ADDITIONAL ENGLISH ITEMS.

Wellington Independent, Issue 3137, 2 March 1871, Page 3

ADDITIONAL ENGLISH ITEMS.

*► [From the latest Abgus telegrams.] The balance of £93,000 of the South Australian bonds has been sold under the minimum since the unsuccessful offer of last month. Recent experiments prove that Australian coal is suitable for mail steamers, and it is to be adopted. Madame Celeste has retired from the stage. The Empress Eugenic is busy raising a fund for the relief of the wives and families of the French prisoners in Prussia . Dr Livingstone is reported to be at Mozambique waiting for a vessel going home. Two large cotton mills at Bolton and Preston have been burned down, causing a damage of £55,000, and throwing 4000 operatives out of work. Destructive fires also have occurred at Leeds, Bristol, and Leicester. Early in the month several of the English journals criticised the report of the commission on Australian federation. The proposal for neutralisation in case of war was unanimously condemned as unjust to England, as certain to be disallowed by foreign powers, as unworkable ; , and a3 precipitating a severance. All agreed that England would protect the colonies to the utmost of her power. After a visit to Blenheim Palace, the Queen visited Lady Clarendon, and the

Empress Eugenic visited Windsor on the sth. The Prince of Wales has accepted the presidency of the Irish Agricultural Society. An American rumor is current that Mr Bright is to visit Washington as en* voy.to settle the Alabama difficulty. Mr Leonard Edmuud's action against the Premier has been withdrawn. The Oxford boating challenge is accepted by Cambridge. The Christmas engraving in the " Graphic" is Dickens's study and his empty chair as left by him at his death. Negotiations are on foot for a money order system between England and America. French sympathy demonstrations have been held in Trafalgar square. The Lord Mayor refused to lend Guildhall for a similar meeting of Republicans, thereby incurring the wrath of the party, but he]is supported by public opinion. The ritualistic clergy are enraged at the sentence of suspension pronounced on the Rev. Mr Mackonochie. They counsel rebellion agaiust the bishop, and clamor for disestablishment and liberty. Mr G-ladstone has offended the Liberals by replying to a memorial presented by the Irish membsrs that affording adequate support to the Pope for securing his dignity and freedom to discharge his spiritual functions was a legitimate matter for the notice of the British Government, and that he would accordingly make provision for the protection of his person. The condition of Ireland is improved, though one or two murders lately oc curred. Obituary. — Lord Hotham, Mr Macdowell, R.A. ; Alex. Dumas, sen. ; MiRitchie, manager of the "Scotsman"; Mr Glover, song-writer: Mr Wilson, chairman of the late Anti-Corn -Law League ; Mr Brewer of the City of London School ; Mr George Levitt of Cambridge ; Rev. J. B. Reade; Sir Wm. Denison ; and Dean Alford. With the slaughter of 500 horses daily, it was calculated that Paris could hold out till March, bread and wine being plentiful. The mortality increased to 2728 in the week ending 17tiTDec. General Trochu seems preparing for the capitulation of the city through star- ' vation by forming an entrenched camp under Mont Valerien into which to retire with his best troops, and still to defy the Prussian^ or make peace on advantageous terms. Gambetta is making and unmaking generals in the field. He quarrelled with D'Aurelles de Palladines after his defeat at Orleans. The army of the Loire has been split into two. Bourbaki is retiring on Bourges unmolested, and Channcey to the south-west ofLe Mans, has been fighting bravely. The Russian ambassador at Constantinople has made strenuous efforts to effect a private arrangement with Turkey before the Conference. He promises Russian assistance to recover for Turkey the sovereignty of Tunis. England supports the Porte in resisting. Prince Charles of jftoamania, also complains of the Treaty of Paris as restricting the development of his country, and claims sovereign powers. Great excitement is produced in Vienna by this step, which is believed to have been instigated by Russia and Prussia. The " Presse" considers this a life and death question to Austria. Both Anglo-American cables are still out of order. The tariff of the French line has been raised. The French Government have determined that they will not send representatives to the conference on the Eastern question, unless England will recognise the Republic. The great ceremony of presentation of the Imperial Crown to King William by a deputation of the Federal Diet took place at Versailles on the 18th, before an assemblage of princes and generals. The King's acceptance is dependent on the consent of all German sovereigns and parliaments. General Schenck's appointment as ambassador to England has been ratified by the Senate. He is to leave on the 18th January, and is expected to reopen the Alabama question. It is reported that Earl Granville has nominated an envoy to arrange the fisheries dispute. The complaint of the President in his message creates no uneasiness in England, and only ridicule in Canada. Russia has ordered 1000 American mitrailleuses. Admiral Cockburn is devising arrangements for the naval protection of the Indian ports and seas. An engineer has been specially sent out to report on Indian harbor improvements. There is a great scarcity of shipping at the Indian ports, and freights are high. A number of steamers are expected to arrive by the canal. Tbe foundering of the steamer General Outram took place off the Bombay coast in a cyclone ; 60 lives were lost, 20 were saved. The French are fortifying Pondicherry. A famine in Persia was averted by seasonable rains. All is quiet in the north of China. The British consulate at Shanghai has been destroyed by fire. Mr Seward has been given receptions at Shanghai and Hong Kong. Commander Brookes, H.M.S. Ringdove, was drowned accidentally in Yokohama Harbor. The Germans have occupied Mezieres and Peronne. At the capitulation of Rocroy 3,300 prisoners were taken. The array of the Loire, under General Chauncey, after five days' fighting, was totally defeated by the Duke of I Mecklenburg and Prince Frederick Charles, who occupied Le Mans. Twenty thousand prisoners, 19 guns, and a large quantity of stores were j captured. Chauncey explains his retreat as being consequent on a panic of the Mobiles. He expects to re-form, and assume the offensive. General Bourbaki, after three days'

fighting failed to relieve Belfort, whicl is invested by General Werner. The European Conference on the Russian question met on the 12th, and was adjourned for a week. France was not represented, but Jules Favre is expected to arrive. It is anticipated that Austria will propose conditions of peace between Germany and France. The Sydney sovereign is gazetted as legal currency in all colonies except India. Bismarck has revoked the order to abstain from capturing French merchantmen. German accounts report that the French armies are showing signs of dissolution. The three French armies which were intended to relieve Paris are thoroughly beaten. The Army of the Nortk, under General Faisherbes, was totally defeated near St. Quentin, and 10,000 prisoners and 99 guns were taken. In the sortie which took place at Mont Valerien on the 19th the French suffered severely. General Trochu was reported wounded.- An armistice to bury the dead was refused by the Germans. The Parisians are much cast down.