ENGLAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 547, 19 February 1870, Page 2

ENGLAND.

The steamship Brazilian^ built expressly for the s U e Z Canal traffic, has been found to draw too much water. A despatch from Port Said announces that she attempted to make the pas* sage, but was obliged to discharge naif her cargo to get through. The Times has an article on the Alabama claims, which hopes that the American Government will : appoint such men 7 as : George William Curtis and William M. Erarfcs, to state the facte fbr a law case. It thinks that good results will certainly follow such selections. The Spectator, on American affairs, says that Grant's programme of peace, retrenchment, reconstruction, and honesty, must enhance the position of the United States as a nation. A report from the Admiralty Office says that for a .distance of 35 miles the Suez canal is subject to sand drifts, reducing the depth, and to thick fogs, bewildering the. pilots; . ; -. 7 ao. ■._ The American ships, Crescent and City of Savannah, with cotton, sprung a leak at sea, and were abandoned. The Observer says that President Grant's message makes a pleasing impression in financial circles. It is reported that Mr Lowe, Chancellor of the Exchequer* .does, not, find it necessary to raise ia. loaJaxin: cthe open market to provide- means > for the purchase of the telegraph lines in accordance with the recent Act of Parliament. News ftom Pekin .states thatvthe Treaty between Great Britain and China, negotiated'by Burlibgha'me, has been ratified by the Chinese Govern- , ment. The remains of Mr Peabody were received on board the iron-clad Monarch. The ceremony was attended with many demonstrations of respect. Several distinguished persons accompanied the remains to the place of embarkation. They were received, by the, authorities, at Portsmouth, the officers and iharines

; of the Monarch, and by the United yStates s.s. Plymouth. The ships in harbour displayed flags half-mast, and • dipped their ensigns. The Monarch .steamed out, and minute guns were 1 'fired. Minister Motley addressed Capt. ; Commerell, commander of the Monarch, referring to the great honour paid to : the late Mr Peabody by the heads of the Great Nations, in sending their war vessels as a special escort for his remains to his native country. On the part of the relatives of the deceased, he confided the remains to the captain's keeping. Capt. Commerell replied accepting the sacred trust and - assuring him that the remains should be cared for with most jealous interest. ' The Monarch sailed for America on Dec. 21. - The Times says that great interest is felt in commercial circles on the possibility of another ship canal, deeper, wider, and leßs subject to fog and sand drifts, through some of the Central American States, to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Mr Ottaway, Under Secretary in the Foreign Department and member of the House of Commons for Chatham, made a speech in the city. He expressed his hearty satisfaction at the settlement of the American Naturalization Question, jand stated that an Act had been drafted which would b 8 brought before : Parliament next session, enabling British subjects to divest themselves of their nationality whenever they saw fit.