ifortign ant( Colonial.
- raaxos.—The two Chambers were prorogued on Monday; the Royal ordi- nance being presented to the Peers by Marshal Soult, to the Deputies by M. Damon. The Marshal occasioned some amusement by a slip of the tongue, call- ing the ordinance one to dissolve the Chambers; but he immediately corrected himself. The few Peers and Deputies who had remained to witness that closing form at once separated. According to the Constitutionnel, however, it is not improbable that a general election will take place in the month of November. It says that when M. Sauzet, the President of the Chamber, waited on the King, the other day, his Majesty ex- pressed himself in terms which left no doubt on M. Sauzet's mind that the pre- sent Chamber would be dissolved before the end of the year; and it adds, that M. Sauzet and several other functionaries consequently left Paris in all haste, to prepare for the coming contest.
Swrrzgmatino.—During the sitting of the 17th instant, the Helvetic Diet dis- cussed the question relative to the revision of the federal compact. A majority of eight against the expediency of discussion caused it to be put off till next year. The prmciple of a total revision of the compact had only gained the concurrence of the five most Radical Cantons, Berne, Argovia, Basle (country), Glaris, and Vaud.
TuarcEr.—A dreadful conflagration has plunged Smyrna into misery. The town, on Thursday so flourishing and so .prosperous, was on the day after, the 4th July, a mass of cinders and smoking rains. The fire of 1841 was far from beiag so disastrous. The fire broke out on Thursday, the 3d July, at half- past six o'clock, in a low cook-shop. Having broken out in one of the closest and most inflammable portions of the town, and being assisted by a strong North wind, it spread with amazing rapidity in all directions: there was no stone build- ing in the vicinity to arrest it. The terror was general. The fire uroceededin one direction as far as Tabachana, sweeping away in its passage all the Arme- nian and some small bazaars. Those of the manufacturers of cloth are saved. On that side it reached several large taverns, where an enormous quantity of spirits gave it fresh force. All the Kenourio-Machala, and the streets which abut on it—Moscov, Sokaki, Abraham, Hopitanx, &c., were soon a prey to the flames. Then passing into the Hadigstan, it opened into the Frank quarter, and there united with the other column of fire which ran down the Khan de Madame. Owing to the exertions which were made at the Place Sponty, and to the enor- mous walls which surround it, the fire was at length mastered at a moment when Roses Street was in great danger. The remainder of the Frank quarter was saved. Thirty houses in this quarter, with their shops, the Hospital of St. An- thony, three-fourths of the establishment of the Sisters of Charity, the church and school of the Armenians, Mnelem taverns, several khans containing merchan- dise, furniture, 87.4., 4,000 houses, and a great number of shops, were destroyed. The fire lasted seventeen consecutive hours.--Snayrna Impartial. According to another account, 5,000 persons had been deprived of a home, and the loss of pro- perty amounted to 300,0001.
INDLL—An overland mail brings intelligence from Calcutta to the 3d June. It is of no great importance. Military preparations continued in the Ferozepore district, as if for the re- newal of active measures after the rainy season. In the Punjanb there was a lull, but apparently no real approach to order. Jowahir Singh, who had provisionally fulfilled the duties of Vizier, had been formally appointed by the Ranee his sister- while Gholab Singh had been thrown into the background. But the Klialsa troops were supposed to be plotting the downfall of the Vizier, who was unpopular with them. Peshora Singh had taken possession of several villages, which he expressed his deter- mination to retain. It is stated that they yield a revenue of 60,000 rupees. According to the accounts from Afghanistan, Dost Mohammed had given up his intention of seizing Peshawar; moved thereto by his wish to leave the Seikha un- embarrassed in their threatened conflict with the British, whom he would not like as neighbours settled in the Panjanb.
There had been a counter-revolution in Nepanl. The famous chief blatabur Singh, whose influence enabled the old Wing's son to force his father to abdicate in his favour, had been assassinated. He was admitted to a private audience with the old King, and shot dead in the royal presence. Deprived of this powerful friend and supporter, the young man had become a mere cipher; the father had resumed the government; and affairs had reverted to the position which they occupied before December last.
The new Indian tariff of duties came into operation on the 2d June. In other respects commercial affairs presented little change.
Cais.a.—From Hong-kong the advices come down to the 12th April. The news consists entirely of narratives of riotings. At Victoria, about fifty Chinese of the worst class made a disturbance for mischief's sake. Thirteen were seized and punished with imprisonment or flogging. At Canton, an attack had been lately made upon Mr. Montgomery Martin, Mr. Jackson the Vice-Consul, and the Reverend Mr. Staunton, Colonial Chaplain, by a bialy of Chinese pelting them with stones, and using the most insulting. threats and language. Mr. Jack- son, who was a little behind the others, had ma arms pinioned, his clothes torn, and a gold chain taken from his neck. They got away with some difficulty. The Governor of Hong-kong had demanded redress. There had been such strong manifestations of dislike to the English at Amoy, that it had been requisite to despatch the Vixen steamer, in order to quell the disturbances which were ex- pected to arise; but the particulars had not yet been received.
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