ENGLISH ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 7927, 2 August 1886, Page 5

ENGLISH ITEMS.

♦ (Per b.s. Rotomahana, at the Bluff.) JjFBOK OUB OWN COBBEBPONDENT.] London, July 20. FRANCE AND GERMANY. Owing to the strained relations that at present exist between Germany and France, M. Gonrsel has resigned hia position as French Ambassador to Berlin. It is probable that M. Waddington will be .appointed to the position vacated by M. Course:!, and that the latter will £ll M. Waddiagton's place in London. RUSSIAN COLONISATION. A Russian Colony is to be established by Baron J Macleay, the well-known Russian <explorer, who has undertaken the management of the scheme for founding a Russian Colony in New Guinea. Up to the present the names of 240 intending Russian emigrants have been enrolled. THE ELECTIONS. In the voting throughout the elections in Great Britain at the general elections, the Conservatives, Unionists, and Liberal , parties polled an aggregate majority of x 76,000 votes over the total number re- ■~\ horded in favour of candidates who came as supporters of Mr Gladstone's ■Home Rule policy. July 21. IMFEBIAL CONFERENCE. A Conference has been arranged to take place at Gastein in August between Emperors William of Germany and Francis Joseph of Austria. WESLBYAN PBEBIDENT. The Rev Dr Robert Newton Young has been elected President of the British Weeleyan Methodist Conference. The Russian press condemns the German Government for its apathy with regard to the colonisation of New Guinea. THE MUSEUM SCHEME. The Times states that the majority of the Executive Commissioners for the Colonies, IB the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, support the Congress of Chambers of Commerce in opposing the proposition, that the site for the projected Colonial museum and permanent Exhibition should be at Kensington. The Times further states that it will not be necessary for the Colonies to contribute annually towards the maintenance of the Exhibition, but that a lump sum at the outset would be all that •would be needed. Five Colonists have guaranteed .£SOOO each to support the institution. BXTSSIAN MOVEMENT. A Russian fleet is now menacing Chuelfort, an island at the entrance of the Yellow Sea, about 60 miles south of Corea. THE JUBILEE EXHIBITION. The Prince of Wales being unable himself to accept the invitation offered him to desires that his eldest son, Albert Victor, should be asked to peiform the opening ceremony at the Jubilee Exhibition to be opened in Adelaide next year. Canada is sending some excellent exhibits. THE SHIP CANAL SCHEME. The scheme for the formation of a ship -canal between Liverpool and Manchester has collapsed. THE RUSSIAN COLONISING MOVEMENT. Baron Macleay has written a letter to the Times, denying that his Government had any intention of establishing such a Colony. Macleay, however, adds that he proposes to revisit New Guinea shortly to forward the private autonomous settlement which has been projected by some Russians. Mr Whiffen has been appointed official liquidator of the Commercial Bank of South Australia. The Court refused to sanction the continuance of Pleydel, manager of the London branch of the Bank, in the position of liquidator. July 22. NEW GUINEA. The Rev Mr Lawes, New Guinea missionary, now visiting England, has written a letter to the Times, in which he advocates granting assistance to Forbes, the explorer, to enable him to further pursue hie, researches in New Guinea. , July 23. Baron Miklonho Macleay, the well-known Russian explorer, who lived for some time inNew Guinea, disputes the right of the German Government to the territory which they lay claim to on the island, and it is stated that they will, on landing in New Guinea for the purpose of founding a Russian Colony, proclaim a Russian Protectorate. Political offenders will be excluded from the operation of the amended Extradition Treaty now under consideration by the Governments of Great Britain and the United States, and the professed object of which is to include within the scope of the treaty, persons guilty of using dynamite and other explosives. By the exemption of political offenders the amended treaty will be probably rendered utterly valueless England. - INTENSE COLD. July 26. Great distress exists on the coast of Newfoundland, owing to the

failures of the fisheries, the weather being phenomenally cold, and fish remarkably scarce in consequence, 1500 people perished from misery and exhaustion.