The Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1882.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6383, 28 July 1882, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1882.

The position of affairs in Egypt does not improve. Ourabi is evidently bent on desperate measures. He has pushed forward his outposts to within reach of the British lines at Kamleh, three or four miles from Alexandria ; has proclaimed a holy war ; has cut off the water supply of the city, and threatened Aboukir, about 12 miles to the eastward of Alexandria, where the British have effected a landing for strategical purposes. He has 100,000 men of some Bort at his command, but they are described as chiefly a rabble. He is, however, confronted by very small bodies of British troops, extending along some miles of coast. Theae aro, however, supported by the fire of the ironclads, and unless suddenly overwhelmed by numbers will doubtless be able to hold thoir own well enough till reinforcements arrive. Sir Akchibald Alison cannot have more than 8000 men in all under 1m command, including those which garrison Alexandria, and to theae we may perhaps add 2000 bluejackets. This is unquestionably a very small force to hold at least three different poats against 100,000 men, rabble though they may, in grout part, be. The first detachments of the Indian troop 3 cannot arrive at Suez for another week, having left Bombay on the 22nd ; arid the infantry reinforcements from England, for some unaccountable reason, are not to leave till 4ih August, and the cavalry not till the 9th. Franco, after all, is only to send a small force of about 5000 men, and these merely for the protection of the northern end of the Suez Canal; and Italy has not yet decided to send any at all. lo Eagland alone, therefore, is committed the task of dealing with Ourabi, and keeping tho people of Alexandria in order. The troops anl sailors can doubtless bo supplied with wator by the ships' condensing apparatus, but the people of the city are likely to suffer severely if Oukabi keeps

his grip on the Mahmoudieh Canal, which runs into the city from the Roaetta branch of the Nile, 50 miles distant. This canal has an average width of 100 feet, and is an important means of transit, boing navigablo for largo river craft throughout the year. In such a climato, to say nothing of the stoppage of traffic, tho limitation of tlio water supply must bo a sorious mattor. The only othor source of supply la from a few wellß around the city. In July and August the average ternporature in Northern Egypt is about 85 dcgroea Fahrenheit. Tiiis step on O mum's part may therefore compel tho British commander to make an eflbrt to dislodgo him from his position, and rooovor the control of the Mahmoudioh Canal. Everything goes to show that the bombardment took place a fortnightbeforo wo wero ready. Had tho Admiral boon in a position to call in tho aid of troop* immediately the forts wero silenced, much bloodshed and confusion might probably have beau saved, and perhaps Ourabi's career might have been cut short. Whether there is any reason to suppose that the forts could have boon made formidable to our ironclads in the interval, wo have no means of judging. The fact that Ouraw wns distributing arms to the people prior to the bombardment may iiave influenced the British Government to hasten tho irrevocable step, and possibly the forts wore overrated, or the fire cf the ironclads underrated, on both sides. We maynow at any moment hear of severe fightiug, and with such large masses of people opposed to our fire, we fear the caruago will bo terrible. It is satisfactory to learn that the navigation of the Suez Canal has so far been kept clear, which is the more surprising since, in the absence of any considerable defending force along its banks, it could so easily have been obstructed. In other respects Ourabi

has thown great energy aud determination : whether he. possesses any genius for warfare remains yet to be seen He has to contend against great odds in point of skill and armament, but has tho advantage in point of numbers. The position he has chosen at Kafradowar ia 17 miles along the Alexandria - Cairo rail way-line, with a lake on the one side and a swamp on the other, and only a narrow causeway between, on which the railway runs. The rolling-stock has probably mostly been removed from Alexandria beyond, this point, while the communication will be open behind Ourabi's position to Tanta (where several branches meet) and Cairo, and by canal to the Nile. So far, then,' Odkabi has shown some generalship : he can easily bring up supplies and reinforcements, and has a retreat open to him, while ho cannot easily be approached in front. The coast-line in front of Bamleh ia formed of sandhills, which will afford good shelter for our riflemen if pressed. Aboukir Bay has a fino open beach, and from that point it cannot be many miles across country to the right flank of Oukabi's position. An attempt will probably be made from thonco to attack him in flank or rear, and force him to retreat. The next cablegrams will be looked for with much interest.

Every mail tends only to confirm tho impression that assassination for political purposes is what we may call epidemic at present over a great part of the Old World. In the East it has always been a favourite mode of getting rid of obnoxious or inconvenient persons ; but though Europe has also a great number of crimes of this description on _ her public record, we do not think within the past century there has been a time when political and agrarian murder has had bo wide a range. Tyranny, indeed, breeds assa3Bins, though assassins are by no meanßalways successful against tyrants. Everybody knows Napoleonthe Third's marvellous escapes, his roign being a strong confirmation of the belief that there's a divinity doth hedge even a despotic ruler. The murder of the Czar Alexander II is, of course, a very heavy item 2 }er contra. But the horrid trade is no longer confined to the precincts of despotic thrones, as witness the fate of Lincoln and Garfield. Assassination, like tho cholera, ssems to be in the air, and we hear of its dire effects and scarcely less dire terrors here, there, and everywhere. By tho last mail wo learn that a land agitation, has broken out in some part of Prussia, and that the movement has been inaugurated by the murder of a landowner. Crime is, in fact, as catching as measles or whooping-cough, and there is no Baying how much further these agrarian outrages may spread. The United Kingdom, however, is at tho present moment the main haunt and region of the evil; murder and outrage in^lreland, and threats of murder on the other aide of the Channel, are tho order of the day. Scarcely a member of the Gladstone Government, liberal enough in all conscience though it bo, but must" feel that his life is in more or less danger. Large numbers of police have, since Lord Cavendish and Mr Burke met their sad and undeserved fate, been taken from their usual rounds to protect the persons of British statesmen from the da»ger or the bullet of the assassin—a thing unheard of in English history. The Fenians, or Irish Thugs, probably often send their brutal threatß where they mean only to terrify and not to kill; but no one who is in the slightest degree obnoxious to them—and every prominent Englishman may be said to be in this position —can fee sure that some murderous design or other is not formed againßt his life. Where it is all to end Heaven only knows. It seems aa if secret-assassination societies could only be coped with by secret protection societies, whose special duty it should be to ward off the assassin's blow and detect the offender. The ordinary police detective appears, at least in Ireland, to be quite powerless. This is the course to which they have been driven in Russia, but even in the body specially organised to counterwork the efforts of Nihilism Buspected Nihilists have been found. The evil is one which seems to be growing, and which, if permitted to grow much longer, promises to bring about a complete disorganisation of society, and a return to the state of barbarism—a state in which every man's hand is againat his neighbour, and the weak aud unprotected go to the wall.

The Harbour Board Bill has at last got through Committee, but oaly with the addition, of a ■ clause moved by Mr Wright, that no more than one-fourth of the amount, or £50,000,,ahallbe expended on the Upper Harbour until there is 23 feet of water on the bar at low water. This clause was carried by a largo majority (41 to 24), and there is^evidently no chance now of getting it rescinded. We do not know, whether the £50,000 can be expended all in one year or not; if it can, the Harbour Board will be in a position to puah on with the Victoria Channel, and such reclamation as can be economically effected by the spoil taken out, as quickly as ia needful, and we may obtain at the end of the year a 75 feet channel 15 or 16 feet deep at low water, and a valuable addition to the available endowments besides. But if the clause ia so worded that £3 must be spent on the Lower Harbour for every £1 spent ou the upper channel, the hands of the Board will be very much fettered. Mr Weight has gone far beyond the necessities of the case in fixing 23fc at low water as the depth to which the bar is to be dredged, which will meau 28 to 29 feet at high water. We question very much whether such a depth is attainable by the dredge oxcept at dead low water, or for half an hour on either Bide of it. But Mr Wright seems to know better than we ourselves, or our engineer, what is needed, and has managed to gain hia point against all that the representative of tho Board could say It is better to accept tho bill in its present state than that it should be thrown out; but Mr Wright's action has been excessively ungracious as coming from a Canterbury man. Mr MaoabTdrbw we can understand, because he has the interests of Port Chalmera rather than those of Duuediu at heart; but wo fear Mr Weight's action is only attributable to personal foeling against Mr Fish, and he cares nothing for the consequences if tho Harbour Board is crippled in its reclamation works—one of its principal resources for providing future revenue —by hia ill-timed ainondment.

Reports of tho Supremo and Police Courts, with letters to tho editor, appear on our fourth page.

Sir George Grey has given notice to introduce a Land Tax Bill; and Mr Hutchison has given notice for tho appointment of a Commission to consider how bent to regulate the hours of employment in shops, banks, &c.

Tho Otago Harbour Board Loan Bill got through Committee yosterday. On the motion of Mr Wright, however, an important clause was inserted, to the effect, namely, that not more than one-fourth of tho wholo £200,000 may be spent in the Upper Harbour until a doptli on the bar of not less than 23 feot has been setured

A host of private mombors' bills were advanced a stage at last night's sitting of the House. Amongst them was Sir G. Greys Land Boards Bill (for making such bodies eloctivo). It was road a second time, and referred to the Waste Lands Committee.

The news with regard to the Egyptian question this morning statos that Turkey has avowed her willingness to send a force to Egypt to quell the outbreak, but this avowal is apparently received as being anything but a bonafide one on the part of the Sublime Porte. The feeling in England is evidenced by an article in The Times, which urges that for the future Britain should assume a protectorate over Egypt, in which she has so important interests. A force of COOO men will proceed from India at once, which will thus place a British force of close on 30,000 men in Egypt

shortly. The Australians have beaten the Northumberland Eleven at Newcastle by an innings and 94 runs! They next play the Gentlemen o' Scotland, at Edinburgh. Captain Thomson, harbourmaster, has reported to the Harbour Board, under date 18th inst., that ho took soundings on the 17th before dredging commenced, and still found tho same depth as before reported, except on one very narrow ridge, where there was only 18ft Gin of water. This was not in lino with the beacons, so that the recent heavy seas had not injured the bar at all. The dredge had on the day in question to work at a depth of 25ft, at which the buckets do not work freely, and dredging woild in future have to be carried on at low water. A London cable message this morning states that one of the murderers of Lord F. Cavendish and Mr Burke has surrendered himself to the British authorities in Venezuela, South America, and further, that he has disclosed the names of his accomplices. A dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum has been declared for the last half-year in the Equitable Investment Company.

The New Zealand Shipping Company, through its representative, Mr Coster, is stated to have been in close communication with Ministers re the establishment of direct steam communication with Britain. The proposals have been uader consideration of Ministersi but the result has not transpired.

' We have bten favoured by the perusal of a letter from Mr G. C. Matheson, narrating his efforts on behalf of the creditors of J. M. Shepherd, of Timaru. He was so far successful in inducing Shepherd to see the error of his ways as to ir.duce him to make partial restitution. Mr Matheson recovered several hundred pounds, fron which will have, however, to be deducted Ub cost of the debtor's return to New Zealand, ani other somewhat heavy incidental expenses. The creditors will benefit by Mr Matheson's action to a considerable extent, and have reason to be very grateful to him for the energy and tact he has displayed in the matter.

On inquiry at the.Hospital last night, we learnt that Wells and Gow, the two sufferers by the late tccident in Great King street, are progressing favourably.

Mr Montagu Browne, who has for the past ten months aited as business manager for Mr Bland Holt, left Dunedin yesterday by the Rotomahana for Melbourne, where he will assume the management of the Opera-house on behalf of the new lessees. Prior to his departure Mr Browne was the recipient of a handsome souvenir, presented to him by Mr Holt as an acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by Mr Browne in the production of " The World " and " New Babylon.1' The presentation took the form of a gold albert chain and a neat and appropriately designed pendant, consisting of a miniature globe mounted on a sovereign, suitably inscribed.

A singular ease was heard at the City Police Court yesterday. It, appeared that a .young man, boarding in the house oi one Karton, at Tiraaru, had unexpectedly journeyed to Dunedin, taking with him tho latter's wife and six children, with whom he started housekeeping in Arthur street. This move did not, of course, meet with the Approbation of the deserted

husband, but what touched him yet more severely was the simultaneous disappearance of a rug, bedding, and various other articles. A search-warran; was obtained, and the ad. venturous youth was formally charged with larcenj'. Between the laying of the information and the healing of the charge, however, a change came ov3r the aspect of affairs. The husband wished so withdraw from the prosecution (having possibly made arrangements for the restoration af either wife or property). This not being pirmitted, he suffered a singular lapse of memory, and could not positively identify either Uankets, feather-bed, or any thing else as his property—except his wife and children. Those he could positively swear to. The whole case seemed perplexing, and the Magistrate was constrained to ask the wife " whether she hsd run away with the accused, or the accused viith her." The witness did not quite know, but thought it did not much matter whether she " kept house for him, or he boarded with her." Under these circumstances the case was dismissed, with a few emphatic remarks from the Bench. Mr A. C. Begg received by cable yesterday particulars of tie steamer which is on tho way to load a cargo rf meat at Port Chalmers. Her name is the Marsala, and her tonnage 2500 tons. She is tte same steamer referred to in our correspondence columns of Monday as having been fitted on tho Clyde with refrigerating machinery by Messrs Hiok, Hargreaves, and Co. She has a meat-stowing capacity of 700 tons measurement. She left on the 17th Juno, and is expected to come direct to Dunedin. As she is 41 days out, it is manifest that no time siould bo lost in completing tho dredging of a berth for her at Port Chalmers Pier. No particulars are yet to hand of her draught of water. Constable Hillard, from Victoria, who, .as we stated a di/wr two, ago, came to Otago U make a search for one Charles Forbes (believed by the Victorian police to have been murdered at Stawell), returned yesterday by the Rotomahana. He has been unable to learn anything in this Dolony concerning Forbes. The inquiries he liade at Lawrence convinced him that Forbes had never been at Gabriel's Gully as was stated It may be added that Forbes was a tall, well-built man, and was of such character as would render it very unlikely that he could be in a district for any time without becoming generally known. Mr Hillard has to return to be present at the trial of Burns, now under committal for the murder of Forbes.

A statement regarding the Corporation finances was nade by the Mayor on Tuesday evening. ,The total .amount of the overdrafts on the several accounts was £20,115—nearly £4000 less than on that day fortnight. Of thiß there was tha strongest probability, that tho overdrafts on the water and gas accounts would bo paid off by the end of the year. The overdraft on the municipal account, which was at present unde? £7000, would by the same dato be probably £15,000— considerably less than the figure it stood at at the close of the last year. The total revenue was nearly £100,000.

The action for malicious prosecution, M'Leod v. Reeves, was heard at the Supremo Court yesterday before Mr Justice Williams and a special jury. The facts of the case are well kr.own, as it has been before tho public previously. Mr C. S. Reeves was made the defendant, as tK was chairman of the Committee of the Industrial Exhibition, which directed the prosecution alleged to have been malicious. The Jury, after consulting for nearly two hours, returned a verdict for 40s— a sum sufficient to carry costs. Mr Stout asked his Honor to appoint a day on which to move to enter a nonsuit, and his Honor fixed tho first sitting in Banco. The Nisi Prius sitting of the Court was then adjourned until Tuesday next, when the case of Connor and M'Kay will be taken. On Monday next a divorce case will be heard before his Honor and a jury.

The New Zealand Timber and Woodwaro Factories Company have just completed tho manufacture of the cylinder writing-desk and bookcase which formed part of the presentation made to Mr J. Hume a short time ago by several citizens. The articles are of tho native rimu weod, and the design is Early English. They are exceedingly well finished, and form excellent specimens of first-clasa workmanship, Tug deskis thus inscribed ;—" A tribut*

of esteem and regard from a few old friends to James Humo, in token of his vnluablo services as superintendent of tho Dunodin Lunatic Asylum. 30th Juno, 1882."

On Friday, July 21st, at Bcroggs Hill, EaHl Taieri, Mr and Mrs James Callander colebrated their golden wedding anniversary Some fifty or so of their acquaintances and friends wero present, amongst whom, it may be montioned, was Mr M'Gregor, photographer, who took a photograph of Mr and Mrs Callander, surrounded by their children and grandchildren. During tho courso of the festivities of tho day, Mr William Jaffray, in proposing tho health of the host and hostess, gave a vory ploasing address. He was a ship' mato of Mr and Mrs Callander, arriving here in the Philip Laing in 1848, at a, timo when there wero only throe houses in Dunediu. What difficulties and hardships they had to encounter and onduro few people could coir coivo in the.se days of railways and other conveniences. Little did he then think he would ever have tho pleasure of being present on such an occasion as this. He boliovod that, like himself, Mr and Mrs Callander had never regretted having come to New Zealand. He wished them, their children, and their grandchildren, every success and pleasure. A very enjoyable day "was spent by those assembled.

Cromwell District Hospital is without a single patient.

A resident in the Hawea district informs the Cromwell Argus that last week there were seen near Timaru Creek, Lake Hawea, nine red deer, four bucks and five does. This information will doubtless be gratifying to the Acclimatisation Society, as indicating that the deer turned out many years ago at Morven Hills are multiplying and spreading over the back country.

Ourabi Pasha (says the European Mail;

whose name is now on every lip, was until a few years ago a noted and successful speculator on the Bourse and Stock Exchange* He made a fortune from tho Suez Canal shares alone, and prior to that was for a period a clerk in a business office in Cairo. He studied, but did not graduate, at the great Moslem University El Azhar, and afterwards passed the Military School at Cairo. His ambition developed with his fortune, and is quite as much an unknown quantity. He is an Egyptian of the purest blood, and bears the distinctive marks of the race on his countenance. " Anglo-Australian," in tho European Mail, writes:—" Tho many friend 9 and former patients of Dr Cotterell, lato of Invercargill, will be glad to hear that ho, after undergoing two very severe operations in London, is now convalescent, and good hopes are entertained by his medical advisers of his complete restoration to health. He has been under treatment since the first operation was performed in December of last year, and his wounds are not yot completely healed." The following is from the Cromwell Argus:— " We are told in a certain book that at times we may 'entertain angels unawares.' We know of a hospitable landowner not a hundred milos from here, who is considerably disgusted to find that his mansion afforded food and shelter to "an individual (and tho stable ditto -

for his horae) whose special but. undisclosed mission was to inspect and report upon said landowner's efforts to keep down the rabbit pest on his domain, and whose report resulted in our good-natured friend having tq interview the R.M. at a cost of a few pounds. To ensure a cordial welcome at his establishment in^future, we should imagine it would be well for visitors to disclaim connection with the Rabbit Inspector's Department, as our friend's confidence in human nature is somewhat shaken after his recent experience."

A service of song, from the "Pilgrim's Progress," was given in the Congregational Church, Port Chalmers, on Tuesday evening, in aid of the funds of the Sunday-school attached to the church. There was a numerous attendance present, Mr Bolton conducting in excellent style, while the accompaniments were ably rendered by Miss Thomson. The readings were delivered by Mr J. W. Jago. The first part of the programme waa opened by the anthem "Awake, awake!" by the choir; the solo "Loose thyself from the bands" was sung with great taste by Mrs M'Leod; while the rest of tho solos and concerted pieces were ably rendered, particularly the duet for the organ and violin, "The heavens are telling," which was deservedly encored. The funds of the school will be largely added to by the proceeds of this entertainment, which from first to last was most

successful, "The-Bombardment of Alexandria" has been presented to Christchurch theatregoers by Mr Burdett Howo and company. Who is the author of the drama is not stated, but it seems to have boon a fearful and wonderful production. One papertays of it: —" If life.in that Egyptian city was anything like what the piece under notice represented it to be, its bombardment was an actof common humanity." Another says it "was without exception one of the most fearful scenes of stage carnage and destruction ever witnessed hero, and it will be long ere playgoers forget the reckless expenditure of powder and the enormous explosions caused by the guns of the ironclad squadron.' The characters included a British soldier, an Israelitish merchant, a Jewess, and Ourabi Pasha. Mr Jewett had the distinguished honour of appearing as Ourabi, and the Times sa y S : —"Though we have never seen Ourabi Pasha in the flesh, we are content to believe that Mr Jewett looked the part to perfection. He ranted through it,-and was as stagey as he well could be, but that probably was the author's fault and not his." » There was again a good house at the Princes Theatre last evening to witness " New Babylon." Tho company will appear for positively the last time to-night, and there is every reason to suppose that their popularity will not desert them at the last moment, but that there will be a numerous audience to bid them fare-

A call of sixpence per ahare has been made in tho United Victory Quartz-mining Company.

The Taieri Derby Ploughing Match will take place on Friday, 4th August.

Sir M. Pym will sell fencing wire on the Rattray Street Wharf on llonday.

The prospectus of tho Mutual Fire and Marine Insurance Company of Now Zealand i 8 published this morning.

A public trial of the capabilities of Messrs llaxtoi and Seattle's harrow-making machine will lake plac at the City Foundry next Tuesday. It was at first in tended to be held to-day.

Messrs Gillies, Street", and Hidlop will cdl tho loaso o[ tho Peacock Hotel property on Monday, August 7th.