LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2002, 30 May 1868, Page 5

LONDON.

(FBOM OUR OWN" COttRKSrONDENT.) Wednesday, April Ist, 18fiS.

A supplementary latter (via Panama) to my Suez dispatch of last week, touching some important matters, may interest your readers.

The Panama and heavy Sues nvtils. arrived simultaneously on Saturday,, March 2 'th, and wero delivered on Monday, SOth. Mr J. Ross, from Otag^;. Messrs E. Mallet and J. Karslake, from Lyttelton ; Messrs E. Towgocd and ,T. N. Stewart, from Napier, being- announced, among tho safe arrivals.

Tho Robert Dickson has arrived front Australia ; tho Constance has sailed foirAuckland ; the Coleroon, for Canterbury; the Australian, Alexander Duthie, and. Ethiopian, for Australia

Europe continues peaceably inclined, thero being no disturbing «lemenhs worthy of serious notico. The Pope of Rome and King of Italy are both reported alarmingly ill.

Abyssinia sends fuither telegrams. All the troops forming the expedition, except a mountain battery of Royal Artillery and four companies of the 4th* Regiment, have left iWilla for the highlands ; health of troops good. March llth—General Napiur to Sir S. Northeoto—All going on well. Head-quarters marching on to Ashangi, expecting to to there IGth March. Captives all well at Magdala, 17th February. King Theodore, with 10,000 men, guns, and mortars, in battle array at Talanta(covering Magdala), TO miles from Ashhangi. Hope to •mgago him era the month runs ont.—Wo thus see General Napier 8000 feet abovo the sea level; surrounded by friendly natives; with, military stations at Ashangi, Antalo, and Attcgrath ; free communication open, with Senafe. The General takes the lirst division of the army with him, pushing on for Magdala with about 6000 men, the second Division (another 5000) forming tho Reserve, and able to follow their leader from the different; depots, if required; and should all go well, iho first and lastiti&lle with, the enemy has probably now been, fought, the captives released, and one troops with a fair chance of quitting th«j horrid country liefore tho summer rains set in. The aspect of affairs ia tolerably bright; and within another month,-we may expect to know the fate of the Expedition.

Resolutions were introduced in th& Commons, by Mr Gladstone, on Monday^ yoth March, " That, in tho opinion of this House, the Irish Church, as an Establishment, should cease to exist." This movement was met by a Ministerial Amendment, " That this House, whilo admitting .that considerable modifications in the tetnporalitieaof the Irish Church may, after the pending inquiry, appear to be expedient^ is of opinion that any proposition to disestablish or disendow that Church ought to be reserved for the decision of a new Parliament." The amendment introduced by Lord Stanley was argued lirst, and* after two nights' discussion, adjourned till to-morrow. Should tho amendment be rejected, it is tho determination o£ Government to oppose Mr Gladstone's resolutions, and should thoy ultimately be set aside, tho Irish Church will be the battle cry of next year's General Election; but, should Government bo defeated on tho resolutions, Mr Disraeli will appeal aft once to tho country. Tho " Compulsory Church Rates Abolition Bill " has passed tho Commons, and is now in the Ugper House.

A recent clause in the " Mutiny Act" abolishes the lash from our army; exceptional cases in timo of war certainly remain, but they are so extreme, thafc we may fairly hail the British soldier as afc last released from a degrading and cruel punishment. Ritualism in England^ too, has received its death blow. Mariinv.. Mackonochio, and Flamank v. Simpson, tho two cases so long before the.Arches Court (promoted by the Church .Association and defended by tho EngiishvChureh. Union) being decided against the .defendants, and as no notico of appeal-.to the Privy Council is given, w6 presume Sir Robert Phillimoro's elaborate..judgment will [be accepted as.final. Ho-.-condemna as unlawful the elevation of the blessed, sacrament, excessive kneeling,-the usei o£ incense, mixing water With wirto, placing^ the offertory alms upon a stool, and any repetition of such practices will bo visited with criminal prosecutic ns ;; and so much for the ceremonial. Nest-: comes the doctrine ; and if our Bislopo. cannot remedy the evils forth*vith,, recourse wilt again be had to the ye ry strong .arm of tho law.

Tho sentence of death passed on. Thompson and Mull ady,,. the Manchester Fenians, is commuf ed to penalisorvitude ;for life-

Tho Queen is staying in London, and this day holds a. Drawing Room. The Prince of Wales -goes to Ireland- at Easter. Royal family all well., The twoltaliai i Opera-houses, aro opened satisfactorily: FlrMaplesonai old Drury; Mr Grxy at Covent Garden. Northampton races commenced yesterday, Mariner winning tho- Great Northamptonshire Stokes, Lord Has* ings 2 T Thalia 3. Tho University boat race wil! ; bo contested oils Saliircfay next. Oxford ' ia the favorite^at 2to 1. The Ja'.naiwv tragedies are revived by another attempt at. Exeter Hall to indict Governor Byre for Gordor'a murder. Thero are deep purses and sorry spirila in the fiyld ; but Magistrates refuse to grant a warrant for Mr Eyre's re-Appre-hension ; and, assured as wo arc that the last ia not yet heard of these vindictive prosecutions, we deplore that John Stuart Mill should so dissipate his valuable time on. a subject best forgotten., Tho " Speke mystery"-being solved by 1 the reverend gentleman's appopranec - in [ the flesh on the Cornish coast, the grossly roaJigqsd metropolitan gar^^rs ?jr? % P*^

lieved of one heavy crime hooked against them. The anxious "British subject naturally seeking a full, true,'and particular account from tho test authorities. The faculty having examined our erratic pastor, inform us " he has, ever since his lamented brother's death, been undor a depressing form of hypochondriasis which dominated his wholo mind, and at length impelled him to separate himself from all those to whom he was known." They recommend hia temporary absence from Englaud, and are of opinion ho will soon bo restored to health and his clerical duties. From his own statement given on his arrest, he had no confederate in his deception ; he read the daily papers, and understood the commotion created by his sudden disappearance ; he assumed various disguises to avoid recognition, and sought tho sea shore in hopes of taking ship to foreign climes, where he might earn his bread and preach the Holy Word to more willing listeners than he found at Homo. Now, if the poor man be really demented, wo cannot but pity bim. As to his re-entering the pulpit, it will be time enough to argue w its propriety when occasion offers ; meanwhile, the LSOO reward is distributed among the Cornish Constabulary, and so ends this more than seven days' wonder. Private dock accommodation is largely increasing hero—wo have just opened tho Millwall Docks,'wet and dry ; thus converting a wide area of tho waste marsh lands which once formed the Isle of Dogs into useful purposes, tho whole space on whicli tbe new docks and warehouses stand being no less than 204 acres.

The amount paid to foreign countries by tlio United Kingdom on the importation of wheat and (lour in 1867, exceeded 28 millions sterling ; being tho heaviest payment on record to foreigners for " the staff of life." It is curiously asked whether an increased cultivation at home would not obviate the necessity for this enormous outlay, and at the same time afford employment to some thousands of our distressed people.

Vesuvius still roars and rages in mighty grandeur ; and as no eruption of so long and intense a duration is previously on record, science is busy on the probable future. Curious visitors flock in ten-fold numbers to tho beauteous scene ; nor can past horrors, present dangers, or the thundering earthquake shocks which resound through Naples, turn tho gay multitude from the enchanted spot. The wondrous sight has now extended over 18 weeks ; three craters bla/.o and foam synchronously; the entire summit representing at limes one solid mass of lire, and as yet no signs of cessation arc visiblo to those who profess to know more than their fellows. Victims of the recent disaster are occasionally extracted from the debris, but great peril attends tho operation— tho broken mountain-side and tho dilapidated masonry daily threatening destruction to all things contiguous. ,

The most shocking accounts are published respecting tho famine - stricken countries of Eastern Prussia, Finland, and 18 other Russian Provinces, Morocco, and French Algeria. Cannibalism is even resorted to by starving multitudes, and the best cffortß of benevolence fail to reach tho evil. The fever at Mauritius is unfortunately on the increase ; it spreads to all quarters, and tho daily mortality is very high ; tho 40th Regiment is severely affected.

America reports " confusion worse confounded." Tho'impeachment trial began earnestly on Monday last. Mr Stanton is surround (id with soldiers at the War Office ; and President .'Johnson will acknowledge no other Secretary than Lorenzo Thomas. No armed collision is yet reported. Gold, 138|. Now York journals announce tho discovery of goldfields in the Rocky Mountains, of surpassing richness and extent: tho facilities for working being first-class.

Paraguay seems to be at the death struggle, The next mail is expected to tell the final tale.

OinTL'AKY.—The Earl of Cardigan, aged 71 ; Edward Jesse, Esq., 80. Revs. G. Preston, 08 ; W. C. Denshire, 47 ; J. James, 03 ; G. E. Gull, 34 ; John Lewis, 44 ; G. B. Warren, 03 ;W. Halo, 74; J. W. Ellaby, 71 ; Archdeacon ITankinson, 71. Colonel E. R. Priestley (42nd Highlanders), SO. Captains L. S. Joyce, 30; P. Richards, 20; W. H. S. Hart, 35; and W. R. Hudson. Sergeant-Major Woodhouse, aged 80; and Sergeant Wm. Fnifjcr, aged I)B—each tho hero of a hundred fights. Captain Claxton, R.N., 78; Captain J. M. Morris, R.N., 31. Barristers : SV. E. Peacock, 28 ; Robert Sawell, and Edward Badeley. Mr James Tearo (founder of teetotalism), 04. James Rodger, Esq. of Linlithgow, 72 ; James Tod, jun., W.S. ; aud C. Y. B. Bell, W.S.

Bank rate remains al 2 per cent. Consols,. !>3 A-

Serious disturbances havo occurred in Belgium. 20,000 workmen at tho coal and iron mines struck for higher wages, and were driven to their work at the point of tho bayonet. Many deaths result ; and politics are said to bo incorporated into the movement.