General News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 366, 15 February 1879, Page 22

General News.

The St. Petersburg Gazette of November 27 says that the war declared by England against Afghanistan in consequence of the arrival of the Russian Embassy at Cabul is really waged against Russia, and not against Afghanistan. The question as to whether the mission will remain at Cabul or return to Russia is much discussed at St. Petersburg. Attention is being directed to Professor Sotbeer’s accounts of the amount of gold recently quarried as washed in Russia. According to this German scholar, the average value of the gold found in that country has risen to 93,000,000 marks a year. This being about half the sum required for payment of interest abroad, it must in time improve the financial position of the country. It is true the figures given are difficult to prove ; but Professor Sotbeer is justly regarded as one of the most trustworthy authorities on subjects financial and monetary. The Registrar General states as follows his annual estimate of the resident population of the United Kingdom. He puts the population of England and Wales in . the middle of the year 1873 at 24,854,397, or 307,088 more than in the middle of last year ; the population of Scotland at 3.593,929, an increase of 33,212 ; of Ireland at 5,433,640, an increase of 97,245, which last number appears very large indeed. The total population of the United Kingdom is stated at 33,881,966, or 437,547 more than at the corresponding period in last 3' ear. Our readers will be glad to learn (says the jEuropean Mail, that the revisers of the authorised version of the New Testament have concluded their second and final revision, which has occupied eight years and a half. In all 337 days have been spent on the great work. The company numbers 24, and the average rate of attendance throughout the time has been 15. There now remain the consideration of any further suggestions which may be made by the American Company, and the adjustment of some questions which may have been reserved till the end. But it may be reasonably hoped that the year 1879 will see the revised Testament in the hands of the people. Theßerliu correspondent of the A 'ovoe Vremjct states that the communication made by Count Munster, the German Ambassador in London, to Lord Salisbury, referred to by Mr. Bourke in the House of Commons on 9th December, consisted of a proposal that in consideration of England permitting the unification of Eastern Roumelia with Bulgaria the British Government should assume the protectorate of Constantinople, and occupy certain neighboring positions. The correspondent adds that negotiations on the subject still continue. A curious case of libel is reported in the English papers, which was brought by the Prince Imperial against the Steele, and which came before the Court of Paris on December 7. The Steele accused the late Emperor of illegally selling certain Crown forests. The case was tried first by the Correctional Tribunal, which condemned the defendant to a fine of two thousand francs, and the insertion of the judgment in ten Parisian, and ten provincial papers. The Steele appealed. The Court of Paris confirmed the sentence as regards the fine, but reduced the number of papers in which the judgment is to be inserted to -nine in all.

The Ray pel says :—“We long ago described Lord Beaconsfield’s as an adventurous policy, and events tend to- prove we were right. This policy a good deal resembles that of Napoleon 111. It is a theatrical policy. The annexation of Cyprus, the practical seisure of Syria and Egypt, the protectorate of the Ottoman Empire, the railway from the Mediterranean to India, the Afghan war, and other startling events continually cropping up, divert attention from home affairs. One cannot help being reminded of the campaigns of China, Beyrout, the Crimea, and Mexico. Is not the English Ministry trying on the Imperial system of government ? No doubt England is a very powerful nation, but she seems to have too many irons in the fire. Lord Beacousfield may find out that it does not do for nations, any more than individuals, to hunt several hares at a time.” Mr. Edison authorises the statement that his light is produced by the incandescence of an ailoy of platinum and irridium. The conductor is not an ordinary coil, but a peculiar arrangement of the. metal, whereby, in accordance with a new discovery of his in connection with radiant energy, a much weaker current is made to generate a given light than if a single spiral were used. By slight modifications in the shape of the conductor he has obtained from one cell of a Daniell battery a light stroDg enough to read by. A simple adjustable apparatus attached to each lamp regulates the amount of electricity it shall draw from the main current, and makes it entirely independent of any changes in the strength of the current as well as of all other lamps in the circuit. The details are, however, still a secret. Mr. Edison has just obtained two patents here, and has applications for nine others, pending specifications for a third English patent just forwarded.

THE NEW CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION IN PHILADELPHIA has been a decided success. The awards of the juries have just been published, and we find that' Mr. Peter Muller has again taken the First .Prize for his justly celebrated “ Muller’s Cod Liver Oil.” Already this Oil has been exhibited in Twelve .International Exhibitions in different countries, and taken Twelve First Class Prize Medals ; now we find that in the stronghold of Newfoundland Cod Liver Oil, where the manufacturers in full force exhibited their very best productions, “ Muller’s Cod Liver Oil” is declared to be the Purest, the Sweetest, the. Most Excellent, and the Most Valuable as a therapeutic agent. The Brown and other inferior oils have long ceased to appear at the Exhibitions, and as only the very ji nest brands contend for the Prize, its award to the manufacturer of “Moller’s Cod Liver Oil” is an an incontestable proof of its great superiority over all others. The Public should steadfastly avoid the Brown and Newfoundland Oils when the Best is within •easy reach, and that Moller’s name, trade mark, and capsule are on each bottle. Head Offices, Christiana. Manufactories, Lofoten Islands, Norway, London Offices, 521, Oxford Street, field by all Chemists, and Brug Stores.

Gold sold without a premium on 17th December for the first time since specie payments were suspended iu 1852. When business closed for the day par in greenbacks was the best bid offered for gold. Thus natural causes produced practical resumption, fifteen days before the date fixed by the law. “ Atlas,” writing in the World, says : “ Dear papas, I hope you study your University Intelligence ! Look to that of November 29th, and note the results of the examinations for the Balliol scholarships. One of our ‘great public schools’ appears alone, Harrow to wit. 'There are two successful candidates from Manchester Grammar School, two from Clifton ‘ College,’ one Leamington, one Christ s Hospital, one Norwich Grammar School, one Merchant Taylors’, and one Repton School. I hey put on a good deal of side and swagger, the head masters and heads of colleges nowadays. But not one first-class man could they produce in the final classical school this term, and about five-and-twenty scattered over the other three classes ; the majority hailing from what are politely called ‘inferior colleges.’ ” The Marquis and Mai chioness of Lome arrived at Montreal on the 29th of November. The St. Andrew’s Society ball given_on that evening was a brilliant affair. Before the ball opeued his Excellency received an address, and in reply said that since leaving the mother country he and the Brincess had received great respect and attention from all those of Scottish nationality. The steamer that had borne them across the Atlantic was owned by Scotchmen, the captain of the vessel was a Scotchman, the chief engineer was a Scotchman, and the stewardess was of the same nationality. He found, on arriving, that the Premier of the Government then in office was a Scotchman, and the Premier who had gone out with the late Government was also a Scotchman. It seemed not ill for the country that the responsibility of its government had fallen from the hands of one Scotchman to those of another. Englishmen loved their Scottish brethren, no doubt, because they got a king from Scotland. France did so because once the finest regiments in the French army were Scottish. Irishmen remembered that Scotland was a colony of Ireland. His Excellency danced the first set of quadrilles with Lady McDonald, and the Princess with Lieutenant-Colonel Stevenson, of the Canadian Militia, a prominent member of the St. Andrew’s Society and a citizen of Montreal.

THE CRUISE OF THE MARION BENNY. (PER press agency.) The Marion Renny called at Port Resolution, Tarnia, which had been visited by a tidal wave and earthquake. A survey was made by Lieutenant Richards, of the IT.M. cruiser Beagle, and a fortnight after his having completed this survey another earthquake occurred, again altering the harbor. Masters of vessels must be careful in entering, especially at night time. • The safest anchorage is off Mission Point, with the house open, in seven fathoms. Spoke the Mystery, W. A. Tuman, master. ITe reports that a man belonging to the brig Heather Bell (Darby), bound for Fiji, as having been killed on the north side of west end Aboa ; his name was James Merlin. The man was forcibly seized by the natives and eaten. At Penticost the Mystery sent a boat ashore, but as it did not return, she worked to the nlace where the boat was seen to land : on. nearing which the boat was seen broadside on the beach much knocked about. A little south of Mills’ the body was seen being carried up into the bush ; the body was stripped and naked. The position of the place of the massacre and the seizure of the boat is north-east end of Penticost, E. by S.;£S.; north-east end of Aoba, N. by E. Small double mount further east on Aoba N.4-W., with small sandy beach in line, a long sandy beach N.WAN. Captain Sumau describes the natives around the boat that was captured as being like ants round a grain of corn. The Mystery, after waiting until dark, and seeing no signs of the missing men, made sail and continued the voj-age, for the double purpose of endeavoring to meet one of the “ scourers of the seas.” On the 11th of December she sailed for Aoba. On the 13th, on the north side of west end the natives do not deny that a white man was killed out of the Heather Bell. They say they are fighting a bush tribe who did the deed at the place of the Mystery mishap. The natives would not come near the boat at the next village. They warned ns to be careful, as the natives of the next place—meaning where the Mystery’s boat’s crew was massacred—had lately fired at a ship’s boat on their calling, and that they had fired at a boat belonging to the Dauntless. It is reported that Chaffinch, who is a settler or trader on Aoba, was away at the time of the Mystery’s boat’s crew massacre. On his return he was informed of it, the natives making no secret of it, saying that it was their intention for some time past to seize the first boat.they could get hold of, and massacre those in her for a cannibal feast. This affair was owing to no fault of those in the boat. All were sacrified, but one of the Tanna men’s bodies was cut and divided amongst the surrounding chiefs, and the names of those who perpetrated this deed are all well known to Mr. Chaffinch. These people, when threatened with a man-of-war, laugh and say they will kill them and eat them when they want another feast.

THE CAPE. (own correspondent to press agency.) Capetown, December 26, 1878. Our produce market has been somewhat flat for some time, but prices had not been materially changed until the result of the last Home wool sales became known. Since then there has been very little doing, and it is hardly possible to give any quotable prices, but generally grease is about Vd. lower ; a few bales of light fetched 6§d. ; heavy and inferior sorts were withdrawn at s§d. to sgd. ; fleeced, washed, is fetching from 8-. pl. to 9d.; scoured, Is. Id. to Is. 4\d. ; wooled sheepskins are in steady demand. Very few hides and horns hare been

offered ; middling sized horns are bringing 44-3. to 5Jd. each ; small, 3-j;d.; dry hides are about 2fd. We have been rather largely supplied with breadstuffs, and the market is dull. A carge of wheat, ex Thurso, from Lyttelton, has changed hands at 225. per 2001bs. The latest phase of the Zulu difficulty is the sending by our High Commissioner of an ultimatum to the Zulu King, demanding the disbanding of his army, free permission to Young Zulus to marry, a fair trial of all persons charged with any crime, and the reception of a British resident. People of Natal appear to think the ultimatum too mild, and expect that Cefcewayo will profess to agree to it, but only until such time as the large force on his border is removed. Public opinion generally is that disarmament as well as disbandment should have been insisted on, and that while the Imperial Government have gone to the enormous expense they have already incurred, the power of the Zulus to continually keep our border in a ferment should be at once for all destroyed. The ultimatum was presented on the 14th, and ah. answer is demanded within thirty days. The natives on our Northern border are still a little troublesome. A large number of rebels have fled to the islands in the Orange River, from which it is very difficult to disclose them, and from this point they are perpetually making forays. Our natives are not so obliging as your New Zealanders. Instead of dying out ours increase iu the most fearful manner. What with drought and wars this colony is not in a very happy condition just now. The drought that has existed in the Transvaal and Natal has at last broken up, and transport has been resumed. One of the newspapers in Pretoria had to suspend publication for two months, simply because they could not get paper conveyed from the coast. The elections for the new Legislative Council for this colony have just taken place, and have resulted iu a majority for our present Ministry. The elections for the Lower House take place in March. We are now in the height of summer, and the weather has been fine, with the usual amount of strong south-east winds. WHAT THE “WORLD” SAYS. I am informed, on excellent authority, that the insolent speech which General Kauffmann is reported to have recently deliverd at Taslikend is a pure fabrication. I hear, on good authority, that Mr. Edward Levy-Lawson, part-proprietor and editor of the Daily Telegraph, will present himself as a candidate for the Borough of Windsor at the next general election. With many others, I shall be curious to see the color of his address, and to learn under which king this Benzonian is prepared to speak, if not to die. At the present moment it seems impossible to name the camp with which he will ally himself; a warm supporter of Lord Beaconsfield’s most autocratic measures, he is a prominent member of the Devonshire Club; a professed Liberal, he has used the powerful resources at his command for the furtherance of extreme Tory views, and for the annihilation of the ex-Liberal leader, by whom tke political status of the Daily Tele/graph was virtually created. But there is no doubt that the party which eventually succeeds in enlisting Mr. Edward LevyLawson will have gained no ordinary recruit. He is a man of great natural ability, with a special aptitude for organisation, of indomitable coui-age and unflagging zeal. He is a political power and a social success; his means are large, his hospitality unbounded ; and, living as he does within an easy distance of Windsor, he might probably be induced to take as active an interest in the welfare of the borough and local charities as the great Mr. Richardson Gardner himself.

In a first-class carriage by the five o’clock train from Euston-square sat two gentlemen, up to that time, and prbbably since, strangers to each other. The elder lived near Crewe ; the younger, en route foi Ireland, intended to sleep at Chester. The conversation between them grew animated. Saith the elder presently, “ Give up your idea of sleeping at Chester, and do me the honor of passing the night at my house.” The offer was accepted with grateful effusion. On leaving in the morning, said the guest, “ Answer my question frankly. What induced you, on such an insufficient acquaintance, to confer so great a benefit on me ?” Replied the host, “As you press me, your question shall be frankly answered. My wife always tells me that lam the ugliest man in Great Britain ; I wished to show her that there was an uglier.” Australia is becoming popular with the British traveller. Captain “ B.” Coventry, Mr. Arthur Coventry, and, I believe, one of the Bouveries, are about to start for Melbourne. It is expected that they will, be absent about six months. The well-known gentlemanjockey, Mr. Hugh Owen, was to have joined the party, but has been unavoidably prevented. I am told the St. James's Vestry has stolen a march on the Pall Mall clubs in this wise : The clubs agreed to defray half the expense of paving Pall Mall with wood, and a sum was fixed based on estimates then made by the same company that paved Piccadilly and other leading thoroughfares. No sooner, however, had the clubs paid their guota than the vestry entered into a fresh contract with another company, which has undertaken the paving on much lower terms.

MR. HUSSEY VIVIAN IN AMERICA. The above gentleman has written a book entitled “Notes on a tour in America,” which has been very favorably received by the Spectator. From that paper we quote the following extracts :—“ Mr. Vivian is enthusiastic about the virtues of the Hamilton stove, and as this is a subject in more than one sense seasonable, we will quote him upon it The essential feature of the Hamilton stove is that it is a self-feeder. It is lighted in the autumn, and put out in the spring, burns but little coal, gives but little trouble, and throws out a great and uniform heat. I believe that much

economy would result from the use of these stoves, especially if placed iu the passages and entrances of our houses, the pipes being carried through the living-rooms into the chimneys. . . . . A Canadian stove means perfect comfort in winter, and no heavy coalbills. . . . . We possess the finest anthracite inthe world, and it lies almost unworked. It would be well if our anthracite-coal proprietors would push the Canadian stove ; and if any desire to do so, I shall be only too glad to show them those I have ordered, which I hope to have in full blast before Christmas.”

Of the great timber industry at Ottawa, he says :—“ A hundred ruthless tools, from the frame and circular saw to th e minute ‘ plough and tongue,’ or still more minute match-mak-ing machines, are set iu motion by its abundant waters, and yet the grandeur of the (Chaudiere) Falls is in no way diminished. Doors, windows, and every other ‘lumber-fixing,’ down to matches from the slabs and refuse, are, iu fact, now made at head-quarters, not by man’s hand, bnt. by cunningly devised tools, set iu motion by the costless drainage of a. wilderness. Let our craftsmen iu wood be warned, and beware how they pit their measured hours against these simple but mighty combinations of nature and art. X believe that no joiner-work of or belonging to a house exists which could not be ordered and sent from Ottawa and many other places in Canada, ready fitted and numbered for its place, almost untouched by man’s hand. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the log floats iu at one end of the establishment and leaves it irt the form of doors, windows, boards, roof-part?, joists, and the like at the other end, without aid from man, all force having been supplied by the simple gravitation of falling water. The incidence of freight and charges is also on the net, and not on the gross weight ; nor does the stuff need to pay toll to a dozen intermediares.” He proceeds to describe some wonderful farming operations in the far west of Canada, on the part of a man who grows fifteen thousand acres of wheat annually. His farm is in Manitoba, and he goes there with his men and his teams, ploughs the land in furrows six miles long—one furrow out and home is a day’s work—sows and reaps his corn, clears off and goes home in three months. The author mentions casually that he met the Colorado beetle, taking his walks abroad, in happy unconsciousness of his ill-fame.

The often-described, always delightful journey to San Francisco has never been made more vividly interesting than by Mr. Hussey Vivian, and his account of San Francisco is especially remarkable for his vindication of the Chinese. He denies the dirt and the diseases of the Chinese quarters ; he claims much of the prosperity of the city as theirwork; he utterly repudiates the current stories of their vices and their evil smells; he visited their houses, their theatre, and their places o£ worship; he thoroughly informed himself concerning them; he sums up their usefulness by stating that without them the Great Pacific railroad never could have been made for many years to come, the corn, could not be harvested, nor could the grapes be gathered iu the vineyards where they work, “ with the patience of women and the strength of men.” They overcrowd, no doubt, 45,000 persons being located in a “ quarter ” 400 by 400yds., but they are extremely cleanly. Of the Chinese as servants, Mr. Hussey Vivian gives an account which induces us to wish they would take to emigrating our way. “A Chinaman,” he says, is ready to learn and to do everything ; he is as docile as a poodle, and moves about his work as quietly as a tame cat, al way s good-natured and willing,never drunk never away when he is wanted, no ‘followers,’ no ‘ this isn’t my place ’ about him ; ready to do anything he is told, whether it be in the house, the field, or the factory.” No wonder the “ hoodleum?,” whose market he reasonably injures, do not like him, and want to hunt him out.