CABLE ITEMS

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1914, Page 7

CABLE ITEMS

[Press Association.]

SWALLOWED UP ALIVE

NEW YORK, March 21. Two miners, who were engaged working in a shanty on the mountain side near a colliery at Pottsville, in Pennsylvania, disappeared, through the earth inside ,the building being engulfed in a subsidence. It is believed that they have been swallowed up alive, descending 500 feet into some abandoned works. DUEL AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. BERLIN, March 22. The court-martial at Metz sentenced Lieutenant yon Lavalette St. George to 2£ years' confinement in a fortress, and dismissed him from the army,' for killing Lieutenant Haage in a duel on February 2nd. The court was of opinion that defendant caused the duel by grossly insulting Haage's family.

MAXIME GORKY CHARGED WITH BLASPHEMY.

ST. PETERSBURG, March 22. Proceedings hay© been commenced against Maxime Gorky, on a charge of blasphemy preferred in 1905 in connection with one oi his novels.

SHIPPING FREIGHTS

LONDON, March 22. The council of th© International Shipping Federation has asked the

constituent associations tc consider . the laying up of a proportion of their ships in order to improve Jhe freight. THE MURDER OF REEKS.

. . LONDON, March 21. A- mercantile officer, a' friend of Reeks, has handed the Liverpool police a letter from Reeks which,, it is alleged, throws a light, oh" the latter's movements in England.-

A CHANGE OF FAITH

BERLIN, March 21. The newspapers hay© published a letter in which the Kaiser in 1901, writing to the Landgraefin Anna of Hesse, when, she became a Roman Catholic, strongly disapproved "of her change of faith.;- He expressed himself in. similar "terms on. other occasions- in" 'confidential conversation, though in milder forms. ,

WAS HE A, SPY? ' . " PARIS; March 21. A newspaper states that a German officer named yon Stangen, employed hy the Triple Alliance, visited an English girl's residence at Constantinople, leaving his portfolio, which the police secured. Yon Stangen committed suicide. ' EX-PRESIDENT PERSECUTED. PORT OE SPAIN, March 22. Ex-President Oastro has arrived' here. He declared that he wished to avoid the persecution to which he was everywhere subjected.

NEW SHIPPING SERVICE.

SYDNEY March 22. Mr Hoklsworth, of the Union Company, in a statement in connection with' cargo trade to America, said that the company had decided to initiate a regular two-monthly cargo service between Australasia, Pacific Coast ports, and North America, to carry refrigerated cargo. It will be extended ,to a four-weekly service if the trade warrants', but in previous pioneering work the whole space was not always available. Arrangements are being made for suitable stiea-mers, and two are being specially built.

STRAP-HANGING CRUSADE.

SYDNEY, March 23. j Tramwaymen are commencing a Crusade against strap-hanging. They contend that it interferes with the proper discharge of their duties.

INDIAN DOCKS. BOMBAY, March 22. The Viceroy opened docks costing £4,000,000. They include a dry dock, 1000 feet in length. '

A CAMBRIDGE TRIAL

LONDON, March 22. The Cambridge orew^. under good conditions, rowed over the course m 19min. 19sec. *

"DOPJNG" AND/ AVIATION

LONDON, March 22. ""Lord Lonsdale,- speaking .a.t the Hendon Aerodrome annual dinner, j ■advised aviators not to "dope" them- I selves. He had no knowledge that | they did, but before a big race at ] Liverpool he had seen., five or six,,' jockeys "doping" 7 themselves with drops. ,

COLLIERY CLOSES DOWN

LONDON, March 23. Whitburn colliery,- employing 260 men, is closing down owing to "the heavy working expenses.

NEW SOUTH WALES RAINFALL

SYDNEY, March 23. The rainfall since Friday has been over eight inches. In some of the country districts it has been thirteen inches. .

FOOTBALL PROFITS

SYDNEY, March 23. The financial statement of the Rugby League shows the turnover for last year ait £20,928, and the cash credit balance £1575. ♦The loss on the New Zealand tour was £529. The gate receipts had increased: £4558 on the previous year. -