ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 31, 12 April 1862, Page 4

ENGLISH INTELLIGENCE.

[PBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] London, December 26. This month's mail will bring important news to the Antipodes. Two events have recently occurred which have deeply moved the hearts of all Englishmen. The first in point of time was the abrupt seizure of Messrs. Mason and Slide!], two commissioners proceeding to Europe from the Confederate States of America, on board the British mail-steamer Trent, while she was in Spanish waters, by

Captain "VVilkes, of the Federal man-of-war San Jacinto. These gentlemen had evaded the blockade, and landed at one of the West India islands, where they took their passages by the mail-steamer returning to England. The captain of the San Jacinto got wind of this, and forthwith determined to seize them at all risks. He laid wait for the steamer, I and when she hove in sight fired a shot across her bows, and then, at shorter range, a shell. The captain of the Trent brought his ship to, and, as they were within hail, asked what they wanted. An armed boat came off, and two others followed, and when they had boarded the Trent, the lieutenant demanded the passenger list, which was refused. He then said that he krlew the Commissioners of the Southern States were on board, and he intended to have them. Resistance was of course useless. Commander Williams, R.N., the officer in charge of the mails, then made an energetic and indignant protest, which you will doubtless see in the newspapers. The daughter of Mr. Slidell stood at her father's cabin door, and declared that he should not go. On the lieutenant remonstrating with her, she boxed his ears. He then ordered the mariues to charge bayonets, when Commander Williams interposed himself between the bayonets and the young lady, and told them to desist. At length the Commissioners had to leave the Trent, and their families proceeded in our steamer to England. You may suppose we did not hear all this news without showing some excitement. An indignation meeting was held at Liverpool directly, and doubtless there would have been many more of them, but the country was satisfied that Lord Palmerston was the last man to submit quietly to such an outrage, and therefore it was thought better to leave it entirely in his hands. The Cabinet met, and the law officers of the Crown gave their opinion that there was no precedent for such a seizure, and that the American captain had committed a violation of the law of nations. A despatch was forthwith sent by Earl Russell, demanding the surrender of the Commissioners, and if the demand is not complied with in seven days after the delivery of the despatch, Lord Lyons is to return to England, and there can be no manner of doubt about it we shall directly declare war. Since the departure of the Queen's messenger with the despatch, the question asked by everybody is, Will the Americans give up their prisoners, or will they accept the alternative, and fight us ? We are bound to be prepared for the latter course. Accordingly, all suitable vessels of war are being prepared to be in immediate readiness for sea. An immense amount of munitions of war have been sent to Canada. Several of theCunard steamers have been chartered for the conveyance of troops, and many regiments have already gone to Canada. One of the regiments of Guards sailed last week. The Naval Volunteers have come forward generally, and declared their readiness to avenge to the last drop of their blood this insult to their Queen and country. Old General Scott, who had just left America in order to seek medical advice and change of air in Europe, left Paris and returned to America as soon as he found that Captain Wilkes had raised the spirit of the English people. His advice will be pacific. France has declared iv our favour, and holds out an indistinct prospect of assisting us, if necessary, in redressing a public wrong. Austria has also sent a despatch to her minister at Washington, stating her opinion to be adverse to the action of the American captain. If there is any common sense left in the American people, they will not hesitate to surrender their prisoners. Public opinion is entirely against them, and we have at least double the number of men-of-war, sailors, and guns, that they have, and last, but not least, a good cause into the bargain. An answer to Earl Russell's despatch is expected in about three days' time, and an attempt was made to delay this month's mail until its arrival, so that you at the antipodes might be informed as soon as possible, and prepare, if necessary, for the contingencies which might befall you. It is hazardous to venture an opinion upon such a question, but my own private idea is, that there will be no war after all. The second public event to which I allude, is the death oi Prince Albert. Surprised as you will be in New Zealand to hear this news, we at home were quite as much astonished when it first reached our ears. The Queen and royal family were staying at Windsor in the month of December. The Prince had been out shooting, got wet, and caught cold. In the early part of the week on which he died, the Court Circular stated that Prince Albert was suffering from cold and pain in his limbs. On the Friday before he died, a bulletin was issued, signed by four physicians, to the effect that the Prince had passed a restless night, and unfavourable symptoms presented themselves. Between one and two o'clock on tne Saturday morning, the Prince of Wales was telegraphed for from Buckingham Palace, and went down to Windsor directly by special train, and that same night, Saturday, the 14th of December, the great bell of St. Paul's, at twelve o'clock at midnight, startled every one who heard it, as its tolling announced that Prince Albert was no more. It appears that typhoid fever set in, and soon carried off its victim. Feelings of regret for the loss of the Prince in the prime of life (he was but forty-two years of age) were speedily mingled with those of profound sympathy for the Queen. It was known that she had been overwhelmed with grief at the recent loss of her mother, and how would she bear up under the heaviest affliction that could befall her ? The blow, too, must have been quite unexpected to her, for there is no reason to suppose that she had been led to anticipate any danger until the last day of the Prince's life. It is gratifying to be able to state that her first act, after the terrible burst of anguish had exhausted itself, was to call her family around her, and she told them that as she had lost her best friend, she looked to her children for support in the discharge of those duties which her station and high sense of responsibility required her to perform. The Prince Consort was buried in the royal

vault at Windsor, on Monday, the 23rd of December, in accordance with his own wish, as privately as possible, the Prince of Wales acting as chief mourner; and nil that the public know since about her Majesty is, that she has gone to Osborne, and the Court Circular gives, without variation, the daily statement, " Her Majesty has had a few hours' refreshing sleep last night, and is as calm as can be expected." The day of the Prince's funeral was kept as strictly as possible. All the shops were closed during the whole day. Public business was generally suspended. Every one was in black. The whole city appeared with its countless thousands as the chief mourner of one, who, by his blameless life and high character, had won respect from every heart. It was a grand and very impressive spectacle. The vessels had their flags half-mast high ; the bells of the churches tolled ; the guns in the Park were fired; even the omnibus drivers had their whips in mourning, and a cold easterly wind added its usual gloom to a winter's day, which saw consigned to their last resting place the remains of a royal Prince who will long be regretted, and whose name will ever be fondly cherished in the memory of the British people. I will close my letter by referring to a more lively subject, aud one which is not devoid of interest to the sporting public of Nelson. I lately had an opportunity of going over the stud which Mr. Robinson, of your, province, is collecting prior to their transmission to Nelson. They are an extremely nice lot : probably no man in England could show better. There is an own sister to Vedette, who twice won the Doncaster cup, and also the two thousand guineas at Newmarket, and other good races. He was sold, after his racing career was ended, for £3,000. His sister, named the Moa, is a beautiful animal, of great power, and a nice rich dark-brown colour. She measures five feet eleven inches in the girth, as a yearling, and is in the Derby for 1863. Her price was a very long one, and if she should prove a second Blink Bonny, she would send half Yorkshire mad. They have a high opinion of her there already. The second I saw was a filly by Gemma di Vergi. She was the best of the fillies at the sale of her Majesty's yearlings at Hampton Court. She cost more than 400 guineas, is long and low, and looks like galloping, and is a very thorough-bred sort of animal. The third was a daughter of Newminster, her price was 500 guineas, and if she does not pay it all back, and a handsome interest besides, I shall be much surprised. She is the biggest of a big lot, and it will take something very good to get away from her powerful stride. The fourth was the last surviving son of old Touchstone. If he is heir also of his father's powers, he must be a good horse. He takes my fancy very much. His name is Ravensworth. He was bought at a sale in the North for 500 guineas, and on the day he was sold the veteran sportsman Sir Tatton Sykes declared that, in his opinion, he was " the best of the bunch." That is no small praise from such a man, and in the North of England where there are some good horses. He is marked like many Touchstones are with a white blaze in his face and white heels, he is a very compact low long colt that must gallop, and he looks as if he would some day "go for ever" as the saying is. He is in the Derby for 1863. I cannot go through all the lot seriatim, for I should have required a whole day to inspect them minutely, and I had only one hour. There is a beautiful' daughter of Teddington,. and also the produce of Stockwell, Barnlon, Sweetmeat, and Hesperus, all promising enough, besides those I have mentioned. It is to be hoped they may run off their three year old engagements before leaving this country, so that they may land in their future home with their "blushing honours thick upon them." Mr. Robinson has spared no trouble or expense to secure the best animals that he could find, and I trust his success may be commensurate with his expectations, and that his liberal outlay of time and money may be rewarded with some great public prizes. I am very glad to see that it is proposed to start a Stud Book at Nelson. It will be very useful now and even more so hereafter, for depend upon it as long as the Anglo-Saxon race survive, horse breeding, and racing will be an " institution." I close my letter with wishing you and all the good people of Nelson a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.