LATE ENGLISH NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1277, 11 May 1880, Page 2

LATE ENGLISH NEWS.

(FROM MELBOURNE PAPERS.) London, April 29. Mr. Thomas Brassey will be the Civil Lord of the Admiralty in the new Ministry. Earl Granvijle, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has reassured the Austrian Ambassador at London of the friendly feeling the Government has towards Austria, with a view of more effectually calming the irritation produced by Mr. Gladstone's speech! The Chinese Government, in blockading the Portuguese port of Macao, is enforcing an old claim. The rupture threatens to be of a serious nature.

It is currently reported that Mr. Gladstone intends to reduce the 3 per cents, to 2J per cents., and that he will propose the abolition of the income tax.

The Daily News states that Abder Henan Khan, a cousin of the ex-Ameer Yakoob Khan, has offered to submit to the British Government. He denies that he received Russian aid during his exile from Afghanistan. The Duke of Marlborough, Viceroy for Ireland, has vacated office in due course, owing to the change of Goyernrpeiif. His Grace, and the Duchess, his wife, having rendered themselves extremely popular with the Irish people, were accorded an enthusiastic ovation on the occasion of their taking their departure from Dublin. They were presented by ah address by phe City Corporation and representatives of the'principle public institutions, expressive of the 'deepest gratitude and esteem, more especially in connection with the steps taken by the Duchess of Marlborough for the relief of the faminestricken peasantry in the western districts of Ireland.

A general meeting of the Qrient Steam [ Navigation Company wag held to-day, a satisfactory report" was submitted, and the usual dividend declared. The Chair? man congratulated the shareholders upon the success of the operations of the ! Company for the year, and considered , their trade with the Australian Coloi nies showed eyery sigß of increasing, i with improved prpspecfs of business. It i was intended to double the papital of the Company, thus raising the amount to L 7,000,000, and algo to fit up their ' steamers with the necessary machinery , for conveying from the Colony to the Home market carcases of animals prepared by the refrigerating process. Intelligence has been received from Inpliq, of another defeat of the hostile Afghans. British fcrpops, under command of General Ross, were attacked by a lapge body of Afghans near the village of gydabad. Q?he fight lasted several hours, but the superior arms and discipline of the British soldiers prevailed. The enemy was repulsed and compelled to retire, leaving over 1200 dead on the field. Abdul Hah man has opened negotiations with Qeneral Roberts with a view of bringing about amicable relatiojig. He has promised to submit, and repudiates having any sympathies with Russia, His overtures have been reoeived with caution, and it is proposed that he shall afford some proof of his sincerity before his submisgjoi) is accepted. April 30. The following additional appointments in connection with the new Ministry have been announced :—The Earl of Morley, Under-Secretary for War j the Marquis of Lansdowne, Under-Secretary for Iniiia j Sir Robort Peel, Under-Secretary for thp j Home Department, I The local British Commission in Ivon» don has undertaken to make all necessary provision for the representation of British exhibitors at the Melbourne International Exhibition. Sir Ounliffe Owen, who represented the British interests at the Paris Exhibition, has been appointed executive commissioner in the matter. Mr. George Collins Levey, secretary of the Melbourne International Exhibition, has left England f.qr Melbourne in the Lusitania. There have been serious inundations in Arpagon, one of the north-east provinces

-, , t sof Spain. Several of the more importan ' rivers which have their rise in the Pyre 'nees !have overflowed their banks, and caused much -destruction of property in many towns and the low-lying country^ Since the attempted assassination of i General Loris Melikoff by Wladearsky, who' was a baptised Jew, all foreigners of that nation in Russia have been kept under strict police surveillance. It has been discovered that the would-be assassins had accomplices amongst them, arid General Melikoff, acting under the plenary powers conferred By the ukase of the Czrr, has issued a proclamation ordering all foreigh Jews forthwith to leave St. Petersburgh. A telegram to hand states that, owing to some circumstances which had prejudiced the inhabitants of Surany against the Jews, some rioting has taken place there. The authorities, however, had taken steps to quell the disturbance. May 3.

The various European Ministers accredited to the Chinese Court at Pekin have applied,to their several Governments for squadrons in order to protect the subjects of European Powers in view of the present aspect of affairs in China. The Pall Mall Gazette has changed ownership, and will hencefdrth appear as a Liberal paper. Mr. Frederick Greenwood, the editor, and the whole of the staff have declined to remain under the altered conditions, and intend starting a new, organ. Mr. Childers has withdrawn from the

Yictorian Board in connection with the Agent-Generalship, and has telegraphed to the Yictorian Government three names from which to elect his temporary successor.

The Pall Mall Gazette, referring to the deadlocks bet ween the' Legislative Chambers in Tasmania and New South Wales, says that constitutional arrangements do not work well in the Colonies, but it hopes that Mr. Service's expedient will put matters on a sound basis.On the 28th uit., Mr. Gladstone waited on Her Majesty the Queen, at Windsor, and formally intimated that he had succeeded in forming a Ministry, and subsequently the members of the new Government were presented with the seals of office.

General Sir Donald Stewart, having completed his arrangements for the security of the British position at Ghuznee, has proceeded to Cabul. On arrival there, he, as senior lieutenant to General Sir F. S. Roberts, and acting in accordance with instructions from the Viceroy, assumes the supreme command of the operations in Afghanistan, superseding General Roberts.

Disquieting intelligence has been received concerning the fidelity of the Maharajah of Cashmere. Grave suspicions have been aroused by the discovery of facts which indicate that attempts have been made by Russian emissaries to tamper with this ruler, and there is reason to believe that the Maharajah has been to some extent implicated in Russian intrigues. London, April 28.

Wheat is weaker. Adelaide, ex granary, 52s ; and for coast cargoes, 595. The March shipments number 47 vessels. Wool is less buoyant, and the attendance at the sales is smaller. Of 118,000 catalogued I§oo have been withdrawn. Superfine merino and greasy maintain their value, but ordinary qualities and cross-breds are slightly lower. Foreign buyers have taken two-thirds of the quantity sold.