THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Evening Star, Issue 7246, 24 June 1887, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

A despatch of June 1 says that the Sultan of Turkey has ceded the island of Cyprus formally to England.

Mr Baylcy, vice-commodore of the Boyal Albert Yacht Club, was declared a bankrupt on June 1, witli liabilities at L 67,000. The Queen proposes in honor of the Jubilee to release all military prisoners confined for petty offences.

The German steamer Oder was wrecked on Rccotra Island, in the Indian Ocean, on May 30. The passengers and most of the crew were saved.

The Bodclein Library controversy at Oxford was settled by a majority of nearly 100 (two to one) voting against the project of converting it permanently into a lending library. Windjws along the Queen's route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey are letting for L4O, and single front floor rooms for LftO. Americans are credited with being the highest bidders.

Upwards of L 4,000 has been subscribed by the present members of the Royal household for a Jubilee present to the Queen. It will take the si ape of a splendid silver centrepiece. The lists of the women's Jubilee offering closed on May 30, showing L 50.000, and a million and a-half of Bubscriberß,

Efforts are being made to accelerate the transit of the Australian mails across the American Continent, and thus obviate the delay in the sailing of the steamer. W. L. Hanser, aged thirty-two, agent of the New Zealand Life Insurance Company at San Jose, shot liimsolf fatally on May 15, He was short in Mb accounts, and this and a love affair are Baid to account for the act. The signing of a Russo-American extradition treaty by Secretary Bayard, on the part of the United States, whereby political refugees are to be surrendered to the Czar by the American Governiment, has created an intense feeling rtniforig foreigners residing under the Stars and Stripes, and also among native - born. The Knights of Labor are intensely excited, and mass meetings are held, at which the Secretary of State (Mr Bayard) is denounced in unmea sured terms.

Fathrrs Keoler, Ryan, and Slattery were released from Kilmainham Prison, in Dublin, on May 21, the Court of Appeal having decided that the arrest of the priests for refusing testimony was illegal. A memorial on the Irish question prepared by the Irish College at Rome, and published on May 18, is entitled " Ireland as it is." It explains the Parnell policy, and apologies for the attitude of the Irish episcopacy. Referring especially to Archbishop Walsh, the memorial is rather firm and uncompromising in tone, but not revolutionary. It is supposed that Monsignor Kirby, rector of the college, consulted with the Vatican before issuing the document. A later despatch doubts the issuance of this memorial. The powerful Clan-na-Gael secret society in the United Stater has broken up, the secretary having '* skipped" with 4,000d0l of the funds. The fight among the members has become so bitter that several are accused of Belling secrets to the British Government and supplying information to the London 'Times.' The society is now split up into two factions. The forty-five-mile yacht race on May 30, off Harwich, was won by the Fred in 4h l7min. The Winteur finished in 4h 35min, the Genesta in 4h Ssmin, the new Scotch steel yacht Thistle in 4h 52min, the Neptune in 4h 52min, and the Sybil in 5h 4min. Mr Bell, owner of the Thistle, has expressed himself to the effect that he considers the undertaking of an American contest anything but a light matter, but he was certain to receive fair play. Another race, under the auspices of the new Thames Yacht Club, took place on June 2, from Towerhope to M.use lightship and return. The contesting yachts were the Genesta, Sybil, Sleuth-hound, Winteur, Thistle, Neptune, Fred, and Foxhound The distance, fifty miles, wasmade by the Thistle in 4h 43min, and the day's performen je confirmed the universal opinion of the yacht's splendid capacity. Some experts say that she is the finest racing craft afloat, and the London 'Times' adds that there is certainly now a hopeful chance that she will win back the American cup. At an auction sale in Wales, on May 28, of some cattle distrained for tithes, a crowd gathered, forced back the soldiers and police, caught the auctionoer, turned his coat inside out, and led him in procession through the town. After handling him roughly, they made him promise never to act as auctioneer in the neighborhood again. A dynamite bomb exploded under the Police Court at Hepburn, Durham County, on May 23, partially destroying the buildings. The outrage was attributed to strikers.

Lord Colia Campbell was declared bankrupt on May 23 on tho petition of the Duke of Marlborough. His schedule shows liabilities L 9.000, including L 6.000 for divorce costs. The new racing yacht Thistle lost her bowsprit and was otherwise damaged in a gale during her trial run from Clyde. While on the trip she rescued three men in a lifeboat belonging to the steamer Harkaway, which had foundered. Sixteen lives were iost when the steamei went down. The lifeboat originally

carried six parsons, three of whom succumbed to privation. It is now said that the Thistle is actually owned by an American William Clarke, thread manufacturer, and cost 35,000d01. She will be offered for sale immediately after the race. The husband of Violet Cameron has obtained L1.9C0 damages against the Manchester ' Umpire' for a libel contained in an account of an interview with Lord Lonsdale published in that paper. George Augustus Sala lectured on "What I saw in Australia and New Zealand " for the benefit of the hospital for women and children. An Unionist meeting held in Bristol on May 18 was swamped by Gladstonites. _ Sir Henry James was unable to obtain a hearing, and the meeting broke up in disorder. The Lord Mayor of London gave a banquet to former Rugby schoolboys, himself being one, at the Mansion House on May 18. The French Ambassador, M. Waddington, spoke in reply to a toast of his rare and singular good fortune as a Rugby boy of the fast in finding himself so well welcomed in the centre of London and sitting as Ambassador of the French Republic between two other schoolfellows, the Lord Mayor of London and the Chancellor of the Exchequer of England. Thirty thousand children are to picnic in Hyde Park on Jubilee Day. Ihe idea was conceived by Mr Edward Lawson, of the 'Daily Telegraph,' who headß the contribut on to meet the expenses by the donation of LI.OOO. The Dukes of Westminster and Bedford gave each LIOO.

Sir John MilJais has sold his Academy picture this year—a Scotch landscape, which he calls "Over the hills and far away"—for 5,000 guineas, the highest price ever given for any English landscape, Turner alone excepted. The fact that the Imperial Government were likely to refuse a subsidy to the Canadian steam*hip lines between Vancouver, Hongkong, and Australia created something like consternation in parliamentary circles at Ottawa. Subsidy or no subsidy, the Canadian Government will not recede from their position.

Sir Charles Tupper left on a mission to Washington to sound the Government there on the subject of trade relationship between the Dominion and the States.

A Panama despatch of the 16th May says that in one of the largest cuts water has been struck. The amount of rock and earth taken out of the section referred to cost millions of dollars, all of which is rendered valueless, as the water has worked from the sides of the mountain more than sufficient to fill all the cut. The Rev. DrM'Glynn, the recalcitrant Roman Catholic pastor of St. Stephen's, New York, who refuses to obey the dictum if the Pope, is about to embrace Protestanism. In his lecture, " The New Crusade," he does not hesitate to freely criticise, and even to satirise, the Roman Pontiff.

Mr Hewitt, Mayor of New York, is enforcing the Sunday liquor laws so rigidly that not only are the saloons of the city closed on the first day of the week, but the landlords of hotels are not allowed to serve guests with beer, spirits, or wine. A letter written by Mr Andrew Carnegie, of Philadelphia, a Scotchman by birth, and a naturalised citizen of the United States, refusing to take part in the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee, and giving his reasons therefor, has created a great sensation. Carnegie speaks of the land of his birth and of the English in terms of bitterest contempt, and declares that tho only day to be observed is the 4th of July. Up to May 19th 8,000 persons, including metalworkers, miners, and other traders bad struck in the central districts of Belgium. Troops aro in constant demand to prevent violence.

The central crater of Mount Etna was active all the morning of May 31, and lava flowed in large volumes. Masses of stones and cinders were thrown to a great height, and heavy clouds of smoke enveloped the cone of the mountain. Dr Janker, Russian exulorer, writes to Brussels on May 18 stating that he has received a letter from Emin Bey. dated December IS, written at Wadelai. Emin Bey stated that he bad obtained news and supplies from Zanzibar through an Arab trader whom King Mangwa permitted to pass through bis dominions. Emin Bay and all his party at Wadelai were well, and Kit'g Mangwa was willing to allow the Arab to return to Zanzibar for fresh supplies. A terrible explosion occurred in the Redston Coalpit, Blantyre (Lancashire), on May 27. Three hundred and twenty miners were entombed in the depths, forty-five of whom were released from the upper Beam, one dying after reaching the Burface. The exploVon occurred in the' lowest Beam, and access to this was found to be blocked by debris resulting from the explosion. Twenty-five miners confined are all thought to be dead. Seventy other men were shut in a middle seam, and hopes were entertained of saving most of tbem. A despatch of May 30 says that sixty-one bodies had been recovered from the pit, many unrecognisable, being horribly charred and the limbs blown off.

MR O'BRIEN'S MISSION TO CANADA. Mr O'Brien, the editor of the Dublin 'United Irishman,' arrived in New York on May 10 on his way to Canada, on a crusade against Lord Lansdowno, Governor-General, in retaliation for the evictiou by the latter of the tenants on his estates in Ireland. He was received with open hands in New York by Irish-Americans of

that city. By many level-haded Irishmen, M well as Americans, O'Brien's enterprise was regarded as quixotic. He reached Montreal on the 11th, and was received at Quebec by a delegation of the National League. He spoke to 2,000 people in the evening bis speech being devoted to a narration of the circumstanoea attending evictions on Lord Lansdowne's estate at Luggacurran. His hearers indulged in the wildest demonstrations. O'Brien's speech in Quebec on the 12tb was in the same strain as that at Montreal, with an invitation to Lord Lansdowne to defend himself throngh the newspapers if the charges made against bun were unfounded. The ' Montreal Herald' criticised O'Brien's position and action, stating that the official status of the party attacked prevented him from defending himself. The City Council of Toronto refused to rent O'Brien any public hall in that place, and Mayor Howland replied to his telegram of application by one dissuading him from coming, as lib object was to attack a representative of Her Majesty on personal grounds. As to the truth of O'Brien's statements, the Mayor said the Toronto people neither cared nor should they be called on to judge. The business of the City Council was to prevent a possible riot, and they pioposed to attend to it. The ' Globe,' on Lord Lansdowne'B authority, announced on the 13tb that the Governor-General wished Mr O'Brien to have full libsrty of speech. A meeting, attended by nearly 12 000 people, was held in the Queen's Faik, Toronto, on May 14, over which Mayor Howland presided, and several clergymen were present. Resolutions were passed Btrongly reprobating O'Brien's mission, and expressing confidence in Lord Lansdowne, also looking with confidence to the British Parlian ent for a wise and meet settlement of the Irish question. Three cheers were given amidst the greatest enthusiasm and waving ef hats for the Queen and Lord Lansdowne* and the vast multitude, with uncovered heads, joined in singing the National Anthem, after which they adjourned. Mayor Howland stmt a copy of the resolutions to the Governor-General, who replied as follows: "It has been a source of the deepest regret to me that those who have sought for political par' poses to stir up strife between the tenant* on part of my Irish estates should have been for a time successful. I desire sincerely that the differences which have thus arisen may not prove permanent, and that the kind relations which until recently existed bttween these tenant* and myself may ere long be completely restored." When O'Brien arrived at Toronto on the 18th, he was attacked by a mob, principally composed of Orangemen, who used sticks and stones as missiles, shouting all the while "Kill the traitoi!" He was forced to take refuge in a laundry to save bis life, and was conducted thence by the police to his hotel. The Frees, commentingon this violence, said it had succeeded in accomplishing what all the eloquence and courage of O'Brien attempted in vain - obtaining public sympathy. In Ottawa the demonstration was mixed in character, but the preponderance of feeling was in favor of O'Brien, and it waa regarded as an answer to the Toronto attack, A prominent citizen (R. Wigle) made a deliberate statement from the platforms "We want annexation. We do not want any more pauperstricken landlords coming over here to disgrace us and shame themselves." A public meeting was called in Hamilton on the 21st to protest against O'Brien's visiting that place and continuing his attack on the Governor-General* On the evening of May 20 be reached Kingston —" the Kerry of Canada," as it is called, with its population of 15,000, of whom 5,000 are Catholics—and spoke at the skating rink. Calm was maintained for some time, but it was broken when Mr Kilbride (Lord Lansdowne's evicted tenant) commenced his statement. An immense crowd outside began to shout "God save the Queen" and to groan. O'Brien, when he came out on the street, was greeted with shouts of "There he is," " Drag him out here," "Kill him," "Choke him," "Teerbim asunder": and amid showers of missiles the lecturer and his friends fled for their lives. The newspaper correspondents with him were badly i huit. The office of the Canadian 'Freeman/ i an Irish-Catholic organ, waß wrecked. O'Brien • found refuse in the house of Peter Devlin, i An examination showed him to be pretty well used up. A boulder had struck him on the back of the neck and felled him Just in I time to prevent a blow aimed at his head with a club taking effect. His throat was fun of dust, his clothes bespattered with blood, and lie was scarcely able to stand ; but he managed i to say some very bitter things to the Mayor for ! bis evident favoritism of the rioters. He left Kingston on May 21, amidst cheers from the i Nationalists, on his way to Niagara Falls, visiting Syracuse and Rochester (New York) en i route. When the party got on board the sleeping cars leaving Rochester and bound for the i Falls, Mr O'Brien fainted away on his bed from pure exhaustion. A physician told him that he was suffering from internal injuries. Hi» body was bruised and battered in several places, and a touch of inflammation of the i lungs had appeared. O'Brien, however, insisted on leaving for Hamilton. He was met with a reception which threw into the shade everything that had occurredprcviously. Abodyguard welcomed him, and nothing took place until the meeting at eight o'clock p.m. at the skating rink, where the Orangemen made a demonstration on the outside. When he left > the rink, O'Brien was hustled into a carriage i with Messrs M'Mahon and Roche, of the local - branch of the National League, and Dennis Kilbride. As the vehicle wheeled into Market ■ square eight pistol shots were fired into_ it, ■ Nobody, however, was hurt, except the driver ; (Nelson), whose wrist was badly smashed, I M'Mahon seized the reins which were dropped, and drove as rapidly as possible to the hotel, [ As the party stepped into the corridor. a ) volley of eggs was hurled at O'Brien, but missed both himself and his friends. ' O'Brien returned to Niagara Falls on the 24th. ' Before he left Hamilton he received a letter s from Syracuse, N.Y., to the following effect: — "East Syracuse, N.Y, May 18, 1887. fc William O'Brien, —You black-hearted Irish , fool, if you ever make your appearance in i Kingston or Ottawa your blood will ran cold. > Take my advice and go back to your black Irish ) home. P.S.—I will be there in less than forty- » eight hours." O'Brien was soared by this I letter. The Hamilton ' Spectator' asserts that : shots were fired from O'Brien's carriage before I the attacking party touched.a trigger, a states ment which has been denounced by O'Brien as a falsehood. The Governor-General was eateri tained by the National Club at Toronto on ■ May 2L He made a slight reference to ' O'Brien and his mission, saying that it was ; an incident that had not interfered with his > convenience or happiness. On his return to i Ottawa Lord Lansdowne had an exceptionally warm reception, the whole city turning out to greet him. In his speech to the assembly he i made a jocular allusion to O'Brien's mission as a r-cent "invasion of Canada" —not mimeri- ' cilly strong, but making up in intrepidity for lack of numbers. He said the only trouble was that the invaders had been completely misled l by their intelligence department. At the conclusion of the address a crowd of young men took the horses from the carriage of the Goveraor'General, a7id themselves drew the vehicle to Government House. O'Brien's partisans did the same thing for him _at i Montreal, where he was on the 27tb, drawing the carriage of himself and colleagues to St. Lawrence Hall, from the balcony of which he made a speech. O'Brien got through with his Canadian tour on May 29, and returned to Boston. ' The London Times' considers O'Brien's real object in his mission is to stir up IrishCanadiaa disaffection. The League's quarrel with Lord Landsdowne is because he gave very liberal remissions of rent to tenants in Kerry, one of the poorest parts in Ireland, but declined to treat in the same way people like Kilbride, paying a reutal of LIOO in Queen's County, one of the richest parts. O'Brien, according to a despatch of May 17, has been elected without opposition to a seat in the House of Commons for the north-east division of Cork, the seat vacated by the resignation of Edmund Leamy. The Irish tenants have been acting upon O'Brien's advice during his absence in Canada, and a few evictions caused great expense and trouble to the authorities. The Nationalists of Limerick propose an Irish boycott of the Ounard line of steamers if it be proved that the Umbria's captain was implicated in the action of a mob who insulted Mr O'Brien on his voyage from England to the United States'.

BURNING OF A THEATRE,

The burning of the Opera Comiquc took place on May 25, and the building was totally destroyed. The fire took place during the firs* act of " Mignon." It appears that the fire apparatus, which had been put in position for the burning of the palace in the second act, rolled down from its place near the roof, and exploded below. In fifteen minutes the stage was a vast furnace. The iron curtain was lowered in f ron'. of it, and this prevented the fire spreading immediately to the auditorium, and allowed the audience to escape. The victims were almost all singer', fourteen of whom were killed by jumping from windows, and fortythree injured. The scene attending the disaster, a 8 described in subsequent despatches, was frightful. Twenty bodies, dreadfully mutilated, were taken from the ruins, the remains principally of ballet girls, choristers, and machinists. The remains of three men and two women were found in a stage box, where refuge had been taken from the flames. It was ascertained that many bodies were burned in the upper ga'leries, where escape was exceedingly difficult. On the afternoon of the 26th the bodies of eighteen ladies, all in full dress, were found lying together at the bottom of the staircase leading from the second storey. These ladies all had escorts at the theatre; but no r mains of men were found near where the women wero exhumed. The official statement nude oh 26th May said that fifty bodies had been already recovered ; but it was estimated at least 200 'oßt their lives by this fire. Up to the 26th, of 156 mi-sing peisons, twenty were inquired for by their relatives. The bottom of the theatre was flooded sft deep with water, and on the surface the firemen found floating sixty bodie >. The officials endeavored to underrate the loss of life, as the large number of bodies found had alarmed the public. Among the audience were Generals Boulanger, Sausier, and Ihebaudin, MM. Goblet and Berthelot, all of whom escaped unhurt. The library attached to the th atre was entirely destroyed with all its contents, including many valuable scenes. Six thousand costumes were burned in the wardrobe room. The Government

propose to close several parish theatres because of their deficiency in exit. Ihe work of_ searciing for bodies was attended by a ,?°"r? nauseous smell on May 29, notwithstandingthat deodorising fluids were thrownon thei ruins from hydrants. TLis indicates that there must still be many coipses under tho debris.

SP RTING.

An Anglo -Parisian bookmaker named Wright recently offered 120,(00 for tho mccliorxo Bendigo, besides allowing the present owner (Mr Barclay) to run the li-is-.: in whatever race he likes; Wright and Barclay to divide winnings equally. Tho offer was refused. The Austrian Derby, run on May 2'.', was won by Baron Rothschild'a Sessupauo. On Derby Day four-in-hands were seen in great numbers, ten of these leaving the mc ropoli.s downs. T c Prince of Wales, Lord Kosebory, the Crown Prince of Denmark, and many other persons of distinction were present. The course was slightly heavy, and the weather threatening. The Baron, who was the favorite, appeared to be in good form, but their respective stables backed Aintree and Merry Hampton. The latter was ridden by Watts, The Baron by Cannon, and Martley by F. Barrett. The betting at the post was 11 to 1 against Merry Hamilton, 5 to 4 The Baron, 10 to 1 Martley, 7 to 1 Eiridsford, 12 to 1 Bianchland, 50 to 1 Grandison and Porcelain, 100 to 1 Saville, 200 to 1 Consolide, 220 to 1 the Shannon colt. A capital start was made, Porcelain and the Shannon colt being the first to show in advance, with Aintree and Eiridsford followi g, and Baron and Merry Hampton coming next. Porcelain back, but the Shannon colt kept the lead, and Martley was last. At the mile post Eiridsford draw up and ran level with the Shannon colt, and he was joined directly afterwards by Bianchland, Grandison, and Tho Baron. Tho pace was too hot f< r the Slnnnon coit, and lie give way. Aintree was now at tho tail of the string, and Bianchland and Eiridsford were three lengths ah' ad of The Baron and Merry Hampton. On entering the itraight Cannon rode The Baron vigorously and Blanchardand Eiridsford very soon fell back beaten. Merry Hampton then took the lead, with Martley and Aintree leading tho others. J'he Baron 'ran with gamencss, but failed to reach Merry Hampton. Martley was third, Aintree fourth, Eiridsford fifth. The Shannon colt came in last. A correspondent writes that the defeat was a foregone con lusion. The Ring had laid too heavily against him to allow him to win. The Ring hid suffered so heavily at recent meetings thit had The Baron won a great proportion of the winnings of his backers could not have been paid. Others were equally confident that tho colt was beaten on his merits. All, however, agree that the field was a poor one.

THE PANAMA CANAL.

Official accounts have reached Washington detailing a great cave in tho canal works. The slip was caused by underground currents of water which had been disturbed and diverted by the canal excavation. The work now stands about where it did beforo a sp ideful of material was removed. The cut is filled in solidly for i long distance with earth a :d rock ; the latter in great masses. The engineers are preparing to begin work on the Culebra cut, which it is calculated cannot be accomplished in lets than mx years. Mr Kelson Eoyd, an English engineer, concludes an article on the canal as follows: "The impression made upon my mind by a visit to the Canal is a sad one. It seems as if Lesaeps's success was to be tarn ; slicd by a failure at Panama, and a brilliant reputation, earned in the East, lost in the West. The Suez Canal has been followed too closely, for this work should have been constructed under vory different circumstances. The difficulties were underrated by the early surveyors, and the rate of wages miscalculated. Now there is uncertainty and hesitation about the plans to be adopted, and a tardy striving after economy.