GENERAL SUMMARY.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1754, 1 June 1886, Page 3

GENERAL SUMMARY.

The Nihilists attempted to bnrn the Imperial Park at Livadia, on May 7, by firing the neighbouring forest, but failed. The Czar and family were at Livadia. The cholera epidemic is spreading at Venice. Several Mormon missionaries were severely beaten in Switzerland on May 7 by friends of Swiss girls who had been badly treated in Utah. The stock of Patterson, Kissock, snd Company, of Montreal, valued at £420,000, was seized by the customs authorities on the 7th May for smuggling. Chinese Companies have contracted to build railroads in Mexico. A bill has been introduced into the New York Legislature declaring "boycotting" not to be a conspiracy or misdemeanor. Despite tremendous pressure to induce a contrary course, Cardinal Frischerau, of Canada, has issued a pastoral on April 28 condemning the Knights of Labour as inimical to the interests of religion and good morals. A great many Mormon families, mostly English, are migrating into Mexico from Utah to avoid prosecution under the United States anti-polygamy law. Two albums, each containing all the Home Rule editorials of the American press, are in course of preparation in New York. One will be forwarded to Mr Gladstone, and the other to Mr Parnell. The Dublin National organ denies that Irish-American dynamiters will continue to worry England unless an absolute separation of Ireland and Great Britain is attained. Mr Gladstone's measure (says the • Nation ') means peace to the Irish throughout the world. The Earl of Derby published a letter on May sth denying the moral right of the present Government to decide the present Irish question. The National Liberal Federation of Great Britain endorsed Mr Gladstone's policy amid the wildest excitement, at a meeting on the sth May. Jefferson Davis made a sort of triumphal progress through the Southern States lately. The people went wild with excitement, 10,000 persons stood iv the rain to welcome him in Montgomery on the 29bh. The way to his rooms in the hotel was strewn with roses. The boycott system recently introduced into California is prouounced a lamentable failure. It is stated that the Canadian Pacific transcontinental railway will be open for traffic in June next. Mr James Mills, managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, was interviewed on his arrival at San Francisco en rot to Europe. He spoke hopefully of the cable project to connect California with New Zealand. Four hundred Catholic priests attended a meeting at Dungannon, county Tyrone, on May '6th, called to give expression to their views on Mr Gladstone's Home Rule policy, in compliance with the Premier's invitation to all bodies in Ireland to take action in the matter. The Most Rev. Daniel MacGettegan, D.D., Archbishop of Armagh, presidedResolutions were adopted endorsing Mr Gladstone's policy; Mr Gladstone has replied to an article in the * London Chronicle ' which charged him with having heretofore taught that Home Rule in Ireland would be a source of Imperial danger. He stated that he has always asked for an explanation of the meaning of Home Rule. He had now learned what Ireland's demands were through her representatives, and the Home Rulo in his addres3 in September last was not a source of danger but of strength. The danger lay in refusing it. The latest information about the Panama Canal is from Dr Warford Newsom, formerly under the Board {of Eealth, Panama, who arrived in New York from Jthe Isthmus on May 1. He says if M. De Lesaepg is reported correctly in the statement that onehalf the work on the canal is completed, he misleads. A fearfal crisis has arisen in the canal affairs. The company's indebtednes now amounts to 260,000,000d01s on which they are paying an annual interest of 600,000 dols. For month 3 past the work has been dragging. Mr Boger, chief director, told the contractors not to push it, presumably to cut down expenditure. Millions of dollars have been spent in useless machinery and on the building of a magnificent village on the former site of a mangrove swamp. The superior agent's house cost 100,000dols. Wilful and reckless extravagance marked every step of the enterprise. A splendid house was put up for M. De L9sseps on his late visit and furnished in a princely style, and the furniture brought direct from Paris. The Company has not settled on a plan for damming the Chagres river. The whole project bristles with difficulties. It is reported that the Company has not yet acquired the full right of way across the Isthmus. Emperor William is at present enjoying robust health. He reviewed troops at Potsdam on May Ist. The law to suppress Polandism abolishes Polish regiments in the German army.

The deficit in revenue of Prussian railways for the past fiscal year is 23,000,000 marks under the estimates. Owing to the general commercial depression expected, the deficiency for 1886 will be even greater. The • Pall Mall Gazatte ' of 6th May, commenting on the Chicago riots, says that Europe having adopted a system of exporting paupers to the United States is primarily answerable for the troubles ; and, secondly, that America has shown fatal kindness in receiving paupers, and is now reaping the results of her folly in trying to make American citizens out of the ecum of Europe. Strikes and lock-outs are still the rule in Chicago, leading to violence and bloodshed. On May 3rd a crowd of Socialists and others besieged a reaper factory about half a mile distant from the city and riddled the windows with stones and pistol bullets. The police attacked the rioters, some six of whom were wounded. Inflammatory circulars printed in German, with an English translation appended, were being freely distributed calling on workmen to revenge themselves. Socialists are getting troublesome in Milwaukee, and threatened to attack the mills and factories, and the employes of the railway carshops in Detroit are out and will not return to work without the managers agree to give 10 hours' pay for 9 hours' work and 15 per cent, advance in addition. The agitation for eight hours as a day's labor continues in Illinois, Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, Philadelphia, New York, and other prominent centres. The demands in most instances have been met with an affirmative point of whether ten hours or eight hours' wages should be paid. The strikers in New York are firm in their attitude and resolve to suffer much, if aeed be, rather than recede from their position. Grand Vicar Marsh, of Bishops' Palace, Montreal, is given as authority for the statement that at the Consistory in June next, to be held in Eome, the Pope will issue a bull absolutely condemning and excommunicating Knights of Labor. The Knights on Jay Gould's Western railway system declared the strike off on the 14tb, and returned to work. The ironworkers resumed work on the 4th, giving employment to about 6000 men.