NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 72, 18 May 1868, Page 119

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

We compile the following items from the papers to hand by the last mail GREAT, SNOW STORM IN CHICAGO. A very severe snow storm took place on the Ist and 2nd February, in Chicago, the following account of which, appears in the Republican of that-city:— ' , .Houses were shaken, and in several' instances overturned in the fury of the elements. Signboards, shingles, chimney tops and stove pipes were torn from their positions and hurled into the streets. Everything that wind and hail could destroy was destroyed, and man and beast rendered wet and miserable if exposed for an instant to the blinding storm. At midnight the storm was at its height, and continued for hours to rage with un abated Airy. D uring that time, or, indeed, at any time after dark, a walk in the city was an enterprise of much discomfort and no little danger. Snow drifts Were piled high in every direction, the falling flakes filled the air, rendering the visual organs pf little or no use, while the wind howled from the north and east with violence, driving the snow through the thickest garments, and cutting a man’s face or hands until blood came. The unlucky pedestrian who faced the south.or west, having-the gale in his back, or nearly so, was enabled, at considerable hazard, to proceed on his journey at the, risk of being swept off the side walk minute, arid with the prospect of ..finding .himself floundering in a snow drift .at eveiy,* street corner. An attempt to .walk in either of the.opposite directions was simply impossible. The strongest man was.powerless in the face of the terrific gale, and the boldest dare hardly brave its fury. When not extinguished by the gale, the street lamps remained, lit, and by them Alone wsb the traveller afforded the means of guiding himself on his weary and troublesome way. To see across the street was. not practicable in any case, and to distinguish one street, from another, when all were covered to the depth of ten or twelve feet by snow drifts, was also a matter of some slight difficulty to a mortal of not more than ordinary mental endowments. | The night was indeed a fearful one—one that will long be remembered by all who experienced its severity. , THE.’ENGLISH PRESS ON THE NEW . .PRIME MINISTER. , .Queen’s request to Mr Disraeli to form a,Cabinet, and his acceptance of.the charge are.regarded as an acknowledgment ' that the aristocracy and Conservative party generally ; failed to present a;man of suffl- ‘ cient influence, or perhaps talent, for . the post, and hence the .entrusting of the great seal to-thOi Chancellor of .the Exchequer is viewed as. a. great step in the march towards, popular government. The people are taken by his success. - The politicians calLto mind -that, thirty years ago Lord Mplbourne~-whp then controlled » power, ful parly—noticed Disraeli’s, exertions and inquired of him what officii position he intended' 1 to ; achieve, to which hh at' once \ I mean to be Prime Minister of mi-; >nißteml ! prpspects - are disoussed at length ' splak ‘ U We make a ‘ :UW'|9lo6tiOfio - s '. *'.•

The Disraeli has won the'poßiti&t*mqyl and adds : Se is the first man • in power in-England w bo obtained such office solely by the exhibition of personal ability in Parliament'

and tne Cabinet, and who won it despite the disadvantages of birth,, youthful position, and, at one time, the actual distrust of his party. The London Standard prints ■ a warm eulogy of Mr Disraeli. .The writer says that his attainment of office exhibits the greatest instance of political generalship to be found in the history pf England. As Chancellor of the Exchequer he discharged dutiesa very difficult nature to the satisfaction of the .Crown 'and Parliament and his great experience, courage, tact, and close office relations with Earl Derby, qualify him to undertake the very.onerous task which will be imposed on him as head of the Cabinet.

The London Herald- asserts that Mr Disraeli’s capacity to organise and lead a party both in and out of Parliament has never been extolled, and that his ■ call- to the Premiership reflects credit on the political system under which he was matured as a public man, and which now rewards him with such a crown. A career of arduous exertion, conducted with: courage and masterly tactics, adds one more brilliant name to the list of British Commoners who have held the Premiership. The London News says that with Lord Derby’s resignation terminates a line of a class of statesmen which cannot be revived in the kingdom. The London Telegraph expresses the hope that Mr Disraeli will be Premier of England— not Premier of the Tory party in England. He must (the Telegraph says) recollect' that he rose from the people, and that, as one of the people, he owes a deeper measure of loyalty to England than he does to an aristocratic party, the members of which merely .borrowed his talents as a political aid for party purposes. The London Star states that Disraeli’s call to office constitutes a great step to wards the perfection of a go.od system of good government. It is an attestation of the triumph of genius. The London Star admits th.e great ability of Mr Disraeli, but expresses regret that, some man noble—not self-made—has not obtained the Premiership. The Post asserts that Disraeli is Premier not so much on account of his acquirements and merits, as the fact is there is no one else so fit for the office.

The London Advertiser says that the new Premier must make up his mind to do Parliamentary battle for his place, and face the probability of defeat. He will, it adds, have no quarter from the. Whigs or Tories, as both parties hate him; but as head of the Cabinet he will enjoy fair play at the hands of the people, if he stands forth boldly, and avows aline of policy distinctive from the course of either.

FEAREUL RAVAGES OE CHOLERA IN SOUTH AMERICA. Prom Buenos Ayres we have news to the 29th January. Although the cholera was abating in Buenos Ayres, the news from all parts of the country is very deplorable. A despatch from Montevideo, dated 25r,b January, says that there is great excitement there in regard to the place. Numerous English people have been attacked, but had recovered. Out at Cerro and outskirts, the mortality is fearful. General Flores has stopped all coaches to the camp. News from the estancias is melancholy—the average mortality in the city is 50 per day. The heat in Montevideo during the last month has been terrific—average rate of the thermometer, 90 j on the 25th January it was 98 in the shade, and 136 in the sun. The city is deserted—hundreds had left and were leaving for Rio, Not a soul is to be seen in the streets. - • At Parana the deaths were from twenty to twenty-five daily. From Saladillo the news is very sad. A letter in the Buenos Ayres Standard, datea January 20, says:—■“ Nothing is talked of here but the cholera, and the most- absurd and extravagant stories are told of its ravages and cause. The lower class have got into'their heads that the cholera is a poison in the shape of different coloured powders, and introduced by foreigners. The following sketch will, perhaps, startle some of the terror-stricken townspeople, who are flying to the camp from the cholera There is a rancho not far from Partjdo, where I was living, in which all the -inmates are supposed to be dead or dying, no one being courageous.enough to explore this abode of-death any further than to let go . a horse who was dying at 'the palenque. -About a square from the ‘ house is lying the dead body of a woman sewed up. in a horse hide, exposed to the ' rays of a burning January Bun. We have ! no'sanitary commission,medioal assistance, or even authority competent or Willing to 1 stretch forth a helping hand to the poor ’ in this hour of need ; and this, perhaps, is Voniy one of many similar, cases.” ‘ A plagne has likewise broken out in two 1 flocks of sheep, died in one day. ’ The sheep have had abundance of grass : and'water aU jthrpugh:the drought., What 1 is mbst' remarkible is" that the* neighbours | whose, .sheep are. feeding on the same run 1 have notToßt ah animal as yet. 4 : :

THE GREAT EASTERN STEAMSHIP - O.COMPANY. A meeting of the>,proprietors h ; of; the steamship <Q-reat:Eastern was;reobhtly held iaLondon. Bythe report it appeara that

the directors have, not been able to make any satisfactory arrangements .for the. employment of the ship, hut a -hope is expressed that, with the general revival of trade, profitable employment may be obtained either in the passenger trade, or in the submersion of telegraph cables. The Chairman, in moving the adoption-of the report, said he had very little information to impart, in consequence of the failure of the French company to carry oat the contract they had entered into. The result had; been a perfect break-down. As far as the future was concerned, he thought their prospects were encouraging. There were other cables to be laid, and he was certain that their ship was. the only one which could accomplish such and undertaking successfully. The cost of keeping her was £7O a week, which covered all expenses. The vessel was only insured against fire, but any shareholders could of course cover their own risk. There was always some steam up for the- purpose, of pumping water. After a short discussion, in which a proprietor suggested that the ship should be converted into a floating hotel, the report was adopted unanimous!y.

MISCELLANEOUS. As a specimen of “ liberty under the Empire in France,” some of the journals record that the Mayor of the town of Saint Remy, near Marceills, has just ordered that “no ball, concert, serenade, playing of musical bands, promenade with torches, or any other amusements whatsoever, shall-take place without his written permission.” - A remarkably high tide was recently experienced at Hull, England, the water havihg risen to a height of thirty feet, or about three feet higher than the usual heavy tides. Houses, cellars and streets were flooded. One firm suffered a loss of Borne £7,500 in consequence of injury done to flannels stored in their cellarage. Monsignor Ferrari, the Pope’s Minister of Finance, who is a prelate without being a priest,- has been refused the Cardinal’s hat in consequence of his having contracted morganatic or left-handed marriage. A serious railway collision has occurred near Edinburgh. ' A Newcastle goods train ran into a mineral train, at a place called Fallow-Hill onthe Waverley route of the North BritislfTtailway. The engine driver and foreman of the former and the. guard of the latter were killed on the spot. . There was considerable destruction of plant in addition to the loss of life.

..Accounts received in Liverpool state that during'the month of January no less than 141 ships bearing the British flag were lost. This statement has been verified by the report of the Bureau Veritas of Paris. This number is far greater than that which has occurred for many years. An alarming fire has occurred in the customs warehouse of the Charing Cross railway station. Prompt measures were taken to flood the bridge, which was thus preserved, but in the eu a toms offices it was impossible to check the flames, which ultimately caught the roof of the station. Here the fire brigade attacked the fire, and in the course of an hour had the mastery. The roof is seriously damaged,'but the traffic which was suspended during the afternoon was resumed at night so far as to admit of the departure of the continental mail.

The Emperor of Austria has given orders to the Ministry of Marine at Vienna to : make all -the necessary preparations for an expedition to Eastern Asia. This expedition, which is entirely carried out at ’ the expense of the State, is to be under the command of Admiral Tegethoff. The Abbe Renard, the venerable cuie of Sebencourt, France, was recently burnt to death. His body wos found almost carbonized by the side of a stove, at which he was warming himself. The deceased had for some time past been blind and helpless.

■ General' von Roon, the Prussian Minister of War, who received a sum of 300,000 thalers -(3fr 750 each) as a reward on the conclusion of the war, has devoted the amount- to. the oreation of a family fund which is to bear his name.’

A New York exchange says Accounts continue to reach in regard to the late snow storm whioh shows .it to have been one of the most remarkable on record. It extended, with the same features of wind drifting; from far west of the Missouri river to the -coasts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.!; The: drifts’ in Albion, in this State, were from 18 : to2sfeet deep in places.’. ' ;; . The Timos of India states authoritatively that 238 vessels are 'employed in the Indian Seas for'the Abyssinian expedition and : thafc the monthly freight, exclusive of coal, is £302,000. , , . Sir, Charles Jasper Selwyn, Q.C., MP. for the university of Cambridge, has succeeded' to the Lord‘‘Justiceship, vacated Sir Johnjßolt. The appointment was of fared in the first instance to Sir Roundell Palmer, but,declined;.. Sir Charles Selwyn is a brother to the Bishop of Lichfield, was first, elected for Cambridge university in April,: 1859, and -waß made .Solicitor General in 1867. .

A corespondent at Rome says that although it is now Carnival «>time Roipe is’ like a.tpjnb j- thejtheatres gire deserted and there. ai;e '.scarcely; any:, foreigners l in the city.- .:,V' •' The London -Evening C-lohehasa report that!alarming revolts. -have ; broken out among the-prisoners in IndiA ;j