COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS' BEFORE. [From the Australian Witness.]

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 42, 21 March 1846, Page 4

COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR SHADOWS' BEFORE. [From the Australian Witness.]

Notwithstanding all the professions and civilities interchanged between Fi;ance and England the two powers are arming with all their might. What can this mean ? The other powers of Euiope do not appear to depart from their usual routine. We can only conclude either that the piofessions and civilities referred to aie insincere, that France and England regard each other with mutual distrust, and are preparing for hos ilities ; or that they are about to embark in a combined movement against some common foe. Let our readers peruse the following facts, and draw their own conclusions :

Coast and Frontier Defevces.—The Coiistitutionael says " engineers of the army, navy, and ponts et chassees, have for some time been engaged in surveying the coast of France bounded by the ocean and preparing plans of forts and other fortifications for its complete defence from invasion j and it is said the minister of War, will, in the course of next session, present a Mil to the Chamber for a grant ot credit, sufficient to cairy this project into execution.

The Experimental Fleet.— The eight line-of-battle ships, composing the experimental squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Hyde Parker, C. B , with that gallant officer's flag flying on board the St. Vincent, 120, Captain Rowley, arrived in Plymouth Sound during Friday night from Cork. Ol'the sailing qualities of these ships the most conflicting opinions are still promulgated. Asa general rule, the naval officers dislike the Surveyor's ships, because they roll so much ; and for this fault some of them condemn the construction of the Vanguard, Queen, and Albion, in no measured terms. Others, who appear quite disinterested parties, place the Queen as an out-and-outer, at the head of the fleet for speed in sailing j the Albion second, and give the Canopas and Rodney equal claims to come next to the Albion. The last on the list is, without doubt, the Trafalgar, a ship which, though stiff in a neavy sea, has no pretensions as a fast sailor. — The tardiness of the Vanguard is unacountable, as she formerly beat even thing in the Mediterranean. The sailing of the Superb has improved since her masts weie raked a little at Coik. The fleet is expected to remain eight or ten days in Plymouth Sound, when they will proceed to sea, under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Pym, Slaver s.— H. M. Steam -vessel Penelope, after a cruise of nearly a month, returned to this island of (St. Helena) on the 12th instant; we are happy to find that Commodore Jones, though still in a weak state of health, has derived much benefit from his late cruise. The Penelope during her absence took two prizes, one of them on the 26th September last, a steamer of about 290 tons, calculated to carry 1500 slaves : this vessel was fitted out in New York, her engine (high pressure) similar to those in use on our railways, is fixed on deck, the wheels being placed on each side abaft, each of which can be worked separate from the other, her speed (which has not yet been ascertained ) is supposed to be very great, although the engine is only a forty horse power The steamer, previous to her captnre by the Penelope, had declined receiving one thousand slaves which were ready for embarkation at Cabenda, and was waiting for the arrival of five hundred more to complete her full cargo of one thousand five hundred. She is furnished with abundance of small arms of every description, and oue 12pounder; her crew numbered about thirty persons — Poituguese, Spaniards, and four American engineers; the piesent was the first voyage, and it is believed that several vessels of a similar description were leady for sea, and destined for the slave trade— may they all meet with a similar fate ! The Penelope likewise captured a brigantine on the 30th September ; both the vessels showed Brazilian colours, but no papers. On the 2nd October Her Majesty's steam-vessel Prometheus, captured a «layer, now on her voyage to this island. Her Majesty's brigs Cygnet and Alert had likewise taken and destroyed three others. — St. Helena Gazette, October 18.