THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1971, 14 November 1889, Page 15

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Auckland, November 10. The 8.M.8. Alameda, from San Francisco, arrived at 230 a.m. Passengers, for Auckland : Mrs Mortimore, Miss Williams, Rev. M, Morierty, Messrs W. Oaaton, R. K. Garlick, W. 0. Johneton, Mr and Mrs W. K. Palmer, Mr G. L. Taylor ; and 14 steerage. The Alameda brings English papers to October 5 and American to October 20. GENERAL SUMMARY. A special London cablegram of October 19 says that Mr Balf our's plan of a Roman Catholic endowment is that the Government designs to found three Roman Catholic colleges in Ireland, which shall be affiliated with the Dublin University. Negotiations are now proceeding between Mr Balf our and Archbishop Walsh, The marriage of Prince Hatzfeldt and Misg CJara Huntingdon, daughter of Callis P. Huntingdon, one of the Pacific Coast railroad syndicate, is announced to take place at Brompton, London, on an early date. The dowry includes the payment of the prince's debts, set down at nearly 10,000,000d01. Miss Huntingdon has embraced the Roman Catholic faith. Mr Willfred Blunt, M.P. for Kidderminster, has retired from active service. Green's paper mills, London, were burned on the night of October 19. The loss is £250,000. Au explosion took place in Bentville colliery, at Langton, Staffordshire, early on the morning of October 19. There were 70 men in the pit, aad only 10 are known to have survived. Fifty bodies were found by the rescuing party. The mine is completely wrecked. An old man and his three sons were in the mine at the time of the explosion, and perished. When the news was told his wife and mother both dropped dead from the shock. The Duko of Westminster and other large holders of real estate in London have organised determined opposition to the proposed improvements of widening streets and piercing new thoroughfares, which involves the sequestration of ground in the heart of the city. The Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain is about to start on a tour on the Continent of Europe, whence he will crosß to Egypt and do the Nile, The London Chamber of Commerce is discussing a schence submitted by Mr William Smith, harbour engineer, of Aberdeen, for the construction of a railway to convey ships from the Forth to the inland manufacturing centres. The proposition is regarded with favor. The legal coßts of the Irish side of the Parnel) commission, including expenses of witnesses and reporters, is covered by the indemnity fund. Sir Charles Russell received JSIOOO for preparing briefs, in addition to £50 daily. Messrs Reid and Lockwood each received one-half of these amounts. The expenses of The Times largely exceed those of the Irish side. Meantime, according to a despatch of October 12, Mr Parnell's health grows worse instead of better, and grave feara are entertained that he will be unable to resume his political career. He will winter at Bournemouth. At Shields, on October 4, where the Italian armoured warship Formidable was loading gunpowder and cartridges, the hoistiDg machinery became unmanageable, and packages of cartridges dropped from a height to the deck of the vessel. A terrible explosion followed, and the naval officers and several men were instantly killed and a number wounded. Mrs Frances Hodgson Burnett, authoress, met with a serious accident while driviog on October 6 near her house, Sussex. She was thrown from her pony equipage and picked up unconscious. At last accounts her condition was serious. Mr Shaughnessy, assistant-general manager of the Canadian Pacific stated on the 6ch October that the company bad closed a contract with the Barron Shipbuilding Company for three steamers of 6000 tons each for service on the Pacific Ocean, to be delivered within a year. President Carnot, on being congratulated on October 12 on the outcome of the recent electoral struggle, said he was happy the Republic was still in the hands of its friends. He believed the success of General Boulanger meant I the ultimate overthrow of the Republic, as that party was mainly composed of Royalists and Anarchists. He did not believe Boulangism dead but only crippled, and with the aid of the monarchists was still in a position to give trouble. He attributed the victory of the Republican party to the excellent ability of the present cabinet, and the grand success of the International Exhibition. An apparently inspired article in the London Times on October 11 says that in view of the amount of English capital invested in the Sandwich Islands, England could notsee them passinto the hands of any foreign power with indifference, but that their acquisition by the United States would be regarded with more equanimity than their spoliation by any European power, to which the British Government would never submit. THE MARITIME CONGRESS, 1 The first meeting was held at Washington, D.C., on October 16. The chief question for which it is called to meet is the adoption of a universal code of marine signals and better means of obtaining increased safety in navigation. The delegates, to the number of about 50, met at the State department, where the Secretary of State (Mr Blame) addressed them. Rearadmiral Franklin (United Stateß) was chosen to preside over the deliberations of the congress ; aud the following countries were represented : — Great Britain, 7 (including Admirals Molyneux, Bowden Smith, and Nares) ; United States, 7 delegates; France, 6; Germany, 6; Denmark, 2; Belgium,!; Austria-Hungary, 1; China, 3; Guatemala, 1 ; Hawaii, 1 ; Honduras, 1 ; Italy, 1 ; Japan, 2; Mexico, 2; Norway, 2; Spain, 2; Sweden, 2 ; Siatn, 1 ; Netherlands, 2 ; Venezuela, 3. This congress is conceded to be one of the most important bodies that has been held in Washington for some time, aud its personnel is most distinguished. THE POPE AND SIGNOR CRISPI. Signor Crispi, Italian Premier, made a striking address at the official banquet in Rome on October 15, which was' attended by 49 senators and 141 deputies. He declared ib was necessary to oombat all persons, high or low, who were seeking to undermine the political edifice of Italy. The temporal power of the Pope, although it had existed for centuriw, had been only a transition period. Rsrae existed before it, and would coutmue to exist without it. Complaints or threats either from home or abroad would have no effect. Rome forms an iutegral part of Italy. The Pope has perfect religious liberty, ouly restricted— and less harshly than in other Catholic States— from encroaching upon national rights. Let tha church, which is now free, not endeavour to frighten Prometheus with the thunderbolts of Heaven. Our task is to fight in the cause of reason. Anarchism is eahitr to combat than the church. I'tie Premier appealed to all men of advanced bub reasonable ideas to separate openly from the creators of disorder, national discord, aud social disorganisation, who were

pretending to represent the ideas of Mazzini and Garibaldi. Cardinal Rampallb has issued a circular to all the Roman Catholic powers of Europe, in which he protests against Premier Crispi's attacks, and calls for the restriction of his utterances by these nations' moral influence. The Civita CattoHca says the Vatican, being weary of these attacks, will shortly expose the double dealing of the Government with the rights of the Papacy. THE WOOL INDUSTRY. The New York Tribune of October 11 says editorially: — "As at present advised, the Tribune without hesitation opposes the reduction or removal of duties on any class of wool because that opens the door to immeasurable fraud, and to the defeat of all protection to woolgrowera. The Tribune advocates the restoration substantially of the measure of protection afforded by the tariff of 1887, but it does not ace that still higher duties on either class of wool is required, The latter is one of detail and not principle, however, and if senators are satisfied -that higher duties are necessary to afford the measure of protection required they are entirely justified in advocating such duties. The principle involved is that American woolgrowersare to be effectively defended in their industry- against the degrading and destroying influence of competition with woolgrowers by serfs, savages, and convicts. UNCERTAIN RELATIONS, i A Bpecial to the Liverpool Courier of October 5 says :— " The Samoan difficulty, which, it was supposed had been*, settled, may yet give rise to serious trouble between Germany and the United Stales. Throughout the Berlin Conference the Washington Government had its own way on nearly every point. Prince Bismarck determined to be conciliatory, and went to the full leDgth in submitting everything to American demands, but Mr Blame since the text of the treaty has been scrutinised by him haa expressed dissatisfaction with some of the clauses. Although he won't directly withdraw from the treaty, and has authorised American delegates to sign, he may indirectly influence the Senate to refuse its ratification. The Berlin Government has further cause for irritation with the Washington Government. The new American Minister (Mr Phillips) is delayed in assuming his functions till January, making a gap of nine months in the Ministerial representation of the United States in Germany. Mr Blame meanwhile sent a Consul-general to Berlin who is ignorant of the German language and consular business. He has rows with German officials and others, and this, combined wibh the general dissatisfaction prevailing in official quarters with what is called American bumptiousness, may lead to serious trouble. Prince Bismarck is believed to have gone as far as he will do towards cultivating friendship with Washington. The North German Gazette (Prince Bismarck's organ) 6ays that it is not likely that Germany will refuse to recognise Mataafa." THE COMING ECLIPSE. Orders have been issued by the U.S. Naval department to officers in commandHflf the warship Pensacola to take Professor Todd and party fco Africa to observe the eclipse of the sun in December. The Pensacola flailed on 16th October from New York, and will go to St. Paul de Loando, on the west coast of Africa. Professor Todd and his assistants will go 100 miles into the interior to make observations. In returning the ship will stop at Capetown, St. Helena, and the Ascension Islands,' to allow the scientists to make magnetic and pendulum observations. The trip will occupy about four months. O'CONNOR AT HOME. O'Connor, the oarsman, arrived at Toronto, from England, on October 2. He says he was fairly and squarely beaten by Searle. Losing the race was a heavy loss to him. He thinks he was a little light and perhaps overtrained, and the climate did not seem to agree with him. The London water he found bad. He thinks Searle is not a scienced sculler, though he gets great speed from his style. He rows with crooked arms and bare finish, reaches very far | and finishes far back, a practice which does not increase the speed of rowers generally. "I would be confident," O'Connor added, "of winning against him in any still water in America < for 5000 or 10,000dol in another race this side of \ the Atlantic," He intimated that he would give a race in Australia, and said he might come to America next summer. O'Connor was given a banquet, lOOOdol, and a diamond pin by the people of Toronto, FAILURE OF THE LABRADOR FISHERIES. Bishop Bosse 6ends word on October 17, from the Labrador coast, that the fisheries had failed altogether, and over 100 families were starving. Captain Seemon, the bishop's messenger, tells a story of incredible sufferings. One family lived on the carcase of a dog for three days, when the youngest child, then the mother, and then the eldest daughter, succumbed to their intense sufferings, leaving the starving husband and eldest without strength and means to secure a decent burial for the dead until succoured by neighbours. From Hopedale it is reported that a father and mother subsisted on the body of their six-months-old infant for days, only then to follow the child by death from starvation. AUSTRALIA AND CANADA. A New York Tribune London cable of September 22 says:—" Mr Abbott's mission to Australia i 3 considered here important. His primary object is to press the claims of Vancouver against San Francisco for the terminus of the new Trans-Pccific S'eunship route. Canada has already promised 100,000dol for an 18 knot service between EDgland and Canada, and is reported prepared to give 25,000d0l for the proposed service between Vancouvec end Sydney (N.S.W.). Mr Abbott wishes to induce the Australians to contribute £25,000 towards the Pacific subvention to secure fast boats capable of doing a 28 days' mail service between Londou and Sydney. He will not find that the colonies are all of the same mind about encouraging the Pacific route. South Australia will certainly object to this line, because it would injure Adelaide, and poßsibly Melbourne, which maintains a bitter rivalry with Sydney, and will not care to see the capital of New South Wales profit by Mr Abbott's proposal. Sydney may be content to sit still and see whether the United States may not offer more liberal terms than Canada in order to maintain the present San Francisco route for mails and commerce. >• We do not sufficiently know the terms of Mr Abbott's intercolonial tariff scheme, but that he takes some proposal in his portmanteau is the belief of everybody who has any knowledge of tho subject. Behind all this h the Pacific cable project, which Cauada also strongly supports. The Australian colonies deem ifc a pious aspiration, but are not as eager as Canada to spend money on the fcheme. They do not more than half employ the existing cable to England. ! AMERICAN SUMMARY. San Fbakcisco, October 18. General A. B. Campbell, one of the prominent candidates for the Pensign Commissionershiiv

has been tendered the position of consul at Mel- . bourne, which he' will accept according to a despatch; but this ia doubted by some of his i friends. . *■ The Canadian Government has been advised that the British Minister at Washington returns to the United States with authority to reopen negotiations for the arrangement of a new extradition treaty between that country and Great Britain; also to arrange preliminary matters for reopening the fishery question and the adjustment of the Behring Straits difficulty. It is learned from the State department that Mr Blame has intimated to Lord Salisbury his willingness to dispassionately reopen the matter , in dispute informally before it.is formally taken up for final adjustment to see if an amicable settlement cannot in this way be secured without arbitration or the appointment of a commission. The machinery of the inclined plane railway at Mount Abwin, Cincinnati, which reaches to a height of 250 ft to 300 ft in the space of 1000 ft, became deranged on October 15, and the cable snapped with a full car at the head of the incline. It rushed to the bottom with fearful velocity, carrying its human freight with it. The car was broken into a million pieces and nearly every occupant — there were nine — killed. The truck itself and floor formed a shapeless wreck which held the bleeding ani mangled bodies of the passengers. Yellow fever was reported on October 16 as existing at Key West; Florida. A balloonist at Richfield Springs made an ascent on September 24, and while descending by means of a parachute was blown into the lake and drowned. At Revel, a seaport town in Russia, the parachutist Leroux, descending from his balloon on the same day, fell into the sea and was also drowned. Charles B. Bishop, the popular American low comedian, fell dead on the stage of the Lyceum, New York, on October 8 while playing his part of Adam Butterworth in the first act of "Lord Chumley." The finance committee of the world's fair to be held in New York in 1890 adopted a resolution on October 8 recommending that steps be taken to raise promptly a fund of 5,000,000d01. Chin Fong, cashier in several Chinese importing' houses of New York, is trying to form a joint stock company of Chinese to start a Chinese bank. A board of naval officers have selected a site for tho new United States navy yard on the north-west Pacific coast, at Point Turner. An attempt was made on October 9 to poison the Ray. Father Cleary, a Roman Catholic clergyman of Oneida,N.Y., by mixing arsenic with the sacramental wine he used at mass. A telegraph lineman named Feekes died a horrible death at New York. While working at the top of a pole he came in contact with an electric light wire and perished in the greatest agony, watched by thousands of spectators. As the result of this, Mayotf Grant ordered all overhead wirea to bo cut the same afternoon. The Electric Light Companies obtained an injunction, which the courts will be asked to dissolve as the Sub-way Commission have found • hundreds of places where the insulating material is worn off the electric lighting wires, and they are consequently dangerous. A scheme is in progress to colonise several States in Mexico with negroes from Texas and other parts of the United States, A block at Denver was probably burned on October 13 by an electric light wire falling on a telephone wire. The telephone exchange was damaged to the extent of 8000dol. The cifcy had to remain without a telephone service for two weeks. The mammoth tabernacle in Brooklyn, New York, occupying nearly balf a square, of which the eccentric Rev. T. de Witt Talmage is the pastor, was destroyed by fire on the morning of October 13, together with several adjoining residences. The fire was started by an electric bolt during a thunderstorm. The total loss is about 130,000d01, including the grand organ. The former tabernacle was burned 17 years ago. CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN NATIONS. The Congress of American Nations met at noon on October 2 in Washington, D.C., at the State department, and were addressed by the Secretary of State, Mr James G. Blanc, who had been elected president of the conference. The countries represented were:— The Argentine Republic, Bolivia, Brazil, Chili, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pern, Salvador, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. In the course of his speech, Mr Blame expressed a firm belief that the nations of America ought to be more helpful to each other than they are, and that each will find advantage and profit from enlarged intercourse with the others ; that these nations should be drawn together more closely ; and that at no distant day the railway systems of the north and south will meet upon the isthmus and connect by land routes the political and commercial capitals of all America. He believed that hearty cooperation based on hearty confidence* would save all the American States from the burdens and evils which have so long and so cruelly afflicted the oldest nations of the world. He believed that a spirit of justice and of common and equal interest between American States will leave no room for an artificial balance of power, like unto that which has led to wars abroad and drenched Europe in blood. He believed friendship avowed with candour and maintained with good faith will remove from the American States the necessity of guarding boundary lines between themselves with fortification and military forces. He believed that standing armies, beyond those which were needed for public order aud for the safety of internal administration, should he unknown on both American continents, and that friendship, not force— a spirit of just law, and not the violence of the mob— should be the recognised rule of administration between Americans and American nations. • The speaker alluded to the fact that the assemblage he was addressing represented a territory falling but little short of 1 2,000,000 square miles, and a population approximating 120,000,000. It would be of the greatest gain, he said, when personal and commercial relations between Americans, South and North, shall be so developed and so regulated that each shall acquire the highest possible advantage from enlarged and enlightened intercourse with all communities. The Minu of the city of Mexico calls tho projeot a dream-of ideality. The Tiempo sees a threat against European trade, which it says will be ruined if the results wished for by Mr Blame are carried out. The Fcrro Carr'l considers it a masterpiece of oratory. President Diaz considers it admirable. The leading newspapers in old Spain unite in expressing a hope that the Spanish-American Republics vtill not allow themselves to become satellites of the United States. The London Times says ib is not clear what the delegates aro to do. The business will not begin until November, by which time "Hr Blame will probably know what he expects the Congress to agree to, and what political questions shall be heard. The only clearly expressed hope about Congress is that it will promote good-will between the countries represented. If the delegates go home pleased with their hosts and impressed with the magnitude of. the country, the Congress will have done as much' as can be expected. Before the conference shall formally enter upon a discussion of the subjects

to be submitted, members will, at the invitation of President Harrison^* go over various sections of the country and. make themselves more familiar with the condition of things generally. The sessions will not begin till November.