ffortign anti Colonial.

FaxacE.—The Constitutienne/ contends that the recent elections to sup- ple- the place of the Deputies elevated to the Peerage were a check to Ministers; M. De Belleyme, the Conservative and successful candidate at Vendome, having signed a declaration to oppose several points in the policy Of Ministers; and M. Delzers, the successful candidate at Espalion, being a stanch opponent of the Government.

The Prase mentions a report that Ministers are about to send a Com- missioner to Algeria, to inquire into Marshal Bugeaud's administration. It was reported on Tuesday, however, somewhat unexpectedly, that the Mar- libel would return to the colony in December. " The Ministry is at length convinced," says the Siècle," of the necessity of sending a formidable expedition against Tamatave, in Madagascar- " The behaviour of the Natives since the attack conducted by M. Romain Des- fosses has been such as to admit of no hesitation. The sovereignty of France has been denied and insulted. We have at the same time to avenge our dignity and to enforce the execution of treaties. The sovereignty of France over Tamatave cannot be contested, even were our claim to the whole island of Madagascar called in question. We will not say a word to prevent the new expedition. We, however, warn the Cabinet, that it will be brought to a severe account by the Chambers for having caused a result so deeply to he regretted. The success of the soldiers and sailors is no palliation for the faults of the Ministers."

There has been a continued run on the Paris Savings hank: on the 28th and 29th September, the deposits did nut -exceed 501,135 francs; while the withdrawals amounted to 1,141,305 francs.

ITaLr.—The Courrier Francais and other Opposition papers of Patie publish the following letter-

• ` Leghorn, September 18.

" The travellers and letters from Rome inform us that the Pontifical Govern- ment is at this moment greatly alarmed- Judging from the extraordinary move- ment that is taking place, and the preparations making in all quarters, one might think that Italy were seriously menaced with an invasion. Troops and ordnance are moving in every direction; s per• r officers, bearing orders whereby the little l'ontifical squadron is to be and made ready to proceed to sea as soon as possible, have been sent to Chita Vecchia; and travellers passing through the latter port are astonished at the activity prevailing there. It was said a few days ago at Mita Vecchia, that several companies of troops were about to be sent to Corneto and other parts of the coast. Such a movement had not for a long time past been seen in this country. The port and town are continually crossed by gunners and pieces of cannon proceeding to the ramparts or fort; for the place is being put on the war footing, and as well as its environs, is in a state of siege. I need not tell you the effect produced on these Southern people, who are subjected to an iron yoke, by such formidable preparations. A thousand reports are in cir- culation: but the truth is, that the Papal Government dreads a landing on the part of the exiled patriots. Be this as it may, I can state with certainty that those apprehensions are very intense: there is preaching in the churches from morning to night. The people, it must be owned, are greatly discontented, and great calamities are to be dreaded; for it may be safely said that the Pope is by no means disposed to make any concession to the spirit of the times. The marches are extremely agitated; and armed bands, headed by influential men, scour the country. It is not easy to say how unhappy Italy will emerge from this situation; but a terrible crisis has become inevitable. It is said that the Austrian army has been reinforced, and is ready to march. Serious events are impending."

Russis..—Apropos to a religious ceremony in Paris, the French papers tell a strange tale of religious persecution in Russia. The narrative is sup- plied by the Univers.

"On the 231 September, the Polish refugees in Paris attended a funeral service, celebrated in the Church Of St. Ruch, in honour of the forty-seven nuns who were recently martyred in the town of Witebesk, with a refinement of cruelty that one would refuse to credit it, had not witnesses in every respect worthy of belief attested the fact. This convent had been established from time immemorial near the town of Minsk; and the inmates fulfilled, among the people, the same duties as our Sisters of Charity. They instructed the children, provided for the widows and aged, and assisted the poor by the fruit of their labours. They bad, unfortunately, for chaplain a priest called dffichelewicz; one of those creatures whom tyrannical governments invariably select to fill the chief offices of the church. This wretch, having become Bishop, apostatized, and wished to involve in his guilt the holy sisterhood. After besetting them in every. kind of way, and vainly resorting to promises, persuasions, and threats, perceiving that he could not obtain his object, he determined to punish by severity. During the night, by his orders Cossacks surrounded the convent, seized the nuns with the most revolting brutality, bound them with cords, and conducted them thus to Witebesk, nearly-twenty leagues from Minsk; compelling them to walk the entire distance. At this place they were confined in a convent of schismatical nuns, in the capacity of servants, or more properly speaking as slaves. Those who are acquainted with the profound ignorance, dissolute morals, and ardent fanaticism of these Greek nuns, can form some idea of the dreadful treatment which the Ba- silian sisters were compelled to endure. Forced to perform the most vile offices, supplied with a quantity of black bread scarcely sufficient to support nature, each of them moreover received regularly every Friday fifty lashes; so that their attenuated bodies were covered with wounds and sores. Yet they showed even more courage under these trying circumstances than their enemies exhibited ferocity. Encouraging each other to suffer patiently for the glory of God, they persevered in the Catholic religion. The anger of the apostate Suinayko in- creased. He caused these holy and self-devoted creatures to be ironed and sent to the galleys. Their nourishment bad latterly consisted of half a salt herring daily, with a small measure of water. This diet was now changed to half a pound of black bread, with the same quantity of water: and thus, while suffering from hunger and thirst, they were compelled to act as labourers to the masons em- ployed in constructing the Episcopal Palace. Several of them were driven into the river up to their necks, and fromtime to time plunged under the water, because they persisted in refusing to apostatize; others, condemned to labour in mines, were placed where the danger was most imminent, and were in many instances killed; finally, eight of them had their eyes torn out. Their faith surmounted these severe trials: not one of them gave way, though thirty of them sank under their sufferings. Among the seventeen who yet survived after the death or rather after the triumph of these thirty martyrs, three only possessed sufficient strength to avail themselves of an occasion which presented of escaping their unmerited punishment. The schismatic nuns who guarded them having become insensible from ebriety after one of the orgies consequent upon certain of their fetes, they were enabled to climb over the door of their prison, and thus escape unobserved. It was not without regret that they abandoned their companions, and renounced the glory of dying with them; but they hoped to be of service to their faith and to their country; moreover, it was expedient that Europe should be made ac- quainted with what had transpired. After encountering a thousand dangers and hardships,. they succeeded in entering Austria; and one of them, the venerable superior, is actually at present in Paris. It is this lady from whom we have gamed the above facts; which we also take from the Polish journal the Trois Mai."

" These facts appear startling," observes the Journal des Mats; " but ,an- fortunately, when Russian policy is concerned, everything is credible. The Em- peror is resolved to bring all his subjects to the orthodox Greek Church. The Autocrat will not tolerate any religion in his European states except his Mtn. All resistance is treated as rebellion INDIA.—The over-land mail bringsintelligence from Bombay to the 28th August. We abridge the accounts. The principal subject is the anticipated movement of the British on the banks of the Sutlej, to coerce or overawe the Sikhs. That some such movement would take place, was no longer doubted. It was understood that the Governor-General, Sir Hugh Gough as Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Napier as Lieutenant Governor of the North-west, Mr. Thomason and Mr. G. R Clerk, Political Agents, were to have a conference at Agra; "after which, important movements would begin."

Meanwhile, plots thickened in the Punjanb. Sirdardowahir, the Wuseer, is de- scribed as indulging in drinking to excess. His sister, the Queen-Mother, re, proached him with this improper conduct in the open durbar (or public council held at native Indian courts). He had incurred the hatred of the Khalsa troops, he was suspected of coiiperating with the British in order to weaken the Sikkarmy and to leave the country at the mercy of the invaders. He attempted to some of the most turbulent and best disciplined regiments of the Avitabile corps d'arrnee; but they resisted, and compelled him to continue their services. 'Twe regiments, having had some disputes about their pay, actually seized one of the gates of the city, and were with difficulty pacified; when they gave up the gate, and got off unpunished. The notorious Gholab Singh was busily ints-3 Order to obtain :possession of all the property which once belonged to his Dhyan and Sachet, and to his nephew Heera Singh, with ;chick he hoped to es- rape his mountain-hold of Jamoo, and the to maintain his position and watch fume events. Pothers Siughstlil.ocoupied the fort of Attack, and, at the date of the last accounts, was defending it against Purtab Singh. Of Major Corsellis's expedition there are the most contradictory accounts. The cause of it is now for the first time stated, and that also is disputed. It is said that a party of Sikhs made a foray on a village within the Scinde frontier; and that therefore Sir Charles Napier, declaring that he would not have his frontier disturbed, detached a wing of the Eighteenth Regiment, under Major Corse/Hs. Another report is, that two thieves from the British side crossed the border, were detected by the Sikhs, pursued, and captured on British territory. A third, that the men captured were not the thieves, but innocent persons. The village to be protected is sneered at, as so worthless that it might be bought for the month's pay of a Lieutenant. The expedition was not very fortunate—" The detachment altogether consisted of about five hundred men, who received two hundred rounds of ammunition each; and was accompanied by two mountain-guns with Golun- dauz, while Captain Johnstone, the Sub-Assistant Commissary-General, went up with it in charge of three months' supplies. The vessels in which the troops pro- ceeded were the Planet, Assyria, and Conqueror, iron steamers; and the Napier also accompanied them. The heat experienced on going up the Indus was most intense. In one day three of the five steersmen in one of the vessels were suc- cessively driven from the wheel, one of them becoming almost instantly delirious; and on the following day an engineer and a seedy were taken ill. All these, coming immediately under medical treatment, recovered; but in another steamer, the steward, native doctor, and two passengers, died; and in a third, the first and second officers had to take the helm, owing to the whole of the crew being com- pletely incapacitated from work by the heat. The vessels arrived safely at their destination, and disembarked the men; who found just space enough to encamp on a spot surrounded by the waters of the inundation—and this done, returned to Kotree; the Napier, however, remaining at Kusmore." And there it remained, without doing anything more. It is asserted, however, that the expedition had checked the aggressive movements of the Sikhs. The reports as to the future are diametrically opposed to each other: one is, that the remainder of the regi- ment had been ordered to join the detachment; another, that the detachment had been ordered back to Hyderabad.

From Cabal and Herat there are many rumours, scarcely worth notice —that Akhbar Khan was plotting something with his father, Dost Mohammed; that Yar Mohammed was plotting against Persia, &c.

In the interior of India tranquillity.prevails.

Great plenty was expected in the North-west Provinces, in consequence of the abundant fall of rain. In some of the districts of the Bombay Presidency, the fall had been scanty, and scarcity was apprehended. Three subjects engaged public attention at Bombay,—a great Peninsular railway; a steam navigation for boats to ply between Scinde, Guzerat, Bombay, and Ceylon; and the stoppage of public working on the roads on Sundays; all of which projects were favourably entertained, and had made some way in the pre- liminary arrangements.

It is asserted that Colonel Outram had been called upon by the Bombay Govern- ment to explain the cause of his publishing his reply to General Napier's attacks upon him, in his recent book on the Conquest of Scinde.

-Mr. Nelson, the survivor in the late duel at Calcutta, had surrendered himself. He had gone down the river with a view of getting on board the Precursor steam- ship; but having failed in his attempt, he gave himself up to the police.

CHINA.—The date of the news from China is the 27th June; but it is of little moment.

As the time approached for restoring Chusan, which had'been occupied by the British since the war, its value to the occupants became more evident. Both France and the United States are said to have stipulated for the occupation of an island, and both are said to hanker after Chusan; but it is also said that the Bri- tish had opened negotiations for permission to retain it. A despatch from the British Consul at Foo-chow-foo reported that every facility was now offered there for trade; and that the place would probably prove, as a shipping-port for teas, preferable even to Canton.

CAPE or GOOD Hora.—Papers have been received from Graham's Town, to the 4th July. Sir Peregrine Maitland had settled the dispute between the Boers and the Griquas. The arrangement is, that the Boers are to be allowed to occupy land within the Griqua boundaries, on the con- dition of paying a small quit-rent; one-half of which is to be paid to the chiefs claiming the superior jurisdiction, and the other for the support of a Special Magistrate, and the necessary officers to enforce obedience to the law.

Recent accounts from Natal painted a very unsettled state of affairs; violent disputes continuing between the Boers and the Native tribe of Bastards; on whose lands the Anglo-Dutch had intruded.

Man,loAscan..—The Times publishes the following extract of a latter written by an English gentleman, and relating the affair between the com- bined French and English forces and the natives of Madagascar, with the circumstances in which the dispute arose. The tale is not altogether new; but it is the most connected and intelligible account which has yet ap- peared of matters which may have important consequences.

"Port Louis, Mautitins,..inne 28.

"The Queen of Madagascar, asyou. are probably aware, is a monster of oruelty. In the time of Radama, her predecessor, the country was advancing rapidly in civilization. Many missionaries were there. My friend Baker had established a Printing press there, and the Bible had been printed in Malagasy, and an immense number of converts to Christianity had been made, when Badama died, and the present Queen ascended the throne. "Soon afterwards, she dismissed all the missionaries, and has lately been amusing herself by burning or cutting off the heads of all the Native Christians she has been able to lay hands on—many thousands. Well, a few weeks ago, the -Queen issued an order that all the foreign traders residing in her dominions (mostly from the Mauritins and Bourbon) should become naturalized Malagash; and thereby subject to a law which, amongst other things, makes them slaves, under certain contingencies, and in respect of certain non..compliances: and she gave them a very short time to dispose of their property and leave the island, if they did not choose to be so naturalized.

"When this news reached us here, Sir William Gomm, the Governor, imme- diately sent off Captain Kelly, in the Conway corvette; who on arriving in Ta- matave roads met there the Berceau and the Zelee' French men-of-war from Bourbon, who had been sent thither by Admiral Bazoche, the Governor Of that island.

"They arrived on the Thursday evening. On the Friday, Captain-Kelly landed, and had a conference with the Malagash, among whom the Governor of Tamatave was the principal. They behaved very insolently; told himplainly that they had imperative orders from the Queen to enforce the order against the traders; that in case of non-oomplianoe they would drive them into the sea; and that they would not wait until a letter from Captain Kelly to the Queen, requesting a suf- ficient time at least for them to embark their property, sheald be sent to her at the capital. They had also imposed. n export-dutY of 10 per ad valor-ern on the eulbarkation of their effects. They flatly refused to admit the French even to a conference. Captain Kelly returned on board. The next day was oc- cupied in taking off the traders and their effects, or as much as could be got off; and I believe the 10 per cent duty was not rigorously enforced—of this I am not sure.

" On Sunday morning (next day) the united vessels bombarded the fort. The reasons which induced Captain Kelly to adopt this course are, 1 believe, the harsh treatment of the traders, and the obligation to embark at such a notice and under such circumstances as amounted, practically, to a confiscation of their property; the insolent bearing of the Idalagadi at and subsequent to the conference; and the refusal to allow him to communicate with the Queen in a satisfactory manner. The first shot was fired by the Conway. The principal points of the action you will find detailed in the Extraordiaaire of the Cernien newspaper, as follows- ., Saturday, 25th June. ger Majesty's frigate Conway and his French Mtijesty's ships the Zelte and the Beroeau met In Tamatave roads, acoording to the arrangement agreed to by the Go. vernors of Bourbon and the Mauritius. The object of their voyage was to obtain troni. itanavala Manjaka less harsh conditions than those which she had imposed upon the European trailers ; whom she had threatened with immediate expulsion and the con- fiscation of their property if they did not become naturalized 31alagas1i, that is, slaves. The representatives of the two nations not having succeeded iu their negotiations, an

of combat took place, the details of which Mive been brought by the Conway.

" ' Three hundred and filly men, of whom one hundred were French soldiers, and the others belonging to the crews of the three ships, under the command of Captain Feiseek and Lieutenant liteltine, lauded on the afternoon of the 15th instant, and ad- vanced across a plain, under a sharp fire from the fort and battery of grape and mss- , ketry. The enemy was driven out of the battery, and the guns were spiked. The out- work or screen, which had been supposed to be the fort itself, Was stormed and taken. They here discovered the real fort ; which is a circular one, and mounting about thirty guns, which were casemated and in a circular gallery. The wall is about thirty feet high, and surrounded by a ditch of about the same width. Possession was kept of the top of the screen for upwards of half an hour, and a constant fire kept up. Raving no means of breaching the wall, and the men falling fast, they retired, carrying off the flag ; for the possession of which the French and English sailors disputed Mr a lung time ; but it was finally settled that it should be equally divided between the two par- ties, the one obtaining a portion with the word • Ranavala,' and the other with • Man- jaka," inscribed.. They burned the guardhouse, customhouse, and a considerable part of the town. The firing from the men-of-war was excellent. They landed next day, and carried off all the remaining European property. The wounded were all brought off; but not the killed ; whose heads were next day exposed on the beach, stuck on pikes. The men-of-war and all the merchant-ships sailed from the harbour.

." English—Killed, 4 men; wounded, l officer and n men.

" `French—Killed, 3 officers and 14 men ; wounded, 1 officer and 42 men.

" 'The Zelfie and the Bereeau lost each a topmast from the fire of the enemy ; the Conwayliad only a few ropes cut. _Nearly all their balls passed over the ships, which had anchored about eight hundred yards front the shore.'

" I must give you the detail of the flag attain The flag-staff was shot through; and it fell inside the circular fort, on the edge of which it had stood: it was then put on a lance, or something of that sort, and stuck again on the wall, in a crevice of the stones. It was shot away again; and this time it fell outwards, hanging down within a few feet of the bottom of the ditch, between the inner fort and the screen. Two English sailors and a midshipman, and two or three Frenchmen, made a rush into the ditch after it, seized it; and neither party being able to get it from the other, after struggling a considerable time for it, in the very hottest of the Malagash tire, they were about to come to cutlass-blows with one another, when Lieutenant Kennedy, of the Conway, to prevent mischief, rushed down, and with his knife cut it, giving half to each party. The standard was of pure white, with the Queen's name, ' Ranavala Manjaka,' in large letters; two or three letters remained with the flag-staff; the English got the' Dian aka; and the French the major art of the' Ranavala'; the English the' by,' anti the French the lair of the coloTur, as the sailors say. " In returning after this admirable arrangement, Lieutenant Kennedy was got ting through one of the embrasures in the screen, when the gun went off, and killed several; but he escaped with a wound from a splinter through both thighs, not dangerous,. " This is a most important affair, for good or for evil. I have the highest con- fidence in the good judgment of Sir William Gomm; and he has a most able and experienced adviser in Colonel Stanley. experienced We get all our bullocks from Madagascar, as well for draught as for the butchers; but that, though of no small importance to a foreign-fed colony. of 150,()00 mouths, is a very minor consideration compared with the political results, as the question of peace or war may be decided. " Oar policy of late years has been non-interference with the internal affairs of Madagascar. The French have long been desirous of a footing there; and have made some attempts, even as at Nossi Be—which, however, has proved too un- healthy to succeed: the French have no harbour at Bourbon. I shall here leave you to draw your own conclusions, after you have had a few lines on the nature of the island.

" Madagascar is not only immensely extensive, and in .parts very thickly peopled, but it is also a most fertile island, offering great variety of temperature, with some of the finest harbours and timber in the world, and the interior is re- markably healthy. It is, however, chiefly surrounded by a narrow border pf swamp, owing to the sea and the mouths of the rivers being frequently on the same level, as is the case on the West coast of Africa. This swamp is most deadly; and at one season of the year Madagascar, in those parts, is almost certain death to an European. I believe, however, that in one part at least, if not in more, the swamp ceases to exist, or at all events is very narrow. The capital, Tanavarino, is on the high ground near the centre of the island; very healthy; and only approachable by a narrow path, say six feet wide, cut zigzag through the woods, to make the distance appear greater than it is in fact. A broad river has lately been discovered, going, it is said, a long way up the country towards the capital, and navigable. The principal people are the ' Ovas,' the people now in the ascendant, and the Saccalanas,r who are friendly to the English, but have been lately crushed by the' Ovas.' " The Queen is constantly drunk—a clever woman—about fifty. She has three or-four lovers (1 la Catherine); and they are said to be very desirous to keep all civilization away. She is in partnership in several sugar-estates in Madagascar with a Frenchman from Bourbon (Delastelle). He finis machinery, &c., and she land and slaves.

" It may appear incredible, but it is positively asserted, that the existence of the interior fort, the keep, was not known even to the traders and people of Tamatave."

Sours AD8TRALIA.—Papers to the 5th April last contain nothing of greater interest than a mention of Captain Sturt's expedition of discovery. A letter dated on the 5th November had been received from Captain Sturt-- "He gives an account of his examination of the country to the North of the position of /dr. Poole, at the time the latter `had a view of distant ranges on the North and North-west,' and saw what appeared to be water, extending from South-west to West to 13° East of North. That position was, as nearly as could be ascertained, long. E. 141° 46', lat. S. 32° 4'. Captain Sturt states that he followed up the long. -to lat. 81° 20', a distance of fifty-two miles; and found that the country was a table-land, considerably elevated above the plain on which he had previously been with plenty of feed fo^ the bullocks and water. The water supposed to be seen by Mr. Poole was niirage. High ranges appearin the distance, and a Native told the Captain that his country was to the North. Adding to this the.circumstance of Mr. Poole having seen thousands of parroquetts coming from the North-west, there is the strongest evidence that the lfigh good. country would continue. It seems highly probable, then, that the theory origi- nally started by Mr. Burr, that a backbone range of mountainous country ex- teals to the North, will render the penetration of the interior, independent of the course of the great rivers, an easy task. The Captain's position in latitude 31° 20', -we may observe, is nearly parallel to Mount Daubeney, and about thirty

miles South and by West of Mount Lye11. It is not known what kept the Natives so long on their journey; but it is remarkable that Mr. Eyre, before he left, said that the Natives would leave Captain Start very soon."

NEW 7.v.r..savn.-The Indian papers supply some important intelli- gence from the North of New Zealand, received at Calcutta by way of Sydney-

a The ketch Thistle," says the Calcutta Star, " had come into Sydney on the

28th May, bringing news from New Zealand to the 3d. Another collision had taken place at the Bay of Islands between the Natives and the troops, in which fifty of the latter are reported to have been killed: but Pomare, one of the most mischievous of the chiefs, had been captured, and was confined on board the Hazard, his intrenchments having been destroyed. A body of volunteers had been despatched to the Bay; and when the Thistle passed by it on the 12th May, the report of fire-arms was distinctly heard. A squadron, composed of the Hazard and North Star men-of-war, and the Aurora, Stains Castle, and Velocity, merchantmen, were engaged in blockading Kororarika.

" The schooner I-don't-know, which ran into the Bay with ammunition and had been lightened of it by the American war-steamer in the harbour, has been seized by the Government, and removed to Auckland; where its owner, Mr. Waitford, is committed to take his trial for high treason, on suspicion of colleaguing with !he Natives. " At Wellington, the Natives were perfertly quiet; but it was understood that Ratiperaha had gone in that direction with five hundred men-for what purpose is not known."

The Legislative Council at Auckland closed its session on the 22d April, In his speech, Governor Fitzroy said that the estimated expenditure of the cuirent year was only 26,000/. The system of direct taxation had failed, and thenffore orl

had reverted to the system of raising a revenue by customs-duties. " Six m ths' y trial has shown that a revenue nearly sufficient for the most economical expel di- ture on the public account could not, under the peculiar circumstances ofthis colony, be raised by direct taxation. To have continued the trial longer, would have made the difficulties under which we are labouring still greater. Having failed to prevent insurrection by removing the restrictions of customs-regulations, the chief motive for their abolition ceased; and, as the less of two evils, their re- establishment became imperative. At the commencement of this season, I had no anticipation of such a disaster as that which befel Kororarika. I considered that place sufficiently defended, and I looked cheerfully at the prospects elsewhere. Brit the fall of Kororarika has taught all a lesson: and I trust that improvement will be the consequence, after a season of bitterness and inevitable warfare. British authority must be vindicated-but with justice and mercy."

We have received Wellington papers to the 7th May. No intelligence had reached Port Nicholson from Auckland of a date later than the 17th April. The Company's settlements were quite tranquil; prepared to defend themselves against the Natives, but having upon the whole no great reason to fear aggression.

The Natives, however, on the river Hutt, after making several pretences of taking their departure and leaving the British settlers unmolested, had caused some slight uneasiness, which for a time assumed a worse aspect.

"Considerable alarm and excitement," says the Wellington Spectator of April 26th, "prevailed in Wellington on Sunday evening, in consequence of a report that the intruding Natives in the Hutt district intended to pull down the stockade which had recently. been erected, and to destroy the bridge, and thus cut off the means of communication between the banks of the river. At nine p.m. the brig Bee, which had arrived the day previous with a reinforcemennt oefifty soldiers of the Fifty-eighth Regiment, sailed for Petoni; and by three o'clock on Monday morning, the troops were landed, and took possession of the stockade; which was guarded by the settlers, who had assembled to defend their families and property, and to prevent violence on the part of the Natives. The troops are now comfortably established in their new quarters: the block-houses, which are completed, serve as barracks for the men; and a small house will be built within the stockade for the officers. We have prefaced the few observations for which we have room this week by the above plain narrative of facts, because it is inti- mately connected with them. The intrusion into the Hutt district of these Natives, whom the Government now seek to expel, is a good example of their po- licy, and of the evils which have resulted to the settlers. The Natives were allowed to establish themselves without opposition on the part of Captain Hob- son's Government; who doubtless thought their system of undermining and de- stroying this settlement would be greatly advanced by establishing this seton in our body politic, which attracts and draws together all the ill-humours and dis- content among the Natives, to so vital a part, while occasion could be taken to represent the evil consequences which were sure to follow, as caused by the con- duct of the New Zealand Company, or the indiscretion of the settlers."

In a general review of affairs, the Wellington Spectator answers its own question-" And what is the present position of the colony? "-

" In spite of the sinister influence of the Governor and his protectors-in spite of no measures having been taken to settle the land-claims, the only serious cause of difference between the settlers and the Natives-comparative peace and tram- qtullity prevail in Cook's Straits; and, we trust, will continue to prevail until the arrival of a new Governor, with the power and the disposition to remedy the mis- chief caused by the present.

i " But what is the aspect of affairs in the North, where, according to his Excel- lency, the Natives have made such great and glorious progress in civilization; and where (to use his words uttered on the 6th March) ' they entertain the most kindly and confident feelings towards her Majesty, towards the Local Govern- ment, and towards the settlers generally'; where the Missionaries have been the longest established, and where Christianity has made so many converts? What, we ask, is the state of affairs there ?-1nsurrection ! open and successful rebel lion?"

TAHITI.-Accounts received in Paris give a miserable view of French protection in Tahiti. The subjoined extract of a letter, dated at Papeiti on the 4th May, is published by the Journal des Debats- " Queen Pomare is still in hostility with us. She remains at Raiatea with the malecontents of the Archipelago; and there, with the aid of some deserters from our crews, and even some captains of the English Navy, has raised fortifications which willrequire some severe work with the bayonet to carry. In this defensive position the Queen is waiting for sufficient forces from England to enable her to resume the sovereignty which she has lost. We live here in a constant state of warfare; passing the day in scouring the country and clearing the willies; gen- darmes and soldiers spread right and left, seeking for concealed enemies. The Natives carry on a real Kabyle war against us; lying in invisible ambush, firing upon us as if we were wild beasts, and then disappearing with a rapidity which renders it impossible for us to overtake them. Daring the night, the shore and town of Papeiti are guarded with sentinels and patrols of gendarmes at every ' t and in all directions. Thus have we lived for many months; and if our vernment does not assume a more determined attitude, we really know not what end we may come to; for our soldiers and sailors are beginning to be worn out by a service so fatiguing and dangerous."

Rio DE LA PLATA.-The mail-steamer Caledonia, which left Boston on the 16th September, arrived at Liverpool on Sunday. The most important intelligence is, that France and Great Britain had at last resorted to a forcible intervention between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video; intelligence conveyed to the United States by a vessel which left Rio de Janeiro on the 8th August, with advices from Buenos Ayres to the 26th July. According to these accounts, the pacific intervention of Mr. Gore Ouseley and Baron Deffandis having utterly failed, they retired to Monte Video, and the naval force of the Allied Powers had taken possession of the Buenos Ayrean blockading-squadron. At the same time, the two Ministers transmitted a notice to General Oribe, commanding his besieging army to retire from the Banda Oriental. Great excitement prevailed in Buenos Ayres, and it was supposed that England and France would be brought into open collision with the Argentine Republic. During the negotiation at Buenos Ayres, the American Charge, Mr. Brent, had offered his mediation. The offer was accepted by General Roses, but declined by the English and French Ministers, on the ground that the Charge was not instructed or authorized by his Government.

Advises of the 27th July, direct from Buenos Ares, confirm the fore- going account; except that they represent the two Ministers as not yet having taken their departure for Monte Video. Mr. Ouseley had made a statement to the British residents, telling them that Rosas had refused to withdraw his forces; and that he had been allowed till the 31st July for his ultimatum. Mr. Ouseley also stated that France and Great Britain mutually and totally disavowed all objects of territorial acquisition in the Rio de la Plata.

MExico.-The latest date from the capital city is the 30th July, from Vera Cruz the 21st August. Matters remained much in Matti quo. Gene- ral Herrera had been elected President, and had appointed a new Cabinet. It is reported that 10,000 or 12,000 troops had been sent towards the Texan frontier; but it is supposed that the Government were hampered from the want of ready money; and it is doubted whether they would after all formally declare war against the United States.

TEXAS.-General Taylor, the United States Commander, remained in- trenched at Corpus Christi, with a body of about 2,000 troops and volun- teers.

UNITED STATES.-The papers and letters from the Union are destitute of any political news; but there is a good deal of miscellaneous news not altogether without interest, which we compile from various sources. We begin with the annual, etatement of the cotton-crop for the year ending 1st September 1845, in thihipping and Commercial List- " The crop is estimated at 2,394,503 bales; being 364,094 increase on the pre- vious year. The following table will show the export for the two years ending 1st September 1844 and 1845-

1844. 1845. Increase.

To Great Britain 1,202,498 1,439,306 236,808 To France 282,685 359,357 76,672 North of Europe 69,053 134,501 65,448 To other parts 75,254 150,592 75,338

1,629,490 2,083,756 454,266 "The stocks on hand at the several ports on the 1st September 1844 and 1845- were as follows-

1844. 1845.

New Orleans 12,934 7,550 Mobile 4,175 609 Florida 300 100 Georgia 19,659 8,655 Charleston 13,536 10,87w North Carolina 200 100 Virginia 2,150 2,418 New York 75,818 43,887 " The amount of cotton taken for home-consumption daring the year was 389,006 bales; being an increase of 42,262 bales on last year. This does not in- clude any cotton manufactured in the States South and West of Virginia, nor any in that State except in the vicinity of Petersburg and Richmond. " Daring the year, 16,581 bales were destroyed by fire; of these, 11,200 were burnt in New York, 3,481 in Charleston, and 1,900 in Savannah.

" The receipts at the shipping-ports up to the 1st instant were about 7,500 bales; the same as last year.

As to the future, the editor of the List remarks-" In regard to the crop now gathering, we have loud complaints of injury from drought in certain sections, while in others the yield is represented as good. It is too early yet to form any reliable conclusion as to the quantity that may reach the market."

The fall trade was in full operation, and the mercantile community doing a satisfactory business. There bad been a considerable advance in flour and gram subsequently to the arrival of the advices by the Caledonia. Good brands fetched 29s. 9d., and superfine 30s. to 308. 6d. A parcel of middling quality of wheat

i cleared and put on board at 5s. 10d. per 601b. But the market is bare, and quo- rations nominal; though there are large quantities of new wheat of excellent quality on the way down, which will be shortly offering. Freights to Glasgow 4g. 6d. and 4s. 3d., to Liverpool 4s. 6d. and 4s. 9d., have been paid.

The disturbances in the interior of New York State arising from the Anti-Rent excitement had in some measure subsided. The State authorities, for once, went into the business with a firm hand, and captured about a hundred and fifty of the offenders; against almost all of whom true bills had been found. The defence advanced by the prisoners charged with shooting Mr. Steele, the Under-Sheriff- namely, that he fired the first shot-had been quashed by finding the pistol of the murdered man.

The Court-house at Hudson, where the Anti-Renters are undergoing trial, bad been the scene of a ridiculous affray between Mr. Van Buren, the Attorney-Gene- ral of the State, and Mr. A. L. Jordan, the defendant's counsel. A slight mis- interpretation caused Mr. Jordan to give the lie to the other; a pugilistic encounter ensued, and was carried on with great spirit during the greatest confusion; the Judge calling loudly for order, and the Sheriffs endeavouring to separate the combatants. At last the antagonists were seized, and sentenced to twenty-four hours imprisonment for contempt of court.

A city government has been formed at Wallamette, Oregon; and Mr. George Abernethy has been elected Mayor. That gentleman is also appointed editor of the first Oregon newspaper, called the Star of the West. At Burton, in Ohio, lately, owing to a sentinel having refused one Nathan Britten permission to pass into an enclosure of volunteers, the latter stabbed the sentinel to the heart. The murderer was in custody.

Six hundred Irishmen in New Orleans have offered to enrol themselves as volun Leers for defence of the country in the event of a war with Mexico.

Circumstances had transpired in New York which led to the belief that one or two young females had been sacrificed by "practisers of abortions, deliberate mur- der, &c.," and that some of their bodies had been sold for dissection. Several persons were in custody on suspicion of having been connected with these "horrid mysteries."

CANADA.-" Anti-Rentisra" has appeared in Canada. A meeting of persons occupying clergy reserves in the township of Augusta, Johnstown District, Canada West, was held on the 13th August; and the following resolutions were passed- "That we, the occupiers of clergy reserves in this township of Augusta, assembled in public meeting called for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the Government demand for back rents' and interest on clergy lands, are deter- mined unanimously, never to submit to the payment of such an unreasonable demand. That we earnestly recommend the occupiers of clergy reserves throughout the province of Canada to resist, by all constitutional means, the payment of back rents,' and interest on such lands; and we hereby offer them our cordial support and cooperation in the struggle."

On this manifesto the Quebec Gazette observes—

"Having obtained the requisite information as to the value of the reserves, the Government has offered them for sale on the following terms to the present occu- pants—namely, those who have squatted on the land, and improved it without authority, for five years or more prior to the 1st January 1841, are required to pay interest on the purchase-money at the rate of 6 per cent per annum from the 1st January 1836 to the date of the purchase; and lessees who become purchasers are required to pay the same rate of interest from the date of the expiry of their lease. Now, we pat it to any disinterested party, whether these terms are un- reasonable? The back rents' which the occupants protest against will not on an average exceed 31. per annum for a hundred-acre lot; and where, we ask, will they obtain lands on terms so advantageous ? Is there a landholder in the pro- vince who would lease his land on terms so favourable? Not one. It appears to us, that the parties complaining have neither reason nor justice on their side, and will therefore fail to excite even public sympathy in their favour. The threaten rag attitude which they have assumed smacks too much of the agrarian out- rages of the neighbouring State of New York; one of the most recent fruits of which has been the deliberate murder of an officer of the law whilst in the dis charge of his duty. We would honestly advise the occupants of the clergy re- serve lands to embrace the present opportunity of becommg actual proprietors of

their lots on the very reasonable terms proposed by the Government; as it is very probable they will shortly fall into the hands of other parties, who will value them more highly, and, it may be, refuse to sell them on any terms."

At the Kingston races, an affray had taken place between the military and civilians. A local paper says—" The quarrel originated between a soldier of the Seventy-first Regiment and a sailor; and parties interfering on both sides, the affray became general between the soldiers of the Seventy-first and the civilians. Major Dennis, on receiving information of the riot, proceeded to the course with two companies of the Seventy-first, to bring off his own men: whilst so doing, the soldiers were attacked by the mob with sticks and stones, and several prisoners were taken by the military; who were taken before the Mayor, and liberated on their own recognizances. Many serious injuries were inflicted on both sides, but none had been attended with fatal results. On the parties arrested appearing the next morning, Major Dennie said it was not his intention to prefer any charge

against them; and that those under his command who, on examination, should be proved to have voluntarily taken part in the affray, should be severely punished, and, if necessary, handed over to the civil authorities. Major Dennie expressed an earnest wish that nothing should arise to create ill-feeling between the military and the civilians."