CABLE NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1665, 27 January 1904, Page 63

CABLE NEWS.

LONDON, January 20. Colonel Younghusband, who is in charge of the British expedition in Thibet, met Avith an insolent reception at the’Thibetan camp at- Giuru. LONDON, January 22.

The Sovereigns attended the service in memory of the late Admiral Keppei at tlie Chapel Royal,. .. . Queen Alexandra’s Avreath bore the inscription, “In loving nieiiiory of my beloved Admiral—one of the best* and bravest of men.” ' . A West End consumptive specialist, commenting on the Victorian Board of Health proposals, admits that isolation is a useful precaution at a certain period of the clfoease', hut asserts that- it- is unnecessary in the initial stages. Apropos of Mr Seek!on’s denial that German shipowners were invited to tender for the proposed steamer service via West Coast ports. London shipowners assert that German firms received precisely t-lie same private invitation to tender, at precisely tlie same time as themselves. The public invitation to tender \ was issued four days later. The council of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce has memorialised Mr A. Lyttelton, Secretary of State for the Colonies, against New Zealand, Cape Colony and Natal levying duties on the Avhole capital of incorporated companies Avliich employ only a small proportion of their capital in those colonies. The council considers this policy a great and needless hindrance to companies incorporated in Britain, and urges Air Lyttelton to- take steps to secure amelioration. News lias been received from Somaliland that Colonel Kemfa surprised a detached party of the Mullah’s adherents at Elinamba, killing fifty spearsmeii and capturing three thousand cattle and. several thousand sheep. As Colonel Kenna/s horses Avere fatigued, it is improbable he Avould continue the pursuit of the Mullah’s principal bands), which are several marches ahead.

The! Right Hon Mr Arnold-Forster,. the recently-appointed Minister for War, speaking at Liverpool, said he was backed by the goodwill of the army, and it would be his duty and endeavour to see .that past errors of administration did not recur. Now, as prior to the Boer war;, we were still unable to embark a battalion at full strength without mobilising the army. ; Our reservists ought to be.a supplement to and not a substitute for the regular army. The Minister foreshadowed an increase- in the number' of trained sufbaltems and of captains, and the construction of better barracks - } also that the enlistment .periods for line regiments be made optional for periods from three to eight years. “Heretofore,” continued the speaker, “we bad- lived by drawing blood from and kjLHing the militias which must be restored as a substantive force. We have how tw’o sets of volunteers, so-me with more! leisure than others. iSym-

pa thy and common-sense _ Avould solve t-ho problem of the classification and .utilisation of* a force oti, immense A-alue.” The Shaw,- Savill and Albion steamer Kumara will- open a neiv service in March between Glasgow, Liverpool and New Zealand, the Delphic following in June. LONDON, January 23. The King and Queen yesterday' attended a memorial service at Frogmore, held to mark the anniversary of the late Queen Victoria’s death. Twenty-one guns were fired from the Long Walk at Windsor at noon. The Kaiser attended a memorial service at the English Church at Berlin, AA'here memorial tablets t-o* liis grandmother and mother were uiiveiled. Mr Reeve*, Agent-General for New Zealand, states that-, a circular issued on the 30th' December inifiormmg sh i pownors • regarding;. tenders for the West of was also- sent to Lloyds and vTfi^'Balbio' .Mercantile Shipping Exchange. Mr HeeA'es states that the circular bias n-ot intended to bo private. BERLIN, January 20. A heated debate 'occurred in the Reichstag, the Socialists accusing Count von Bulow, the Imperial Chancellor, of conniving at an elaborate system of Russian espionage and political persecution, Avlucli they allege is being conducted from Berlin and other German cities, and directed against all political suspects, especially students. Hinder the pretext that they are anarchists. The Socialists also allege that many bad been seized and hurried across the Russian frontier Avithout judicial authority. Herr Rebel, leader of the Socialist party, declared that Germany cringed and crawled before Russia, and her subserviency Avas so extreme that she seemed Aviliing to black Russia’s boots. Baron von Richthofen, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in reply, said the fanatical opponents of the institutions of. a friendly Power did not deserve sentimental sympathy. The Government, he added, intended to continue to deport such persons across the Russian frontier, no matter wliat the people thought. PARIS, January 24.

The Chamber of Deputies by 295 to 243 votes endorsed' the recent- action of tlie Government in expelling Herr Delsc!, a member of the German Reichstag, on tho ground that be was guilty of publishing articles attacking members of various, French Governments. WASHINGTON, January 21.

Senator John T. Morgan, of Alabama, baa introduced a. Bill to- annex Panama, to compensate Panama and Colombia with ten millions dollars (£2,000,000) and a million and a half dollars (£3oo>000) respectively, and to devote forty million dollars (£8,000,000) to the purchase of the Panama Canal property. A Bill introduced by Air William P. Hepburn, of lowa, prohibit,rUg inter-. State trading in adulterated or Avrong-ly-brauded fo-od or drugs, including, foreign articles, has been adaptd by the House of Representatives by 201 votes against 68. NEW YORK, January 21. Eighty degrees of frost- have been registered hi Eastern Canada, and fiftytwo degrees in Ncav York. NEW YORK, January 23. Air Craig, a San Francisco insurance agent, is suing Dr Dowiie, the founder of Zion City, and threatens to stop his embarkation for Australia. Dr DoAvie vra-s accorded a frosty reception at San Francisco. A tornado Avrecked the business portion of the toAvn, and three- hundred houses at Aloundville, a small tOAA r n in Alabama, killing thirty-seven people and injuring one hundred. Brigands stopped and boarded the Southern Pacific train at San Luis Obispo, California, and stole fifty thousand dollars (about £10,000). Eleven trains, containing three hundred passengers, are snoAv-bound between Rome and Waterton, New York Sta-te. gome of tho passegers escaped on snpw-ishoes. Many were foodless all day. It i-s snoAvling heavily, and then* early relief is not expected. TAvelve trains are snow-bound near Utica, 232 miles north-north-west of New' York, amid thirty feet of snow. CAPETOWN, January 20. PhilKipus Schwartz has been sen-,' teheed at Johannesburg to death on a Charge of murdering a man named Vanniekerk, Avhile searching for gold, and (diamonds hidden on the veldt in ; the Northern Transvaal during the Avar.; Vanniekerk married Schwartz’s.. betrothed while Schwartz was a prisoner of war. The Crown alleged that Schwartz shot Vanniekerk twice in the back and returned to camp-, pretending that he had lest Vanniekerk .while limiting. Am Australian bushman named Colville, one of the treasuret-lmnting .party, stated that six weeks age lie found a parcel of diamonds on the" veldt through indications given by SchAvartz. The defence alleged that lions killed Vanniekerk. AIELBOURNE, January 21. Sir Philip Eysli, federal Postmaster-. General, displays some anxiety about the tenders likely to be received for. the mail contract, and he may pass, b’.y have to extend the closing time .for - tenders. Ho also finds that tlie statistics p«p.wed with reference to- tlie pom*Lge

Avero made on the assumption that mails could be sent by the present service. If sent by other lines the poundage rates would be double that estimated. [The statistics referred to indicated that mail matter for the conveyance of which Australia pays £70,000 could be juried at Post Union poundage rates for £30,000.] MELBOURNE, January 23 A st-ir has been created by a demandin connection Avitb the Premier Building Society, which Avent into- liquidation in 1891, on borrowers of building loans for payment of the amounts standing against them. - Tho difference between. the amount realised by the sale of forfeited properties and the amo-un-t due by borrowers amounted to £706,000. This asset- Avas sold by auction for £B7. The purchaser is now calling on former borrowers to settle up. He is Aviliing to accept a reason-able compromise, and has already accepted £5 in full satisfaction cf a liability of £l5O. SYDNEY, January 21. The effectHeness of the Arbitration JL’ourt awards bus received a severe jolt by the colliery decision. At a meeting of Northern Extended miners, avlio Avero also affected, the distinct treasurer urged the miners to return to Avork. The federation had, he said, got out of damages, and the men hajd got out on a technicality. It would not be possible to get a review of the award unless they were at work. Seeing that they, had asked for the Arbitration Court their not obeying its award was a reflection on the Court. Personally, be had never had any faith in the practical value of arbitration. The Rhondda miners’ ballot resulted in a verdict against the resumption of work. SYDNEY, January 22. The Government’s Eastern Commercial Agent, writing from Hongkong, relates Avhile (interviewing the victualling officers of the China squadron his attention was called to some bad tins of Australian preserved meat. Oil examinar tion it was found thal they were from NeAV Zealand, not Australia. SYDNEY, January 23. Both the Northern Extended and the Rhondda miners h-a\ r e decided to continue the strike-. " The owner of the Northern has already intimated that he considers the men no longer in his employ. The representative of the owners of the Rhondda Mine announces that- owing to the action of the moil the mine will be closed and will remain closed. The proprietors otf various mines are" considering the general introduction of coal-cutting machines. ADELAIDE, January 24. While loading guanoi at Sibsey Island! fcbe bai*quentine Annie Brorvn was driven ashore in a gale and totally wrecked. All bands escaped in a boat.