(VIA SAN FRANCISCO).

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 147, 22 June 1889, Page 2

(VIA SAN FRANCISCO).

GENERAL SUMMARY.

(Dates prom Europe up to June Ist.)

IjOsd Salisbury has decided to let William O'Brien's libel suit for £10,000 go to trial.

The CJunard Steamship Company and the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company have secured contracts to carry outward British mails. On May 31st the manager and assistant of the Ballymena Bank, Ireland, were, as supposed, assassinated in the public road by unknown parties. The manager's name was John H. Lawler, and the assistant's Murray. The affair is involved in mystery, but the impression is deepening that Murray shot Lawler, and then committed suicide. Lord James Douglas, brother of the Marquis of Queensberry, was warned off the English race track on May 30th for '"welching.'*' Lord Lonsdale arrived in London on May 31st. .He declares his intention of organising an. expedition to the North Pole. His experience in that region has not discouraged him, bub only prepared him to do better. JJ Lord Salisbury, replying to a deputation on May 30th, in favour of the bi-metallic standard of currency, said he did not think a Parliamentary decree could settle the question, but that the opinion of the people, founded on business ideas, must decide it. The coming Congress at Paris might cover the ground. g_The Scotch Local Government Bill passed to a reading in the Commons on the evening of May 30th. Prolonged earth shocks were felt in the English Channel Islands on May 30th. The International Exhibition of novelties was formally opened in London by the Lord Mayor on May 29th. George R. Sims, author and journalist, summoned the Duke of Cambridge and ln-spector-of-Police Robinson, on May 27th, bo answer a charge of assault. Sini3 was reporting a review of tho fire brigade at Whitehall. There was a rush by the crowd, and he was unavoidably pushed against the Puke, who caught him by the throat and tore his collar, while Robinson hustled him about and accused him of being drank. Among the persons on whom the Queen conferred honours on the anniversary of her last (70th) birthday were Joseph Edgar Boehm, a sculptor, George Burns, of the .Cunard Steamship Company, and Professor Stokes, who were made baronets. Andrew R eid, Inspector-Ueneral of the Royal Irish Constabulary, was made a knight. The steamer, City of Paris, which left New York on Wednesday afternoon May 14tb, passed Bow Head, near Queenstown, May 21st, evening, at 10.15. Her time, five days and twenty-two hours, beats all records for either eastward or westward passages. Fifty-eight miners were imprisoned by a falling roof in a coal mine near IYlerthyrTyavil, Wales, May 23rd, and many were injured. All, however, were rescued alive. Mr Gladstone wos knocked down by a cab on May 24, but escaped unhurt. He ran after tho cab and arrested the driver. The London doctors have discovered that Boulanger is far gone-with diabßt.es and have ordered him to Carlsbad or Vichy, In consequence of the high price of raw sugar, the largest refinery in Greenwich closed on May 16 th. Pillotel, the French artist, met Henri Roeheforb on Regent-street, May 18th, and -insulted him by shouting " liar" and

" coward " in his ears

Rochefort retained

■his usual composure until Pillotel attempted i to strike him, when he drove him off with the point of the pistoL Both men were arrested, Rocheforb was pub under bonds of £150. The Queen laid the foundation stone of the new college buildings ab Eton on May 18th. The boys presented an address, and the Queen replied. Iv the House of Commons, May 14th, a motion in favour of the disestablishment of the Ghurch in Wales was rejected—2B4 to 231.

Mrs Maybrick, niece of Jefferson Davis, a French Canadian by birch, was arrested at Liverpool, May 18th, charged with poisoning her husband with arsenic. Maybrick, who was a prominent merchant, died with symptoms of slow poisoning. The County Magistrate and Chief of Police went to Maybrick's house and were told that the woman was sick abed, and directed that she be removed to the Kirkdale gaol, where she is attended by her doctor and nurses. Arsenic was found in the beef tea prepared for Mrs Maybrick's deceased husband during bis illness. As a result of the absolute divorce granted to Mrs Agnes Boucicaiilt from Dion, the sheriff was about to seize the English copyrights of nineteen of Boucicault's plays and turn over the proceeds of their sale to his late wife. The seizure and sale, however, were restrained by an order from the Court. MISCELLANEOUS. Christians are being massacred by Turks on the Montenegrin Frontier-. The claims for damages arising out of the Chefoo riots have been settled. The English and American flags have been rehoisted, the Chinese saluting them. King Leopold.proposes an International Conference at Brussels in September to complete the work of the Congo Conferi ence. - . A Railway train with 800 pilgrims, en route jto Rome, was assailed by a mob at Trieste and bombarded with stones. Many persons were injured and the . railway carriages badly wrecked. On "May. 13th a body of Socialists hauled down the royal standard from the great tower at the Hague, and hoisted the Socialist flag in its place. Seven bodsea were blown down during a storm at Seino, Bohemia, on May 19th, and thirty-two people killed. At Prichowitz two houses were demolished. Many persons were washed away by the inundation, and nine children were drowned. A hun-dred-houses were swept away in Pilsen district. Bhttleep Singh, the Indian prince-, was privately married to Miss Ada Wetherell, in Paris, May 20th. The wedding was strictly private. The bride is the daughter of the late D. B. Wetherell, of Hampshire. The honeymoon -vill be spent in Russia, for which "country the party left on the day following the marriage. A conflagration in the town of Podhagoe, Gallicia, May 28, destroyed 600 houses, a church and synagogue, and caused the loss of many lives. Twelve corpses were extricated from the ruins. The Pope issued an order on May _!Bbn that on the day the monument to Giordano Bruno is unveiled, all Papal guards and gendarmes shall keep within the grounds of the Vatican. Those on furlough have been ordered to return immediately. Bruno was put to death as a heretic in the year 1000. Prince Alois Schwartzenbergh and a lieutenant of the Hussars fought a duel in Vienna, May 30th. The Prince was mortally wounded.