ENGLISH and CONTINENTAL NEWS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9, 30 January 1869, Page 4

ENGLISH and CONTINENTAL NEWS.

to the 16th op Decejibeb. [From the Panama Star and Herald.~\ The Austrian Government has fitted oufc and despatched from Trieste an expedition to Bail round the world. It is under command of Karl Scherzer. The object of the expedition is to iutroduco the products of Austrian industry into distant markets, and to extend the commerce of the empire. The expedition is under special instructions to visit the principal ports of China and Japan, and to proceed thence to California and cruise along the South American coast. The deputies from Schleswig have "been denied seats in the North German Diet until they swear allegiance. The Dutch Ministers have informed the Chamber thiit the rumours of tho completion of a treaty of alliance between France and the Netherlands are entirely unfounded. The corporate authorities of Dublin have petitioned the Government for the pardon of Fenian convicts. Requiem masses have been celebrated in Cork and Q.ueenslown, for the repose of Fenians executed at Manchester. The people attended in large numbers. There was no interference by the authorities. M. Pierre Antoine Berryer, the celebrated French advocate, died in Paris on the 20th November, at tho ago of seventy-eight years. The editor of the Maveil has been sentenced to two months' imprisonment, with a fino of 2,000 francs, the editors of the Tribune and L'Avenir to a line of 2,000 francs each, and the editors of the Temps and Journal de Paris to pay a fino of 1,000 francs each, for publishing articles encouraging the Baudin monument subscription. Napoleon is said to be suffering from an attack of diabetes ; Eugenic attends to business for him. A terrible explosion occurred in the Arlcy Mine Colliery, "Wales, on the 26th ultimo. Three hundred men were in the pit at the time of the explosion. Fifty-seven were killed, ten seriously injured, and many slightly hurt. The cause of tho disastsr is unknown. Jell'crson Davis lias delivered a discourse at Leamington on the importance of exploring Jerusalem, and tho peculiar fitness of England for the honourable task. The case of "Wason v. Walter, of the London Times, in which the defendant was sued for damages for the publication of a Parliamentary debate containing language injurious to the personal reputation of the plaintiff, lias been decided before the Court of Queen's Bench in favour of the defendant, the Court ruling that lie was not actionable. Advices from Bombay fatntc that a sanguinary battle had been fought in Northern India between Shore Ali and Abdul Rahman, in which the latter was totally defeated. Ibis reported that tho North Star gold-mine, in Grass Valley, California, has been sold to an English capitalist of London for 1,000,000 dols. All the Colonial ports of Spain have been declared free, and anchorage dues abolished. Many reports are in circulation concerning a settlement of tho Alabama claims between the United States and Great Britain, but nothing official has been made public. A collision of railroad trains iv Bohemia killed twenty-three persons and injured sixty-one. The International Military Commission called by the Emperor Alexander to draw up a convention for the mitigation of the horrors of war, has commenced its session in St. Petersburg, under the presidency of tho Russian Minister of War. The prohibition of the use in time of war of all explosive projectiles weighing less than 400 grammes has been agreed upon. Count Yon der Goltz, Prussian Ambassador at Paris, has resigned. Yon Worther, the present Minister to Austria, takes his place. Vesuvius has become very agitated, and a new cone has been formed, from which streams of lava aro being ejected. Violent shocks of earthquake occurred at Bucharest on Friday last. The Imaum of Muscat has been dethroned by a bloodless revolution. Advices from Yokohama, Japan, to October Bth, reported a severe shock of earthquake at liiogo. A fresh and violent eruption of Mount Etna is reported. Repeal agitation and discussion continues in Nova Scotia. A terrific gale passed over Halifax on the night of the 7th, and about thirty vessels were damaged in the harbour. "Whalen, the Fenian assassin, has been respited, to the 29th instant. Considerable anxiety is felt about the troop ship Simoon, wich luft England on the 18th ultimo, with troops for Halifax. Gioachino Rossini, the great Italian musical composer, died in Paris on the 14th of November, at the age of 77 years. Evidence has been adduced before a council of Ministers, showing the existence of a conspiracy to revolutionize France. The most vigorous measures will be taken for its suppression. The prosecution by the French Government of the parties who promoted tho subscription for a monument over the grave of M. Baudin, one of tho victims of the coup d'elat of the 2nd of December, has resulted in the conviction of several journalists and others, all of whom have been heavily fined and additionally punished by the suspension of their civil rights. These decisions create intense indignation in Paris, and symptoms of unusual agitation have appeared. Tho police and military authorities are taking extraordinary precautions for tho preservation of order The challenge of the English yacht Cambria to race for the possession of the Queen's Cup has been accepted by the New York Yacht Club, who have held the Cup for seventeen years. The ocean race is accepted by the yacht Dauntless. The Hon. Revcrdy Johnson was entertained at a banquet given by the Chamber of Commerce of Birmingham, on the 2nd December. He spoke, defending liia own course in England. Mr. Bright followed in a speecli in defence and praise of Amerioe, in her relations with England, during and since the war. Mr. Sullivan, who was struck from the Commission of the Peace for alleged sympathy with Fcnianism, has been elected Mayor of Cork. Queen Victoria, in an autograph letter, compliments Lord Monck in connection with his admistration as Governor of Canada. The Republican party is gaining ground in Spain, but will not probably be able to control the disposition of the Government. The Madrid correspondent of the London Times writes that tho Crown will probably be ollered to Espartero. General Prim, iv a letter to the Paris Oaulois, declares that tho present Spanish Government will have no dealings with the Bourbons, and lie denies with indignation tho truth of the report that he purposes a coup d'elal. A political meeting of Monarchists at Vulladolid was broken up by Republicans recently.. It is rumoured in Madrid that tho United States have recognised the insurgents in Cuba as belligerents. Civil marriages arc now of frequent occurrence in Spain. The formation of a Protestant Church in Madrid has hcun sanctioned by the Provisional Government. Prim lias issued an order forbidding the attendance of armed soldiers at public meetings. The Papal Nuncio at Madrid continues his relations with the new government. The Provisional Government has dcclarad all the Spanish colonial ports free. Anchorage duties aro abolished. The Provisional Government have invited bids for la\iug a toli'siT.phic cable between Cadiz, the Canaries, and Cubn. The Imperial urges the concession of every liberal reform to Cuba and the speedy settlement of the question of slavery, but tays Spanish honour demands the suppression, at any cost, of the insurrection, vihich it declares was incited and is kept alive by American filibusters. Commercial circles iv London and Now York were

thrown into a panic on the 12th of December, by vague rumours of a conflict between citizens and troops. In New York the rumour took exaggerated shape, and Napoleon's death was one of the features of the report. The rumours probably arose from a panic on the Paris Bourse, occasioned by a foelingof insecurity caused by the ultimatum of the Sublime Porte to Greece. The Imperial schooner Lavrette has late left Toulon for the Red Sea. She is to pass through the Suez Canal, and her trip is to be considered in some sort a3 the official opening of that route. She is to head a procession of yachts and pleasure boats, to the number, it is said, of a thousand. A very heavy gale prevailed throughout England on Sunday night and Monday morning, December 13 and 13. Many disasters occurred. Shipping in harbours suffered much. Houses were blown down. The damage was very great. The Telegraph says the anti-repudiation resolution in the American House of Representatives, leaves the greenback payment question still open. John Stuart Mill writes a letter ascribing the defeat of the Working-men's Candidates to tho expense attending elections. He urges the policy of having the Government pay all necessary outlays, and mak- , ing any other unlawful.