The Otago Daily Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1882.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6391, 7 August 1882, Page 2

The Otago Daily Times. MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1882.

i The cablegrams published on Saturday with regard to the Egyptian question 1 give occasion for a good deal of anxiety 1 as to the probability of fresh and very • serious complications. Lord Dufferin i is represented to have declared at Con- } stantinople that if Turkish troops are I sent to Egypt without a declaration on f, the patt of the Sultan that Ourabi is a rebel, they will not be permitted to land. Turkish troops are being sent have piobably by this time already left ' for Alexandria, and we have as yet , no intimation that the Sultan has yielded. But we hare the distinct ; assurance that Germany, Russia, and | Austrii are supporting1 the Porte in its i intervention ; and here is all the material far a very pretty quarrel. England has now to fight the battle alone | against four Powers—three of them the . most formidable in Europe. She cannot retreat with dignity, and she can hardly proceed to the extremity of firing on the Turkish transports. The matter may somehow or other be diplomatically arranged, but it is difficult to see how. That the Turkish, forces should have a roving commission in Egypt without being subordinated to the British General, and without any common agreement, but rather a very distinct disagreement, as to the policy to be pursued, seems utterly inadmissible. The Sultan has undoubtedly up to a certain point encouraged Ourabi, and, though it is , quite possible that astute rebel will rej fuse to be «nade»a catspaw of to establish Turkish influence in Egypt, there j is no saying how far the Turkish troops may not be disposed to co-operate with | him ingetting rid of foreign interference. Russia may see this to be an excellent opportunity to punish England for Lord Beaconsfield's energetic and successful intervention at the close of the Russo-Turkish War. Bismarck may be willing enough to gratify Russia, as one means of bringing about a better understanding between the two countries, which, if we are to judge by the tone of the German papers for some time past, have been on the verge of an absolute breach ; while Austria will do whatever she is told by the great statesman who now reigns alone as a European diplomatist of the first order. The "unspeakable Turk" cannot possibly have any love for Mr Gladstone, and there can be little doubt that the ruling Sultan is scheming to restore his supreme authority over the Mussulman population of Northern Africa. L'Opinione, an Italian paper published at Home, declares that Bismarck was the cause of the fall of Gasibetta ; he may have also been working sub rosa through his numerous agents to secure M. Fretcinet's fall. At all events, the French Ministry has fallen, and for the time the hand of France is paralysed, and the Anglo-French alliance becomes a thing of naught. We have no desire to take an alarmist view of the situation, but it almost seems as if England will have to choose between humiliation and" n. general European war, and that it depends upon the caprices of the most powerful and unscrupulous mind in Europe whether she will he placed in that position or not. Tt may be said that as England has all along oonsented to, and even joined in urging, a Turkish intervention, she cannot consistently draw back from that position now. But Turkish intervention two months ago to prevent a crisis moant something very different from such intervention now, when the crisis has arisen and the British troops are In possession, and are absolutely at war

with Ourabi on behalf of the Khedive, whom the Porte has intrigued to depose. The cventa of the present week, therefore, will be watched with no common interest. ft ia well that the British Government is Hupportod by both tho great parties in the State, the Liberals and the Conservatives alike being bent on maintaining the honour and protecting the interests of England. The position in which the British Government is now placed is an illustration of the extreme difficulty of maintaining the European concert when a man like the inscrutable Bismauck is scheming to carry out hia own designs in opposition, to the Powers most directly interested. England has pursued throughout a straightforward and unselfish policy, but has been deserted at the critical juncture by hor chief ally. It is now a question of supreme moment whether she is strong enough to pursue alone that policy in defiance of so formidable a combination as is presented by the common agreement which now seems to have been arrived at between Russia, Germany, Austria, and Turkey, with Italy standing sullenly aloof, and France in the throes of a Ministerial crisis which may probably result in an entire change of front. This is the allimportant question which has now to be decided, and it will probably bo decided this week.

The delays which have for pome time past prevailed in discharging and clearing vessels visiting this port have very, properly been made the subject of consider* tion by the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, and have been strongly illustrated by the master of the Camille, whose Jotter we published on" Saturday. We,believe the evil to be a very serious one, tending not only to give our port a bad name, but to increase tho ratia, of freight. The remedies proposed are various : they partly affect the loading firms at Home, who are asked to stow transhipments in particular places all together in tho ship's hold ; partly the consignees, who have been too much in the habit of using the ships as Btores to suit their own convenience ; partly the Government, who are naked to erect suitable transhipment sheds at Port Ohalmers, and to permit each importer to cart his own goods, and to erect bonded warehouses, so that goods for which no entries have been passed may be promptly disposed of ; and partly the Railway Department and the Harbour Board, who havo the right to charge storage on goods not taken away, but do not, as a matter of fact, enforce the provision. Whera there are so many interests to be consulted it will be obviously difficult to ensure the recommendations belDg carried out. The matter, however, should not be allowed to rest where it is, as the ovil will not be cured by merely talking.about it. We suggest, thoreforo, that a conference should take place on these recommendations between representatives of the Chamber, the Harbour Board, the lighter agents, the shipping agents, and the Railway Department, and that tho recommendations to be made to tho Government should be baaed on the results of this conference. All Governments are naturally slow to spend money where there is no direot return, and it will doubtless require a good deal of pressure to bring about the reforms so urgently demanded. The evil is admitted, and we trust the first step has now been taken to remedy it. What remains is to follow up this step by a practical effort on the part of all concerned to co-operate in mitigating, if not entirely doing away with, the delays complained of, and which bid fair to be very detrimental to the interests of the public if they are allowed to go on unchecked.

On our fourth page will be found letters to the editor, together with tho remaining portion of our London letter. • The latest cable messages in regard to the Egyptian crisis do not give any important particulars beyond those published on Saturday

evening. A detachment of British troops,

under Major-general Alison, has reconnoitred Ourabi's position, and has found him encamped 38 miles from Alexandria. There is stated to be not the slightest fear "of his making surprise attack on Alexandria.

The Australians in their first innings against Gloucester scored 450, Horan playing a not-out innings for 141. Gloucester, whose first innings closed for 108, in tho second innings has so far scored 130 for five wickets," W. G." being not out for 55. There seems every probability of a one-innings victory for the Colonials.

The chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr K. Ramsay), with a number of other gentlemen, visited the dredger No. 222 on the bar on Saturday. They were received by Captain Thomson, who explained the method of work, ing to them. The dredge is doing remarkably well, having taken up 500 toift of spoil in less

than three hours on Friday afternoon. All that she requires is a little calm weather, and there is a certainty that she will effect a material improvement in the dopth of water on the bar.

A well-attended meeting of cricketers was held at Wain's Hotel on Saturday evening, when the amended rules of the Otago Cricket Association were considered. One or two further amendments were decided upon by the meeting, and they will be referred to the Association for approval. The rules as amended met with very genoral support, and if agroed to by the Committoe of the Assocfation, they will no doubt prove workable, and satisfactory to the majority of Dunodin cricketers.

With regard to the buggy accident which was recently reported in our columns, the statement of tho driver of the tramcar, Henry Nettlefold, ia to the effect that lie was proceeding at a very slow rate of speed, and that the buggy actually backed into him. At the sanio time we may state that the particulars published by us wore in accordance with the statejnont of a number of bystanders who wero eye-witnesses of the accident.

During the trial trip of the Union Company's

steamer Waihi on Saturday, Captain Webster's pateut log-detector was tested in the presence of the directors of the Company and other gentlemen. It proved satisfactory, and was highly commended.

In a report upon Native schools recently presented to Parliament it is stated that the schools at Otago Heads, Waikouaiti, and Kaiapoi are further advanced than any in the North Island.

With regard to the case of William Chirm, of the Waiau district, whose death was chronicled about three weeks ago, and regarding whom a coroner's jury found a verdict of suicide, it is now assorted most strongly by persona who have made inquiries, that all the circumstances point to the man having met his death by murder or manslaughter. It is urged that, if only in justico to tho man upon whom at present strong suspicion rests, strict investigation should be made. Constable Buchanan has now gone to tho spot to prosecute further inquiries.

A new Sunday sport has been hit upon by some of the larrikin confederacy of J,his city namely, cockfighting. All yesterday forenoon during church hours a company of lads of about 16 or 18 years, and numbering perhaps 10 or 12, occupied themselves upon a portion of tho Town Belt near the Maitland street works in pitting a couple of gamecocks one against the other. This method of passing the Sunday forenoon has now become* quite an institution in the same quarter. Speaking of tho Belt, it may be mentioned that there are coinrdaints of

the way in which the turf is being cut up by carts passing over it. It is a pity that measures are not taken to enforce tho law against trespassers in this respect.

Francis Collins was arrested on Saturday night on a charge of fraudulently obtaining money from I<\ M'Luskoy, a hotelkeeper at South Dunodin, by moans of a valuoless cheque, and will be brought before tho City Police Court to-day. A young man named William Wright will also appear in the dock on a charge of stealing a book from the shop of P. Mitchell, Arcade.

Special ecrvicos were held in St. Paul's Church yesterday in connection with the Melanesian Mission, the Rev. D. Ruddock, who has recently arrived from that station, preaching in the morning and evening, and delivering an address to children in the afternoon. JLiny interesting particulars woro given as to the mission work, which appears to be progressing very satisfactorily. In Norfolk Island (the lieadcjuai'tonj of the mission) there are 220 young people of both sexes train-

ing for the work of teaching. There are, moreover, 70 teachers actually at work in the iilandd, and eight European and seven native clergymen. The only unsatisfactory feature at present apparent in the undertaking is tho urgent necessity that exists for increased pecuniary assistance, the deficiency for last yoav amounting to nearly £1000. Offertories were collocted in aid of the mission at both services yesterday, tho total amount subscribed being £30 3s 6d.

Three Mormon olders, from Utah—Messrs Bromley, Burnett, and Morris—preached in tho Odd-Fellows' Hall, Rattray street, yesterday afternoon and evening to large audiences. In tho evening, when Elder Burnett (who is an old Canterbury settler) preached, the meeting assumed a rattier noisy tone. The speaker was several times interrupted by persons in the body of tho hall, while occasionally his remarks were provocative of loud laughter and applause. Ho expounded the Gospel as believed in by the Latter-day Saints, and told how, after he had lived somo time at Utah, ho was called upon by tho President of their Church, whom they knew to be inspired, to leave Utah and preach the Mormon faith to the people of New Zealand. He assured those present that the people of Utah lived in a prosperous and happy state, and that though the ministers of the present day and the Government of the United States were endeavouring to break up their homes j they would eventually triumph, and their religion would spread over the whole world. A few ladies were present among the audience.

Sergeant-major Moore has handed to the Tuapeka Times the following telegram received by him from the constable at Roxburgh :— "James Gavin was found dead near Kitching's Station on Thursday morning. Deceased was returning from Tapanui with a horse.- It is conjectured that he was the worse for liquor, and that he died from exposure."

L'Opinione (Rome) thinks it is Bismarck, and not Russia, that is behind Turkey in the Egyptian question, and thus discourses:—" It is obvious for all that the arbiter of the situation is tho Chancellor of the German Empire. He has replaced in Turkey the influence of England, and it is.thanks to his support, that Turkey has at la3t raised her head. He makes sure of this for three purposes:— lst. Turkey is still a formidable enemy, that could be thrown against Russia if need bo; 2nd. Turkey is a State which would provoke a formidable conflagradlh in French Africa; 3rd. Bismarck has, by means of Turkey, and without any trouble on his side, inflicted a serious punishment on Gladstone for his Midlothian speeches, showing thus how terribly and easily he know 3 how to revenge himself. Naturally the Sultan must expect some results from this new friendship, and Bismarck^ would veuy willingly give him some compensation in Egypt; because, whWt, the interests of Germany are not at stake, he shows a certain breadth of views in the great problems of foreign politics. Here, however, Gambetta makes his appearance, which soems to us likely to be fatal to the peace of the world. Indeed tho Turkish intervention, with exclusion of the Western Powers, means the complete failure of the foreign politics of France, but not of that of England, for it is well known that England has been drawn in spite of herself into the naval demonstration, and she does not feel humbled by an European agreement, and she is not reassured by the joint military occupation of France and England. Now, could not the fall of Freycinet force De Grevy to call back Gambetta? It is well knawn now that Gambotta apparently fell on account of the scrutin de Hste, but really because he was beginning to be mistrusted by Germany. If ho returns to power, Prince yon Bismarck would be offended at it."

Some uncertainty ha 3 existed as to the relative dates of the forthcoming school concert and the Naval Brigade annual ball, and we have been requested to place the matter before those interested in its proper light. It seems that the Ball Committee entered into negotiations for the use of the hall for the evening of the 18th inst. In the meantime the School Committee engaged the hall, and made arrangements to hold their entertainment on the 18th, without being aware that the Brigade Committee had beeri* in treaty for the hall for tho same night. On the. Ball Committee placing the facts of the case before the School Committee, the latter courteously altered the date of the concert to the succeeding Friday (the 25th), and the ball will consequently take place on the evening of the 18th, as originally intended.

On Saturday there was another good attendance at the waxworks ' and glass-blowing exhibition at the Lyceum Hall. All who paid a visit appeared highly interested in what they saw and heard. The entertainment will remain open for another week, in the same hall. It has been suggested that an afternoon or two should be sot apart specially for school children, who would learn a lasting lesson from witnessing the actual operation of glass-blowing.

A trial of Carmalt's flre-cscapo will take plaeo this evening at the Adelaide Arms Hotel.

Messrs M'Landrcss, Hipburn, and Co. will soil »oap, cornflour, &c. to-morrow.

The dividend in the Union Bank of Australia [Limited) ie now payable to Oolouial shareholders.

.Mr Montagu Pym will sell one quarter-cask o! brandy at the Universal Bond to-day.

Mr Montajfu Pym will sell jasperware, &c, from Cbristchurch Exhibition, today. The croods will be on view during this rno:.'ning.