ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL VIA SAN FRANCISCO.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4141, 29 June 1874, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL VIA SAN FRANCISCO.

BY ELECTRIC TELEQRAPU. * THE ATLANTIC STEAMER FOUR DAYS LATE. SUPPOSED LOSS OF THE STEAMER SIBERIA. GREAT FIRE IN PARIS. OUTLAWRY OF EXILED POLES RESCINDED EY RUSSIA. FRIENDLY RELATIONS BETWEEN GERMANY AND FRANCE. [Press Telegraph Agency.] A portion of the following was issued as an Extra to the New Zealand Times early on Saturday afternoon : Auckland, Saturday. The City of Adelaide arrived at 10 o'clock last night with the San Francisco mail. The Mikado did not arrive at Kandavau until 10 a.m. on the 21st. She was detained four days at San Francisco owing to the nonarrival of the Atlantic steamer, and then lost fifty-one hours between Honolulu and Kandavau. She was repairing tubes for the last three days out, under easy steam. The City of Adelaide received the New Zealand portion of the mails and cargo on the morning of the 22nd. The Mikado was not expected to sail for Sydney till the following evening, having to repair machinery. The Tartar with the outward mails left Kandavau for San Francisco on the 14th, full of passengers and cargo. The City of Adelaide brings over 4000 packages for Auckland, 305 packages and twenty rams for the South. Passengers for Auckland—Mr. Thos. Russell, and fifteen others. For Wellington—Rev. Mr. Elwyn and Mrs. Elwyn, Mr. McFoy. For Port Chalmers—Messrs. Maitland and Cargill, Dr. Crawford, and one in the steerage. London, May 26. A violent thunderstorm, which passed over London and the Midland Counties, caused loss of life and damage to crops. The steamship Siberia, bound from London for Madeira, is supposed to have been lost, with all her crow and passengers. Ten persons have been arrested in Cork, in connection with a mysterious disappearance of arms and ammunition from the barracks. It is reported that the British frigates Narcissus and Endymion are ashore at Palermo ; and the corvette Racoon at Bermuda. By a fire in Paris, near the Bastile, two hundred people were rendered homeless, and several were killed. The Durham election has been annulled on account of bribery, and the Galway election has been annulled on account of intimidation. Oppenheim and Schrader, merchants, have failed. Their liabilities are £750,000. The Czar of Russia has issued instructions granting permission to all exiled Poles to return home, excepting those guilty of assassination. A collision between coal and passenger trains at 'Mertbyr Tydvil seriously injured forty persons. President McMahon, when receiving the German Ambassadors, expressed the hope that the present friendly relations between France and Germany would long continue. It is reported that a bitterness has arisen between the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh, regarding a question of i rank.

A nephew of the Emperor of Russia has been arrested in St. Petersburg for stealing his mother's diamonds. The Czar has ordered legal proceedings to take their course.

A conspiracy has been discovered at Kehokan in Russia. Sixteen persons were implicated, who were all executed. The appropriation of Church property for State purposes in Italy still continues. Ecclesiastical property to the value of over twenty millions sterling has been sold, and gone into the public Treasury. Additional strikes among miners have caused a rise in the price of coal. Sothcrn, the actor, is playing at Chicago. He goes to Australia under an engagement for eight weeks, at 1000 dollars a night. AMERICAN NEWS. San Francisco, May 27. Details of the partial destruction of three villages in Massachusetts by the reservoirs bursting, are of appalling character. The reservoirs were in the mountains, and used for mill purposes in the villages below ; the dams broke away and a torrent rushed down upon the villages, sweeping everything away in its course. One hundred and eighty persons were drowned. The damage done to property is estimated at a million dollars. Four hundred families are rendered homeless. To add to the confusion and distress caused by the catastrophe, as soon as it was known robbers and roughs from neighbouring towns poured in eager for plunder. The women's crusade against. the liquor traffic is suppressed by the authorities. Forty women were arrested at Pittsburg for obstructing the roads. They still express a determination to continue their work. The steamer Swatora carrying the scientific expedition for the observation of the transit of Venus is ready to leave New York. They will land parties at Crozett's Island, Desolation Island, Hobarton, New Zealand, and Chatham Islands. Elaborate instruments are on board and provisions for eighteen months. The Mayor of New Orleans telegraphs for further aid towards the sufferers by the great Louisiana inundation. He says *15,000 rations are being distributed daily. Contributions of a million dollars will be required to prevent the horrors of famine and great loss of life.

The fall of a building at Buffalo killed eight persons. A great fire has occurred at Toronto. Two hundred thousand dollars worth of property was destroyed. Four ruffians fought their way out of the Indiana state prison with revolvers and bowie knives, killing a turnkey. The American steamer Manclni has been wrecked in a gale in the Japan seas. Fortyseven jiersons were drowned, chiefly Chinamen. A man and his wife, and an old woman and her son, have been burned at Mexico for sorcery, by order of Senor Castello, Alcalde of Jacomino. They were tested by compelling them to swallow holy water. A strike of the stage drivers of New York has caused a disappearance of these vehicles from the streets. Over forty leading business premises in Independence, Ohio, have been burnt, with a loss of four hundred thousand dollars. A great ice gorge in Quebec damaged and wrecked a large number of steamers and other vessels. The damage is estimated at a million and half dollars. New York, May 27. The Police are making raids on the gamblers. Seventy have been arrested. The Police of San Juan and Porto Rico are arresting Freemasons, on the ground that they favor the separation of the Colonies from Spain. Intelligence from Japan states that the chief of the rebels and ten leaders had been caught and executed. More brutal murders are reported from San Francisco. One hundred Catholic pilgrims have left New York for Rome. A Bill has been introduced into Congress empowering the purchase of ten thousand acres at Pango Paugo, Samoa, as a naval station for the United States, without assuming political control of the lands, which continue under Native sovereignty subject to the conditions necessary to secure the rights of the United States. The Bill was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, which is now considering it. Colonel Stoinberger's report is in favor of the annexation of Samoa. It is understood that the Annexation Committee opposes the proposition, but favors the purchase of any lands required.

Thousands of Mormons are joining Brigham Young's order of Enoch, which requires every member to give all his property to tho Church. Intelligence from Havannah states that the Court-martial is condemning large numbers of people to death or imprisonment for treason. GENERAL SUMMARY. London, May 5. A Russian squadron will shortly visit Atistralia and New Zealand. The Agent-General for New Zealand has completed arrangements with Messrs. Shaw, and Thompson and Moore's ironworks, for 9,000 tons of rails for shipment during the year. The report of the Otago and Southland Investment Company shows an available total of £0156, including £ll9 brought from last account, and recommends a dividend at the rate of ten per cent, per annum, and an appropriation of £SOO to the reserve fund. The March Californian Mails were delivered in London on May 4th, three days overdue. The Wool Importers' Committee have decided that the third series of sales shall commence on 18th August. The Tichbome claimant has lost four stone weight since his incarceration. A pamphlet entitled " Handyside's Improved Method of Overcoming Steep Gradients on Railways" has been published. It is written by Mr. 11. ITandyside, late of the Province of Nelson, New Zealand. A great number of people, described as the very bone and sinew of the island population, arc preparing to leave Skye for New Zealand. The following persons in New Zealand have won prizes in the Art Union of London : —W. Jamieson, E. C. J. Stevens, and Dr. Turnbull, Christchurch ; James Goldie and J. Kissling, Blenheim ; E. Wickes and Charles Wooleock, Grey mouth ; Robert Burn, Nelson; and E. Pearce, Wellington.

SHIPPING. Arrived.—Cardigan Castle, from Lyttelton, April 27th. Columbus, 'from Otago, April 29th. Meropo, from Lyttelton, April 26th. Otago, from Otago, April ISth. Queen Bee, from Napier, April 27th. Hope,, from Wellington, April 25th. Sailed :—For Auckland—Miltiades, May 4 ; Ferndale, May 8. For Canterbury—Hereford, April IS ; Eastern Monarch, May 2. For Nelson—Adamant, May 4. For Napier —Manchester, May 3. For Otago, Carrick Castle, April 27 ; Sussex, April 17 ; Peter Denny, May 2. For Wellington—Conflict, May 5 ; Euterpe, April 2S. The Otago on her passage home encountered a terrific gale on the 10th April, and lost all her boats, spars, stock, and portion of the bulwarks. The ship was lying for some time with the lower yards under water. On the following day she rescued the crew of the barque Arthur, which was in a sinking condition, and landed them at Dartmouth.

The following vessels are loading at London: For Auckland—Cathcart, Columbus, Oxford, and City of Auckland. For Canterbury— Carisbrook Castle, St, Lawrence, Taunton. [ For Nelson—Priscilla. For Otago—Corona, Cordelia, Haddon Hall, and Sam Mendal. For Wellington—J. A. Thompson, Strathnavar, and St. Leonards. For Lyttelton—Barque Brunette and brig Sidi, with railway ties. The steamer Brace sailed from the Clyde for Otago on April 11. New Yobk, May 16. Loading—Barque Onco, for New Zealand. Vancouver's Island, May 6. Sailed—Brig Hazard, for New Zealand. Loading—Barque Colso, for Otago. Boston, May 8. Sailed—Ship Bunker's Hill, for Melbourne and Dunedin. COMMERCIAL. A depression has taken place in flour. Slight concessions are necessary to induce business. Extra, §5.50c. to §6; superfine, 54.50 c to §5. The wheat market is unsettled. The prospects of large shipments and increased rates of ocean freights cause the irregularity. Wool transactions are restricted, the supply being short. The tone of the market is improving. Sales have been effected at 32c. to 36Jc, free; for new. spring, 25c, for full 25c; lambs' wool, scoured, 75c. At Boston Fair, a degree of activity was shown; for spring ships' sales wore made at 82|e. The petroleum trade is very dull. Liverpool, May 22. Wheat 12s. Gs. to 12s. 9d. Central freights from San Francisco to Liverpool £3 10s. to ,£3 12s. 6d. on the spot. Charters, £3 15s. to £4, to arrive up to Ist October. San Francisco, May 27.

Flour —demand fair at §5 50 cents to §6 ; superfine, $i 50 cents to §i 75 cents, in sacks of 196 lbs. The wheat market is quiet; sales of 1-100 sacks milling at §1 80 cents. The barley market is steady ;' sales of 5000 sacks of Bay brewing at §1 80 cents. Wool continues to denote an active market. Sjn'ing short staple, 18 to 22 cents.; medium, 24 to 25 cents.; extra choice long staple, 20 to 27 cents, per pound. ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN NEWS. Auckland, Saturday, 7 p.m. In the House of Lords, on May 4th, Lord John Russell, in view of the embittered feeling between France and Germany, moved for copies of all correspondence with those Powers, and asked what course the British Government would take in the event of a rupture between them. Lord Derby believed that, for the immediate future, peace was safe. He trusted that England would do everything to maintain peace, short of embroiling herself in a struggle. Additional strikes by miners having been announced, coal and iron have advanced in price.

There appears to be no prospect of a settlement of the strikes in the Durham collieries. Seventy thousand miners and laborers are now idle. Great distress prevails. Many are

emigrating. It is said that, in consequence of a famine prevailing in Asia Minor, hundreds of deaths occur daily. A congregation hold at Cambridge admitted the Rev. Mr. Hare, Secretary to the Governor of New Zealand, to the degree of M.A. The Star's correspondent writes that at the close of the New Zealand Shipping Company's contract, the Agent-General chartered five shins on his own account, quite independently of any lino, but that since then arrangements have been made, and the Shipping Company are to carry a portion of the passengers, as before, until the Ist of January. The company will load, on the Agent-General's account, the Carisbrook Castle, Zenobia, and Strath - na-vcr. Messrs. Shaw, Saville and Co. will load one of the five mentioned, and Galbraith the other. He is certain that, if the AgentGeneral's instructions had been carried out, the emigrants could not have been landed in New Zealand under £2O per head. The fine composite ship Columbus arrived on 20th April from Canterbury. She will bo the next ship to Auckland. Owing to a strike by carpenters and joiners in the North of England, which commenced on Cood Friday and ended on the 3rd of May, the Shipping Company's new ship Waitangi will not bo launched till the 14th of June. Onco more the working men have gained a victory over the masters, the men having resumed work at an increase of wages. London, May 5.

The reports with regard to phormium are that a flat tone still prevails in the market. Prices for all descriptions have declined from 10s. to 20s. per ton. Only small quantities from . New Zealand have found buyers at easier rates. The sales consist of 227 hales —shorts at £ls ss. to £l6 10s. ; ordinary, £lB 10s. to £lB 15s. ; medium, half-dressed, £l9 to £2O per ton. The demand for hides is languid. Sales of Sydney heavy have been mado at 6Jd. l r or leather thero is little incmiry, at to Jd. decline. In tallow there has been a better business done. Prices have fluctuated considerably, but the closing values were :—Sheep, good to fine, 375. 9d. to 38s. Gd. ; dark greasy, good to fair, 355. 6d. to 375. Cd. ; beef, fine, 3Gs. 3d. to 365. Cd. Tho Now Zealand Company's boiled mutton, Gib. tins, ss. 4d. Potted meats in tin—potted beef and mutton, ss. per dozen ; tonguo, 10s. ; ham, Bs. Messrs. Jacombo and Son report regarding tho wool market :—" The Becond series of public sales of Colonial wool for the year oponed on the 28th ultimo, and will probably last till the 18th of June. Tho earlier arrival

of the clip for this season having accumulated an extraordinarily large quantity, these sales have been arranged in order to give encouragement to purchasers by allowing a fair time for the digestion thereof. The ensuing sales will not commence before the ISth of August. There will only be two more series this year. About 30,000 bales more were disposed of in the first series this year than in 1873. French purchasers operated with spirit. Belgian and German buyers were not so conspicuous either in number or operations. The home trade was well represented. The sales opened with most districts pretty bare of stocks. The Bradford trade is somewhat sickly in many departments. Prices for all washed Australasian wools are Id. to 2d. below the average of the February and March sales; middle and inferior combing wools showing the lowest range ; coarse and half-bred wools about 3d. for washed, and 2d. for greasy below those rates. Greasy merinos have, perhaps, sold with more spirit and better proportionate prices than other descriptions, ranging from Jd. to Id. under the average of last sales. Scoured wools are about H-d. to 2d. lower. Lambswool shows a similar decline." Colonial securities are in demand. New Zealand, 104 to 106. Consolidated, 104| to 105-1. New Zealand Loan Mercantile Agency, 7s. BJd. premium. Trust Loan Company, 1J to 1J: premium. Otago and Southland Investment, Is. Sd. to 3s. Bd. premium. National Bank of New Zealand, Is. 2d. premium. New Zealand, 17A to ISA.

Mr. White, M.H.R. and M.P.C., seems lately to have alienated some of those who favored his elevation to the office of Provincial Secretary and Treasurer. The West Coast Times, which supported his appointment to these offices, now writes as follows :—"For some time past this journal has been eminently favorable to Mr. White, and thought certainly that in the selection of that gentleman as Provincial Secretary the best choice available had been made. Unfortunately, however, we are very unwillingly compelled to change such an opinion, for, whilst admitting that gentleman's abilities and experience, we must say that the infirmities of temper, that so seriously interfered with his usefulness years ago, have lately come upon him with redoubled force, and that his conduct, on more than one occasion in the Council, has been such as his best friends must most sincrely deplore. Last night his demeanor and his language were neither more nor less than disgraceful, discreditable to himself, and fatal to the party that he is supposed to lead. The expressions used were such as should never have emanated from his lips, and it is with the most heartfelt regret that we condemn them in even these comparatively.mild terms. It is of course quite reasonable that lie should feel somewhat irritated, nay even aggrieved to some extent, at ejection from office under the circumstances, but he should bear in mind that the vote that brought about the catastrophe, was given on the ground that he could not do more than attend to the multifarious duties he had cut out for himself, even if he stayed in Hokitika, and that, as he persisted in retaining his seat in the Assembly, and leaving for Wellington for a period of some three months, his retention of Provincial office was absurd and impossible. It is not worth while going over the well-trodden ground again on this subject, but we cannot help thinking that the unreasonable display of temper on the part of Mr. White, not to use a harsher phrase, in the present crisis, will very materially prejudice his popularity on any future occasion, when he may seek the suffrages of electors here or elsewhere. It is true that his successor made a mistake in so briefly moving the second reading of the Hokitika Street Closing Bill; indeed, ft was a great error on the part of the new Executive to go on with the business at all last night, unless they were thoroughly prepared for it; and this, as Mr. Woolcock very properly said, could not be after a three hours' occupation of office. At the same time, this blunder was not of such moment as to justify in the smallest degree a so virulent, we might almost say savage personal attack as Mr. White made upon the newly-appointed Government, the Treasurer more especially. If his temper must thus outrun his discretion, and indeed ordinary decency, he cannot wonder if friends fall away from him, neither can he hope to recover the position that he has lost. Throwing personalities broadcast, and many of them of the most offensive kind, is not likely to command respect, either in or out of the Council, and therefore, whilst fully admitting the right of any member to attack a political opponent, we cannot help thus protesting' against the course that the ex-Provincial Secretary last night thought fit to pursue. It is to be hoped that this ebullition will be the last, and that instead of setting an example of political rowdyism of a gross type, he will in future set such an example of order as his experience should teach him is becoming to him in his position as a member of the House of Representatives."