ENGLAND NAVAL AND MILITARY PREPARATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2465, 15 February 1878, Page 2

ENGLAND NAVAL AND MILITARY PREPARATIONS.

CHANNEL SQUADRON TO RENDEZ VOUS AT GIBRALTAR.

TURKS PROTEST AGAINST BRITISH FLEET ENTERING: DARDANELLES.

[REUTERS SPECIAL CABLEGRAMS.] LONDON, February 13. Active military and naval preparations are being made. - The Minister for Foreign Affairs, in reply to a question, said he hoped to announce on Thursday that the British ironclad squadron had arrived at Constantinople.

Several Austrian ironclads are starting for the Levant.

The Channel Squadron lias been ordered to rendezvous at Gibraltar as the port of call. „ , The Turkish Government has notified a protest against the entry of the British Squadron to the Dardanelles. The .opening of the colonial wool sales has been postponed to February 26. [SPECIAL TO THE MELBOURNE' " ARGUS."] LONDON, February 13. The Government lias purchased two Turkish ironclads, detained as contraband in the Thames.

The Appeal Court has upset the conviction in the Bradlaugh-Besant case. THE POPE'S LEGACIES.

LONDON, February. 12.

The Pope left two wills. The first leaves three and a half millions of frances annually to his successor for the expenses of the Papacy. The second leaves his nephews, his legatees, three hundred thousand francs ; and to [hi poor of Home tlie remainder.