ENGLISH AND FOREIGN.
The French Fleet in the Pacific.
Br EI_CTBIC T—UK——~H —COPT—I«_T.
_BXUT__*B __e__s.l - farther Particulars of the Graceport Riots.
The War in Tonquin.
Concession on Wine Duties.
I*ord Carnarvon on Annexation.
Report of the Western Pacific Commission.
Bocetved December 29th, 2.10 p.m. LONDON, December 28. It is now stated to be probable that the islands Hainan, Formosa, and Chusan, a—mated off the Chinese coast and forming _ait of the Empire, wfll be seised by France aa guarantee for the payment by China of tim French war expenses in Tonquin.
The——est intelligenoefrom Newfoundland states that twenty-eight persons were .seriously wounded in the riot which occurred — the harbor of Graoeport between Orangemen and Catholics. As a renewal — the disturbances is. feared, the authox_ec have asked the Imperial Government to despatch some troops and gunboats to She scene of the rioting.
Eeceived December 31st.
LONDON, December 89.
The report of the Western Pacific Com--■m_rr~ t was published to-day. The report ~o—unends the supervision of the labor teaffic by the Colonial Agents, and urges that Agents should be appointed by the Crown. It recommends that the labor trade should be more closely watched by the naval authorities in Australia, and that resident Deputy * Commissioners should be appointed to the various islands. The report is opposed to the control of the Polynesian and New Guinea races being 'vested in the Colonial Government. -'
—frSpeight, the newly-appointed Chair- __ of the Victorian BaU way Board, has sa—ed for Australia.
The Homeward mails via San Francisco, from Auckland, November Bth, were delitrered here to-day.
Obituary—Sir John Baley Darren, K.C.G., formerly Attorney-General and a member of the Legislative CouncU of New South Wales.
_sceived December 31st
PAEIS, December 29.
Despatches from Tonquin state that desperate fighting took place at Sontay, and that a heavy loss was sustained on either side before the fortress was captured. The French lost twenty-six e&oers and fuUy a thousand men. The attack upon Bacninh wUI not take place wot— the arrival of reinforcements recently despatched from France under General Ite-o-
£snCX—i TO PB—SB ASBOCIATIOH _
Beneived December 29th, 12.45 p.m.
LONDON, December 28
The new - issue of 12,000 preference shares in the Trest and Agency Company of Australasia has been subscribed for.
The New Zealand Shipping Company's _ew steamer Buapehu made fifteen knots in her trial trip.
The Agents-General intend to request an winmu m from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the recent concession made to Spain in respect of wine duties w_l also 1m extended to the wine growers of the ——onieo.
EeoeivedDecember 31st, 0.45 a_.
LONDON, December 29.
Hie French Government is making jsreparations for the despatch of large x__cacemente of their fleet in the Pacific. There have been frequent meetings of the Committee of theSenate on the Becidivisite BOL
News has been received of the massacre «f sixty-eight of King Coffee's chUdren. The "DaUy News" commends the _SEopos-_ of the late Conference to ensure the protection of the lands of the natives of New Guinea.
Lord Carnarvon, writing ia the " Contemporary Beview/' thinks it would be impolitic of England to insist on the application of the. complete. Munro doctrine in the Parifie, and that it might be possible, with the concurrence of Fra_ce,4oeecure tite complete neutralisation of the Sew Hebrides, but that it is unlikely that France wfll consent. toabandon the penal aettlement scheme under external pres*•—e from Vie present insufficient efforts *o aeeure complete Australian Federation. 3—c PaciS o squadron is also too weak, and
he expresses a hope that the Imperial Government*— find itself able to concede most ©f what the Conference has demanded. It would be sufficient to annex the coast of New Guinea without interference with the interests of that country. In the grain trade sales have been made of the Adelaide and Victoria new crop. For large cargoes of February shipments buyers offer 44s for recent arrivals. New Zealand wheat of improved quality has realised from 40s to 425.
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