CABLE NEWS.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3836, 19 April 1899, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

HOME AND FOREIGN.

Fire. London, April 17.— Hyde Park Corner was the scene of a great conflagration last night when the upper floors of an eleven storied house were burned out.

The inmates were rescued in ! many instances with the greatest difficulty and many exciting* incidents marked the progress o! a gigantic struggle to stay the progress of the flames. The servants especially had some marvellous escapes. The height of the building being so great the fire ladders proved too short. Fifty-five engines were on the scene. So far as can be ascertained there was no loss of life. The wine dutiesLondon, April 17.— France an^ Spain are taking concerted actio^ with regard to the new British wine duties. The Dreyfus case. Paris, April 17. — "Fresh, evidence in the Dreyfus case is published. Picquart is shown to have deposed that the document contain* ing the expression ' Canaille . was not produced until the authorities directly complained that the Dreyfus case was making no progress. The document was then shown to the Court Martial privately. Picquart expressed himself dumbfounded at the manifest unfairness shown by Paty dv Clam when dictating the bordereau used agajast Dreyfus. Pabis, April 18.—Colonei Picquart has assured Generals Boisdeffre and Goose that it was impossible that the secret dossier could prove Dreyfus's guilt to be equally applicable to Esterhazy. Picquart heard an officer remark, prior to the court-martial that they believed the cose was an invention of the Espionage Bureau. Discourteous Spaniards. Madrid, April 17. — Emma Nevada, the well known American operatic singer, was singing in a theatre at Madrid when the audience insulted her by turning their backs upon the stage, The Queen Regent afterwards, as marking her disapproval of tbis gross discourtesy, presented Madame Nevada with a .bracelet. The singer then left Spain "and fled to Paris. The Pope's health. Rome, April 17. — The Pope attended a Te Deum service at St Peter's on the occasion of the. 2lßt anniversary of his coronation. Eight thousand people were present and • extraordinary enthusiasm was manifested. The Pope was very weak and was carried to St Peters. He pronounced the benediction in a recumbent position. At the conclusion the Pope remarked, '* I wonder if this is my last appearance.' . •Shooting at the Ameer. Cabul, April 17.— Ah Afghan fired a revolver at the Ameer but missed him, the shot however struck a General beside him. The outrage was perpetrated in Rus- 1 siaa territory. The man was arrested. w Outrage on British troops. Hongkong, April 17.- -A thousand Chinese soldiers without provocation fired upon a party of 15 0 British troops at Taipofu, Kowloon district.

The British troops, assisted by she.lls from tjhe destroyer Fame charged and dispelled the Chinese, killing several. The British casualties were nil. The British then hoisted the flag at Taipofu. More fighting in China. Hongkong, April 1 8,— Further fighting has taken place in the Kowloon district. A force of Sikhs chased their assailants into Chinese territory. iThe Samoan affair. Washington, April 17.— The authorities hen? consider Baron von Bulow's speech friendly and sensible. London, April 18.*-In the House of Commons, Mr Brodrick, Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs announced that the British Consul at Samoa has been authorised to sign a joint proclamation calling upon the Samoans to abstain from hostilities, pending the Commission assuming control of affairs. The warships would protect British lives and property, if threatened by rival factions.

A blow to Tammany. New Yobk, April 17..-Oroker, giving evidence before the Commission to enquire as to the corrupt Government of New York, admitted that Tammany controlled all the appointments made by the Mayor and settled the fate of law 6 proposed for the City and State L^gislaturrs. He stated that the candidates for positions on ihe Judiciary must contribute to the Tammany funds and are expected to appoint partisan referees, who would award the lion's share of the proceeds of sales of estates to Oroker's firm. Croker declared that Senator Pratt and his sons were responsible for aji the corruption in Ne** York. Croker states that he sails for England immediately. His disclosures have caused djsinay and his ar e»t is threatened. .