NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 390, 28 July 1877, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

[Pjer Ringarooma, via Bluff.]

London, Juno 18. The Queen is at Balmoral in gocd health.

In the House of Commons, Bourke, in answer to a question, said that no proposal had been made by Russia for localisation of the war, and that when the question of peace could be discussed, it was one that would concern Europe, and the European colonies would consider that they had a right to share in the doliberations respecting the future. Lord Vincent, correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, after being cordially received at Russian headquarters by the Grand Duke Nicholas, was peremptorily ordered away by instructions from St. Petersburg. Colonefßrackenbury (brother of Capt. Brackenbury of Auckland) represents tho Times at Russian headquarters, and Archibald Forbes and M'Gavin arc also there.

Three hundred English officers havo offered their services to Turkey. Dervish Pasha has been appointed Governor of Kara. Turkish papers in Constantinople, commenting on the peace rumours, are opposed to peace. The Grand Vizier Edhem Pasha and Safvet Pasha are in favor of making terms with Russia after the lirst decisive action. German and Austrian Ambassadors are united in endeavouring to influence Turkey in favour of peace. Moussa Bey, with four thousand Turkish cavalry was utterly routed at Kulo on the Ist of May by the Russian moveable column of cavalry, infantry, and artillery. They were attacked at midnight on three sides, and several mountain guns, amunition, waggons, and standards, besides prisoners, were taken. Temple Bey, nephew of the Bishop of Exeter and physician to the Sultan, lias been summarily ordered either to go to Batouin, or quit the Sultan's service, for informing him. that many of the shells fired by his troops on the Danube contained no powder. The military correspondent of the Telegraph states that Russian forces destined for Danube consists of nine corps, with a total strength of 310,000 men and 1970 guns, besides some battalions of engineers, ten regiments of Cossacks, a brigade of rifles, and two or three companies of marines. Then thc.ro is the Roumanian army of some 30,000 eflectives.

The Turkish army in Europe amounts to 412 battalions, 75 squadrons, and 590 field guns, and few batteries of mitrailleuses, 200,000 infantry, and 12,000 horse of irregulars. There appears to be no doubt of the numerical inferiority of the Turks. At Ardahan the Russians were repulsed five times, but on the fifth occasion they began to attack with 40,000 men, then the commandant of Ardahan, being a young man, lost courage and made his escape. The hereditary Prince of Bohira has arrived at Constantinople for the purpose of submitting a plan of attack on Russia and enlisting Musselmen. The Italian papers announce the arrival at Rome of five cases of presents from Queen Victoria to the Pope.

Jn a cricket match —North v. South Mr. W. G. Grace-, in the first innings of the South, scored 2.j2 runs, not out. At the first yearling sale of thoroughbred stock at Middle Park, 45 lots realised 12.28-") guineas, or an average of 27'J guineas ench. The highest price was for a bay colt by Rosicrueian, viz., 1500 guineas. The heat in London was most intense early in June. Sir Henry Polly, M.P. for Hurlington, received a sunßtroke riding in Hyde Park, and died from the effects.

The German papers state that a league is being formed in Russia for the rejection of all English products until England shall abandon her sympathy for Turkej r . A serious robbery of securities (principally English bonds) has been committed from an express train from Paris, between Calais and Boulogne. Scrip to the value of L] 00,000 was stolen from the van under seal.

W. H. Hodgson, one of the solicitors to the Treasury, was stuck up on the 28th May on Blackheath, when returning in a closed carriage from Greenwich witli a daughter and niece. The robbers, who were masked, presented pistols at the driver's head, and compelled Hodgson to give up all the money he had about him. A similar outrage occurred in Yorkshire on the following day. In neither case is there any clue to the offenders. William Dufton, the well-knewn billiard player, has committed suicide by poison. Several thousand men are employed throwing up defences at Constantinople. A resolution in favor of disestablishment has been carried by 4GO to 78 votes at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland. A large and influential meeting of clergymen, on the 21st May, unanimously resolved to disregard the decision of the Judicial Committee in the Ridsdalo case. In celebration of his jubilee, the Popo received 5000 pilgrims on the 2nd June. The brigand chief Leone has been stabbed in an encounter with gensd'armes in Sicily. Sir Julius and Lady Vogel were present at Lord Carnarvon's on the anniversary of the Queen's Birthday. Obituary : The Grand Duke of Hesse, Miss Mary Carpenter, Justice »i»ellish, Ernest Picard (French Senator), Rev. G. Peeks, Ex-President of Wesleyan Conference.