OUR CORRESPONDENT'S LETTER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 913, 1 February 1868, Page 4

OUR CORRESPONDENT'S LETTER.

London, -Nov. 30,

Since the 26th of this month nothing of any great moment has occurred on the Continent. Up to the present time the Conference for the settlement of the Roman question has not progressed much, and there are grave doubts of its ever being assembled. Meanwhile the French troops are being withdrawn as far as Civita Vecchia.

At home the House of Commons has been chiefly employed in deciding how the Abyssinian expedition shall be paid for, and have resolved that the amount required (£2,000,000) shall be raised within the year by an addition to the Income Tax of Id. .in the pound. This, the great object of the session, being accomplished, there is every probability of an early adjournment.

We have had a terrible explosion on the Mersey of a steam vessel, by which it is feared nearly forty lives have been sacrificed. The accident presents a few features of novelty, inasmuch as the explosion is attributed to spontaneous combustion of the Welsh coals on board, the whole of which appear to have been confined in the bunkers for some time.

The mail from New Zealand via Panama has not yet arrived.

On Wednesday and Thursday last, two races took place to decide the vexed question of the championship of the Thames. I shall not trouble you with the details of the affair — suffice it to say, on both days a " foul " took place. -On the first day the referee decided that the men should row again. On the second day they met ; but after a most disgraceful amount of wrangling, Kelley (the present champion) rowed over the course, and the stakes were .awarded to him. A few more such affairs, and professional rowing matches will be placed on a par with prize-fights.