The overland mail arrived in London last night. The latest
dates are Hongkong, August 10; Bombay, August 29. It is reported that Herat has been stormed by the Persians, with a loss of 1500 men : but the in- telligence was looked on with suspicion at Bombay. However that might be, active preparations were in progress for a naval and military demonstration in the Persian Gulf. Lord Elphinstone had gone up to Poo:aah to consult the Commander-in-chief. The land force employed, it is said, will be 15,000. Dost Mahomed was at Candahar ; and it is reported that Esa Khan, who defended Herat against the Persians, had repeatedly urged the old Affghan to advance to his aid. The news from China speaks doubtfully of defeats of the rebels by "Tartar troops" brought down from the North. • Advices from Sydney to the 8th July describe the progress of the Par- liament up to the constitution of the Ministry. The opening speech of the Governor-General was more liberal than had been expected.
"It embraced amongst its proposed measures a bill for the repeal of those clauses of the Constitution Act which require a majority of two-thirds of the Legislature to effect changes in the system of representation or the prin- ciples of the constitution. It also indicated, as subjects to which the atten- tion of the Legislature would be called, the improvement of the adminis- trative departments of the public service; a plan for the formation of a Board of Works ; public education; the management of the public lands; the internal communications of the country; immigration ; the establish- ment of municipal institutions; the management of the gold-fields; the ad- ministration of justice; and some others of minor importance."
The Legislative Council agreed to a reply without opposition. In the Legislative Assembly it was carried by 29 to 19. The Ministers are— Colonial Secretary and Registrar of Records, Stuart A. Donaldson; At- torney-General, William Montague Manning ; Solicitor-General, John Bay- icy Darvall; Colonial Treasurer and Collector of Internal Revenue, Thomas Holt; Auditor-General, George Robert Nichols.
The Fulton arrived at Southampton yesterday, with advices from New York to the 20th. William Coleman, President of the San Francisco Vigilance Committee, has been arrested, and placed on his trial at the Supreme Court for acts of rebellion and piracy.
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