EUROPEAN CABLEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6214, 17 October 1881, Page 5

EUROPEAN CABLEGRAMS.

[PER S.S. ROTOMAIIANA, AT THE BLUFF.] London, October 4. TnE International Social Congress, arrangements for which have for some time past been in progress, have met at Cher, the capital of Grisons, the largest canton in Switzerland. Nearly all the civilised countries in the world have sent representatives, and the proceedings are regarded with much interest. The correspondent of the Daily News, South Africa, telegraphs that, notwithstanding the hostile spirit displayed by the Boers, he is hopeful that the Volksraad will ultimately yield, aud agree to ratify the Convention of the same. The principal leaders are exerting their influence to bring about an amicable settlement of the difficulty. A terrible railway accident has taken place in Rotterdam, one of the most important cities of the Netherlands. Two trains came into collision while travelling at a high rate of speed. Several carriages were smashed to atoms, and the passengers were buried among the ruins. The number of casualties was very large, no less than forty persons being killed, besides others more or less seriously injured. The Ameer, Abdurrahman, has made his triumphal entry into Kandahar, which was occupied by his troops immediately after his recent victory. The inhabitants of the city exhibited a friendly feeling and great rejoicings were held. Severe shocks of earthquake have been experienced in Turkey, which have caused great alarm. The shocks were most severe in the district of Adrianople, north-west of Constantinople and Gallipoli, at the entrance to the Sea of Marmora. Snow storms of extraordinary severity have fallen in the Tyrol and mountainous provinces of Austria. So heavy aud continuous was the fall of snow that many houses were completely buried, and in mauy parts of the country the inhabitants were placed in considerable danger. A Norwegian schooner when entering the harbour of Elsinoie, a sea port in Denmark, came into collision with a steam vessel, and was cut to the water's edge and foundered, every soul on board being drowned. The discovery lias been made of a plot to murder the King of Italy. He who had threatened to perpetrate the deed was arrested at Milan, aud is now under confinement. A serious railway accident has taken place at Conflaus, a township in France. Two trains ran into one another. Serious damage was done, aud a number of passengers were killed. A very heavy gale took place along the coast of Carolina, United States. A number of vessels were driven ashore, and there were several wrecks, in which lives were lost. The exports of wheat from the United States are likely to be affected. An attempt was made by the factors of Chicago to control shipments, but a panic has been caused amongst them by the unexpected yield of wheat. The market has in consequence been very excited. The intelligence received from South Africa is of a disquieting character. The settlement by Sir Garnet Wolseley of Zululand, where territory was divided among a number of chiefs is breaking up, and the chiefs are quarrelling among themselves. Fighting has already commenced, aud it is feared that the intervention of British troops will be necessary. London, October 10. Moody and Sankey, the American revivalist preachers, are making another preaching and singing tour in England. They have gathered together large audiences at Newcastle.

In consequence of the pressure recently brought to bear on the Khedive by the troops who compelled him to form, a new Ministry favourable to their claims, England and Prance, the two powers by _ whose advice Tewfih Pasha was installed Khedive in June, 1579, have agreed to protect him against any similar pressure in the future, with this view each of these powers has dispatched a man-of-war to the commercial seaport of Alexandra. There have been prolonged riots in Kilkenny. The rioters offered an obstinate resistance to the police, and it was some hours before the disturbances were suppressed. This was not done without severe fighting, in the course of which several of tlie rioters were killed. Serious inundations have taken place in the fortified maritime city Cazliari, the capital of the Island of Sardinia. A violent storm arose, in the course of which the sea broke into the lower part of the town, doing a considerable amount of damage to the streets and buildings. A number of the houses were entirely destroyed. A sudden explosion took place on board an Italian brig laden with petroleum, and considerable damage was done to the vessel and several of the crew were severely injured. It is not known how the explosion occurred. Charles Jules Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield, against whom a true bill was found by the grand jury, at Washington, ia strictly confaned to the gaol in that city. There has been a considerable change in his demeanour during the last few days, and the opinion of the gaol officials is that I he IB feigning insanity.

London, October 11. The Times has given great prominence to the letters of Earl Grey, which argues , powerfully against the renewal of the Anglo- | French treaty of IS6O, which, he Bays, obtained a heavy price and involved the departure of sound principles, and really injured the cause of free trade. Earl Gray advocates the return to the position which England departed from in 1860. England, he says, should regulate the tariff solely in regard to her own wants, without reference to the tariffs of other countries. The affray at Limerick on the 4th inst. was of a serious character, and showed that the lawless spirit of the mob had a dangerous animosity towards the military and the police. The huzzars arrived at Limerick by excursion train, quarrelled with the civilians towards evening, and the row was renewed at the railway platform. Stones were thrown at the soldiers through the carriage window. A private of the Scots Guards remained on the platform and was assaulted by a furious mob. He would have been murdered, but some civilians protected him. The disturbance gradually extended, until a reinforcement of soldiers and police arrived. They were violently attacked and stoned by the populace. After vainly endeavouring to disperse them by charging, they fired, wounding thirty, several mortally. A great fire occurred at Cheapside, and destroyed the premises of Messrs. Forster and Co., wine merchants, and other premises. The fire spread furiously, and caused the greatest alarm. The firemen, however, succeeded in preventing it spreading to the extensive premises of Capstake, Moore and Co. The total damage is estimated at £500,000. Colonel Whitmore is rapidly recovering from the painful surgical operation performed on him about a mouth ago by Professor H. C. Smith, of Kings College.