ENGLISH.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1190, 21 December 1894, Page 34

ENGLISH.

London, December 12

Owing to feais of Fenian outrages, the household police protecting the Queen have been reinforced.

The Pall Mall Gazette says that Lord Bras say’s acceptance of the Governorship of Victoria is merely a matter of time. The capital of Baron Schvoeder’s Assets Company, to take over the Union Mortgage and Agency Company’s guaranteed mortgages, has been largely over-sub-ecribed.

French diplomatists are deeply impressed with the results of the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Russia. It is declared that the Czar assured the Prince that while he lived there should never be anything but friendship between Russia and,Great Britain. London, December 13.

;V It is believed in financial circles in the city that the Tasmanian loan, with minimum of 99 or 100, will be issued at the end of the year. The Hon Thomas Playford, AgentGeneral for South Australia, states that the Marquis of Ripon has not replied to the colony’s request to permit Chief Justice Way to succeed Lord Kintore as Governor of South Australia. He is inclined to believe the Colonial Office will not interfere in the matter. London, December 14.

The Times says it is essential that England should spend five millions annually in the construction of new warships.

Letters received from Armenian missionaries show that the previous estimates of the number killed in the recent massacres by the Turks fell short of the mark. Careful calculation gives the number killed as 10,000.

Great Britain has acquiesced in the proposal of the United States to construct the Nicaragua Canal on lines of ownership similar to those adopted in the construction of the Suez Canal.

London, December 16

Mr A. J. Mundella, formerly president of'the Board of Trade, in addressing his constituents, explained his connection with the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency and his reasons for resigning his portfolio after Judge Williams’ remarks on his action as a director./

. He declared that the reason why his explanation had not been given earlier was that the case was still sub judice. He had, he said, done his duty, and feared no man’s censure. •

Mr Mundella, in his explanation to his constituents regarding his connection with the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company,, said that he was certain ‘every act of the old directorate of the Company was prompted by the sole desire do benefit the Company. He and his old colleagues would be glad to see the new Company prosper. Victorian stocks have recovered 1£ per cent. .

London, December 17.

A circular has been issued by six persons .'who hold <£300,000 worth of shares in the South-Eastern Railway Company strongly advocating that Mr E. M. Eddy, at present Chief Commissioner of New South Wales Railways, be chairman of the Company. The Times thinks the proposal to appoint Mr Eddy chairman of the South-Eastern Railway Company is well worth the consideration of the shareholders.

y..'... London, December 17. Sir William Lockhardt- will command the punitive expedition against the Waziris. Vice-Admiral de Cuverville, Maritime Prefect at Cherbourg, and a prominent officer of the navy, has urged that the Prench navy and army should be kept in continual readiness for war with England.

_ ■ The annual report of the New Zealand and River Plate Land and Mortgage Company shows a profit for the year of <£lo,ooo, which the directors recommend shall be carried forward. They also recommend that no credit be taken for interest, and that a drastic system of writing down the value of the properties of the company be instituted.

The majority of the present bondholders are accepting the new debentures. There is a good demand for Australian and New Zealand paving wood. Buyers complain of the bareness of the market and the apathy of shippers. St. John’s, December 13.

The Newfoundland Government has requested the Governor to provide the interest on the public debt, which falls due at the beginning- of the year. Otherwise the colony will have to make default. The Ministry has resigned. St. John’s, December 14. . Mr D. J. Greene succeeds Mr A. T. Goodridge as Premier. Owing to the recent corruption and bribery disclosures, it was impossible for Sir William White way (ex-Premier) to fill the vacancy

St. John’s, December 15

The Newfoundland Government has arranged to pay the interest on the public debt, falling due in January. Operatives are in a state of semi-starva-tion, being without money to purchase bread, and employers have no money with which to pay wages. St. John's, December 16.

The Imperial Government has [offered to assist the Newfoundland Government if invited, and to send a Commission to enquire into the ca,usjß of the crisis. The panic is now- subsiding.

The deplorable, condition of tliis colony is not to be complicated by default in paying the interests the public debt. It appears to have -been a near shave. The financial deadlock, however, continues. The work-people cannot buy bread and the employers cannot pay wages. Yet there is bread, and, as we read the other day that fish to the value of half a million sterling was rotting for lack of the means ,to cure it, there is no want of money’s worth. Therefore, the starvation spoken of is starvation in the midst of plenty. The great currency question comes uppermost in this connection, and much light is thrown on the duty of States to safeguard their financial institutions. ' '