THE NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 686, 25 January 1866, Page 4

THE NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

LitE detention of the mail this month is re ported to be duo to lieavy weather in the Bav o Biscay aiul oft' King George's Sound, and to i delay caused by assisting a vessel in distress. The international news, is on the whole, of ; pacific character. Tlie only actual war is on the coast of our own Pacific Ocean, where Spain is quarrelling with its colonies. But England and France have protested agninst the higli-handec proceedings of Spain at Valparaiso, and it is reported that the dispute will be settled by arbitration. In that ease the blockade wili soon be raised, and the Uour ships will bo abletc make a peaceful exit. In Mexico there are the the lingering remna.its of war. but scarcely any regular war. .Juarez is not only conquered, bu) an exile. The Emperor has issued a proclamation declaring the old Mexican Republic to be at an end bj r tlie retirement of Juarez from the count.! y and tlie expiration of his thru; ol Presidency. If proclamations had the validity that Emperors would like tliem to liave, this would be a very efficacious way of mnkino peace. But the elements of rebellion Maximilian's supremacy will long exist. ° The suppression of it, however, will scarcely bo war unless the republican party receives foreign aid. America declines to interfere directly, but it shows its sympathy by appointing an ambassador to tlio Mexican republic. In order to pacify America, France is to reduce its army in Mexico. J Even in China war is on the wane. The rebellion is almost at an end. The Imperial power is re-established, and quiet is bein<* restored throughout the country. ° India, too, is again peaceful, for the war in Bhootan is over, and a treaty of peace has been signed, though some condemn this step ns premature. Some risings against French authority have occurred in Algeria, but they are reported as put down. The insurrection in Jamaica is a curious phenomenon which requires explanation to make it intelligible. But, whatever tlie cause of it,'it lias been effectually repressed, The temple of Janus is not absolutely shut, and there ai - c elements of discord abroad enough to brew war at any moment. But still, on the whole, peace is in the ascendant. The relations between England and Amcriea arc not threatening. There is a prospect of the dispute about the cruizers being settled bv conference. The release of the Shenandoah's crew has again given the newspapers something to v.-rite about, and has a little stirred up the embers of strife; but the two Governments are both sincerely desirous of peace, and the best of the people among both nations are opposed to the madness of war. War certainly would not originate in England, and America at pre- ! sent needs repose. It is capable of war it'ii» honour requires it, but its solid interests are aii the other way. The reconstruction of the Union proceeds steadily under President Johnson's liberal programme. The troops are being disbanded, and the formal signs of subjugation are being removed. Before long, every State will resume

its old position, in the Union, and lie strife between the different sections will be purely one of politics. Our telegram speaics of the repudiation of the American debt, but this refers solely to the Confederate debt, which is being formally repudiated by tlic separate States. The Northern debt is not proposed to be repudiated, and no suggestion to t-liat effect lias been advanced by any°public man, nor is there any ground in the present temper of the public for supposing that any such proposition would be favouraMy received. . The Fenian movement in America has fornuu the subject of an international remon' trance. The organization is carried on so openlj ,I ta t ifc jroes beyond what international praeLice tolerates. The Fenians bare a palace in New York, and their Congress sits and formally del' crates there. The idea of shipping two hundred thousand men to Ireland, as has been talked of, is of course absurd. Anyone who will take the trouble to count up the sliij/s and the money that will be wanted will see in a moment that such an expedition is altogether out of the question. But the Fenians might have stirred up an insurrection in Ireland, or hare promoted a raid into Canada. And although both expeditions must have proved failures they would'have involved wide-spread confusion loss. It was right to deal promptly with it. The American Government has never promoted the Fenian movement though it has tolerated it. The Irish vote is the sport o f parties in America, and though politicians would humour the Fenian movement for their own ends, they internally despise the men on whose weakness they practise. In the English news prominence is given to the prevalence of physical and moral evil. Suicides, murders, and personal outrages are only too frequent, and tornados, fires, cattle disease, and cholera, play havoc with life and property. The political movement m favour of reform seems to be more steadfast than before. TJie Government is committed to some siey. and public opinion seems inclined to insist on enforcing it. Some change in the Constitution, therefore, may bo anticipated before long. It is satisfactory to find that the wool market is favourable to shippers, and that tlie money market is easier.—Sydney Morning Herald, 17th January. _____________