MAIL NEWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 279, 4 December 1901, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

DECLINE IN BRITISH COMMERCE. (Per R.M.S. Ventura at Auckland.) San Francisco, Nov. 14. The Tribune's London correspondent states that the British trade returns for October show a still further decline in tiie volume of the nation's commerce. There

is a drop of seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds in exports as compared with October of last year, while ten months of the year give a diminution of nearly ten million pounds. The fall in the ia.st months is due mainly to the diminished value of coal exported. In machinery, metals, and newspapers there is a con-

siderable decrease, winch is balanced by the great increase of the value of textile exports. Imports show a marked reduction of no less than four million pounds. The general impression produced by these figures is that trade is distinctly on the down grade.

CAPTURED MISSIONARY

Miss Stone, the American missionary captured by the Turkish brigands, has not yet been restored to her friends, though some letters have boon received from her. These appear to show that she is not suffering severe hardships, but- they have been delayed and otherwise manipulated by the brigands in such a fashion as to afford little clue. A despatch from Washington states that President Rosevelt will demand a strict accounting with Turkey and Bulgaria for the capture and detention of Miss Stone, no matter whether sho is released by ransom or murdered. AMERICAN PUSH.

The agreement of the United States to the French policy in the Mediterranean has opened the door to an aggressive policy for the United States ; at any time it may be determined upon, and such policy has already been mapped out out by the President and Cabinet. PUNITIVE MEASURES. The President has been both embar-

rassed and annoyed by the manner in which Turkey and Bulgaria are acting in the case of Miss Stone. Turkey endeavors to shift the responsibility upon Bulgaria, and Bulgaria is trying to place the blame on Turkey by insisting that if there is any release it must be on Turkish soil. There are the best of reasons for asserting that the United States has already advised the Powers of the intention to touch Turkey and Bulgaria a severe lesson, and this can, only be done in precisely tho same manner used by Franco in bringing Turkey to terms. RECORD DELIVERY.

A despatch from No.v York, dated November Bth, says that when tho Cunard liner Umbria sails this morning sho will carry a batch of mail matter that arrived in San Francisco last Monday on tho steamer Ventura from Sydney and Auckland. It will bo the speediest delivery over accomplished more than half way round tho world by steam at sea and steam on land, and steam at sea again, in less than thirty days. The New York Central railroad will deliver the mail bags on board tho Cunard within fivo minutes of her sailing time this morning, and the steamer will have the letters in the London Post Office on the morning of November 16th.

DEFEAT OF TAMMANY-. Tammany’s forces were bver-wlielm-ingly defeated in the Municipal election in New York on No- e mbor 5. A despatch from London on {.lie following day says that t^ o most vindictive opponents of Tammany Hall oven in tho thick of the campaign could not have painted that organisation in blacker color than do editorial writers in the afternoon papers here, in congratulation of New York on the result of the election. . “ Tho success of Mr Seth Lowo is an event on which c very friend of America and every lover of virtue and honesty anywhere has good reason to raiso paeons of congratulations,” says St. James Gazette, adding, “ It is the greatest blow yet struck at the most pernicious system of organized, triumphant villany over foisted upon a civilized community by a gang of corrupt blackmailers. But the terrific power of such an organization can only bo finally crushed by a counter-organization and equally far-reaching.” The Pall Mall Gazette says : “The gods that preside over honest government deserve a libation from every good citizen throughout the world.” The Westminster Gazette remarks : “ The New Yorker seems at last to have grasped the fact that he has a citizen’s responsibility for the good government of his city, with a President who has declared against tho spoilers’ system and a de-Tammanyized New York. The administrative outlook for the United States is brighter than it has been for a long time. It may be added that Mr Seth Lowe’s power as Mayor is practically absolute. He has the power of removal and appointment of every non-electivo officer in New York, and the practical distribution of over one hundred million

dollars in patronage each year. Mr Seth Lowe announces that he will introduce this patronage to his commission, and hold them absolutely responsible. THE PRO-BOER NEWS.

The Daily News of November 9th exhaustively surveyed the concentration camps in South Africa, with the following conclusion: —“ The truth is that the death rate in the camps is incomparably worse than anything Africa or Asia can show. There is nothing to match it, even in the mortality figures of the Indian famine, where cholera and other epidemics have to be contended with.” Statistics are produced in proof of this assertion. The Government advertisement for teachers for camp children, setting forth “ the term of employment will be for one year,” is pro-minently-displayed as an evidence that the authorities “ have no intention of ending the wholesale destruction of human life.” The Daily News urges all humane men to insist upon the camps being broken up without waiting for official reports. It insists that the people should be distributed among friends, or removed to districts where a fresh attempt can be made under competent organization, and with some regard to the preservation of life—that or extermination and an eternal stain on the name of England. LORD SALISBURY’S SPEECH.

Lord Salisbury’s speech at the LordMayor’s banquet on November 9th was accepted as the summing up of his South African policy. The response to it by the great audience in the banquet hall was reported to have been entirely loyal, but scarcely ' enthusiastic. Referring to the war Lord Salisbury said: “It is pleasant to record that the peace of the world has been so little disturbed during the last two years. A half century ago we would not have found such a correct and pacific attitude on the part of the powers. It is a suggestive sign of the international amity and understanding that the cloud of the last three weeks over the Mediterranean basso lightly passedaway.” Touching upon South African developments again, the speaker said: "I strongly deprecate the spirit of pessimism so frequently heard in the utterances of our public men as to the war in which we are engaged. Unlike wars of former years, no longer does the capture of the enemy’s capital and the dissipation of his field force constitute a conclusive victory. We are now confronted with a system of guerilla warfare, which must bo slowly and effectively wiped out. We are progressing slowly but steadily. 1 cannot take the public wholly into the confidence of the Government. It would be most imprudenf to state publicly all we are doing weekly and monthly at the front, but what I emphatically declare is that whatever delays are encountered these are due neither to lack of earnestness nor lack of ability on the part of our generals in the field, nor to neglect to comply with all their demands on the part of the Home Government.” Concluding, the speaker said that the menace to the stability of the South African section of the Empire was being effectively and forever removed.