NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7267, 4 March 1885, Page 6

NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

EXTRAORDINARY TREATMENT OP OFFICERS. Tm Army and Navy Gazette says :—From a trustworthy source we have received the following account of the treatment to which the officers of the auxiliary forces were subjected at the examination in tactics held this week at Wellington Barracks. We do not know whether the responsibility for the conduct of these examinations rests with the Education Department or with the general officers commanding districts; but with Whomsoever the fault lies the mismanagement, or rather the want of management, is simply astounding. "Arriving at Chelsea Barracks at ten minutes to two," says one victim, " we found no preparation whatever had been made for us; we were hustled about from one end of the barracksquare to the other. First it was proposed to put us in a room just vacated by the men after their dinner, dirty and filthy beyond description. Finally we found ourselves in a place which had been fitted for private theatricals ; a fatigue party was told off to place tobies, etc., and it was twenty minutes to three before the papers were given out and we sat down to work. Of course there was no fire, and with draughts playing all around us it is not surprising that one's brains went wondering." Fortunately, the examination was qualifying and not competitive ; but in any case, if the authorities insist on examinations, they are bound to see that the surroundings of the examinees are such as to be most favourable for work. We have heard before of cases where candidates have been subjected to the distracting strain of military bands, etc., as an accompaniment to their thoughts, and to similar disturbances; but in this instance common courtesy appears to have been wanting. INTRIGUES AMONG THE CAIRO POLICE. ; A correspondent at Cairo says that the ■ police department there has again been the centre of intrigue. The native officials, exultant over toe retirement of the English junior officers, have been endeavouring to push the advantage they have gained still farther. Osman Ghalet, the Governor of Cairo, has been setting all the strings in motion to recover the control of the police of toe city, and has claimed the supervision of the European Bureau, which he wishes to take altogether out of the hands of Captain Fenwick. So far, he has failed in his attempt; and two of the leading persons in the intrigue have been summoned to the Ministry of the Interior, and in the presence of Captain Fenwick have been severely cautioned against meddling further in the matter. THE IRISH NATIONAL LEAGUE IN AMERICA. Mr. Patrick Egan, former Treasurer of the Land League, and now President of the Irish National League of America, has sent some of his friends specimen green cards of membership, adorned with the old Parliament House in College Green, Dublin, and a circular to Irish-Americans, which says :— *' Mr. Parnell and his able and intrepid band of followers are every day g*ining ground in the struggle - against their enemies in the alien Parliament; while at home the people are seizing upon every representative position, hurling from power the slaves and sycophants of' the English garrison, and filling their places with stanch Nationalists. Already such a change has come over the temper and spirit of our people as no one not intimately acquainted with the country could realise or believe. They are now a nation of persevering resolute men, intelligently determined * on the attainment of their full and just rights; to wring from England, despite all difficulties and all opposition, the national legislative independence of their country; and, with a continuance from as of that moral and material support which for the past four years has been the life-blood of the movement at home, they must win." OUTRAGES ON JEWS IN BOCMANIA. Particulars have reached the Jewish Chronicle of outrages to which a number of Jews have been subjected in the Roumanian town of Darabani (district of Dorohoi). Although some of the events described in the following narrative happened more than tore* months ago, they have only lately become known in Western Europe:—"Two alleged cases of cattle disease having broken out at Darabani, the prefect of the district instructed the local commissary of police, Filipescu, to take the necessary measures for preventing the spread of the disease. This functionary carried oat his instructions in toe following extraordinary manner:ln the first place he caused ten, and subsequently thirty, Jews to be seized, and forced them by dint of most inhumane treatment to erect a wall around the town, although they knew nothing of building Operations. Day and night, in storm and lain, they were mercilessly kept at their work by their task-masters, until at length a veterinary surgeon was induced to intervene, and advise that the construction of the wall might be discontinued, as the rinderpest did not prevail in the place. When the men who had been engaged in building the wall were released from their involontary labour, they were sprinked by some officials with carbolic acid. So roughly was this done that several of them were severely burned. Perhaps still worse was the treatment which the Jews, who were spared from the work in the fields had to endure on the Day of Atonement. Scarcely had the thinned, congregation assembled within their synagogue, when Filipescu arrived with several policeman, and having posted them at the several exits in order to prevent any egress from within, he caused a quantity of sulphur to be burned inside the building, in order, as alleged, to thoroughly disinfect the place. The unfortunate worshippers were almost suffocated ; women fell to the ground unconscious; and it was not until Filipescu perceived that it would be dangerous to prolong his amusement that the doors were opened and the Prisoners liberated. Meanwhile, terrible ■cents were being enacted in the other parts of the town. Bands of ruffians broke into houses inhabited by Jews, destroyed and plundered everything on which they could lay their hands, and ill-treated the persons, mostly women, whom they found in the dwellings. These barbarities were continued on the following day, although a number of Jews had fled from the town daring the night. The results of these atrocities were of a fearful character. In addition to these gross persecutions, the Jews were also exposed to various annoyances of a more or less vexatious character. The slaughtering of animals was absolutely forbidden; but the poultry which the Shochet was allowed to kill was rendered unfit for consumption owing to all the birds being immersed in a solution of sulphur and carbolic acid. The Jewirh journal Fraternitate, which is published at Bucharest, and from which the foregoing details are extracted, vouched for their being entirely authentic." ENGLAND, GERMANY, AND THE SAMOA ISLANDS. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily TeleSaph says:" I am able to inform you that • question relating to the Samoa Islands is definitely settled between England and Germany. Yon may remember that some years ego Prince von Bismarck contemplated lacing the,group under German protection, but was prevented by the attitude of the Reichstag from carrying out his plan. When the fact that the Ssmoans had petitioned New Zealand or England for incorporation into the British Empire transpired, the Chancellor notified that he considered he had still some claim to the islands. The question was then discussed between the two Governments, with the result that it has been agreed that the status quo shall be maintained, and that neither England nor Germany shall annex the group. This is, in Bhort, an arrangement of a precisely similar character to that already existing between England and France concerning the New Hebrides. I may add that the Samoa Islands never before formed the subject of Jbj agreement, tacit or otherwise, between lay of the Powers." MR. GLADSTONE AND PRINCE EDWARD OV WALES. The following is a copy of a letter which Prince Edward received from Mr. Gladstone on the attainment of His Royal Highness's majority :— ' ' Hawarden Castle, January 7. Sir,-As the oldest among- the confidential servants of Her Majesty, I cannot allow the anniversary to pass wihout notice which Will to-morrow brine your Royal Highness to hill ate, and thus mark an imporant epoch in your Ife. The hopes and intentions of those whose lives lie like mine, in the past ate of little momeat, but thev have seen much, and what they have seen suevests much for the future. There lies before your Roval Highness In prospect the occupation, I trust at . distal date, of a throne which, to me at.least, ap. Si**? the moat illustrious in the world, from its history »nTas7chX.s. from its legal basis, /rota the weight SahTsArTu brines, from the loyal love of tie people, Sftrorn the unparalleled opportunities it gives, in so SS,,,S fa so many regions of do m[foodl to STalncst countless mi- ben whom t Almighty sue olaced beneath the sceptre of England. 1 ferrandy desire and pray, and there cannot be. a more

animating prayer, that your Royal Highness may ev»r grow in the principles of conduct, and may be a orned with all the qualities .which correspond with this great end nobis location. And, Sir. if sovereignty has been rede»ed by onr modern institutions of some of its burdens, it nllL I believe, remains true that there has b»en BO period of the world's history at which nuccessors to the Monarchy could more efficaciously contribute to the stability of * great historic sy»t»m, dependent even more upon lore than upon strength, by devotion »6 their duties, and by a orient example to the country. This result we hare happily been permitted to se->, at d other fenerations will, I trust, witness it anew. Heartily desiring that in the life of your Royal Highness every private and penontJ may be joined with every public bletsinr. I have the honour to remain, Sir, your rtoyal Highness's most dutiful and faithful servant, W. K. OuMtONE. Bis Koyal Highness the Prince Albert Victor, fee." Mr. Gladstone hat. received the following answer to his letter r— Sahdringham, Norfolk, Fridar, January 9, 1885. Dear Mr. Gladstone,—l wish I were better able to answer your very kind letter, conveying, as it does, not only the best of rod wishes, but o<rrying with them reflections on Ihe past and advice for the utur , for which I wish to thank yon. I atsnre you the letter shall have thatatteution wh <h word: from yourself mas', deserve. It aimirabiy describes mu>°h which dim-eds my most earnest thought on this, perhaps, the most Important blrt iday of m» life. Behove me, I am v»ry grateful for your remembrance of me this day, and that among the many offerings wh ch have reached me I prise nothing more than the letter wnich you have so ulndly written, for which pray accept my most. sincere thanks. lam glad to believe mat your health is restored and I trust your many friends will have no cause for renewed anxiety on your behalf. With my most kind menu ranees to Mrs. Gladstone, 0011074 me, yours very sincerely, AlimfcT Victor.