SUEZ MAIL SUMMARY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1678, 19 December 1873, Page 2

SUEZ MAIL SUMMARY.

London, Oct. 31. The first ■ Californian mail closes at London on January 10. The prospectus has been issued of the New Zealand Land Improvement Company, with a capital of half a million. The first issue to be a quarter of a million. One feature of the scheme is to make advances to land purchasers at interest on mortgage, to enable them to erect farm buildings and carry out other improvements. The Salisbury sailed with free-passage emigrants and colonists for New Zealand. The Lauderdale, for Auckland, was off Deal with emigrants on October 21, repairing damages after a collision, in which the emigrants were unharmed. ' Harrison attributes the failure of his frozen meat experiment to the hurried way in which preparations were made. The French Monarchists are strongly opposed by the Imperialists and; Republicans under Thiers and Gatnbetfca. Rentes rise with the hopes of the Monarchists. The President is strictly neutral in his view of French affairs. The German fortifications are being pushed on with amazing rapidity. The Austrian Emperor visits St. Petersburg in J anuary. The Carlist leaders and soldiers are deserting to the Republicans. The Italian convents are being bought up by the Government. President Grant declares that the recent money panic is the first step towards specie payments. Ex-Secretary Boutwell believes the Government, will shortly resume specie payments. It is in contemplation to supply the army on the Gold Coast with Australian preserved meats. . Stokes, who shot Fisk, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment. ■ . , Be Californian Service — The time calculated upon is ten days from London to New York ; seven days to San Francisco j twenty-eight days from San Francisco to Sydney; and twenty-four to Auckland, including the time employed in calling at Honolulu, and in transhipment of cargo and passengers at Kandavau. The pro--spectors look upon this as the outside limit of the time, and they believe that when the line between New York and San Francisco is put into better working order, they will be able to complete arrangements by which the mail service may be conducted within say forty days. Dr Featherston dined recently with the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House. Dr Berggren, $he Swedish botanist, has left on a scientific expedition to New Zealand. Dr Featherston has been on an emigration tour in the north. In the course of the next six months 2000 Germans and Scandinavians will be sent to New Zealand, after which German immigration will cease. 1 A select party of vignerons proceed to Hawke's Bay immediately. New Zealand iron ores "are attracting great attention.

Sailed — Dunfillan, tor Otago ; Queen of the North, for Hawke's Bay.; Salisbury, for Wellington, with emigrants.

The Duke of Edinburgh is at Sebastopol.