SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3547, 19 December 1881, Page 3

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

The recent outbreak of small-pox in Maidstone—particularly remarkable for the large number of seizures within a tew days —has been conclusively traced by the medical officer of health to infection disnominated in tho sorting of rags at a paper mill. There seems to be no reason to doubt that every case, except two for which other incidental canses arc suggested, was due to this cause.

The German Government has been conducting a vigorous crusado against tho manufacture of spurious wines on the Ehine. No fewer than 656 casks, each containing more than 1,000 quarts of

fabricated stuff, wero lately sei.ed at Rudesheim.

SJAn old line of battle ship, decorated for a harvest aervice, with a model brig sur. rounded by fruit and flowers as a central decorative effect, is certainly a novel spectacle, but was lately to be seen in Portsmouth harbour. The St. Vincent trainingship for boys was the three-decker. The fruit was afterwards given to the sick, and a collection which was made was given to tbo Home and Schools tor the Orphan Children of Seamen and Marines.

| The Duke of Beaufort has leased a largo tract of land on the banks of the Wye, at Clepstow, to a company, who intend to erect on it an extensive ship-building yard] Asia Minor is threatened with a repetl' tion of tho terrible famine of 1873-74, Locusts, drought, depopulation, misgovern' ment, have wiought their effects. This year's crops have almost universally failed. The district of Angora again appears to have suffered the most severely, nnd the un> fortunate inhabitants are already beginning to emigrate en masse in search of food, lest winter snows and swollen streams should cut off their communications with the outer world, and they should again find themselves pent up in tbeir mountain homes, without a chanoo of escape, and reduced to the same fearful plight which seven years ago caused fathers and mothers to sell their children for a handful of corn,

The largest salmon |which has been taken in the Spey this season was hatllcd recently on the Gordon Castle water, by Lady Florence Gordon-Lennox, It weighed 301b5,, and Lady Caroline succeeded in killiug a fish ot 261bs. The present condition of Egyptian finances, in the opinion of Sir Samuel Baker, tho distinguished Africnn traveller, is the best reply to those who have doubted the wisdom of British intervention in the affairs of the Khedive, In 1878 the Egyptian four per cents., unifled, were down to 30; to-day they are quoted on the London market at 81. The five per cent. Egyptian Premium stock was in the same year quoted at 60 ( now it is above par,

JOHN BRIGHT- BIRTHDAY.

New Yokk, Novomber 20th.

The "Tribune's "Londonspecial says the celebration of John Blight's seventieth birthday presented no feature moro remarkable than tho affectionate rotations existing between Bright and tbe 18,000 workmen in the employ of his own firm, which was shown equally by their enthusiastic demonstration, and his reply to them at Rochdale. Notwithstanding a terrible storm the peeple turned en masse, and many friends from other parts of the kingdom were there. The tone of one of the Press in discussing Bright's career is, for tho most part, oulogistfc, but traces of ancient animosity are visible in the " Tmes " aud a fow other iournala.

THE GREAT DIAMOND ROBBERY.

New York, November 20th,—A London cable special says: "The great diamond robbery ar Hatton Garden Post Office has filled the diamond merchants and jewellers with consternation. It is now seen that they have to reckon with foes more dangerous than the old-fashioned burglar, armed with his crowbar and jimmy. London jewellers keep an enormous amount of property in tbeir shops, and one or two superannuated watchmen only are about the place. Sixteen years ago they were startled by a great robbery at Walker's, on Cornhill, where six thousand pounds' worth of watches were carried off right under the noses of the city police by a gang that had the shop under surveillance for about two months. Of course, there y/a. a woman in it, and she "gave It away," otherwise the thieves would have gone scot free. The merchants and others formed a Mutual Protection Society, and for a while the jewellers' shops looked a night like small garrison towns ; but this vigilance did not long continue. The Halton Garden affair has led to a great outcry against leaving the Post Offices in charge of girls, but the plan of the robbery was so well laid that if must have succeeded. A man here haa a Cape diamond almost as largo as the — ohinoor. . It has been on exhibition in a Bond-street window but tbo owner prudently withdrew it after the Hatton Garden robbery, and it is said that, to be absolutely safe, he has left the country.