THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5555, 17 January 1879, Page 3

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

(PER PRESS AGENCY,) THE QUEEN’S SPEECH.

My Lords and Gentlemen, —I regret I have been obliged to call for your attendance at an unusual and probably to most of you inconvenient season, the hostility towards my Indian Government manifested by the Ameer of Afghanistan, and the manner in which he repulsed my friendly mission, left me no alternative but to make a peremptory demand for redress. This demand having been disregarded, I have directed an expedition to be sent into his territory, and have taken the earliest opportunity of calling you together and making to you the communication required by law. I have directed that the papers on the subject shall be laid before you. I receive from all foreign powers assurances of their friendly feelings, and I have every reason to believe that the arrangements for the pacification of Europe made by the Berlin Treaty will be successfully carried into effect. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, —The estimates for the ensuing year are in course of preparation, and will in due time be submitted to you.

My Lofds and Gentlemen,—l propose that after full deliberation upon the matters which have led me to anticipate your usual time of meeting, and after a suitable recess, you should proceed to the consideration of various measures for the public benefit which will then be laid before you. I confidently commit to your wisdom the great interests of my Empire, and I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your counsels.” In the House of Lords, in the debate on the Speech, Earl Granville complained of several omissions in the Queen’s Speech, particularly of the absence of any mention of the war in South Africa, which was viewed with great anxiety by those best acquainted with the colony. Nobody doubted the absolute prerogative of the Crown to make war or peace, but it is perfectly certain that the continual recurrence of such surprises will seriously weaken the foundations of theprerogative. EarlLytton’s communication to the Ameer of Afghanistan was harsh and indiscreet. He concluded as follows; —“ However unnecessary war may have been —however much we may be convinced that you have completely played into the hands of our great rival, we urge this House to co-operate in the strongest manner with the House of Commons to make most ample provision for the sake of our gallant troops. We trust the Government has not mede fallacious estimates, under-rating the expenditure, as in the Abyssinian war. Lord Cranbrook declared that he accepted responsibility for his despatch and pointed out that Lord Granville, in 1873, declined to intimate to Russia that any aggression on Afghanistan would meet with British resistance. Earl Grey moved an amendment to the address, expressing regret that Parliament was not summoned as soon as possible after war became probable. The Duke of Somerset cordially supported the prosecution of the war. The Marquis of Salisbury repelled the personal charges that he had deceived Parliament, denying there had been any change of policy towards Afghanistan. Beaconsfield then addressed the House. He criticised the attitude of the Opposition, and challenged them to attack directly the justice and policy of the war. He stated that the inspection of Cyprus by his colleagues showed that that island surpassed all the Government’s expectations, and it would soon be recognised as one of the most influential positions in the British dominions. In conclusion, he said the Government were prepared to meet Parliament’s decision, however it might affect the Ministry individually, but hoped the House would decide to maintain the Empire, and hot sanction a policy which mistakes timidity for wisdom. The amendment moved by Earl Grey was rejected, and the address was adopted on division. The Marquis of Hartington made a declaration similar to that of Lord Granville. He said the war having been commenced, it was necessary for the security of India to conduct it vigorously. Gladstone spoke briefly, expressing a hope that the House would have more information before a vote of credit was asked. Sir Stafford Northoote denied that the Government had purposely picked a quarrel with the Ameer, or desired an extension of territory. The address was adopted by the House without division.

The Home News says:—“The Ameer of Afghanistan has held a Durbar at Cabul, He made a speech declaring that Russia’s hospitality to the Afghan traders made it his duty to give the Russian embassy a cordial reception; he ordered the Keeper of the Seals to read to the Council an account of the power and fame of Russia. The Ameer brought the proceedings to , a conclusion by saying:—Return to your posts and sharpen your swords to meet the enemy of our country.” The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Vienna Evening Post affirms the statements that the Russian Government has offered its good offices as mediator in the Afghan difficulty, to England. The same correspondent announces that a good road, practicable for heavy vehicles and artillery is being made by Russians from Samarcand to Tennez, on Amou Darya, in the direction of Balkh and Cabul, and that the road is to be completed in four months.

The Russian newspapers 'express astonishment at the prompt and successful action of the British troops in Afghanistan, but they warn the English not to boast too soon.

The Russian Government is much surprised at the speedy success of. the British troops, and is quite unprepared for active interference. Advices from Orenburg state that in consequence of the concentration of Chinese forces on the Russian frontier, and the reported pacification of Khotan, the Russian fort of Narza has been strongly reinforced. The Chinese have reinforced their outposts. The Cologne Gazette remarks that the danger of collision between England and Russia in Central Asia is less remote than English newspapers appear to imagine. There are Russian troops at present stationed no more than seven or eight days journey from Mery, and the dis? tance from Merv to Herat might be traversed in twelve or fifteen days. The road leads through fertile districts abounding in food for man and beast, only about a third part of the distance being steppes. It ought to be home in mind, says the Gazette, that Russia has an army of 100,000 men in the Caucusus, which might be, without difficulty, conveyed across the Caspian Sea to the mouth of the River Attrec. Once there, Merv is within easy reach. The Russian army haj once more been placed upon a war footing, 80,000 men in the annexed provinces, and a force of 40,000 will pass the winter ia largo camps sear Gumri and Erivan. Recruit-

iog is going on incessantly, some heavy guns being mounted at Kars.

Several important Turkish personages, believing that the attitude of the Russians in Eoumelia will lead to fresh war, in which England will be the ally of Turkey, have been anxious to convince Sir Henry Layard that the most efficacious way of makingjwar against Afghanistan would be to engage the Russians in Europe. Among those immediately surrounding the Sultan, however, ideas of peace and neutrality prevail. The Porte, nevertheless, seems to anticipate momentous events, and, with that impression, is desirous of coming to terms with Austria. Intelligence received from Quettah, west coast of Africa, states that earthworks had been thrown up to protect the town, an attack being expected. Captain Ellis, commandant, was attacked in a boat on a lagoon, and narrowly escaped with his life. Five natives were shot in the affray. It is estimated that a number of arrests have been made at Rome, estimated at 200. The police seized a large quantity of placards threatening with death all who should join in ovation to the King. Orby, in a scathing letter in The Times, has evoked a correspondence from Ritualistic clergymen, and it is rather startling to know that the real difference between the Anglican Ritualists and the Roman Catholics is that the Ritualists absolutely reject the doctrine of Papal infallibility. Sir Henry Layard forwarded to the Marquis of Salisbury a request that England should guarantee the projected Turkish loan for £23,000,000. The Porte has concluded a loan of £630,000 with the Ottoman Bank, and another of one million with the Messrs. Zariff.

Telegrams from London of December 20th state that at St. Petersburg on the 11th inst. several hundred students assembled before the Czarewitch palace to present a petition. The Czarewitch being at Szarkoe-selo, the Prefect of Police hastened to the palace and received the petition, and ordered the crowd to disperse. On the 16th a meeting was held to protest against the violence of the soldiery. The occurrences against which the students protested are as follows: —The Prefect of Police had promised to bring an answer to the petition calling attention to the oppression of the students, and requesting the liberation of their colleagues, arrested at Charkoff. Instsad of any reply being given the St. Petersburg colleges were surrounded by 2000 gendarmes and Cossacks, and 200 arrests were made. The Cossacks used whips, and several students were injured. The drawbridge over the Neva was removed to prevent thousands of students from crossing to the south side. The lecture hall has been closed. A proclamation is conspicuously posted forbidding the carrying of arms in the St. Petersburg district, except by authorisation. It is rumored that the temporary closing of the Universities is seriously contemplated by the Czar of Russia. It is proposed to appoint a collectively responsible Cabinet.

In consequence of the increase of atrocities and murders in Switzerland the Council of State has decided to discuss the restoration of capital punishment. Princess Alice died of diphtheria. The Princess was in a state of unconsciousness from 2.30 a.m. until the time of her death. The flag at Windsor Castle was half-mast high. The bells at the Royal Chapel and Eton College were tolled, and nearly all the houses, both public and private, in the Royal borough were closed.

There is great distress in Sheffield. A contract of sixty thousand tons of iron plates being diverted to South Wales caused a loss of three hundred thousand pounds to the district. Hundreds of families are living in houses without furniture or fires. One firm which employed twelvehundred hands has been reduced to forty. The Board of Supervision at Edinburgh and eth Mayors of Liverpool and Manchester state that ordinary means of relief are at present sufficient to meet all necessities. At Birmingham the Mayor declared the distress exceptionally severe, and increasing daily. At Sheffield 2000 children and 3000 adults received aid last week. The Mayors relief fund amounts to 40,000 dollars. At Stockton the distress is increasing ; hundreds of families and workers are destitute. At Stocktou-ou-Trent great distress prevails, which is enhanced by the severity of the cold. The distress committee is unable to keep pace with the demand. At Edinburgh a deputation of unemployed men waited on the magistrates for employment. At Glasgow depression and distress is unexampled. The streets are swarming with idle and starving men, women, and children. The Dundee Dispatch says there is much misery in that part of Scotland. At Manchester vast numbers of the middle class poor, who will not appeal to charity, are suffering keenly. London, December 22. The proposed reduction of 124 per cent, in the wages of the colliers of South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire affects one hundred thousand men. A monster meeting will be held soon when striking in mass at the commencement of the year will be discussed. London, December 19. A number of the Oldham mills have commenced running part of their machinery at a reduction. The strike has entered upon a fourth week, and there has been lost, in wages alone, £60,000. There is great distress, and appeals are being made for the relief of the laboring classes. The Gooch case has been another sensation of the month. The charge against Lady Gooch was that she unlawfully conspired, confederated, and agreed with another woman to palm off on her husband a strange child as her own. After the proceedings had commenced Sir Francis Gooch wished to retire from the prosecution, but the case had gone too far, and the attempted imposture was of too serious a nature to justify the magistrates in preventing it from going before a jury. Sir Francis has been rather roughly handled in society for having taken proceedings against his wife in a matter which was a palpable imposture. But it should be remembered that unless absolute measures had now been taken, forty years hence it would be very difficult to disprove any illegal claim to the estate. Sir Francis Gooch only did what was right in the interests of his family. Instead of censure he deserved pity, for his duty was painful and difficult. Poor Lady Gooch was also to he pitied. When she appeared in court her face was deadly pale, and she was supported on the arm of her solicitor. On being seated she put on a dark thick veil. On the second day just at the opening of the proceedings she swooned away, and fell upon the floor of the court. After she was carried out, screams were heard from an adjoining room where she had been carried, and where she was held up in paroxysms of hysterics. Her conduct seems to have been dictated partly by hatred of the branch of the family to which the estates would revert in default of her issue, and partly by a (forlorn hope of winning back the estranged affections of her husband. : It appears right to give a detailed account of the terrible disaster in the British Channel, in the loss of the steamship Pomerania by collision with the Welsh barque Noel Elian. The steamship sailed from New York on the 14th December for Hamburg, with a moderate list and crew of over 100. She touched at Plymouth on the night of the 24th, and landed a small number of passengers, and on leaving that port her passenger list showed 109, principally steerage. The disaster occurred on the following night during the prevalence of a dense fog in the Channel, at all times swarming with shipping of every description. The locality was not far from where the great German Grosser Kurfurst met her fate in broad daylight less than a year ago. The steamer was proceeding cautiously with an extra watch in the bows, and on the bridge the captain, like a true seaman in a time of danger, being also at liis post. Suddenly the barque came bowling through the fog before a free wind at right angles with the course of the Pomerania, and before any time was permitted for the slightest manoeuvring she struck the steamer amidships, and the latter went down in ten minutes. The steamer Glengarry happened to be in close vicinity, amd went to the rescue, and 170 were saved out of a total of about 320 passengers and crew. Cap tain Schwansen was on his one hundred and tifty-first passage across the Atlantic as commander. After the collision he maintained his post on the bridge, directing the movements of the crew for the rescue of the passengers, and he went down with his ship. The conduct of this faithful and heroic commander presents a lesson, and it is useless to suggest in what direction it applies. Thomas Blight, a certificated officer of the British Mercantile Marine, who was tained as a witness by the Dover Board of Trade, and who was a passenger on the steamship, says the Pomerania was going at half to three quarter speed. There was a good look out. The lights were burning, and it was very foggy. He heard no whistle or fog horn. . Before the steamer sunk there was time to have saved every life, if order had been maintained. He was beside the captain when the

latter put on his life-belt. He heard no orders. One of the officers told Jiira the dcors of the watertight bulk-heads were ail* open. There was no more sea than. is usual on the Thames, All could have been saved if the sailors had not rushed to the boats. The captain was saved by means of a spar, on which he floated till he was picked up by the steamer City of Amsterdam, the same vessel that received most of the passengers. The contractor for raising the German iron-clad has signed a contract for raising the Bomeramia also. Home advices state that Russia has 250,000 men south of the Balkans, and are straining every nerve to complete the new fortifications at Eustangi, on the Danube, and at Bustohuk, Galatz, and Braila, are constructing new bridges on the Danube, and forwarding vast quantities of war material. Baker Pasha and other English officers are fortifying the Turkish lines.

It has been mooted by the Pacific Mail Company to limit their business to the trade between New York and San Francisco. At a meeting of directors held in New York on the 19 th ult., President Hart openly declared that the company had been robbed during the last year, and has only recently secured an honest management. The company has entered into a new contract with the Union Pacific Railroad Company for one year on a much more favorable basis than the former contract, but they decline to make the conditions public for the present. The company has received a large offer from an English Arm forits Australia trading steamers. The service will probably be transferred. General Badcook has been appointed general superintendent of the .company’s business at San Francisco.

William S. Lyster has succeeded in forming an operatic company in England, consisting of Madame Bose Hersee, Miss Alicia Pelma, Charles Grayher, Signor G. Verdi, Signor Ugo Angleva, with Mr. Howell as stage director; Signor Antonineta Link, another prima donna, is in Melbourne already awaiting Lyster’s arrival. ■ The opera season will commence in Melbourne in March next. The company is engaged for Australia, New Zealand, and United States. It will leave London for Melbourne on January 27. The Glasgow police have obtained information which they consider authentic, to the effect that Mr. J. Niohol Fleming, the exdirector of the City of Glasgow Bank, against whom a warrant has been issued, has escaped to Spain. After leaving Scotland he lived for some weeks in lodgings in Loudon, but took his departure for the continent on the day on which the directors were committed for trial.

Obituary.—Sir E. A. O’Donnell, Bart., Marchioness of Castejea, General Sir J. Garrock, G.C.8., Hon. A. Vaill, J. W. Carleton, Q. 0., Lady Hatherley, Bev. Sir P. E. W. Biomfield, Alderman Grunsley, Mayor of Leicester, J. Dove, late M.P. for Leicester, H. W. Meredyth, M.P. for Kilkenny, J. D. Harris, late M.P. for Leicester, Sir J. B. East, Bart., Dr. F. F. Quin, Lady Clerk, Alfred Argan, Mrs. Tait, wife of the Archbishop of Canterbury, F. Gye, Esq., Dunbar, M.P., B. .Smyth, M.P.