GENERAL SUMMARY.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 100, 28 April 1888, Page 8 (Supplement)

GENERAL SUMMARY.

[DATES FROM EUROPE UP TO APRIL 7.]

The Gaiety Company will leave London for Australia on April 28th. Mr Fred Leslie and Miss Nellie Farren are among the members.

The trial of Major Templar of the Seventh Rifles, and chief of the Balloon Department of the British army, for divulging military secrets, was begun at Chatham, April sth. At a meeting of the Welsh and British tinplate manufacturers, held at Swansea, April 7th, the proposed corner in tin was discussed and abandoned.

Gladstone is reported as saying, " One can do nothing in this Parliament. Our duty is to force a dissolution as coon as we can,"

Genevieve Ward began an engagement at the Lyceum on April 2nd, as Stephanie in "Forget-me-not." The American novelist, Julian Hawthorn, has been appointed to an important U.S. Consulship'in England. l The result of the sham fight on April 2nd, i on the southern coast of England, showed i weaknesses of defences. 'The invaders j were, technically, successful at several j points, notably at Portsmouth and East-' bourne. They brought against the guns atj Portsmouth, which have a range of 2,500 i yards only, guns of 7,000 yards range. ' Sir Charles Dilke's recent strictures are now receiving more attention. The Canadian Lacrosse team now in England, played its first match on March 29th, defeating the Own's College team of Manchester. In the game on the 31st Canada stood 7 to Manchester's nothing. One of the results of Matthew Arnold's late visit to America is a severe criticism from his pen in the " Nineteenth Century " on the institutions and people of the country, which will delight every one who dislikes the United States. He makes the broad assertion that " civilisation in America is a failure." It is reported (March27th) that ithas been found necessary to put Ruskiu in a private asylum for the insane. Recently, while he was at Sandgate, he had a freak of ringing bells throughout the day, having purchased them for that purpose. He then became violent. There is no doubt his mind is failing. THE CHAMBERLAIN BANQUET. A banquet was given at Birmingham on March 23th, in honour, of Joseph Chamberlain, who spoke at length concerning his recent visit to America in connection with the Fisheries treaty. He said he now had nearly as many friends in America as in England. The results of Mb diplomatic visit had justified his hopes in setting out. A toast was proposed by the Hon. John Bright, "To our kinsmen of the United States and Canada," and in the courso of his spesch he said Englishmen were entitled to look upon a man as an enemy of mankind who would do anything to excite anger, disorder, or dispute between Great Britain and America. Chamberlain, in his speech, had referred hopofully to the scheme of Imperial Federation. Bright, when he reached that topic, pronounced federation impossible, and the scheme no better than a dream. He would like to ask the advocatesof federation whether the colonies were likely to limit themselves to the stupid foreign policy of England, entering into quarrels arid wars with people 10,000 miles away. He had, however, the strongest belief in the great future of the English, colonies, which he hoped would be strengthened by amicable relations with the mother country. Might they not hope for the highest and noblest federation, under different Governments, it might be, bub united by race sympathy, freedom of industry, and communion of interests, a federation of perpetual peace that would lead the world to that better condition that all hoped for, and believed in, although it-might not be permitted their mortal eyes to see it? He wag of opinion that the high walls, called tariffs, between the United States and Canada would soon be abolished. The London press generally commenting on Bright's speech, considers it more characteristic than judicious, and questions the prudence of a man in his position letting the Canadians see that he does not care how soon they set up for themselves. THE BUDGET. Go?chen, Chancellor of the Exchequer, introduced the Budget in the Commons on. the night of March 26th. Ho spoke for four hours, explaining its details and pfoposals. In summing up, he said the e>trjess of revenue over the estimate, added t^o the saving in expendituresj gave a totaLr.ealised surolus of £2,165,000, the greajb^st since 1874. He had begun the ys'a. r with a' balance on hand of £5,930,000 and ended with a balance of £7,438,000. Coming to the national debt, they ba-u'■decreased 'the liabilities during the.y«9'r by £7,601,000, the largest sum pa*t>. o ff during any ■ year since 1872. Th& Revenue, as estimated for the. coming year*, would-give" a- surplus of £2,377,0000ver expenditure. He desired to take a penny 'off the income tax, and as the balance of the surplus, rafter devoting the sum proposed to be-given to Governments expenditures under the Commission Bill wouJa not be sufficient, they proposed: to raise enough to make good the deficiency by various minor taxes. The Government proposed to meet the expenditure for the' fortification of ports and coaling stations,; by raising a loan of £2,300,000 on revenue derived from the Suez Canal shares, thus avoiding placing the slightest burden on the tax-papers to meet the;lmperial measure. The Opposition members severely criticise Goschen's recommendations. When the Budget is considered in Committee, Gladstone will handle severely the clauses objected to. A London correspondent gives the following particulars of the Budget scheme : --Goschen's proposals are, briefly, with regard to the new vj-per-conts., of which there are £168,000,000, which can be paid ofi' without notice in any amounts, be will give terms of fifteen years, 2f descending to 2£ per cent., and guaranteed to be not less for twenty- years more. Then there are consols to the extent of £324,000,000, and reduced stock to the extent of £69,000,000. To induce holders of these two forms of securities to forego the right of one year's notice and to accept the same stock which was offered to the holders of the new stocks, Goschen offered £100 5s for every £100 representing the difference for-the year between 2f and 3 per cent., so that all of these various securities ivill be made into one large stock, with quarterly dividends bearing interest at 2| per cent, for 15 years, and after that period 2\ per cent, redeemable for-twenty years —the total sum so affected being nearly £600,000,000. This is in brief Goschen's scheme. THE QUEEN'S CONTINENTAL TOUR. Her Majesty Queen Victoria, arrived at Florence at noon on March 24th. General Driquet, representing King Humbert. Count Forfa, and Cavalier Brinda, who were delegated by King Humbert for her service during her stay, received the Queen at the railway station. She waß driven to VillaPalmerainan open carriage, escorted by aguardofhonour,consistingpfadetatchraent ot carbineers. The populace accorded her an enthusiastic reception. Her Majesty witnessed the review of Italian and English men-of-war at Leghorn. The Queen will visit the Emperor Frederick and" her daughter. In that case she will return by the way of Fuching. The royal visit is said to have excited the Italians beyond mea-' sure, and the officials were most obsequious in their attention. The wildest stories were current among the common people as to t'ne magnificence and size of the Queen's establishments. . 1 . !» ... '