ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL FOR DECEMBER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1619, 22 February 1866, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL FOR DECEMBER.

The Lord Ashley arrived at Lyttelton at 1.22 p.m. yesterday, with the English mail, transhipped from the Otago at Dunedin. The mail was brought to Melbourne by the Ellora, which left G-alle on Jan. 22, and arrived at the Sound on Feb. 7. She experienced fine weather during the passage. The Otago, with the mail, left Melbourne on the morning of Feb. 14, arrived at the Bluff on Sunday, Feb. 18, and Port Chalmers on Feb. 19. GENERAL SUMMAET. London, Dec. 26. The Australian October mails arrived in London on the 15th and 22nd December. Parliament meets on the sth February. The Queen is to preside with unusual ceremony. The robes of state, instead of being worn, are to be laid on the throne, and the speech will be read by the Lord Chancellor. The betrothal of the Princess Helena to the brotherof the Duke of Augustenburg has been sanctioned by her Majesty. Court receptions have been held by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The King of the Belgians died on the 10th of December. His son Leopold 11. now reigns. A Reform Bill is to be introduced lowering the franchise. Manhood suffrage is strongly advocated. Great changes in the Ministry and general policy are anticipated, causing much speculation and alarm. The leading journals continue to deprecate the late action of Sir Charles Darling and his advisers as most unconstitutional. Sir John Eomilly, Master of the Rolls, and Sir Francis Baring, have been raised to the peerage. Advices from Jamaica confirm the accounts of the gravity of the late crisis. Both Houses of Parliament there have formally thanked General Eyre for saving the colony, while the Baptists and extreme Radicals in England describe the poor dear blacks as helpless martyrs, although they intended murdering all the white population, outnumbering the latter by eight to one. Sir Henry Storks has been appointed Governor of Jamaica, pending a commission of inquiry. The rebellion has been effectually suppressed. The Lancashire cotton famine has virtually ended. The Relief Committee hold a large money surplus. The trial of the Fenian prisoners at Dublin and Cork caused great excitement. Rossa has been sentenced to penal servitude for life; Luby and O'Leary to twenty years; and fifteen others to from five to ten years' imprisonment. Stephens, the head centre, escaped to France; his extradition was demanded by the British Government, but refused. The Channel fleet has be6n ordered to winter in Ireland. All officers' leave of absence is prohibited. The Fenian excitement in America is dying out. President O'Mahony and the sham Senate are at loggerheads. The latter repudiates O'Mahony's bonds for 68,001) dollars. President Johnson's Message is decidedly pacific. Jefferson Davis is in good health, at Fortress Monroe. Nothing further is known about his trial. It is considered that the American Consul's acceptance of the Shenandoah precludes the Federal Government from complaining against the British for discharging the crew. There are no prospects of friendly relations being disturbed between America and England and France. The cattle disease has increased frightfully. The transmission of live cattle is to be stopped, and fairs suspended. The farmers have- already lost a million sterling, and should the disease continue at the present rate i they will lose four millions of raotiey next year.

Severe storms have prevailed on English and Irish coasts. •■The life* boats saved 4201 ; i }■. Formad, aJ'• douthey, has been sentenced to *eatb for the murder of his wife and children. Captain Corbett, who sold the Shenandoah to Captain Waddell, has been tried' and acquitted. Mrs. Longworth Yelverton's action against the Saturday "Review, for £3000 damages, has been lost. A fight for the Championship, between Mace and Goss, has been settled to come off. The Shenandoah, owing to tempestuous weather, has put back to Liverpool. Obituary.—Sir Charles Eastlake, Captain Fowke, lion. Mrs. W. Woodehouse, Miss Talbot, Lady A. G. Halliburton, Dr. Barth (African explorer), Mr. Prescott, Sir B. M. Bromley, Sir John Easthope, and Sir Charles Sullivan. AMERICA. The thirty-ninth meeting of Congress opened on the 4th of December. The President's message is pacific in tone, and created a good feeling between North and South, especially affecting the conservative republicans, causing the adoption of a more conciliatory course to the South. The Fenian Senate has deposed President O'Mahony, for misappropriation of funds, and elected W. 3s. Roberts. A bill has been introduced to pay Mrs. Lincoln 100,000 dollars. Money is easier. Gold, 147. CANADA. The apprehensions of Fenian invasion have subsided, but the Orangemen and Catholics are arming. The Catholics have withdrawn from the volunteer force. NEW BRUNSWICK. At St. John's great excitement prevailed, as the news had been received of an immediate Fenian raid. The Governor took every precaution to protect the frontier. It is supposed that the Fenian raiders becoming disorganised, intended invading New Brunswick, as a dernier resort.. MEXICO. The public journals of New York think the Mexican question is becoming seriously important. The situation of affairs on the Rio Grande justifies the fear of an early rupture between the United States and the Government of Maximilian. FRANCE. • A disastrous fire has occurred at a factory. The loss is several millions of francs. The marriage of the Princess Anna Murat with the Due de Mouchy, under Imperial auspices, was celebrated on the 18th December. M. Fould's financial budget has been favourably received, owing to the reduction of the expenditure by thirty millions. The French floating debt is now 772 millions. The policy of the Emperor declares strongly in favour of peace. The Papal Government has been necessitated to conclude a new loan of fifty millions of livres, guaranteed upon the ecclesiastical property. Cardinal Antonelli is forming a project with representatives of foreign courts, uniting the Catholic powers, in a treaty guaranteeing the Papal territories to the Pope. china! Hong Kong, 10th Dec. The intelligence from Pekin is imr portant. The Empress Dowager has relinquished the reins of Government. Prince Kung as head of the state, is exercising his functions as Premier satisfactorily. The rebellion is causing much anxiety to the Government. JAPAN. Affairs gererally are improving. There is greater stability in trade, and a general improvement is expected. It is now openly avowed that only one Emperor reigns in Japan instead of two, as generally believed. Fears of local disturbances still prevail. J The allied naval forces have returned to Yokohama, the Ministers having achieved most satisfactory results. INDIA. AND THE EAST. A severe shock of an earthquake has been felt throughout Bengal and the north-west provinces, but. most severely at Kurrachee. Dr. Livingstone has sailed for Zanzibar. Captain Grant, the African explorer, has been appointed second in command of a Ghoorka regiment at Almorah. Telegraph messages from Europe are now received with great promptitude. Seventy-two miles of the Central Indian Line of Railway are opened for traffic. Owing to the stoppage of supplies to the British garrison, the Aden troops were ordered out, and made a sharp attack on the town of Shugra, defeating the Bedouins with considerable loss. The monetary pressure in Bombay is severe. The rate of exchange is steadily advancing. Piece goods and yarns are in great demand. Metals are dull. Copper is lower. Opium has largely risen. Freights have slightly improved. Calcutta, Jan. 15. Owing to the non-restoration of the guns, the renewal of the war with the Bhootan is likely; although at a date not considered probable in England. VICTORIA. Parliament was called together on the 12th instant. In the Legislative Assembly Sir Francis Murphy and Mr. P. Snodgrass were proposed as Speakers. On a division, the election

of Sir Erancis Murphy was carried by a majority of 52 to 18. An extremely persdnaldiscuasion took place as to th, merits of the two candidates. The Governor was to attend Upper House on the 13th . instant at two o'clock, to read the Vice-regal speech. SYDNEY. The trial of Bertrand and Mrs. Kinder was to take place on Wednesday, the 14th instant. They were to be tried separately. Several bushranging outrages were reported. Schwabe, late clerk at Bagh and Harbottles, pleaded guilty to several charges of embezzlement.. ■ i ADELAIDE. Several cases of sticking-up have occurred in the suburbs. Wheat, 7s. 6d.; no buyers. Flour dull. Sales at £18 for country brands, and £19 to £19 10s. for town. The Secretary of War has written to Brigadier-General Chute to fill up the various Australian stations with their complement of troops from the forces which are- about to be withdrawn from New Zealand. Another copper mine has been discovered on York's Peninsula. It is apparently equal to the great Moonta mine.