THE EVENING MAIL, MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 240, 29 January 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL,

MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 1877.

•»W«**arat*ia«*»wnM*» 4r»p «* b* blKnst arena

TM arrival of the San Francisco mail put* u*<*i» cotwwt* with European event.*, tfca appearance of which is far from che* r- j iaa> ft is quit* evident a strangle is at nn .»l and although the eiril hour is being etsved e*T front day to day, come it must, ■ad that at no distant date. The obstinacy of the Skk Man in refusing to sanetics the occupation of the provinces by any troop* whatever leave* no oth r xu s j open 1*"»« that the difficulty should be aettled by an appeal to arms, and the action of the Russian and English Minis•ten ia taking their departure from Constantinople would denote that all attempts At a peaceful settlement were at an end, and the preliminary for letting slip the dogs of war. In its last struggle with the Muscovite, Turkey had the powerful aid if France and England to save it from decoction, hut should it continue to rush upon ita ruin, no sues harrier will n«»w intervene. The 3*ro«», in a feader, puts the matter plainly,, and says, tn conclusion,. '* that the Porte may rest assured that the int snot find in defiance of the united demand* of Europe would be the beginaittf of the end; as neither England n*>r an? ether power would interpose to save H from ruin.'* Meanwhile, with a diaor■wajasd amy, its fleet in an indifferent atata, and conspiracies for the d<throne■Mttl of to* Softs* rife throughout the ampin, it* position for entering upon Whit ntttt prove to be a death-struggle is ■at a fejv nopeful one, and should it aleet to do so, It must prove to be, as the leading iournal of Enghad *ay», "the beginning of the aaoV* Phasing from the Old to t>t New World we have the usual catalogue e# disaster and distress, thousands of vahnbhr hves sacrificed, and millions of property destroyed. Chief amongst th« tatastxophis was that which occurred to a paatanawr-laden train, on Boxing Day, which, by the breaking of the bridge over Which it was passing, was precipitated wills ita living freight setenty-Bve feet into tho abyss beneath. Over one thousand person* wen hurled into eternity, white numberless others were either crushed, burned, or frorn to death. In tlteKagety River, &*** Baftiwore, such has been the severity of the winter, that tfcaTty*seven vessels were ice-bound fur a aoaawianbhr tone, while the unfortunate (Mpa wen subjected to unheard-of sufferisjawawst privations. Several wen frozen to ooathv and is one vessel alone four % mm bean taaad dead in the cabin. {JiaawVialsobsw awaJhboted ita quota to He ■fcplsr nf T 1 ""* * Convent at Jfuaanal has beaji destroyed, with the toss of thirteen Sisters, who wen unable tomato their sscap*. The loss of property by the various casualties ia almost beyond computation. The steamer Ceslaania.% ©a» of tho finest rirer boats on thTMiieissirt 1 * """ ™ tWt ** """* h * Ua flT itti <M > of dolbrs* along with several other vessels, became a prey toaaiee-eruah, and wen totally wndteo ,|Bj| fafa A heavily-laden cotton ship, eaatad|bw Barvey Mills, took fin off Cape and besides its loss, two of the generally is witL disaster present oneisunusu--1 } with of human life whki. JHemfafr mittm**** ********

t*.e indiff.rence with which calamities whic'i cause a thrill of horror to the render are r*ceiv«.d by its people. Nothing saems to teach thetn caution, for scarce'? has the recollection of some terrible disaster passed from the mind when its place is taken by another of perhaps greater gravity. The United Kingdom, also, does not appear to bav? escaped scatheless, as the coast was visited by a severe gale in t*i middle of December, by which 120 vessels and 2"0 men were l.st. T.e •"lores of the Tyne were strewn with portions of the wreck, while the D.ivur Pier was partially destroyed, and every town between that place and Portsmouth inundated, the furniture in many cases being washed oat of the houses. Taken as a whole, then, the budget of news brought by the City of New York is not of a cheering nature. With fie several European Powers eagerly watching for an opportune moment to spring at each other's throat, | and the train wanting but a spark to set | the whole Continent in a blaze, nine'* : food for serious reflection is furnished. ; To us so far removed from the scene of operations it may be thong.t we cm be I affected bat littf j by the outcome, but ! should the Mother Country be drawn into the confliri, placed as we are mtirely at the mercy of a fi*, the j>res«nt aspect of affairs is fraught with far more importaucc than a good many Lna^ine.