THE LATEST. HOME AND FOREIGN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6457, 29 December 1904, Page 3

THE LATEST. HOME AND FOREIGN

United Press Association—By Electi in

Telegraph.—Copyright

Received Dec. 20, 7.22 a.m. The Next British Budget. London, Dec. 28 Mr Austen Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, declines to confirm or dnny the report which the " Pall Mall Gazette" mentioned under reserve, to the effect that the next Budget would impose a duty of 6 per cent on all imported goods except wine?, spirits, beer, and tobacco. Received Dec. 29. 8.3 i n.m. The French Mission in Morocco. The fprincipal Shereefs of Fez, fearing the French designs, demanded the rupture of relations and the stoppago of the French Mission, and ths dismissal of the European and Military Missions. The Sultan promised to comply.

China and the Double Standard, With regard to the undertaking cabled on November 15th., Sir E. Satow,. British Minister at Pekin, supports China, who resists the attempt of three Powers to compel her to sign gold bonds and then pay in silver at an arbitrary rate favouring the Russian, French, arid German Bank?. [The cable referred to stated that China had undertaken in return for concessions with regard to the remission and calculation of interest to pay the whole of the international indemnity of 190) on a gold basis. The indemnity was imposed at the conclusion of the Boxer rising of 1300.] Tha New Naval Propasals, The modifications of the Rosyfeh propo.Sils are due to Admiral Fisher's advice t >at all available money should be used to jMplaee the obsolete vessels recently withdrawn from commission. v The Recent Posts in London.

It is estimated the recent fogs caused loßses to the extent of ten million stßiling. The. Nihilists' Campaign. Rerne, Dec. 27. It is reported from Zurich that the Nihilists are preparing an unprecedentedly active campaign. An Afghan Murder, Cabuc, Dee. 28 The Ameer executed tha murderer of Herr Fleischer, the superintendent of the Ameer's arms fnctory.