ADDITIONAL CABLEGRAMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3553, 28 December 1881, Page 2

ADDITIONAL CABLEGRAMS.

[Via Melbourne and Bluff.]

LONDON, December 15. M. Roustan, French Minister resident in Tunis, has| prosecuted M. Rochefort, editor of the "Intransigeapt,"an extreme radical journal published in Paris, for libel, for having falsely accused him in the columns of his paper of having prompted the outbreak of hostilities in North Africa from a corrupt desire to benefit his speculation in Baroso-Ttmiiian bonds. The trial lasted for three days, and was watched with extaordinary interest The trial, however, resulted lv the acquittal of Rochefort. When the decision was announced the spectators in court applauded loudly, A profound sensation has been created not only in the capital but throughout France. M. Ronstan has been condemned to pay the costs of the action.

The British Government are negotiating with the United States, Germany, and France, tho three Powers primarily interested in tho South Seas, for the erection of an International Court of Control for the WesternjPacific, Pending the conclusion of such arrangement the Admiralty will take additional precautions for the protection of British subjects, for maintaining a more watchful supervision over the mutual relations of the white and native races in the Pacific,in compliance with the undertaking given in tbo House of Commons some months ago by Mr Trevollyan.Secretary to tho Admiralty.

Communications have been exchanged between tho British and French Government with respect to tho annexation by tho latter of Raltoa, one of the Society Islands. Tho French Government express a desire to retain possession of the island in order that the prestige of the Republic in the South Sons may not suffer. The British Government reply that if they recognise tho treaty under which the island had been ceded to France care must be taken to secure not only that the interests of British trade are protected but tho pledges given to the natives of the group are respected. Earl Kimberley has informed the Government of Natal that the administration ot affairs completed with Transvaal has been entrusted to Sir Hercules Robinson, High Commissioner for Sonth Africa.

Representatives of twenty British cable companies waited upon Earl Granville, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, yesterday, and requested that the Government would take steps to protect ocean cables from careless and wilful interference.

It is rumoured that Mr Gco. Errington, member for County Longford, who is visiting Rome, has been entrusted with a mission by the British Government to the Vatican. Dr Vanghan, Koman Catholic Bishop of Salford, has stated that Mr Errington holds confidential instructions from the Government, although not an accredited Minister. LONDON, December 19. Murders and other crimes of violence are still of frequent occurrence in Ireland, and the penona who refused to obey the orders of the Land League are kept in a state of constant fear. In Uoscommon, a farmer has been shot for no other reason but that of . paying bis rent. In spite of the vigorous ; efforts of the Government to put them down, terrorism and intimidation are still widely resorted to by the Land League and its agents. In all parts of Ireland placards have been discovered threatening death to all who disobey the mandate of the Land League, or in any way submit to the established Government. The police authorities are endeavouring to discover the agents employed In distributing and posting there placards. There is evidence of strong sympathy en tcrtained for Parnell, now confined in Kilmainham gaol. A large number ot tenant farmers and labourers assembled on his estate at Wicklow.and performed the necessary operations of ploughing. Over 3,000 assembled and undertook the work, which was done gratis. This action has occasioned some comment. Owing to the recent activity displayed amon" the Nihilists, the Russian police have Deen on the alert, and numerous arrests of suspected persons have been made. At St Petersburg during the last few days, 2000 Nihilists have been arrested who it is beloved were engaged in a plot against the life of the Czar. Mr. Blainc has been selected to deliver a panegyric on the deceased President before the Senate of the United States. It is reported that Mousignor Jacob, Secretary Ecclesiastical Affairs Extraordinary, being disappointed at the progress of negotiations, ins taken the matter into his own hands with a view of facilitating the settlement. The balloon which drifted across the English Channel on Saturday last has been

seen off Aldemey, the most northerly of the I Channel Island?, H.M.s. Basher has been ' despatched in the direction ia which the balloon seemed to be drifting for the purpose of picking np the occupants of the car should they be able to descend. H.M.b. Dasher has since returned to her station. Her commander reports that the search for the balloon was fruitless. The Marquis of Lome, Governor-General of Canadian .Dominion, last evening addressed a meeting convened in the interests of the Women's Emigration Society of England. He proposed that the committee organised in England should be affiliated with committees established in the colonies, and that the tw« should work in unison, one collecting and despatching suitable emigrants to the colonial dependencies of the .Empire, and the other watching over the interests of the immigrants on iheir arrival.

Tho disposition exhibited by Mr Blame, late Secretary of State for United States, to interfere with the affairs of foreign nations is resented by many Americans as an infringement of the national policy of neutrality abroad. The English Press denounces the proposal of Mr Blame, late United States Secretary of State, to revise the Buller-Clayton Treaty for the purpose of giving the United States the exclusive jurisdiction over the Panama Canal. Chill reasserts her right to annex Peru, A slave dhow has been captured at Zanzibar. Her captain was made prisoner. The robbers who carried off £40,000 worth of jewellery from Brynkinalt, the seat of Lord Hill Tevor Chirk, Denbighshire, have not been discovered. Two servants, who were arrested on suspicion of being concerned ia the robbery, have been discharged. With regard to the disappearance of Viscount Boyle, Lieutenant of the Prince (Jonsort's Own (Kifle Brigade), from the Garrison, Dublin, it turns out that the Viscount is merely absent without leave.

A Fenian plot to destroy some public building in Dublin has been frustrated by the activity of the police, who have seized a quantity of dynamite, which was concealed in the city. They also seized a number of firearms and some documents which indicate the character of the plot, and implicate some conspirators. Three persons have already been arrested. The balloon which drifted across the English Channel on Saturday the 10th inst. has again been sighted It has beon carried across the Bay of Biscay, and has been seen at Santander,a port of North Spain. It was then proceeding in an easterly direction. Another plot to murder the Czar Alexander has been discovered. The plan proposed was to blow up the Imperial Palace, Gatachina, by means of a mine. Numbers of oflicers of the guard have been arrested on suspicion.