LATER FROM ENGLAND

Otago Witness, Issue 537, 15 March 1862, Page 7

LATER FROM ENGLAND

The following i.s from the Age of February 25th.

From our Mauritius files we have some later intelligence fiom England, which renders more intelligible the telegram which was despatched f-oin the Bank of Australasia in London to the local manager here, dated the 2nd of December, and which we published in our columns on the 14th u!t. That telegram Mas as follows :— " London, 2nd December, 1861.— Probability of war with Federal States of America. War premium of insurnncp. Vessels already sailed from Australia, one per cent. ; to sail before .list December, two per cent."' The telegrams which we are now in possession of, via Mauritius, are dated respectively the 20th of November and the Ist of December, and read thus .-—"London, 21) th November. The law officers of the Crown, having been consulted, have decided that the act committed by the American captain was a violation of the right of nations and of international law, an insult towards En^lnnd, and that satisfaction will be promptly demanded." "London, Ist December, — The Times and the Mornimj Post admit that probably the Northern States will not yield to the demands of > England. If the 1-V;deral Government refuses satisfaction, the English Minister will quit Washington. The export of saltpetre has been prohibited in England." It was no doubt these circumstances that induced the despatch of the telegram dated the 2nd of December by the Bank of Australasia, and the missing imk iii the intelligence thus supplied only makes, us, still more anxious for definite intelligence of the progress of the events subsequent to that date, as from the tenor of the foregoing, it is' just probable that ere this war may have been declared between Great Britain and the United States.