NEWS BY CABLE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8007, 11 February 1887, Page 2

NEWS BY CABLE.

Br Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. SPECIAL TO UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. London, February 9. The French Chamber of Deputies has voted thirty million francs for increasing and improving the French navy. The Associated Chambers of Commerce have resolved to urge Mr Cecil Raikea, the Postmaster-General, to reduce the rates of postage to the colonies. Rasaloula threatens to destroy the forts at Massowah, and in consequence reinforcements have been dispatched there.

(eeutee’s teleoeams.) (Received February 10, 10.15 p.m.) Paris, February 9. News is to hand from Lyons that three bombs were exploded to-day near the Palais de Justice in that city. No damage was done to the building, but several persons who participated in the outrage were hurt, and eight of them were subsequently arrested. Constantinople, February 9. Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, British Special Commissioner, is now conferring with the Turkish Government regarding Egypt. The principal point of his proposals is understood to be the neutralisation of that country. London, February 10. At a banquet given last night by tbe Associated Chambers of Commerce, Sir J. Ferguson, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, expressed the opinion that a European war was unlikely.to break out at the present juncture. Sir Saul Samuel, who was one of the guests, in tbe course of his speech, stated that any reduction in the postal rate between Great Britain and the colonies was not feasible at present, and that it would therefore be useless to trouble the Imperial Conference with a discussion of the question.

A letter from Mr John Bright, in reply to a communication from Mr J. Norton, is published in this morning’s papers. The writer expresses the hope that the Soudan expedition will be the last occasion in which Australia would join in a war where her interests were not immediately affected.