CABLE NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18304, 14 January 1920, Page 7

CABLE NEWS.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. A Washington message says that evidence given before tho Senate subcommittee shows that 30,000 men who escaped war service when called up under the American draft system, are stirring aip' a Soviet revolution in Mexico! The Communist party in Mexico has been exceptionally active lately. Captain Block, attache at the British Embassy at Washington, while in a cab was robbed of a valise containing £IOOO in money and valuable Embassy documents. Captain Block is in Havana with Admiral Jellicoe.

Lloyd's Register showg that nearly 3,000,000 tons of shipping was being built in tho United Kingdom at December 31, an increase of 177,000 tons compared with September 30, and over 1.000,000 tons moro than at December 31, 1918. The present total includes fifty-five vessels of 10,000 tons and upwards each. Nearly 5,000,000 tons is being built abroad, a decrease of 205,000 tons compared with September 30. Owing to a decrease of half a million in ,tonnage building in the United States, the world's total of nearly 8,000,000 tons is about 187,000 tons lower than at September 30. A London message says that wild weather continues around tho coast. Tho s.s. Ireaval, a four-thousand-ton cargo steamer from Calcutta, was stranded in a gale off Weymouth, and broke up. Seven of the crew, in lifebelts, were cast ashore exhausted. Twenty corpses were washed ashore. It is believed thirteen others of the crew were drowned. A later message says that thirtythree out of forty of the crew of the Treaval were drowned. At Bordeaux, Georges Carpentier ■ knocked out M'Closky, the American, in the second round.

A Washington message says that Mr Hoover, before the House Committee, stated that owing to enormously improved conditions iii Europe the task of supplying food from the United States would be easy in 1920. United States credits for forty millions sterling would be sufficient. The Smithsonian Institute (New York) has announced that Professor Clark has invented a multiple charge rocket capable of reaching heights in excess of 200 miles/

A Berlin message says that the exKaiser is calling a conference of the iioheuzollerns, to discuss their future residence and to dispose of the family properties. A message from Madrid says there were mutinous, revolutionary movements at Barcelona and Saragoesa. Tho Government is acting drastically. The leaders havo been arrested. A corporal and six privates were courtmartialled and shot for mutiny at Saragossa. Martial law has been declared and the < ffioers recalled from leave. Troop* and gendarmes patrol the streets. . A Syndicalist leader was killed during an attack on the barracks The constitutional parties in Parliament rallied to the Government after a critical debate.

A message from Rome says that Lieutenants Seavini and Banalumi have started on a flight from Rome to Tokio. They have reached Valona. The aviators are using a Caproni machine for the trip. A Paris message says there were 700 persons aboard the steamer Princess Alafalda, which was bound from the Argentine to Genoa, and which, according to an unconfirmed report, was mined and lost with all hands.

The Washington correspondent of the " Ne'v York Tirres," says that the War Depirtmeit, has announced that the United States had an option ot 100,01)0,000 poai-ds of Australian wool at the time of the armistice, but was able to cancel 66,000,000 pounds. According to a message from Washington, the Senate passed a Bill enforcing five years' imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 dollars for writing, uttering, mailing or distributing material advocating the overthrow of the Government by violence, or through assassination or sabotage.

It is officially announced in a London message that the revised eastern boundary of tho Australian Naval Station is as follows:—Along tho meridian of 160 degrees East of Greenwich from the Antarctic Circlo to the Equator with a slight extension further east about the parallel of 30 degrees South latitude! This includes Now Guinea, the New Hebrides, the Solomon Islands, and ihe Bismarck Archipelago* but excludes Fiji. The northern boundary line follows the Equator, crosses New Guinea, and then passes through Torre* Straits and tho Timor Sea to the Indian Ocean. On the west the star tion ig bounded by tho meridian of oO dejrr«s East longitude. - British Jews propose to raise '£1,000,000 to found a Jewish centre of learning as a war memorial to-the Jews who fought for the Empire. During the Saragoesa riots, soldiers attacked the barracks, and a lieutenant was killed. The outbreak was suppressed after the leader had been killed and several wounded.

A London message says that Warrant Officer Assistant Surgeon William Fratel, who was acensed of cruelty to British prisoners at Kut el Amaru., was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment from the date of his trial. Ho was also reduced to the ranks and dismissed from the service. Tlie King remitted nine-tenths of the eontence and released Fratel after seven days' actual imprisonment. (Fratcl waa tried by a courtmartial in London in August. It was dieted that the accused deliberately maltreated British prisoners in order to ingratiate himself with the Turks-) According to . advices from Rome, what are probably the richest and most extensive phosphate mines in tho world havo been located near Derna Cyrenaica. A Paris message, dated January 10, states:—" A total of 240, Senators is being elected to-day. The issue 15 mainly between M. Clomenceau's National bloc and tho Socialists and workmen's group." A train was derailed near Laon (Franco). Seven persons were killed and fourteen injured. It is announced' from Paris that the Carptrntier-Dempsey match will tnko plnce at New Jersey on September 6. Tho steamer Afrique, bound to West Africa from Franco, was damaged in. a galo, and when returning to port was" sunk in a raging sea. Twenty-six survivors wore saved with difficulty. Router states that the Afrique was totally wrecked off La Rochelle. Only twenty, six out of 465 passengers were saved.