British and Foreign Telegrams.

Onited Press Association.— By Elec* trie Telegraph.— Copyright. Received February 5, 12.57 a.m. THESUGAR BOUNTIES CONFERENCE. London, February. 4. Tlio Times' Brussels correspondent says the Sugar Conference is aiming at' a reduction of the surtax to a uniform rate of five francs. " SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC. i There are 1159 cases of smallpox in .London. Seventy-three were reported yesterday. THE GREAT FIRE AT WATERBURY. New York, February 4. Thirty acres were devastated at Waterbury, and four million dollars' worth of 1 damage, done. . Received February 5, 9 a.m. TERRIBLE BUZZARD IN CANADA. London, February 4. A terrible blizzard in Canada lasted for sixty hours. Roads and.railways are .blocked by saow, and food is scarce "at Montreal. FREN CH BARQUE FOUNDERS . A French barque foundered off the Island of Ushant and twenty-one of the crew were- drowned. FATALITIES ON BRITISH COAST It is feared fifty persons- have been drowned off the British coast. HEA ! VY SNOWFALL IN EUROPE. The biggest snowfall for a quarter of a century has occurred at Venice. Trains in Switzerland and Spain are .snowbound, and fatal avalanches are reported from Switzerland and Austria . Received February 5, 0.13 a.m. OLD RUMOUR REVIVED. London, February 4. St. James' Gazette asserts that the Marquis ct Salisbury will resign at the end, of the session if the war is over. MONORAILWAY IN SCOTLAND. The plans of a monorailway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, to have a speed of 117* miles an hour, have been sfut*nitted to theßoard of Trade. THE FUTURE OF TRIPOLI. Turkey is seeking, clearer assurances from France and Italy regarding Tripoli.THE RECIPROCITY QUESTION. Berlin, -February 4. The Vossiche Zeitung says that the acceptance of commercial reciprocity within the British Empire to the injury of Germany's Australian trade will lead to reprisals.' FRANCO-RUSSIAN RELATIONS. Paris, February 4. The Socialist members of the Chamber of Deputies caused a. scene In 1 the Chamber yesterday by protesting against a vote of three million francs in connection with the Czar's recent visit to Compiegne. They declared that France's precipitate retreat from Mytilene ports was due to Russian pressure. M. Delcasse denied that there was a shadow of pressure. Received Febsuary 5, 9.17 a.m. THE SOVEREIGNS TO VISIT IRELAND. London, February 4. The King and Queen will visit Ire'and; after the Coronation. DEGREES OF COMMERCE. The London University authorities are considering the question- of conferring degrees of commerce. ' SENTENCES ON IRISH AGITATORS. Three Judges of the Irish King's Bench upheld the sentences passed on O'Donnell and others for unlawful assembly at Rabella., The Lord Chief Justice dissented on the ground that the summonses contained charges ou tside the jurisdiction of magistrates, but his opinion was over-ruled. INFLUENZA AT ATHENS. There are 10,000 cases of. influenza at Athens. THE KAISER'S PRESENT TO COUNT WALDERSEE. The Kaiser ba9 presented Count Waldersee with a captured cannon, 250 years old which was " used against the Legations at Peking. MALTESE NAVAL. RESERVE. A naval reserve of Maltese is being formed under promising conditions.