspect. No subject of any importance has been brought forward. The new Education Minute has occupied the greater part of one sitting in both Houses, Mr. Lowe delivering a speech which Government has considerably modified, but against which a strong opposition will notwithstanding be brought to bear. Except in foreign questions, which are surcharged with combustible materials, the session [ promises to be one of unusual tranquility. Domestic I politics do not furnish a solitary ground for party warfare. The announcement by Lord Palmerston that it was not the intention of Ministers to bring in a Iteform bill this session, was received with cheers which plainly indicated the temper of the Commons on that subject. Of the measures as yet put in motion the most prominent are, the introduction by the Lord Chancellor of a bill to facilitate the transfer of land, and the carriage in the Commons by a majority oi' 11 of the second reading of a bill to legalize marriage with a deceased wife's sister. It is to be hoped that our recent difference with the American Government is finally settled, without leaving so uneasy a legacy of mutual ill-will behind as was generally feared. Earl Russell's answer to Mr. Seward's despatch shows temperately but firmly the grounds on which we differ from the American Secretary's international law, while we readily accept the surrender of Messrs. Mason and Slidell as satisfaction in full for the outrage on our flag. And there the matter ends. Mr. Seward disclaims the intention of permanently blocking up the harbour of Charlestown. He says that the operation is merely temporary, and that at the close of the war the sunken vessels will be removed. Not the slightest demonstration was attempted on the arrival of the Confederate Commissioners at Southampton. Mr. Slidell has gone on to Paris, where he is endeavoring to persuade the French Government to raise the blockade of the Southern ports. Southampton was after all not gratified with the spectacle of a naval engagement. The Nashville took her departure on the 4th February, and the Tuscarora was compelled by the presence of H.M. ship Shannon, to remain in neutral waters for at least 24 hours. The following telegram, dated February 25, comes from Madrid : —" The captain of the Sumter has been arrested at Tangier at the instance of the American Consul at Gibraltar aud of the commander of the Tuscarora, who went for that purpose to Tangier." The ' Press ' says : —" The reports which have for some time been in circulation relative to a negotiation of marriage being on foot between his Boyal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Princess Alexandria of Glucksburg, eldest daughter of Prince Christian, the heir presumptive of the Crown of Denmark, have lately received a further measure of confirmation. We "are enabled to state that the prince met the princess when on his way to Vienna, and that the marriage in question may now be regarded as an event which is certainly in store for the future." By the express desire of the Queen the memorial to the late Prince Consort is to consist of

au obelisk erected in Hyde Park on the site of the Exhibition of 1851, with groups of statuary at the base to be executed by different eminent artists. The Anniversary Banquet of the Australian Association took place on February 12 ; it was numerously attended, and the speeches delivered were of more than usual interest. The extraordinary enquiry into the state of mind of Mr. "\V. F. WinJham was brought to a close on February 30th after having occupied 34 daye. The verdict of the jury declared the young man to be perfectly sane. AY c have to report the occurrence of another appalling colliery accident, The scene of the present disaster is the Cettiiu pit, near Methyr Tydvil, the property of Mr. Crawehay. It appears that shortly alter noon on the 18th of February a loud explosion, iollowed by a succession of emuller reports, was heard by the men engaged at the mouth of the pit, and almost immediately a body of flame and smoke issued from the shaft. The nature of the calamity at once revealed itself, and a body of men were speedily gathered together, and the utmost efforts made to descend into the workings to rescue the 50 men and boys who were known to be below ; but the deadly gas which rapidly follows in the train of an explosion battled for a time all attempts to reach the poor fellows. At length perseverance was crowned with success, but too late of course for the saving of life, as there can be little doubt that those in the pit were killed almost immediately after the iirst explosion was heard. Forty-nine bodies have been recovered, one at the last account still remaining missing. The scene at the mouth of the pit is described as most heart-rending, and the sound of lamentation greeted the ear everywhere. The catastrophe, following so closely on the terrible occurrence at New Hartley, has filled the minds of the people of the district with terror and alarm. The American Indian, Deerfoot, in a ten mile race with Brighton, of Norwich, won by three yards, accomplishing the distance in 53 mm. 7 sec. Ho won a six mile race with Job Smith, who gave up during the fifth mile, in 31 mm. 45 sec. A. walking match of 14 miles for £100 and the championship, between Miles and Spooner was won by the latter by 100 yards ; he did the distance in 1 hour 57 mm. 42 sec. The fight for the championship between Mace and King was won by Mace, after fighting 42 rounds in 1 hour and 8 minutes. Omtuauy.—Rev. E. C. Hawtrey, Provost of Eton, Rev. Hartwell Home, Lieut. General Taylor, Major General Sir Thomas H. Franks, Martinez de la Rosa, Mr. Hans Busk, Sir J. T. Platt, formerly one of the Barons of the Exchequer, Admiral Thomas Dick, Mr. Laing, ex-Magistrate, Dr. Andrew Reed, of Hackney.