gortign an Colonial.
Fels:cm—The Paris papers continue to repeat rumours of a change of Ministry, and a coalition between Count Mold and M. Thiers is talked of. In the late contest between the Ministers and the Legiti- mists, Count de Salvandy opposed the Government ; and the King is said to have sharply rebuked him for it in person. Scandal imputes the Count's regard for the Legitimists to a fair adherent of the Pre- tender's party. From whatever cause, Count de Salvandy's desertion has embarrassed Ministers ; and he has been superseded in the Turin Embassy. But in all this gossip there is much that is doubtful and in- tangible.
In the Chamber of Deputies, on Friday, the Minister of Instruction introduced a plan of "secondary instruction "—a bill providing for the augmentation of public district-schools in France, and for a very strin- gent system of regulations and inspection of public and private schools: for example, managers and teachers in the schools must have the grade of bacheliers is lettres ; and the managers of existing schools are allowed three years to comply with the requirements of the new law in that respect. The journals in the interest of the Church complain that it gives the University inordinate power in the appointment of masters.
INDIA.—The over-land mail bears intelligence from Bombay to the 1st January. It is not of great interest. The Punjaub was still in a dis- tracted state. Jowahir Singh, uncle to the child Maharajah, having reason to suppose that there was a conspiracy against the life of his nephew, carried him off towards Ferozepore; but his flight was intercepted, and Heera Singh, the Minister, who was viceroy over the little King, put the uncle in irons, and " restored" the nephew to his hareem. Other persons were imprisoned. Heera's uncle, Goolah Singh, bad withdrawn from the capital, and was supposed to be plotting with the hill-chiefs to overthrow Heera Singh.
Gwalior was pacified. The rebel Khasgeewallah had actually been surrendered to a body of British troops, which had advanced under General Valiant ; and the requirements of the British Government had been acceded to.
Scinde was tranquil ; but the ravages of sickness among the troops
were most destructive. Out of 16,000, 12,000 were in hospital The number of the sick at Sukkur was 2,374; nearly 400 had been cut off in less than 60 days ; and no more than 340 out of a force of 3,600 were fit for duty ! General Simpson, who had been sent to the Lukhee Hills to chastise some refractory Beloochees, had returned unsuccessful, with eleven of his officers incapacitated by fever.
The Governor-General was at Agra, with the Commander-in-chief, watching the progress of events in the Punjaub.
It is reported from Cabul, that the power of Dost Mohammed was still on the decline ; and that he and his son Akhbar had set out for Jellalabad, to quiet some contumacious chiefs.
CHINA.—Intelligence has been received from Canton to the 1st De- cember. No important event had occurred in the interval of two months. Trade was dull. Sickness at Hong-kong was unabated, and Major Eldred Pottinger's short and eventful life had been abruptly closed by the unhealthy climate. Sir Henry Pottinger was doubly anxious to return home. Canton had been visited by extensive fires, which had destroyed the French, Spanish, and Dutch factories, and abut 3,000 houses!
NORTH A MERICA.—The Philadelphia packet-ship Yorkshire con- veys intelligence to the 18th January. The most interesting point is the loss of a steamer on its way from Cincinnati to St. Louis : it struck on a snag ; several planks were torn out, the ship filled directly, and ninety or a hundred persons perished. Several women and children were saved, mainly through the exertions of one young man, who to-
tally neglected his own safety to the last. He was eventually washed ashore, alive. One of the persons saved was a girl weighing 240 pounds.
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