lamp nn Cutnnul.

if 11 I f.—Arrests continue to be made all over France. The Empe- ror, it is stated, is "unusually hard at work " : he has "the interior affairs of France under his control" ; he is "giving his personal atten- tion to the diplomatic relations of England and France." There is trouble both without and within. On Tuesday the Moniteur published the following account of an emeute at Chalons : Paris had not heard of it before.

"At Chalons-sur-Saene, on Saturday evening about nine o'clock, a mob of some forty men assembled suddenly, and made a rush against a small guard of infantry, whom they surprised. They then proceeded to the rail- way terminus, uttering cries of ' Long live the Republic ! the Republic is proclaimed at Paris ! the Republic is everywhere ! men of Chalons, to arms ! ' The stationmaster, an old soldier, collected the railway officials, and repulsed these insurgents. From the railway the mob went to the bridge over the Saone, and occupied the bridge-head, for the purpose of preventing the alarm being given to the soldiers in the barrack. The offi- cers of the garrison, who had hastened to the Sub-Prefect's dwelling to learn the meaning of the rumour which had already spread, forced a pas- sage at the sabre's point. Shortly afterwards the troops arrived, the mere sight of whom dispersed the group. Before midnight, fifteen of the princi- pal offenders were in the hands of justice."

No other account has been published. The correspondents of the London journals seem to have no information on the subject. The fact that it occurred on Saturday and was not known in Paris until Tuesday has caused much surprise.

The Noniteur of Thursday made further revelations of the disturbed state of France. It stated, that on the 24th of February arrests were simultaneously made in various parts of France, which defeattsd culpable projects, and led to the discovery and seizure of arms, ammunition, and compromising correspondence. The number of arrests, however, has been exaggerated. They are limited to fifty principal ringleaders at Paris, twenty at Lyons, twelve at Marseilles, and four on an average in forty departments. In spite of this precaution, a gathering took place at Paris on the night of the 5th of March. Firm and vigilant measures caused it to prove abortive, and led to twenty new arrests.

Lord Malmcsbury's despatch, it is said, has been presented to Count Walewski ; and it is supposed that the Count has already returned a reply.

A French pamphlet, heralded by notices in the daily papers, appeared by anticipation in a translated form in Wednesday's Times. It is en- titled " L'Empereur Napoleon III et l'Angleterre." "Though it is the work of an eminent publicist, [M. de la Guerroniere,] a member of the Council of State, yet the inspiration has been derived from the very highest sources "; and the Times, in its leading columns, treats it as a " state paper."

The writer of the pamphlet describes his work as "a calm and im- partial voice" rising amid the passions unjustly excited in England. He promises to be sparing of observations, and bent above all things on re- calling facts. Thus he sets out- " When Louis Napoleon was elected President of the Republic, he only found about him, in the Assembly which was to share and often embarrass his Government, parties hostile or unsympathetic to England. The Legiti- mists preserved religiously to our old enemies the historical resentment of our ancient national strifes. The Republicans remembered Pitt leugtied with Coburg against the Revolution in order to crush it. The Orleanists re- gretted the protection which had humiliated them, all the more on account of the abandonment they had experienced before their fall. Finally, the partisans of the Empire still groaned under the most melancholy recollection of contemporaneous history. What was the heir of the Emperor Napoleon I, become chief of France, going to do ? Was he about to yield to the ran- cour and the prejudice of parties ? Was he to foster, by his example the international hatreds still alive at the recollection of Waterloo and St. Helena ? Was he about to avenge, at least by his coldness, his name and character, outraged by the English press at the moment of his election ? No ! Exile is a school of wisdom and of maturity for those whom God destines to reign. At that school Louis Napoleon had learnt much and for- gotton much. He only remembered the hospitality which had soothed the trials of his days of adversity—he only considered the great interests which drew France and England together in the cause of civilization."

Then follows a string of instances of Imperial magnanimity. When in 1849 Austria menaced the Porte on account of the Hungarian refu- gees, the President of the Republic, notwithstanding the susceptibility of the Ministry against England, ordered the French fleet to sail to- wards the Dardanelles at the same time as the English fleet. When Lord Palmerston presented his ultimatum to Greece, the Constituent Assembly showed its hostility to England ; the chiefs of all parties waited on the President, and he received them with coldness to show his disapproval of their conduct. When the English journals denounced the man who on the 2d December saved his country from frightful anarchy, "indifference was not possible," but "forbearance was com- manded by patriotism and public interests." Had he not been prudent

enough to calm public opinion, a rupture would have been the inevitable consequence. And so the recital gravely proceeds ; describing the visit of the Emperor and Empress to England, glorifying the conduct of the Emperor during the Crimean war—when " one would have said we buried our rivalry in the same grave as our dead"—when the English army wore with pride " the effigy of the martyr of St. Helena," and "the sons of those who fought at Waterloo wore with the same pride a medal on which is engraved the imago of the Queen of England." "The alliance then appeared indissoluble." But dissensions arose respecting the treaty. For the sake of harmony, "France and Russia agreed with England." " The embarrassment which the war in India imposed on England only rendered the Emperor more conciliating at Osborne on the question of the Principalities." After this long array of magnanimous services, the writer comes to the attempt of the 14th January. The assassins had come from England. They were not the first. Instances are given of six other attempts at sesassination as having originated in England between 1852 and 1858. Then the writer describes how " reeicide " is discussed in debating so- cieties, and advocated at a French club in Leicester Square ; in pam- phlets, more than fifty in number ; at the graves of refugees. Public opinion in France was justly moved, rendered indignant, and irritated. There was but one cry throughout France—that the assassins should be removed from the French frontiers, and that the public apology of as- sassination in journals or at meetings should be prohibited. France did not demand the renunciation of the right of asylum. "France, who would not sacrifice it to any one, does not ask allied or neighbouring powers to sacrifice it—she merely asks of other states to do what she is ready to do for them." Couut Wakwski was not in error when he said that assassination was openly preached. " Is there any need to give evidence ? In London there are held meetings where assassination is glorified. In London are sold atro- cious libels in which the murder of the sovereigns of Europe is elevated to a system, to a right, to a duty, in which thrones, altars, armies, laws, the magistracy, society, qpd God himself, are dragged through blood and mire. Such Saturnalia surpass even barbarism. There is not a law in ancient or in modern times which tolerates them ; and can it be pretended that this tolerance is on the part of England merely the exercise of the right of asylum ? " . . .

" With the whole of the facts before us which we have rapidly sketched, with that prolonged tolerance which their authors so audaciously abuse, France has refused to believe that the existing laws of England were suffi- ciently efficacious. She is disquieted and irritated at it. As to the Govern- ment of the Emperor, it limits itself to explain the situation of affairs, to explain the causes of the irritation which the country manifested, and in other respects trusting to the loyalty of the English-Government to give satisfaction to justice, to morality, to the interests of society, to international rights We have the firm hope that it will be so ; for it is impossible that some misconceptions, exaggerated by an unforeseen incident, can weaken the accord of two great nations whose alliance is indispensable to the future prosperity of the civilized -world. That alliance, in fact, sets aside all ideas of conquest. It guarantees the security and liberty of Europe, the interests of England and France being identical in every quarter of the globe, wherever humanity and civilization are in question. It is for these reasons that it was wise to form that alliance, and that it is useful for the interests of all to maintain it. After this explanation, public opinion in Europe will judge if France has understood this obligation—if she has fulfilled it—if she has the indisputable right to say that she is without reproach, and conse- quently without fear, before the tribunal of public conscience.'

The Court of Cessation decided on Thursday against the appeal of Orsini and his comrades. There has been a rumour all the week that the sentences of one or more of the conspirators will be commuted, but it has not assumed an authentic shape.

The Journal des _Wats has given the world the following French ver- sion of the taking of Canton. It will be seen that the spirit which dic- tated the writings of Bazancourt and others on the Crimean war has re- appeared.

"Canton, Jan. 1.—On the 28th of December, between six and seven o'clock, our troops disembarked according to agreement at a place which I had already reconnoitered twice in the cutter. We were received by the enemy with musketry, which wounded five of our sailors. The English did not arrive until two hours afterwards, although they ought to have been first at the place of rendezvous in order to assault a neighbouring fort. When they landed, they found the Chinese dispersed, the village cleared, and the French marching straight for the fort.

" However, as this part of the operations had been assigned to them, our Admirals merely sent on twenty skirmishers to keep down the fire from the embrasures. the ten or twelve shots fired by the Chinese killed nobody. The English advanced slowly, surrounded the fort, and began to shell it. Meanwhile our twenty men got in, expecting to find the Chinese, who had not shown themselves at the embrasures, and planted the French flag on the walls. Then, and not till then, the two thousand English, with a wild hurrah, rushed to the assault. . . . .

" The English were greatly dissatisfied ; they had nothing to do during these two days but to &mpg the positions won by the French troops."

The truth is, that the French chose to anticipate by a couple of hours the time agreed upon to begin the attack upon Fort Lin ; and they " won" a position from which our shells had driven the Chinese. The assertion in the last paragraph is an undiluted falsehood.

General Bedeau, like General Changarnier, has refused the offered per- miseion to return to France. Bedeau observes, that the notice in the Moniteur was only a simple licence, revocable by a Minister, and not an irrevocable decree ; and, expressing his belief that the tim) chosen to publish it shows that it is only meant to divert public opinion, says he has " no wish to lend himself to such a design."

Srightm.—The press prosecutions in Belgium have led to the con- viction of two of the accused. Louis Labarre, a writer in the Drapeau, has been sentenced to fifteen months' imprisonment and 1200 francs fine. Francois Nicholas Coulin, editor and printer of the Proletaire, has been sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment and 100 francs fine. Both trials took place before the Brabant Court of Assizes.

i tier itt llif.—The terms in which Count Walewaki addressed the Swiss Government respecting the refugees ire rather stronger than those in which he addressed England. After pointing out the presence of per- verse demagogues in Switzerland, he says- " The Federal Government is entreated to remove into the interior these dangerous men. This Government would disclaim the conditions of Hel- vetic neutrality, and would abuse the intentions of its privileges if it in- voked them as an excuse for not being able to give satisfaction to France.

To suffer more or less formally, even by silence or inaction, that men should receive asylum, and abuse such asylum in attacking France by conspiracies and publications, would be to neglect the duties of neutrality. The Legs. lion is then entreated to insist that the Federal Council take measures with- out delay for the removal into the interior, far from the frontiers, refugees known as plotting. criminal attempts, and particularly those who are organized into a society in the canton of Geneva. The French Government will not permit that the Federal Council should urge as an excuse the in- difference or unwillingness of the Cantonal authorities In case the Federal Government will not take the necessary means for satisfying the demands of France, it will assume a grave responsibility, and must take only to itself the consequences which its determination may involve."

The appointment of seven new French Consuls in the Cantons still excites the indignation of the Swiss, and the Government is urged to re- fuse to grant them esequaturs.

/11111.—The arrest of Mr. Hodge at Genoa has led to a nice ques- tion. The French Government has demanded that he should be given up to them as an accomplice in the Orsini plot—a murderer. On the other hand, it is said, he cannot be given up without the consent of the English Government. Should he be tried in England or in France, or should he escape altogether ? " An Englishman," writing to the Daily News, gives this account of the affair-

" A few days ago, a telegraphic despatch was received in London from Turin, requesting the immediate presence of the undo of Mr. Hodge, the Englishman lately arrested at Genoa, as it was a matter of life or death. Mr. Hodge's uncle has been at Turin, and returned, but I believe without being allowed to see his nephew. It appears that the French Government have demanded that Mr. Hodge be given up to them on the charge of being concerned in the attentat of 14th January ; and that the Sardinian Govern- ment, who had arrested Hodge at the request of the French police, would have complied with this further demand but for the vigorous intervention of Brofferio, the Liberal member of the Sardinian Chamber of Deputies, and the interference of our Envoy, Sir James Hudson, who has written over to Lord Malmesbury to state that there is not a tittle of evidence even to jus- tify the arrest of Mr. Hodge. Lord Malmesbury, it is said, has laid the Rapers before the Attorney-General, for his opinion as to whether the French Government have any right, under the circumstances, to claim Mr. Hodge. Meanwhile, Mr. Hodge, who went to Nice for the winter because he was suffering from a pulmonary disorder, is languishing in prison." It is stated that Count Carafe, the Neapolitan Minister, has declined Count Cavour's request to give up the Cagliari and liberate the crew, on the ground that the case is before the tribunaL

11.—The Spanish Senate met on the 3d instant. A curious question came before it. When -the Senate which fell before the revo- lution of 1854 was called together again, Espartero tendered his resig- nation as a Senator. The question was, whether that resignation was valid. The Duke of Victory, so a Committee reported, was a Senator ex-officio by virtue of his rank as Field-Marshal. The Senate was called upon to determine by vote whether the resignation was valid. There were 33 for and 33 against ; so that the matter remains undecided.

Ordtrk re.—A considerable political change has been made,in Turkey. The Sultan has informed the representatives of foreign powers that they will not in future be received by him except on the introduction of his Minister of Foreign Affairs, according to the usage of other European courts ; and that notice must be given some days previously at the Porte, in order that the Sultan's pleasure may be taken on the interview. This step would have been taken before, it is said, but that Lord Stratford de Redeliffe stood in the way. He had long enjoyed the privilege of direct personal intercourse ; and the other Ambassadors were accustomed to imitate him in rushing into the Sultan's presence in order to influence the Government. To put an end to the unseemly practice, the Sultan has now adopted the usage of European courts.

Snitill.—The fuller letters overland from India are to a great ex- tent occupied with speculations respecting the future movements of the Commander-in-chief. The past incidents they recount are few, though important.

Sir Colin Campbell was on the 28th January at Futteyghur, waiting for a train of heavy guns which had started from Agra on the 22d and had been delayed by the rain. The train consisted of seven 24-pound- ers, four 10-inch mortars, four large howitzers, and a great quantity of ammunition. It is estimated that when these arrived Sir Colin would have upwards of 70 guns of all sizes. Brigadier Walpole had crossed the Ganges, but had not, as was previously reported, moved into Rohilcund. The leader of the Bareilly mutineers, with some 5000 men, was posted a few miles from Futteyghur.

It is stated that Nana Sahib with 2000 men and fifteen guns had again entered the Doab. The Cawnpore garrison, with 400 Rifles from Futteypore, had gone to meet him. Two British cavalry regiments and one infantry regiment had moved from Allahabad to Futteypore. Nana Sahib, so it is said, had a reserve of 3500 infantry, 1000 horse, and six guns, at Calpee.

Sir Hugh Rose did not effect the relief of Sanger without opposition. At Sehore he divided his forces, sending a column under Major Orr to Goons on the Jhansi road to open communication with Gwalior and Agra. With the remainder he moved upon Ratghur, on the 26th January. " The fort is on the top of a.pear-shaped hill, the fort being erected on the broad end. On every side is a precipice except at the narrowest point? which is steep. Part of the force made a feint (attack) on the fort, whilst the General and Staff with the 3d Bombay European Regiment crept up the narrow end ; then the guns were drawn up, and on the 26th and 27th January played upon the walls, which are very strong. The 18-pounders played with effect on the double enceinte of walls, with ditches between. played rebels, who had declared that they would die or hold the place, (which is very strong, in good repair, and supplied with a year's provision,) lost heart when they saw the siege-artillery brought up to a position which they thought impracticable, and making a breach in the curtain of the fort. Two hours before daylight on the morning of the 28th January, they abandoned the fort precipitately, letting themselves down by ropes from the rocks, &e. Part of them thus effected their escape ; and part attempted to sally out of the main gate of the fort, but were driven back by the fire of Captain Lightfoot's 9-pounders. On the 27th, a large body, having many mutinous Sepoys amongst them, attempted to relieve the fort, and, coming out of thick jungle attacked the videttes guarding the right flank and rear of our camp, but were driven across the river; Captain Hare, with the Hydmbad Contingent, killing and wounding several of them. Surrounded by thickjungle and dangerous ground, attacked in their rear, and per- forming duties which according to rule demanded three if not four times their number, our troops showed what can be effected by a disciplined force

ably commanded. The strongest fort in that part of Central India was re- duced in three days • and the leaders of the rebellion have been executed." Ratghur was made over to the Ranee of Bhopal, who undertook to keep open the communications of the army. The Nagpore column had been acting with effect Eastward of Jubbulpore. The strong fort of Awah was only taken after extensive preparations and the beginning of a regular bombardment. The force sent to take it consisted of 1100 foot, 840 horse, and fourteen guns, under Colonel Holmes. The defences of Alvah consisted of a mud and wattle embank- ment about forty feet base, sloping upward to the height of nearly fifty feet. The wall was loopholed for matchlocks and jinjals, and was nearly impenetrable either by shot or shell. This was flanked by bastions mounting from two to three guns each. Some twenty yards in advance of the inner wall, was a high bank, also loopholed, and protected by thorns and branches; and in advance of the whole an abattis, Con- stituting Awah one of the strongest towns in Rajpootana. It was de- fended by 2000 men and twenty guns. Four batteries were erected at distances varying from 1000 to 300 yards. On the 23d, the preparations were made for the assault. But a storm which prevailed over the greater part of India descended with terrible fury in Rajpootana. The night was pitchy dark, the wind blew a hurricane, the rain poured in torrents, and the thunder and lightning overmatched the roar and blaze of our artillery. In the midst of the tempest, the enemy managed to escape." He left behind all his guns, and stores of grain, hay, and am- munition.

ff 11 it a $iliffS.—The Niagara arrived at Liverpool on Tuesday, with advices from New York to the 24th February. In the Senate, the Committee on Territories had handed in three re- ports relative to the admission of Kansas. The majority report was ac- companied by a bill providing for the immediate admission of Kansas with the Lecompton Constitution. One of the minority reports was drawn up by Senator Douglas, and sets forth his objection to the Le- compton Constitution ; the other was drawn up and presented by the Republican members of the Committee, and fully covers the ground of opposition taken by that party.

One peculiarity of the Kansas question is that a House of Repre- sentatives or Territorial Legislature, claiming to be the Legislature, is now sitting. This body was elected in the autumn. The majority of its members were Free-State men, and it was in order to anticipate their proceedings that the old Border Ruffian-elected Legislature called a convention and passed the Lecompton Constitution. When that con- stitution was agreed to, Acting Governor Staunton summoned the re- cently-elected Legislature, and for doing so he was dismissed. This House has recently adopted a strong resolution—

"Resolved, by the House of Representatives of the territory of Kansas, the Council concurring,. that we do hereby, for the last time, solemnly pro- test against the admission of Kansas into the Union under the Lecompton Constitution; that we hurl back with scorn the libellous charge contained inthe Message of the President accompanying the Lecompton Constitution, to the effect that the freemen of K,ansas are a lawless people ; that, relying upon the justice of our cause, we do hereby, in behalf of the people we re-' present, solemnly pledge to each other, to our friends in Congress and in the States, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honours, to resist the Lecomption Constitution and Government by force of arms if necessary ; that in this perilous hour of our history we appeal to the civilized world for the rectitude of our position,. and call upon the friends of freedom every- where to array themselves against this last act of oppression in the Kansas drama."

The House has also adopted a Constitutional Convention Bill, pro- viding for the meeting of a Convention in April to frame a constitution. Governor Denvir took no notice of it, and the House declared it to be law.

Duels were the order of the day at Washington. There had been no fewer than four challenges and one combat; Congress, Army, and Navy, furnishing the belligerents. The most notable names of persons engaged are those of Colonel Sumner and General Harney, General Collura and the son of the late Mr. Clay. In the former case the event had not "come off"; in the latter, an apology had been made by Collura, the of- fending party.

Preliminary measures have been taken in Virginia to establish a line of steam communication between that State and Europe. The scheme originates with French and American speculators, and will be directed by a French and American board. The ships have yet to be built, and the charter obtained.

III11 rut ia.—The colony boasts of being the native land of Sir William Williams of Kars Major Welsford, Captain Parker, who fell in the Redan, and Sir John Eardley Wilmot Inglis, the defender of Lucknow. The Legislative Council and House of Assembly have, " as a portion of the empire" and "as Nova Scotian," voted an address ac- companiedby a sword to Sir John Tneis.

instralia.—some interesting news was received from Australia early in the week. The latest dates are Melbourne, January 16; Sydney, January 12.

Representative institutions are on their trial in the colonies of Victoria and New South Wales, and a pretty rough trial it appears to be. The Victorian Parliament assembled, after the Christmas recess, on the 5th January. The Times correspondent gives a useful summary of political facts, throwing light on the working of responsible government in the colony. "Our present constitution was framed by a Council consisting of one- third nominees and two-thirds elected members. The latter were elected when the population of the colony was short of 80,000 souls. There was a property qualification for members, and the right of suffrage was limited. The consequence was, that the demand for reform was coeval with the in- troduction of the new constitution in November 1855. The number of the old Council had been twice increased, first from 30 to 54, and secondly to 66, by the introduction of representatives of the mining districts. It was by the Council so increased that the ballot was carried ; so that the first elec- tions, in September 1856, under the new constitution, were by secret suf- frage. The next reform was the abolition of the property qualification (20001. or 2001. a year in land) by Mr. Duffy's act. There the matter-re- taained until the close of the late session, when, in the electoral act then Passed, the suffrage was extended to all men of twenty-one years of age- ' manhood ' suffrage it is here called. The act contains another clause eying a plurality of votes to freeholders ; and around the metropolis it

is quite practicable for a man having a 501. freehold in several electoral districts to give about ten votes in those districts in one day.

" Miniatershave now introduced three bills,—one to shorten the duration of Parliaments from five to three years ; another to increase the number of members and alter and equalize the electoral districts on the basis of popu- lation ; and a third to regulate elections, the novel and important feature of which is a provision for the representation of minorities. The bill for alter- ifig the electoral districts and increasing the number of members to 90 (from 60) proceeds on the principle that the population of the colony being 450,000, and the number of the members being 90, 5000 is the mean number which belongs to one member. Fractional differences cannot be avoided, and from the great territorial extent of some of the thinly-peopled districts a large margin is necessary and unavoidable. Some districts have three members assigned to them, some have five, and a few have seven—all odd numbers, in order to admit of the minority-representing scheme. The plan is, that in districts entitled to three members the electors shall not vote for more than two candidates, in districts having five members for three, and in dis- tricts having seven members for four ; and it is considered that the remain- ing one, two, and three members, as the ease may be, will represent the mi- nority. In the debate on the second reading this scheme was generally ac- cepted by both sides of the House. In Committee, I think it will be further modified by reducing the larger districts so as to make the division uniform —i.e. 30 districts returning three members each-90 members, voters being allowed two votes only. I believe this measure will be carried by a very large majority ; but I doubt whether its working will fulfil the expectations of its most sanguine supporters. It is also clear that under the present sys- tem minorities are, in fact, represented. Thus, Conservative A and Radical B stand for a district having 1000 voters. B carries it by a majority of 1; so far the 499 who voted for A are not represented ; but Conservative A tries his fortune in another district against Radical C, and beats him by a ma- jority of 1 also : here the adverse opinions of the two districts collectively are equally represented. I do not remember that in Democratic America the Whig minority is ever unrepresented ; and if the scheme go beyond the mere representation of the minority, and operates to give a majority in the House to the minority out of doors, it will be productive of evil ; but with universal suffrage I do not conceive it will work to that extent. Some mem- bers who come in ' a good third' will be of the opinions of the majority, though they will apparently be representatives of the minority, while in some districts (where squatting prevails, for instance) in all probability the man at the head of the poll will coincide in opinion with the general minor.4-, while the third man will represent the majority of the country, though the minority in his district. It has been tried at the Cape, but not long enough to ascertain its working ; so that here, as elsewhere, it must be deemed an experiment." Another important measure is an Education Bill introduced by Mr. Michie, the Attorney-General, and read a second time by 33 to 11. The chief opposition was from the Roman Catholic members. By this bill the father of a child above seven years of age, of sound mind, unable to read or write, and not attending any school, is liable to be fined double the amount of the school-fees, ample provision being at the same time made for the gratuitous schooling of children whose parents arc unable to provide instruction at their own expense. Trade was still depressed, in consequence mainly of excessive imports, and of goods not suited to the market. The export of gold for 1857 fell short by 1,000,0001. of that for 1856:

" Though this affects our external trade, it must not be taken to indicate a decline of prosperity. We now produce much that we imported in the early days of the golden era. Iron and wooden houses were imported largely —we now build of brick and stone, and that too on a more commodious scale than formerly. Timber is extensively manufactured into boards at the saw- mills around Melbourne. We raise some 2,000,0001. worth of farm and garden produce which had no existence in 1853-'4. There is consequently much greater comfort than there was throughout the population, though we do not count our incomes by quite so many pounds." The New South Wales Parliament—the first elected under the new constitution—had been dissolved. It had sat for a session and a half, and had not passed " a single measure of importance." The cause of the dissolution was the opposition to the Government Land Bill. On every division upon the clauses in Committee, the Government majority grew less, and at length the numbers were equal. The casting-vote of the Chairman saved the measure for the moment, but the Government with- drew it next day ; and Mr. Cowper, the Premier, declared he should ap- peal to the country % Instead of dissolving at once, he wished first to pass an Electoral Reform Bill. The opposition stood out against this course, and defeated every attempt to legislate on any subject. Then the Minister suddenly dissolved the Assembly. But, strangely enough, Mr. Cowper did not appeal to the country on the Land Bill, but on the Electoral Bill. It is admitted that the questions involved in this measure are the real bones of contention.

"The whole fight at present is as to the supremacy of the pastoral or the town class. The pastoral interest is at present the sole mainstay of the co- lony. We have not sufficient agriculture to feed our own population, and our manufactures are not worth mentioning. In framing the present con- stitution, Mr. Wentworth and his friends took good care to preserve a large share of political power to the squatters, and they have been predominant in the first popularly-elected Assembly. The town party see that the only way to reduce this influence is to distribute the electoral power differently. Hence their cry is that constituencies should be divided according to a po- pulation basis. If this were done, the power of the squatters would be an- nihilated, and the towns would return a majority of members. Mr. Cowper has promised to bring in such a bill, and by this promise he has recalled to his standard his wandering followers." The elections began on the day the mail left Sydney. The issue of the contest was " quite uncertain."

- tall! 11 f nub. VIIgr.—The intelligence from the Cape of Good Hope tells of peace and cheerful prospects. The Cape Town Mail of January 29 says- " The power of the Kafirs even in their distant settlements is finally broken and crushed, their principal tribes dispersed, and their principal chiefs and all mischiefmakers dead or prisoners. Between thirty and forty thousand of these people have been received into the colony for the sake of humanity, to save them from perishing with their wives and children by starvation, and have been successfully distributed as servants and labourers, and promise under proper management to become a valuable portion of our rural population, as we have seen accomplished in the analogous case of the Hottentots and Fingoes. Even on the frontier of Kafirland, the colonists feel secure in the wise precautions of Government, in keeping on hand a powerful military force, and an active mounted police, with other arrange- ments on the part of the colonists for maintaining order and repressing crime. Two great obstacles to the improvement of the colony are thus in the course of being entirely removed, namely, hostilities from Kafirland and the want of labourers within. This favourable state of things is not an

experiment forced upon South Africa by theorists, nor has it been stained by injustice or violence. The destruction of the Kafirs as a people was their own act ; by simply acting as benefactors and guides to a deluded popula- tion, we have gained advantages which arms alone would not have con- quered for many years." The Governor has recommended proprietors who cannot cultivate all their estates to sell or lease portions of them to emigrants. The great demand of the colony is still for labour. Remounts for the troops in India were sent off at every opportunity. The Volunteer Corps were extensively engaged in doing military duty, and the Cape people seemed proud of their prompt efforts in an of the old country. They had subscribed 43091. for the Indian Relief Fund.