ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 309, 31 December 1891, Page 6

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(PEOM OIJR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Londox, November 15. THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

The repairs and alterations to tho Southern Cross were completed by Monday laßfe, and Captain Bongard intended to leave Southampton the following day, but the torrific gale which sprang up oh Tuesday rendered ifa necessary to postpone his departure. Under the circumstances it is a ?ery good thing the contractors did not finish their work sooner. Delays are nob 6lways dangerous, it would seem. ONLY A WOMAN'S. VIEW. : I have it on the beat of authority that the article on the Land Tax Bill which appeared in the "Times" was written by "a lady who has never boon in the colony, bub makes'a specialty of colonial finances and trade. MELBA DIVORCE CASE. What will be the outcome of ths Armstrong.divorce suit ibis of course impossible to say, but one notes with satisfaction that the "grearer jury" of the Paris public liave entered an emphatic verdict in Melba's favour. When the prima donna made her first appearance this season at the Grand Opera House on Monday, she meb with a perfecb ovation. This kind reception when sbo had braced herEolf up for an ordeal similar to the one Patti underwent in the days long gone by when the Marquis do Caux divorced her, proved too much for the fair Australian and sho broke down altogether. Of course the house cheered louder than ever. Ifc was quite a touching scene. The audience j huzzaed, whilst Melba, with streaming eyes, blew kidses right and left. The Duke of Orleans arrived in England on Wednesday, and went at once to hig father's place at Stowe. The Comto de Paris is?, of course, intensely annoyed by the whole Melba business, but at a conference the family had with their legal advisers yesberday, it was agreed the Duke should give evidenc.e. Mr Armstrong, by way of adding a touch of romance to the affair, on Saturday last sent the Duke a challenge to fight. This was also considered at the family conference. The Duke itched to accept, and give the self-advertising Australian chastisement for ill-treating and inBulbing poor Madame Melba. Tho Combe de Paris would nob, however, hear of such a thing. A prince of the blood royal (said he) must not accept a cartel from anyone. CAPTAIN ANGEL RUNS AMUCK. A uioßb extraordinary story appears in the shipping papers concerning the goingson of the late Mr Angel (a sad misnomer), part-owner and self-constituted skipper'of ths Mikado. The sailing vessel, under the command of Captain Bonn, was loading at New York for Dunedin and Lybtelton, New Zealand. Just before sailing " Captain " Angel came on board, and, asserting hia author!tv as owner or part-owner, took charge, Bunn going ashore. For a time all wont well aboard, but then Mr Angel took to broaching the cargo, and getting very drunk, he ran amuck. Armed with four revolvors, he paraded the decks, banging - away at anything and everything, but fortunately wibhout damaging any of tho crew. He put into a.n open roadstead on the Brazilian coast, to have some repairs to the Mikado's rudder effected, and here some of the crew took French leave. Finding he could nob get; his steering apparatus mended, Angel took the barque to I'arauagua. On the plea of effecting repairs, ho commenced to land the cargo and sold some of it. Tho underwriters learnt what was taking place, and sent Capt. Overton to protect their interesbs. As he could nob prevail upon Mr Angel to refrain from " acting the coat," he moved the Bribish Consul to constituto a naval court, but whilst this was going on Angel departed "up country" and "fetched" that bourne from which no traveller returns, but in what manner does nob transpire. Captain Overbon had to raise money on a bottomry bond to provision and refit the barque and repair her. Being unablo to secure another master, he had reluctantly to take command himself. The bobtomny bond ■was transferred to Mr S. S. Dennisbon, and the Court has granted an order for the sale of the ship to satisfy the bond. The actual owners are not known, as three different seta of papers were produced in Court.