ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7720, 15 November 1886, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

(Per United Press Association.) I ~ . Auckland, November 14. The Oceauic Steamship Company's steamer Alameda, bringing a general summary of news and dates to October 23| arrived at 11 o'clock last night. She sailed from San Francisco on October 24, was detained at Honolulu 24 hours and at Tutuilla one hour. The passage was uneventfel, and the steaming time 18 days 4 hours. Passengers for Auckland : Saloon — Messrs Brodie, Hoare and wife, G. B. Firth and wife, J. C. Ellis and wife, Hardy and wife, Frank Lyon and wife, J. C. Firth, W. R. Armstrong, John Hayhurst, H. Adams, G. Burrell, G. Reichardt, J. B. Guest, Robt. Rose, G. Spencer, Geo. Romney; and 16 in the steerage. Among the cargo for Auckland are 687 boxes onions, 420 cases cured salmon, 28 bales brown corn, 23 barrels beans, 300 cases canned fruits, and 177 cases dried fruits. Among the through passengers for Sydney are the Hon. L. L. Smith, Thos. Connor (champion wrestler), F. Wood (champion bicyclist), A. Genton (champion skater of the world). Tho Alameda sailed for Sydney at 2 o'clock this afternoon. The Rotorua, for the South, with the San Francisco mails, sailed at 10 o'clock in the forenoon. Passengers: Mrs Waite and Mr Marshall. The Alameda was detained oue day owing to the non-arrival of the English mails. A FAST TRIP HOMEWARD. The Alamedaarrivedin San Francisco from Syduey on October 2,24 hours ahead of her recorded schedule time. When the steamer Mararoa on the same route arrived about a month before, after having reduced the previous running record by nearly a day, it was thought she could beat any boat in tho service, but the Alameda's time from Sydney was 23 days 6hr 30min, which is a reduction of nearly six hours on the time made by tho Mararoa. The Alameda arrived outside San Francisco heads at 10 minutes to 5 on the day mentioned, the passage being the quickest on record. It coul i have been covered in a shorter time had it not been that the steamer was detained for six hours at Auckland to allow merchants time to answer their correspondence which had just arrived by the direct steamer from London in 37 days. But the Alameda's mail which was sent east on the day of her arrival left New York for Liverpool on Saturday, 9th October. Thus the entire trip from Auckland to Liverpool by this route occupied only 32 days, or five days earlier than was ever made from England to Auckland by direct steamer. A trip can vow be made around the word in 69 days.

GENERAL SUMMARY.

Prominent scientists in Paris and London urge the establishment of earthquake observation stations throughout the world. Mr Gladstone received a deputation from Irish bodies at Hawarden on October 24, bearing a petition for Home Rule signed by 500,000 Irish women. Sir Arthur Sullivan's new work, " The Golden Legend," was produced at the Leeds festival on October IG, and was pronounced his best musical effort.

A London despatch of the 22nd October says that at a meeting of the Inman Steam Company's creditors to-day, it was resolved to sell the concern to the Intercolonial Steamship Company for £205,000. The liabilities of the Inman Company are: To secured creditors, £174,500; unsecured, £91,000. The company's steamers are valued at £165,500. The unsecured creditors will receive 18s in the pound. The proprietor of Turton's Hotel, London, appealed on October 21 to the Lord Mayor to discontinue tho annual show, because it disturbed business and encouraged riots. The coal mine owners of Fifeshire, Scotland, refused on the 14th October to give men 10 per cent, rise in wages as demanded. The result is that 35,000 miners throughout Scotland will suffer from a lockout.

The Royal Euniskillen Fusiliers, stationed at Aldershot, commenced a riot on the night of the 6th October in resistance to a draft being made for service in Africa. A savage fight ensued, in which the Irishmen were only subdued after several of the soldiers and police were wounded. Excessively warm weather prevailed all over the Continent on October 5. The Paris theatres wero described as veritable furnaces, and the attendance fell off one-half. In London the barometer was at 82.

Shocks of earthquakes were felt throughout Balta, one of the Shetland Islands, on the night of October 4.

The betrothal of Prince Albert of Wales and Princess Alexandria of Aulhalt is authoritatively denied. . j Mr Parnell, with his mother and sister, wil spend the winter in the south of France, and will not return to England before the"reopening of Parliament. An English tourist named Boyd mysteriously disappeared at Basle, Switzerland, on October 4. He was an Alpine climber, and public opinion is equally divided between accident and foul play as the cause. It is said that the Canadian Packet Railway Company is pushing the building on the Clyde of six new steamers to be used on the route between Victoria, British Canada, Australia, China, and Japan. The British Government will be urged to subsidise these lines. According to the St. ' James' Gazette of October 11, enthusiastic Socialists declare they have thousands of men regularly drilling in London, and they boast they are able to put 10,000 armed men into the streets. Moderate Socialists fear that enthusiastic and sedulous secret teaching is telling dangerously in the East End, where there is much poverty and ruffianism. IRISH NEWS. A valuable petroleum spring was discovered on October 5 in Sligo, under a house which was being repaired.

At a meeting of the National Leagne held in Dublin on the 12th, the fortnightly receipts were stated at £20,000. Secretary Harrington said that many landlords were makiug great reductions in rents, but that a large number of writs of eviction continue to be served and executed.

The Dublin Mail of October 13 says the Rev. August Stopford Brookemine, Unitarian preacher, has become insano and has been committed to a madhouse.

Affairs in Ireland are pursuing a course extremely satisfactory' to tho Government. According to despatches of tho 16th, General Sir Redvers Buller's mission has accomplished much, aud landlords generally are responding to Lord' Hartington's appeal to deal tenderly with tenants. There are no such sweeping evictions as were predicted. Even United Ireland admits there has been an extraordinary roduction of judicial rents, and says it only remains with tenants themselves to carry Mr Parnell's 50 per cent, reduction.

Branches of the Irish National League in Counties Cork and Waterfordhave been making inquiries regarding the condition of farmers in these districts, and have just reported. They say that harvests have beeu bad, that oats are selling at from 3s to 5s per bushel, and that heavy loss in stock has rendered farmers unable to pay their rents. On account of the bad harvest farmers demand a reduction of from 45 to 50 per cent, in rents, and where this reduction is refused they will pay nothing. A number of landlords offer reductions of 35 per cent. HURRICANE ON THE ENGLISH COAST. FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. Tho gales which begun on the 13th on the English and Irish coasts, accompanied by floods, extended far north-west and continued several days. In Ulster railway traffic was impeded. The Irish barque Ballapont was wrecked off Skelling's Island, on the southwest coast of Ireland, and all hands perished. Tbe British vessel Teviotdale was wrecked on Carmarthen bar, with tho loss of 17 lives. A number of channel fishing boats wore stranded, and Brighton beach was strewed with wreckage. The stotm was very furious on the Irish coast.

Streets in many towns wero flooded, and corn standing in tho fields destroyed. Thero was also a destructive Hood in Wales. Throughout tho galo was accompanied by tho heaviest rains [ within memory. I Later reports received from nil parts of tho kingdom contiuuo tho list of disasters. The British ship Mallauy was wrecked iv tho Bristol Channel and 20 persons drowned. Tho shoro was strewn witli debris of vessels, anil tho bodies washed to land wero stripped of I valuables by wreckers. Tho Norwegian barque Frcadiwks, from Musquash, N. 8., bound for Swansea, was wrecked off l'adstow and 19 lives lost; also the Albion, of the same place. In this caso four lives were lost, the other persons on board beiug saved by lifeboats. Another large barquo seemed to bo iv terrible distress, 10 of the crew beiug huddled together on deck. Sho foundered next morning, and it is believed that from 12 to 20 persons wore drowned. The gale prevented people on shore from rendering assistance, although thoy distinctly heard the cries of tho doomed men, A Norwegian barque wrecked off tho Welsh coast lost her entire crew, consisting of 15 persons. Thore wero further lists of disasters caused by this storm. It was reported on tho 18th that the British steamer Arros, Captain Whitely, from New York for Bordeaux, was lost on IVint Do La Caubrc, in the northern mouth of tho Gironde; also tho British steamer Kate, Captain Dark, from Savannah for Liverpool, was reported at Queenstown disabled. Tho Norwegian barque Orfeu, Captain Neilson, from Mobile for I'oolo, was towed iuto Cowes badly used up. Three of the crew had died, and the rest wero suffering from ague. Tho British barque Rutland, from Quebec (September 15) for Greenock, was abandoned off the Audley Islands, and the mate and carpenter were drowned.

POLITICAL CRISIS IN HAWAII. Intelligence has beeu received of a political crisis in the Hawaiian Legislature. It arose in this way: A loan bill had passed authorising the borrowing of £400,000, out of which existing liabilities of £25,000 were to be- paid. Mr Spreckles suddenly arrived from San Francisco, aud insisted that a new clause should be added to the bill precluding further borrowing until tho £400,000 loan was paid off. On the proposition being put to tho House it was rejected by a majority of the Opposition owing to the young hands with the Government thinking that the Ministry would rotiro and Mr Gibson, the Premier, would be put out of office. They wero told by the announcement of the new Cabinet that Mr Gibson was still Premier, three native Hawaiians filling the other offices. Mr Creighton aud the Attorney-general wero out. It was first thought.that tho now Ministry would come to grief for want of money, but they soon got over that. It is reported that a morcantilo firm agreed to place the loan at 98..

AMERICAN SUMMARY. Farmington, Maine, was almost destroyed by fire on October 23. ; Charleston, Jersey city, and the southern country generally is still suffering from earthquakes. Sharp shocks occurred in Savannah, Lynchberk, Washington, Columbia, and Wilmington on the 22nd October, but no material damage resulted. The Apaches of Arizona are now pretty well subdued. Chief Magmis, the party last out, surrendered themselves to the United States troops on the 19th October, and ou the 23rd Geronimo and his band were sent under heavy guard to Florida, where thoy are to lie confined in military forts. Edward F. Hall, a prominent stockbroker in San Francisco during the palmy days of mining, committed suicide by shooting himself in New York on the 19th October.

Dion Boucicault, with his company, returned to New York from England on tho 12th October, never, he says, so far as he is concerned, again to leave it. As usual in his interviews he gives the old country a parting kick, and with fulsome words of praise holds out his arms to embrace the new.

Some sensation was created in stock circles on October 8 by an announcement that work was ordered to be discontinued in the lower levels of the Comstock, Virginia city, nnd also the immediate removal of all machinery. This is a virtual deathblow to mining stock business. The prosecution of an ex-alderman in New York for malversation while in office is causing consternation among suspects. One Jochme is already in Sing Sing, and others are leaving hurriedly for Canada. A challenge from the Royal Clyde Yacht Olub, on behalf of one of its members (James Bell), for the American Cup was received by John H. Bird, secretary to the New York Club, on October 20. The challenge is a very informal document, and does mt at ail meet the requirements of the deed of gift. The great strike of the Chicago meat packers ended ou October 18, mutual concessions being made by the men and employers.. Benjamin Folsora, cousin of Mrs President Cleveland, and newspaper reporter, has been appointed American consul in England. The east part of Maine suffered a loss of Soo,ooodol by an extensive fire which occurred on October 16. A great many people were rendered homeless and destitute.

The new American steel cruisers are said to be failures by Europeans, probably from a lack of speed. The trial of the Chicago Anarchists was concluded on October 9, when seven of the accused were sentenced to bo hanged on December 3 as spies. Parsons, Engel, Liugg, Fischer, Schwab, and Fielden Nellie were sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment with hard labour. Beyond growing pale the prisoners showed no emotion during the judge's address, which was exceedingly impressive. A furious storm ravaged the Mexican coast and Galvaston on October 12. The tracks of the Gulf of Colorado and Sante Fee railways were swept away, also those of Louisville and Nashville road from Michigan to the Pearl river. Later despatches mention tremendous damage in Louisiana. The country was overflowed by the Gulf water in every direction. The storm was the most terrific since 1860. Owing to this storm, or, more properly, cyclone, the town of Sabine Pass, Texas, was totally destroyed the waters of the Sabine river, rising and overwhelming the place. There are known to be 65 lives lost. Not a house is left in the whole country, aud everything living there is drowned. GENERAL. Master Workmen Powderly has beeu re-elected by the Knights of Labour to the same office he has previously filled. Slight earthquakes continue to be felt in Charleston and the vicinity, but no damage is done. President Cleveland issued a decree on October I*l revoking the suspension of discriminating customs imposed and levied on the products of articles proceeding under the Spanish flag from Cuba and Porto Rico. This is a retaliatory measure on Spain. Spain's answer to Cleveland's aotion will be to put American goods under the highest tariff possible. Critics in New York grade Violet Cameron's position in the theatrical profession as that of an amateur English actress. She has had in connection with an aristocratic friend, Lord Lonsdale, more free advertising of a scandalous nature than any woman of her time or class. Miss Cameron's husband, De Bensaude is about to bring a suit agaiust Lord Lonsdale for i 500,000d0l damages for alienating his wife's I affections from him.

Efforts that will probably be successful are being made to settle the Boucicault-Robertsou divorce suit out of court. The defendant is willing to make provision for the support of his wife and children. Both parties are now inNew York.

Prince Louis Napoleon left San Francisco for the East on October 14 after a lengthened visit to California, where he spent much time examining mine operations and other objects of interest.

Pierre Lorillard,, a famous American turf man, has given up the pursuit and put his stud on sale.

Two tremors were felt in San Francisco on the morning of October 4. The shocks were fortunately feeble and of short duration.

CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, &c. Twenty thousand cigarmakers are out on strike in Havanna, and there is great destitution in consequence and also highway robberies. Out of 800 men in San Diego de Lashvegas 300 have appealed to their brethren in the United States for bread for their families and means to leave the island. At Chinquinquari, State of Oundimarca, United States of Columbia, on October 10, a 13----year-old child was taken in charge for stabbing to death three children with a rusty table knife. The juvenile murderer is supposed to bo demented from the bite of a rabid dog. A new Peruvian Ministry was formed on October 9, with Senor Arambar as President and Minister of Finauce, and Senor Ribefire Minister of Foreign Affairs. Prominent Mexicans in Nogala, Arizona Territory, are the authority for stating that there is a movement on foot to chauge the entire constitution of the Republic of Mexico and to de-. claro [President Diaz dictator for a term of 10 years. THE SOUDAN. Osman Digna's Soudan stronghold, from which his followers were routed, was on October 15 fully occupied by a British force and their allies. The wholo region round about was effectually cleared of rebels. RUSSIA.

The escape from Siberia of a famous Nihilist conspirator, De Galaff, is confirmed by a despatch of October 12. He is vow in Geneva. De Galaff planned and assisted in tho murder of Lieutenant-colonel Sudeaker, chief of tho Russian police, and one of his staff, three 3*oars ago. Since June 20 Siberian prisoners have escaped, including two cavalry officers aud several students. SPAIN. On the 6th October Queen Chriatiauia signed a decree freeing the slaves in Cuba from the remainder of their terms of servitude. _ A cable despatch of October 8 says tho lives of the Spanish insurgents were saved by the blunder of an under-secretary, who misunderstood the Premier's whispered communication that the death sentence of the court-martial was confirmed. He gave out that the prisoners were pardoned, and at a Cabinet Couucil subsequently the Queen signed decrees commutinj; the sentence of the condemned insurgents. The whole Cabinet resigned on October 7, and a new one was formed by Senior Logasta. FRANCE. At tho production of a historic drama called " Jurez, or the Mexican War " at the Theatre Chateaux Deveaun on October 6 the audienco kicked up a tremendous noise in the house. Tho play portrays in vivid colours all the phases of Maximilian's career in Mexico. M. Paul do Cassagnac has published a most violent article denouncing tho production as a national disgrace.

i The disputes betweon France and Malagasaja i in Madagaecarare.asM.doFreyciuetinformshis i colleagues, almost settled, i On tho llth Nicholas Rood, a former secretary of tho ex-Khedive, had the luggage of an i Egyptian seized at the Grand Hotel, I'aris, i for services rendered but unpaid. Tho French Government propose nn outlay of 28,000,000 francs for tlio obstruction of men-of-war, nnd 12,000,000 francs for the construction of ports of refuge; tho entiro works to bo completed within four years. Propositions aro made to convert Paris into a port of entry capable of receiving seagoiug vessels by deepening tho Seine until it will float craft drawing 20ft. This will cost something over £5,000,000. Despatches of the 12th say tho war feeling is increasing in France. In addition to tlie Star, a military paper, the Boulangcr party had begun tho issue of two new journals to advocato an olfensivo policy in vindication of the military prestige of France. General Boulanger, however, disowns any connection with the papors. M. Lavedor, military critic, writes to tho Figaro that General Boulanger has prepared a woll-coucoived pan, in conjunction with staff officers of high rank, for a Continental campaign. Le Militaire says General Boulanger desires wor not for tho purpose of recovering Alsace and Lorraine, nor to gratify personal ambition, but as a step towards the solution of social quest ians. Mr Lochenal, Minister of Commerce, has ordered the police to prosecute all persons selling boxes of toys imported from Germany and containing a map of Franco without Alsace The strictest taboo ou everything German is being observed, at the same time. A number of sandwich men were arrested in the streets of Paris on tho 11th for displaying placards on which wore caricatures of Prince Bismarck. .