COLONIAL WOOL SALES.

Reverdy Johnson has visited Neweastle-on-Tyne, and repeated his declaration that war between Eugland and America is impossible. The Preston strikes continue. Several Lancashire towns have agreed to adopt street tramways. The manufacture of the French Atlantic cable is rapidly approaching completion. The viaduct over the Mersey, at Runcorn, has been opened for traffic. Express trains run between London and Liverpool in four hours. The flying squadron may be expected to visit Melbourne and Sydney towards the close of the year, and New Zealand in January. The working men of Lancashire have resolved on raising £5,000 for the widow and family of Ernest Jones. Mr. Lowe disapproves of the site for the new London Courts, and recommends the south side of the Strand facing the river. Discussion postponed for a month. Frauds of Benjamin Higgs, book-keeper to the Great Central Gas Company, have been discovered. " It is thought £150,000 will hardly cover the defalcations. On £400 a year, Higgs lived in a style indicating the receipt of as many thousands. A colliery catastrophe, causing the death of thirty-six persons, occurred at the Arley miue, South Lancashire.

Lord Cloncurry, Earl of Fingal, Countess of Mornington, Admiral Mansell, the Rev. Digby Walsh, Archdeacon Mantlater, Mr. Druce, Q C, Mr. Charles Hoare, the brewer, and members of the three most eminent publishing firms—Thomas Brown, of Longmans' and Co.; Bradbury, of Bradbury and Evans ; J. Harper, of Harper Brothers; aud Prince Menschikoff, and Sir Arthur Buller.

Bank discount, 3to 4 per cent. Australian securities, dull. Two Ballarat Goldmining Companies, and the New Zealand Quartz Crushing Company were introduced on the London market. Scrip of the Victorian Loan lias been marked on the Stock Exchange list; dealings have taken place at five shillings premium. Speculation in freight and stocks is checked, and the home trade is languid. Failures have been numerous in the cotton and woollen districts. New Zealand Fives (consolidated), 95|; ditto ditto, Sixes 1891, Ist December, 108^, 107, 109. The Voornit left Rotterdam on the 11th April, with 2,850 red cases geneva, for Melbourne; and 925 cases for Sydney. The Helen and the Henrietta, now of Australia, are both loading at Rotterdam, to sail in May. The value of exports to Victoria amounts to £415,867, showing a decrease of £83,664. The value of exports to Sydney is £239,844, being also a decrease of £95,440. New York. Most first-class commercial bills are now sent to Paris, where they are done at I^, owing to the greater abundance of money. The reserve fund in the Bank of England has been seriously reduced, owing to the drain of gold to America. Exchanges have since improved, and money is again plentiful in open market.

Colonial wool is quiet. The next public sales commence on May 6. The receipts of Australian wool for the first two months of the year were 1,900,000 lbs., compared with 1,040,000 lbs. last year.

It is expected there will be a total of 240,000 bales of wool for the opening sales. The arrivals to date consist of 179,990 bales.

Sir Roderick Murchison has contradicted a report of the return of Dr. Livingstone. Maharajah Dhulup Singh presided at a , meeting of the Christian mission to Egypt. A collision has occurred between the j Roman Catholics and Protestants in Londonderry. Two men were killed. i Serious outrages have taken place at Atholne.

In Tipperary, Mr. Bradßhaw, a magistrate, has been shot. Captain Tarston was also shot dead. Frequent robberies under arms have occurred in Cork. Admiral Milne succeeds to the command of the Mediterranean fleet. An uneasy feeling prevails in consequence of speeches in the American Senate on the Alabama claims. Pretender has won the Two Thousand Guineas, and Scottish Queen the One Thousand Guineas. Knight of the Garter won the Chester Cup. The American national debt was increased six and a-quarter millions in April. The French Chamber has been dissolved, and elections for new deputies take place on 23rd and 24th May. A protocol relative to the Luxemburg question was signed by the French and Belgium Commissioners nominated for the purpose of forming a basis for the amicable solution of the French and Belgian question. In the Belgian Senate, the Foreign Minister said the programme drawn up was found too elastic, and had been changed because it partook too much of the character of a compromise. A new programme had been drawn up which was satisfactory to both countries. M. De Lavalette has stated that the French corps will only leave Eome on the security of the Pope being guaranteed. It is rumoured that the Duke of Aosta will accept the Crown of Spain, which, has been offered him. Carlist and Isabella bands are disquieting the southern provinces of Spain. It is understood France will respect whatever form of government is established in Spain. In Cuba, the insurgents are surrendering. The Cortes have voted articles constituting religious liberty by a large majority. Spain has intimated she is not unmindfnl of the importance to her of the cession of Gibraltar, and that for negotitiations and commerce it will be necessary for the nation to be strongly constituted, so as to take rank among the great Powers. At the opening of the Hungarian Diet, the Emperor of Austria's speech promised numerous billaforiuternal reform, and expressed confidence in the maintenance of peace.