SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13845, 7 March 1907, Page 2

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

(Per Sierra,' at Auckland.) ■ SAN FRANCISCO, February V. Excessive rains during ilio month of January havo mado California generally, and San Francisco in particular, rather disagreeable. The Taiufall has been tlio most exccesivo sinco 1890, ajid several storms iliavo been o£ unprecedented severity. in epito of this complication, steady progress toward I l;o rebuilding of the city lias been made, and people have been gay after their habit. Concorts and theatrical exhibitions of all Itinds have l>ecn liberally patronised. At- a, farewell recital given by Nehuinann Lcink about five thousand people were in altendinco. Hotel accommodation is im.proving constantly, and. the hostelries ean jiow lak« euro of some 12,000 visitors, at a time. It is expected double" that number can bo accommodated within a few months. 'Die magnificent Fairmont Hotel and some others of teser importance are nearly ready ■for use. The new plans for tliy l'alaco Hotel are intcrcsiing, as the original idea far rebuilding lias expanded considerably, for it has liccomo evident, the city is' to regain Its importance. The new Palace, with Bite, v.'ill represent an investment, of live and a-lialf million dollars It, will Jie owned by a syndicate of capitalists. It, has now been decided that the new structure, which v.'ill shortly lie, begun, shall cover tiie entire site ior.morly occupied. Tlio main building will bo nine storeys high, with an extension of two storey.* in height on the Jessie street side. Tlio new l'alaco will contain ballrooms, palm garden, and other, features similar to thoie which made the former structure fatuous, but on a mere magnificent scale. UNITED STATUS AND -.JAPAN. BERLIN', February 2. The Foreign Office does not regard the 'diffarenoes between thu United States and Japan as having a serious point. Tlio 'Japanese Embassy, replying to-day ta inquiries from various newspapers, said thoro was no reason to consider tho relations lietwecu Japan and tho United Slates as being in any way strained, adding that President Koosevolt doubtless will settle tho ■whole matter to the satisfaction of Japan. Disquieting telegrams sent out early in tho forenoon hail a depressing influence upon the 'Bourse. Tlio Japanese Government apparently did not buy any guns or military (supplies in (icrmauy during recent 1110111116. BRITAIN AND AMERICA.MANGWBTKR, January 26. Mr James Bryco (the iiw Ambassador to tlio United States) and Mrs Bryco were given 11 farewell dinner at, tlio - .Jloform C'lub hero this evening. Mr Bryco, replying to a toast to his health, referred to Great Britain'* good relations with all tlio ,I'owers, and added:—'''There is 0110 friendship of especial value to all of us. I refer to the Unitod States. 111111 happyiothinkour b-elations with Utah.'country have ncverlie.cn ■hctter, Never, indeed, do I think havo tlicy been so' good .-us tlicy arc at this moment. Even mere significant was tho recent visit of Secretary Boot to Canada. His tspcech • is' an admirable omen for tlio future. It ' is an admirablo sign of tlio new spirit of relations of the6o throe peoples, or rather . these two peoples, for we audi tlio Canadians " iiro after all part of tlio British people, that such a visit, has been paid and such a speech made. There is nothing that ought to lie dearer to than ilie ■ maintc.nn.llco of the most friendly and tho most intimate relations with tlio republic across ( the Atlantic." 'RUSSIAN AFFAIRS. ' ST. PETERSBURG, January 24. Sensational revelations havo been made of bureaucratic malfeasance. Not only "have appropriations been stolen, but 20,000,000 acres of land havo been sold by officials to foreign syndicate. J.t is even said that the managers- of t'iio Imperial appanages have plotted to -sell tho Czar's property. , Tho discovery that the heads of tho, Reactionary League, of Russian People, which claims to defend absolutism and to represent truo loyalty, not only hired tho Ilcrlzeiistcin assassin, but attempted to organise a court and military conspiracy in caso tho Emperor should yield to the Constitutional Democrats, has now, it is rclwrtcd, finally porsuaded tlio Czar that a constitution is tho only remedy for tho country's woes. ITo --is .said to bo ready to compromise with tho Constitutional Democrats if tho latter will change their agrarian project so as-to meet tlio nobility half way, and ronouncn Jewish equalisation and Polish autonomy until tlis people tire ready to voto direotly upon-these ques-. tions. '

Tlio first slop in tho proposed reorganisation of the Rii6iiin navy was taken to-day by the issuing of a ukaso which reverses,, tho system of decentralisation that has existed .for tlio last 10 years, and concentrate.? the power and responsibility for tlio direction of tho fleet in tlio hands of the Minister of Marino. Under this new order Admiral DikofF, who was appointed a few days ago as Commander-in-Chief of tho Fleet, becomes virtually Commanding Admiral, and is in direct oliargo of all . fillips. This new policy is a completo change from that pursued .when Grand Duke Alexis headed tho navy. Then tho acting Minister was a mere civil functionary, and tho handling of the navy proper .ivas entrusted to tho naval ohicf ol stall'., TIIE VAR HAST. • MUKDEN, January 22. ■ Tlio Viceroy of Mukden and tho foreign consuls havo been unablo to reach an agreement, oil tho opening of Mukden to foreign trade. The dispute involves tho wliolo commercial future of Manchuria. Tho Viceroy declares that foreigners importing foreign goods only shall ho given treaty port treatment insido of tho foreign ..concession, but pending tho location whereof tlio Viceroy demands the payment of likin. The Japanese and American consuls declaro that, the commercial treaties of 3903 opened all of 'Mukden, and the consular body refuses to recognise the rights claimed by the Chinese to levy likin i'nd restrict residence. Goods imported by foreigners are not taken in the foreign concession, hut foreign goods iu Chinese hands iiro subject to tax- The exemption of tho latter involves an enormous loss of revenue, and tho Chiuoso stubbornly resist tho romittincr of duties. An immediate settlement is unlikely. In the meanlimo there are no negotiations for sottlcment 111 aecordancc with the American treaty. '

JAPANESE FINANCE. TOKIO. .lnnttnvy ?A. jAt a mccling of the Budget Committee to-day tho Minister of Finance. stated that the Government had definitely decided not ■to" resort to new foreign lonns. He said Die was assured by tho Treasury Department It hut rlio Budget of 1908-9, about which was tho chic! anxiety, would insure 11 surplus. iMovo than 50.000.000d0l was duo to Japan, lie said, for the maintenance of Russian prisoners, but the receipt of this sum was somewhat problematical, us the Bussian ' nnd Japanese estimates of the amount, duo dift'wod. The uuthoritio.4 contemplate mi increase of the 52 regimental districts to 76, with a view to organising tho divisions more readily in en so of emergency. REVOLUTION IN 1 CHINA. SHANGHAI, February Anti-Christian riots broke out on February 1 at Cliinkuoi, near Soochow, province of ICiang-soo. The troops temporarily restored order, and reinforcements have been cent to the scene of the outbreak. VICTORIA (8.C.). February 3. The steamer Tartar, which arrived ioniglit, brought, advices that tho revolution in Central China is a serious menace. Kwaug Cluing is threatened with a formidable uprising. Tho Kwaug Tung rebel leader, who escaped from tho Chinese Legation iu I/nulon some years ago in a sensational wanner, is living in Tokio (Japan), and is organising the revolution, which, he savs in an interview, is expected lo accomplish Ihy fall of the present Mancmi dynasty ai Poking within thrco years. The rebels hold all tlie mountain fortresses on the borders of Hunan and Kiangsi. and r.ll attempts of the Imperial troops to dislodge them have (ailed. In consequence of tlic rebellion tile Chinese authorities at Shanghai have adopted vigorous measures lo prevent, the- importation of arms and Agi'Jit.s of the revolutionists have been r.ont to the United Stale.; and elsewhere to secmt.ly purchase warlike material, says a despatch to the Asahi of Tokio, nnd collusion has been found to exist between agents of the rebels and traders to import anus under thofjuisoof trade goods. Twenty thousand Imperial troops with cavalry .v;d artillery have been sent against the rebels, but failed to accomplish anything. Advices from foreigners who visited the district pay it is iloubtlul whether the revolution can be snpnressed should all tlio trooiis at the disposition of the Government lie sent'. The leader of the. revolutionists is Kims Chuntai, from Siang 'L'anp:. nnd idueards issued bv him fiiate the rehellion 15 aimed to overthrow the Manclm dynasty Ei«n? of unrest are reported from many places in China. Despatches to the Asahi from Mukden state that an outbreak against tlm dynasty is imminent in Manchuria, where battalion of Chinese troops has murdered its odieorY. At Peking exceptional precautions are lieing takon, the police and pa.acc guards kcing doubled.. h*v« been

sent by the Viceroy Chang Chi Tung and Tuan Fang that large Tiumbsrs of sccrct society men from the Yangtse Valley aro fiocking to Peking, FIREDAMP EXPLOSION. SAARBRUCK, January 28. A fire damp explosion occurred this morning in the Redan coal mine at St. Jolm-on-Saar, opposite. Saarbruck, and caused tho loss of from 150 to 200 lives. The mine is owned by the Prussian Government. Up to 6 o'clock this evening 77 bodies liad been brought, out, and 46 corpses were known to bo underground. Only 50 live men have lxien brought out, ;und of those the. doctors ray at least 35 will die. as they are. frightfully injured through having Ixien hurled against the walls of the galleries by Hie force of the explosion, An official report given out this evening says that the number of dead cannot, exceed 160. The disaster occurred ■ 230 ft . underground,. and is one inile and a-quarfer from the flotir of Ilie shaft. Jt is the greatest mining ealash-ophe ever known in the.Saar region. About 600 entered the mine for the day-shift, but almost 400 of ■ lliein escaped through tlio Biidcrsfeck shaft, which communicates with tho Rcdnu underground. A't_ a late hour to-night it was si ill ilucerlaiii how many workmen wero stilly in tho mine, tlio reports being convicting. The entrance to tiie galleries mi--1 derground is Mocked with dead horses.