THE SUEZ MAIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2799, 26 January 1871, Page 2

THE SUEZ MAIL.

Melbourne, January 18th. The R.M.S. Avoca anchored in the Bay at 5 o'clock this afternoon. The Adelaide telegrams arrived yesterday afternoon. The latest dates are to Christmas Day. London, December 25.h. The war situation is little altered, and the Russian question so far settled that the Conference was to meet in London on the 3rd January. The war continues to rage, with great slaughter. The great sortie from Paris failed, and the Array of the Loire was thoroughly beaten at all points. The Germans occupy Rouen, Havre, and Dieppe, while the French fleets are actually blockading their own ports. The French Government have removed to Bordeaux. Tours has been taken, after a severe battle. Phalsburg, Monfcmedy, and Bloia have surrendered. 15,000 fresh Landwehr are marching to the scene of operations. The bombardment of Paris is delayed. Famine is beginning to pinch the Parisians. Rats, cats, donkeys, and other animals are being eaten, whilst hundreds of waggon loads of provisions are arriving from Germany to provision the city when it surrecdcrs,

The army of the North is being pursued by General Manteuffel. Dijon was occupied by 24,000 Prussians on the 18th, after a severe battle; it was afterwards re-occupied by the French, but again taken by the Prussians on the 19th, when Prince William of Baden was wounded. _ Garibaldi is reported to have resigned his command, after taking part in several small battles. The North German loan of eight millions has been readily subscribed in England. The King of Prussia has accepted the Imperial crown from a Parliamentary deputation. Mr Bright has resigned office oh account of ill health. The Government have released the Fenian, prisoners, on condition that they '■] live abroad. ii The Cerberus has arrived at Malta. ; | The leading journals condemn the sug-i gestion that the colonies should remain! neutral in time of war. I Fresh European complications had' nearly arisen from a Prussian note stat-; ing that Luxembourg had violated thej treaty, and that Prugsia no longer recog--,nised its neutrality. Explanations followed, and the matter was ■arranged, i after England. had claimed that the! matter should be submitted to the guaran-i teeing Powers. : The Atlantic cable of 1865 is broken. President Grant's message desires a; settlement of the Alabama question con- \ sistent with the honour and dignity of' both nations. The course pursued by: Canada on the Fisheries question will, he; says, compel the United States to protect the rights of its citizens. The Germans announce that at a Coun--cil of War they had decided to bombard the city so soon as their reinforcements: arrived. Large supplies of siege ammunition and guns were daily arriving. ] The forts of Paris commenced heavy: firing on the night of the 20th, and the garrison next morning made an attack,! but were repulsed after several hours' hard fighting. -.'••■" Rumouw respecting the neutral Powers asking for an armistice, Lave been preva-' lent since 10th December. A Bordeaux telegram, dated 23rd Be-, cember, stages that General Ducrot had; occupied a position towards Mont Vale'rien,. and that General Vinoy had captured Villary and Maison Blanche. M. Thiers will represent France at the London Conference on the Russian Question. . .. : 'A victory for the French army In .the North, after seven hours' fighting, was reported in London onDecember24th, and f reshoperations were said to be imminent. The Germans, however, declare the victory to be a defeat. The Italian Chamber approves of the removal of the capital io Rome in six months. .'...";. Commercial.—Wool is active, at late rates. New Zealand debentures are at 100. Tallow has improved. ' Gaele, December 29th. The steamer Mongolia, with the English ~m»i13,~ arrived-Mrarfcoexx-liouxa" late^ and. detained the Avoca. The Indo-European mail telegraph is working badly, and the messages are delayed. The Batavian cable is all right. Numerous passenger steamers for India are arriving by the Suez Canal. The proposed opening of a navigable channel between India and Ceylon is referred to a Committee of the Imperial Parliament, and the Ceylon Government are considering proposals for the construction of docks and harbours at Colombo. Ching How, a Chinese plenipotentiary going to Europe, passed through Galle with his suite on the 23rd December. Numbers of Chinese and Japanese are going to Europe for their education. The Germans have been expelled from Saigon, and they express a hope thatthe colony will be transferred at the peace. _ Serious disturbances have taken place in Java. Calcutta, December 19th. The Countess of Mayo has arrived. The Guicowar of Baroda is dead. A telegraph line to Burmah is to be laid soon. The Bombay and Madras railway is nearly completed, and is to be opened in February. The rice and grain crops are good. 311 persons were killed by tigers during last year. • Considerable disturbances have occurred amongst the native chiefs in Arabia. China. The French Minister has accepted indemnity for the massacre at Tientsin. Mr Seward was properly received at Pekin.