The Express.
London, England, 1868-07-25 00:00:00

TILE CAPE *AU!.

By the arrival of the Norseman at Southampton
last night we have advice. from Natal to June
10; Simon's Bay, June 19; Cape Town, lune
19, Jic.

The Cape Argue of June 19 gives the following
summary of news:

Although the parliament has been in seen= nearly a
month, no business of any great importance has been
disposed of. The House of Assembly has sat from day
to Jay ; but, in the absence of many members represent-
ing distant constituencies considerable delicacy has
been felt in proceeding with government mewing's.
One or two short bids Rave, however, bees advanced, and
that doing away with the misting prohibition against the
importation of cattle and sheep has received the assent of
the lower house. After the promulgation of this act his
excellency will, by his proclamation, regulate the iatre-
duction of cattle and sheep from Whim countries.
The government has bltrOduesd aa Important measure
for preventing. the spread of contagious diseases, parti-
cularly in garrison towns— It has been for years notorious
that the amount Of injurrsiustkined by her Majesty's
troops in Cape Town said other plates in the eelony•
from contagious diseases is very great, and it has long
been felt that a legislative enactment somewhat similar to
that of which a draft has now been submitted to parlia-
ment was not only desirous, but urgently called for. The
whole question, however, is felt to be one of difficulty,
which will need the most careful consideration. The
bill was read a second time yesterday.
Mr. Solomon has introduced his annual bill for the dis-
continuance of all government votes in aid of religion,
which is put down for the second reading on the Ist of
July. The bill is in the same shape as it assumed on peas-
ing the Assembly last year. It was then rejected by the
Legislative Council on a narrow majority.
The news of the attempted assassination, in Australia,
of his Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh has been
received in the colony with the utmost concern. Both
houses of parliament and the corporation of this city have
adopted, and by this mail forward to England, congratu-
latory addresses to her Majesty the Queen.
Relative to the Orange Free State, the moat important
intelligence is that the Rev. Mr. Van der Wall and Mr.
de Villiers, who were appointed to proceed to England as
a deputation for the purpose of conferring with the
ministry on the Basuto question, have reached Cape Town,
and take their departure by the outgoing mail. Matters
across the Orange River remain in pretty much the same
state as they mourned a fortnight ago. The renewed
attempt to re-open negotiations for a settlement of the
disputed land question has failed, and the Boers do not
evince any
.disposition to abate the pretensions they have
hitherto maintained.

—The-inhabitants of Potchefstroom, in the 'Transvaal
Republic, have held a public meeting, at which they have,
in the strongest terms, condemned the system of slavery
which there prevails. It is to be hoped that in this way
a sufficient pressure will be brought upon the government
to render ulterior steps unnecessary.
On Saturday last an influential public meeting was held
at Port Elizabeth for the of considering the po-
sition.of the Orange Free tate, and for marking their
approval of the steps taken by his excellency the go-
vernor.

ADMIRALTY, JULY 24.—APPOn1rMa9rs.—Lieu-
tenapjts C. J. Dorat, to the Penelope; H. D. Macaulay,
to the Royal Adelaide ; and Sub-Lieutenant E. W. Hoag-
kinsori, to the Rapid.
FAIAi'AOCIDENTS WHTLE BATIONO. —Yesterday
afterdoon, Mr. Richards,depudeputy coroner, had an inquest
at 'the Ship Tavern, Tot m, expecting the death by
drownjeg of Mr. Frederick lius, aged 20 years.
The deceased was the son of Dr. Cornelius, reeding at 21,
St. George's-villas, Canonbury, and was a student m den-
tistry. - Be laboured under the affliction of being deaf and
dumb. On Wednesday he complained of being somewhat
unwell, and in the afternoon he went out for a walk. At
half-pint four o'clock, some persons noticed a gentleman's
clothes, gold watch, do., on the banld of the river Lea,
and they called to a bargeman named Mdward Smith-that
no doubt some one was under the water. Sahel looked
down and saw the deceased extended at the "bottom
of the river lying on his right aide. The WI
was got c:ut forthwith, and the bands and
feet were found to be slightly cramped, Of con,
tracted. Death had taken place an hputbatore.
Supposed that the deceased, finding htmsOf on the
villa river, was induced by the heat to try and =
liimeelfby bathing, and that ***old • in the
gavels* the cramp, and he „SG 11131%,47WP1M1L
Tice jury returned a verdict of " ental des '. Mr.
Richards held an inquest at the soma house on' the
of Oecelleffurrelk aged 17 yea* ‘'who was alma
while bathing in the Leo The aseeleed was r *shwa
maker, and laved at 11.2,, Ming's-ornes-read. On flanday,
afternoon he. went out with a friend to doh. Noticing
several boys bathing, be too went in for swim. His
friend suddenly missed him, and rased an alarm. Mr.
Rutdolph Auablith, a merchant, tripped and dived. after
thd decamped, and got him ashore after he hied been tight
minute" in the water,u All efforts at resuscitation prom
untvaiMng. The itu7 found that the deceased was Az-
cidentally drowned.' The same coroner held an inqued
at the Lamb tavern, RateHff, touching the death of Abe
Shia' aged 10 years. On Sunday last the deceased and
two Ober. boys went into the Thames to bathe at et.
Gccrge's italic. He was mixed with cramp, and was
drowned. .. The body was only recovered on Tuesday.
" deddettal death."
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