GENERAL CABLES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1695, 24 August 1904, Page 23

GENERAL CABLES.

LONDON, August 16. The Imperial Parliament has prorogued till November 3rd. Prior .to prorogation the Anglo--1 French Convention was ratified. Though the French Chamber of Deputies was unable before separating to ratify the Newfoundland s cticn of the Convention, Lord Lansdowne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated in the House of Lords that the- G overnment desired to show its confidence that Franoe will ratify tlio section when the Chamber reassembles. The King’s speech on the closing of the session was mainly retrospective. His Majesty referred in commendatory terms to the agreement with France. LONDON, August 17. The Tyrergyd colliery, Aberdore (a flourishing centre of the iron and tinworks in Glamorganshire), was recently closed, owing to, trouble over the nonunion question. Yesterday the surface machinery and outhouses wens blown up. Gelatine tubes, with fuses attached, were found among the debris. ’ h,bei. n. a o now examining a draft treaty which it is proposed to arrange with the British mission now at Lhassa. The Russian troops at Anshantem, in Manchuria, held a review and two days’ festivities to celebrate Prince Alexis’s birth. • The “Daily Chronicle” reports that fifteen negroes were lynched in ope batch at Statesboro (Georgia) for murder of white people.' Negotiations between England and "Venezuela have commenced >h regard to the blackmailing of foreign companies which seized the asphalt lake and the Guano Company’s railway, worth £2,000,000. The New York and Bermudez Asphalt Company, the seizure of whore property the Court at Caracas recently ordered, invoiced British and American protection. The Legislative Council of Pretoria lias urged the Motherland to appoint a Commission of influential men to visit the Transvaal and report on the whole question of Asiatics and trading licenses. It is officially certified that there is no plague in the Transvaal. •The Dalai Lama, before departing from Lhassa, appointed a Tupa or Regent to act on his behalf. The negotiations 'with the Bribisli mission have taken a more favourable turn. The Thibetans are anxious to be rid of the British. According to the Chinese Amban there are no reasonable objections to the terms of the treaty. LONDON, August 18. Sir Balfour, in delivering liis presi- ‘ dential address before the British Association, spoke of the new electrical theory of matter, which, he said, constituted a bold and more scientifically and more satisfying attempt to unify physical nature than former doctrines. He contended t that natural science, as it grows, leans’more, and not less, upon idealistic interpretation,of the universe. He further emphasised the inevitable incoherence of any general scheme thought or built out on material derived from natural science alone. Advices have been received that the natives in the Mongalla district, in the Congo Free State, have rebelled owing to ill-treatment. Troops have been sent to quell the rebellion. LONDON, August 19. Lord Milner has informed Mr Alfred Lyttelton, Secretary of State for the Colonies, that the Chinese labourers on the Rand ai-q apparently keen to become efficient miners, and neither fear nor dislike working underground. It is further stated by Lord Milner that the experiment justifies every, effort to secure a steady stream of indentured labourers from the same source. Adolph Beck (who, owing to mistaken identity, was twice convicted of defrauding women of jewellery) has asked the Treasury to reconsider its offer of a solatium of £2OOO for imprisonment on a charge of which he was found to bo innocent. Many of the newspapers declare that the solatium is inadequate, and demand - an inquiry into the matter. LONDON, August 20. An epidemic of milk-poisoning has occurred at Bristol. It is affecting hundreds of infants. Already five deaths have resulted. The outbreak is attributed to the presence of deleterious preservatives in the, milk used. Mr William O’Brien has been returned unopposed for Cork. BERLIN. August 18. News has been received from German 'South-west Africa that the German troops defeated the Hereros at Mouramba, with heavy less. v VIENNA, August 20. Negotiations are progressing in connection with an arbitration treaty between Britain and Austria, as a result of King Edward’s visit.-

CAPETOWN, August 19. One hundred and thirty-six white labourers are now working in the New Comet mine on the Rand, compared with thirty-four prior to the arrival of the Chinese. NEW YORK, August 21. There is intense excitement in American wheat markets, owing to further reports as to the shortage of the crop. Enormous transactions are recorded at Chicago and New York, operators violently struggling to buy and dealers being panic-stricken. Speculative - syndicates which have been formed all over the country have made enormous profits.