AMERICAN SUMMARY.

Clutha Leader, Volume XII, Issue 596, 18 December 1885, Page 6

AMERICAN SUMMARY.

San Francisco, November 23. The agent of the Zealandia claimed the right to carry the English mails to the Colonies, arguing that the contract had not expired. The agent of the New Zealand Government at San Francisco notified the postal authorities to place the mails aboard the Alameda. This was done, the agent of the Zealandia formally protesting, and threatening to hold the New Zealand Government responsible for damages. The Chinese Ambassador denies that the Chinese Government have granted any concession for making a railroad. Senator Sharon, the Californian millionaire, is dead. He left 100,000dol to charities, and made a solemn affidavit on his deathbed that marital relations had never existed between himself and Sarah Althea Hill, the plaintiff in the celebrated case against him. William Heath, a leading New York broker, who recently failed- for several millions, has been arrested. A tremendous fire at Galveston, Texas, destroyed 52 blocks. The loss is 2,000,000d01. The insurance ' amounts to 1,000,000d01, mostly in foreign companies. Governor Stanford, of California, has endowed the university at Palo with landed estate valued at 5,000,000d01. Minister Carter, of the Hawaiian Islands, is here, bound for Europe, to propose a plan to Englaud, Prance, and Germany to secure the -neutrality of the Pacific Islands and the centralising of authority in the Sandwich Islands, their integrity to be guaranteed by the Powers. Mrs Parnell, mother of the agitator, is stumping the United States in favour of the Parliamentary fund. Ferdinand Ward, the late General Grant's partner, has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. A crusade against the liquor business in the United States, under Catholic auspices, is threatened by the Pope's endorsement of the anti-liquor decree of the American Plenary Council. There is a great revival in the American iron trade, and the mills are active. John Bowman, ex-Mayor of St. Louis, was assassinated within a few feet of his own door, believed to be by a political opponent. The Freetrade Conference at Chicago wa3 largely attended. Mr Beech denounced Protection as the jugglery of the devil. Rodrigues, who accompanied M. Lesseps to Panama, has published a book in New York containing damaging criticisms regarding the canal. He declares the scheme has already cost a sum of L 20,000,000, and is doomed to inevitable failure. The Economist, of San Francisco, warns its countrymen that the whole concern is on the verge of probable bankruptcy, and the collapse will be the most terrible of the nineteenth century. On the Canadian Pacific the first through ; train from Montreal to the Rocky Moun- | tains was run on November 3, but it is understood there will be no regular j through service to the Pacific coast till ' next spring. In a great storm off the coast of Labrador 80 fishing vessels were wrecked and 70 men lost their lives. Opposition to vaccination continues at Montreal and Toronto, and smallpox continues its ravages. It has spread to Prince Edward's Island, and 41 cases are reported from Charlotte Town. 1 By a conflagration at Iquique, Perm. , there is a loss of 1,000,000d01. There ivas an insurance of 375,000d0l in British companies. The civil war continues to rage in Peru. SCENE IM CORK HAIIBOUR. The cattle-dealers of Cork rejoiced over the arrival of the Danish steamer Constantine on October 30, as the pioneer of a fleet which is expected to usurp the place of the boycotted Cork Steam Packet Company. The Constantine, and other vessels • similarly chartered, are admirably fitted for? the transportation of cattle. When tbe steamer arrived at the mouth of the River Lee she was welcomed by groups of people along the banks, who cheered the newcomer until she reached Cork, where enormous crowds assembled on the quays. When the Danish flag was seen some of the more enthusiastic of the Nationalists yelled " To with Wales' wife ! Down with Denmark ! Hoist the harp and shamrock : she's an Irish vessel now !" When the Constantine was moored a crowd of excited men rushed on board. The Danish sailors, mistaking them for pirates, struck out right and left with belaying 7 pins and other weapons. Many of the sailors drew sheath -knives, and were about to use them when the matter was explained. The captain then civilly requested the intruders to leave, but the request was unheeded. Several invaders attempted to mount to the masthead, while others began hauling on the 'flag halyards. The Danes resented this interference, and after a lively fight the landesmen were driven off the vessel. Their leader had three of his fingers chopped off by a Danish sailor, who was arrested and the vessel put under police guard. The new vessel makes three round trips per week between Cork and Liverpool, and merchants and traders in both cities have promised support enough to threaten the Cork Steam Packet Company with ruin. The company have already laid up the big steamer Pelican and discharged the crew. The Dover Packet Company got the best ot the boycotters, and th.9 greatest, injury they suffered at their hands was the" annoyance and temporary interruption of trade.