EUROPEAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6956, 4 March 1884, Page 6

EUROPEAN NEWS.

By our file* received by the mall steamer, which arrived from Sydney last night, we have English and foreign news to the 18th January, from which we make the following extraots FRANCE AND CHINA. The following despatch has been received at the London office of the New York Herald from its ■pedal correspondent in China : —Hong Kong, January 17. The Chinese seem to be in earnest with regard to the defence of , Canton. I have just returned from a trip to both branohes of the river. I nw junks depositing stones in the north reach below Wampod Baok Beach. Files were being driven for the new bridge on the site where a bamboo bridge, not less than a mile long, now crosses the rice fields. Both barriers are oovered with heavy batteries, mounted an the earthworks which have been raised on both sides ot the river. On the intervening Island there are large encampments of soldiers. In the Bogae Forts and the vioinity of Canton, there was drilling yesterday and today, the troops executing very precise ovolations, and firing blank cartridges. In the Bogue Forts there was oonstant target praotiee with 16-ton guns. The Frenoh Consul at Canton has entered a formal protest against the blockade of the river. Che German Consul has referred the matter to bis Minister at Fokin. The Tageblatt, a German contemporary, publishes a decree, stated to have been issued by the Emperor of China, appointing Lin, the commander of the Black Flags, Ohinsse Generalissimo in Tonquin. The decree announces that all funds and war material will be supplied by the Chinese Government as they become neoes»ary. The military forcos in Yannan are to be placed under the command of Tang Chiang, the governor of the province, who is instructed to unite with the Blaok Flags, and to oombat the French. The other provinces of Kuang-Tung, Kuang-Si, etc., are to raise troops to protect the frontier, but these troops are not to cross it. Tshang-Shu-Ling, the Ticeroy of the two Kuang provinces, and the Governors of the Kuang-Li and Yunnan are to raise funds for war as they may be required. GERMANY AND KTJSSIA. VIBHNA, January 15.—A remarkable letter from St. Petersburg, contained in th-5 Political Correspondence, states that the recent concentrations of cavalry on the western frontier of Bussia led to an exchange of assurances, couched, it is added, in the most cordial terms, between Berlin and St. Petersburg. The Russian Cabinet laid stress on the purely defensive oharacter of these concentrations, nevertheless, a promise was made at Berlin that the numbers of the cavalry should be reduced, so that no ground for apprehension should exist. The incident has led to a strengthening of the relations between the two empires. The correspondent hears further that this question for a long time formed a subject of negotiation, until it w&s definitely settled between M. de Giers and Prince Bismarck in Friedrichsruhe. THE SOUDAN. A Varna telegram to the Daily News states 'that it has been definitely decided by the Porte not to interfere in the Soudan. The tribes of Tripoli are said to be moving towards the Hahdi. With reference to opinion in France as to the action of Eogland, the Standard's Paris correspondent writes:—"The resolve of the English Cabinet to evacuate Khartoum continues to excite a strong feeling of reprobation, j £ yrpj understood here that the only possible chance of safety for Colonel Coetlogon, his garrison, and the European diplomatic agents and traders there, was to remain under protection until a force was sent out to relieve them. It is taken for granted that so Urge a convoy is sure to be attacked by the Mahdi's forces. Even if they were not intent on massacre, the temptation of unlimited plunder would be too powerful to withstand. The papers continue to comment in very bitter terms on the course whioh Her Majeity's Government are bent on pnrsaing. The France predicts that the fate of the Gladstone Cabinet is indlssolubly connected with that of the feeble Administration of Nubar Pasha. The Paris labours to prove that the present crisis would never have arisen if Engiand had consented to sot with Gambetts, and had not exoluded France from her share in the government of Egypt. The Economists Frsncais earnestly calls upon the Government to take immediate measures to protset Frenoh interests. The French Government have not as yet, I believe, taken measures for active interference in Egypt, but it must not be supposed that the subject has not keen duly considered by M. Ferry. If the Mahdi keeps El Obeid, possibly matters may remain for a time in statu quo ; but should the ootae that he hasattaoaed and taken BLharyenm, pnblio opinion will foroe the Government nto action." 4. NEW BENT MOVEMENT IN IRELAND. A new movement in connection with rent has jeen started in the county Ksrry. This time the object is to reduce the rent of houses in towns. Listowel is the birthplace of the movement. The resolutions adopted at a publio meeting declared that there was raok-renting in the town, and expressed determination to carry on a constitutional agitation until fair rents ■were seoured, and to stand by any tenant who might be visited by his landlord with the conaequences of being a member, STARTLING DISCOVERY AT LOUGHREA. A. startling discovery was made on January 13, at Kiltulla, a village near Loughrea. In the door of the Roman Catholic chapel in frpnt of the seat which Lord Dansandle's son, Mr. William Daly, occupies at mass on Sundays, a hole bad been bored large enough to admit the muzzle of a revolver. On Mr. Daly arriving at church the door was closely guarded by police, ' nd he was accompanied home by six constables, SERIOUS FIRES IN LONDON. Two destructive fires broke out in the western districts of London early on Jinuary 13, within a few hours of each other. The first and more extensive outbreak originated from an unknown cause shortly before two o'clock, at the Cleveland Works, situate in Cleveland-street, Fitzroy-square, and owned and occupied by Messrs. Howard and Sons, cabinetmakers. The fire was discovered in a building of four floors, 45 feet by 40 in dimensions. On the roof of the building, which had £rst become ignited, was a stack of timber, and almost before the first engines arrived this had become ignited. The premiies of Messrs. Howard consisted of four buildings, all of them large in dimensions and of several floors, and in thase was carried on the business of sawmills and cabinet manufacturing on a very large scale. The buildings were all filled with Inflammable materials, and were surrounded by several stacks of timber used In the business. For three honrs the fire burned with great fury, and the greater part of the building was destroyed. Fonr hours later a fire broke out on premises situated on the Eastern Wharf, Adelphi, in a building of two floors, about 75 feet by 40 feet in dimensions, used in the upper floor as stores and in the lower as stables. In this case also the place had become thoroughly alight when the firemen arrived, and three horses which were in the Slace could not be rescued, and were burnt to eath. The place was entirely destroyed. A TOWN ATTACKED BY PIRATE 3. Hoko Kong, January 13, 10.35 a.m. —Intelligence received here from Hanoi to the 6tb instant announces that the town of Nam-dinh was attacked on all sides by pirates .on the sights of the Ist and 2nd January. Many of the inhabitants were killed and wounded, and several houses burned. On the 4th instant an attack was made on the post of Batang, near Hanoi, bet the enemy were compelled to retire in disorder, carrying with them many killed and wounded. Du Doc is reorganising the Insurgent bands, nearly all of whom are fugitives from Sontay. WRECK OF A BTEAMER AND SUPPOSED LOSS OF 200 LIVES. Lloyd's agent a# Shanghai telegraphs, under the date of January 12, at eight p.m.:—The steamer Hwai Yuen has been totally wrecked on the Hieshan Islands. Five natives have been saved, but nothing is known as to the fate of the remainder of the crew, camiitir.g of six I Europeans and 198 natives. The Hwai Yuen was reported by telegraph from Shanghai on January 10, to have sailed for Hong Kong on December 28. THE PANAMA OANAL. From authentic accounts just published, it seems clear that the construction of the second great waterway with which M. de Lesteps is identified is being pushed forward with such vigoar that its completion may be looked for in about fonr or five years more. An unprejudicod eyewitness who writes to one of the morning papers reports that much has been accomplished already, and that the greatest activity prevails everywhere. The whole length to be constructed has been divided into sections, which are in the hands of various contractors, while the company itself takes charge of the ports at the two ends, the amount ot their plant being estimated at about £3.000,000 sterling. One of these ports, Colon, has been entirely transformed, and from a small, dirty hamlet has grown into a clean, crowded, and prosperous town. Some 3000 workmen are constantly employed at Colon, many steamers and sailing vessels fill its harbour, and thousands of tons of merchandise and machinery are landed there daring the year. Again, satisfactory progress has been made with the construction of the great dam which is to bar the course of tht rlrjr Chagres, an operation of the utmost importance, upon which, indeed, the success of the whole scheme depends. This river is subjeot to sudden floods, and the safety of the canal will depend upon their artificial regulation. The dam is being built between the flanks of two mountains, and bars the whole valley of the Chagres. MisoELLANEOUg< The Earl of Pembroke was thrown while iuntlng, and fraoturcd his collar-bone. It is atatod that, owing to a threatening letter having been received at Windsor Oastle, the 2nd battalion Coldstream Guards, who now iorm part of the garrison, were recently ordered

to hold themselves iu readiness to turn out on hearing the " assembly" sounded, while all suspicious strangers approaohing the precinots of the palaoe were. narrowly watched by the ■entries on duty,' and the Royal' Household police. A public meeting was held at the Egyptian Hall, Mansion House, for the purpose of considering the ■ best means of celebrating the approaching centenary of Sir Moiei Montefiore, Bart., F.R.S. It was explained tbac Sir Moses entered upon his 100tb vear.laat October, and consequently, will not at. ually have completed his centenary till bis next birthday in Ootober. A terrible acoident ooonrred on January 16 at Garmont Colliery, Owmaman, a small village about 20 miles from Swansea. Early in the morning nine men and "a boy entered the cage for the purpose of descending to their work. They had only desoended a few yards when the rope (a new wire one) broke, and the oage, with its unfortunate occupants, was preoipitated to the bottom, a depth of 160 yards. Help was obtained with as little delay as possible, but it was soon ascertained that all the occupants of the cage had been killed, their mangled bodies being found at the bottam of the shaft. The development of German armaments in the Baltio is provoking great attention in Russia, where during the ensing spring it is intended, says the Broad Arrow, to attempt to reestablish an equipoise by increasing the strength of Beval, Sveaborg, and Riga. It is carious to note that the Russian military journals, in discussing the growth of Germany's littoral defences, have unanimously agreed that tho Teutonio seaboard is quite beyond Russia's power of attack, and that in the next conflict whioh ensues Russia's attitude will be a passive on*. Hitherto Germany has never played any prominent part in the naval struggle in the Baltic. The New York Sun of January 4 quotes a statement reported in the Post Despatoh of St, Louis as having been made by a member of tho Irish Republican Brotherhood, to the effect that bis soaiety had formed a plan to kidnap Lord Coleridge while he was staying in that city. Their plan was to get to his room in the hotel between two and three o'oloak In the morning, ohloroform him, and carry him off to a house on the outskirts of the city, where he was to be held as a hostage. The hall patrol frustrated the plan. An important change of scene may shortly be expected in the Suez Canal affairs. At the 'present moment the Board of Trade is engaged in preparing, among other things, a table of figures showing (1) the tonnage of freight whioh is estimated to have been diverted fro si the Canal te the Cape route by reason of congestion of traffic in the former; and (2) the approximate revenue likely to acorue to the Suez Company as soon as the Canal should have been enlarged. Wo understand that these statistics are being compiled exclusively for Cabinet use, and will not, we believe, ever form a chapter in the pub lisbed literature of the Board of Trade. The life of an Irish " patriot" exhibits sometimes very strange vicissitudes. As an instance it might be stated that among the most reoent outrages repti. md from the county Limerick is the malicious burning of a quantity of hay, the property of Thomas Fitzgerald, a farmer, residing near PatiickswelL Fitzgerald was one of the most prominent and zealous Land Leaguers in the county. He attended every meeting attired in a green suit and on horsebaok, ana was so demonstrative in his national sentimen:s that he was universally known by the populai niokname of " Sarsfield," and seemed proud of the distinotien. He lately took a boycotted farm, however, on the estate of Mr. Synan, M.P., and immediately his popularity left him, and he became obnoxious to hla former friends. The burning of his hay Is the result. At Macclesfield, on January 15, Henry Aspinal, contractor for the restoration of Macclesfield Old Church, was summoned for illegally removing human remains from the church and ohurchyard to a rubbish heap near a new street whioh is being formed by the corporation. It was proved that a large quantity of human bodies had been removed, several bones being picked ont of the soil by idlers and sold to rag and bone dealers. One witness stated that in the soil carted away for the formation of new ropeworks, he found various kinds of bones, which crnmbled into dust when touched. The defence set up was that the defendant took all reasonable precautions to pick out the bones from the soil, whioh was searohed three or four times, A fine of £10 and oosts was inflicted.