THE SUEZ MAIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1188, 5 September 1874, Page 5

THE SUEZ MAIL.

We take the following items of English news by the Suez mail from the Argus of the 20th hist. : — London, July 10th. As a remarkable illustration of the large trade between this country and Australia, it is mentioned that 17 vessels arrived at Gravesend from the antipodes on June 25. Eight were from New Zealand, four from Adelaide, t\\ o from Melbourne, two from Sydney, and one from Biisbane. The silver medal of the Royal Humane Society has been conferred on Cecil Herbert Mackmeikan, for saving the lives of two lads named Cardwell at Footscray. The Royal Botanic Society has received from Miss Fowler specimens of native Australian woods, furniture, seeds, &c. The Otngo. Cathcnrt, Oxford, and Tweed have sailed for New Zealand with about 40i> emigrants each. Mr Edward Jenkins, Agent-General for Canada, has called attention in the House of Commons to tho un- | satisfactory method of determining the cohstitutionality of Acts transmitted to the Colonial office for the Queen's approval, and complained specially of an Act I passed in Canada in 1873 being disallowed by tele1 graph. He finished by sayin,; that such conduct might some day lead to a serious collision between the Colonies and the mother country. Mr Lowther deprecated the idea that Mr Jenkins represented Canada on the question. No representation had been made to the Colonial Office on the subject ; and as to the conduct of such matters by the Government, they would always aim at securing the confidence of the Colonies in the management of their affairs in this country. , At a special meeting of the Scottish Australian Investmpnt Company itVas resolved to alter the deed of co-partnership, making the Company perpetual, instead of for 21 years, and increasing the capital to £1,000,000. The Queen entertained a large party of blind students from Norwood Normal College. She listened to their musical performances, shook hands with all, and expiessed her deep interest in their welfare. The Handel Festival has been celebrated most successfully at the Crystal Palace, under the management of the Sacred Harmonic Society. Mr Sims Reeves sang. The Metropolitan Hospital Sunday contributions amounted to about £30,000. At the Oxford Commemoration the degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon Sir Garnet Wolsely, Sir George Melli&h, Sir Thomas Erskine May, and Victor Carcess, the Lcipsic professor. The Liberal party, sobered by their late defeat, are adopting measures for organising" and consolidating their strength. Besides the City Club, which has already enrolled 800 members, a new West-end Liberal Club is projected, under the most powerful auspices, to promote more intimate intercourse. A Frenchman named Dcgoof succeeded in descending safely from a baloon by means of a flying machine. He went up from Cremorne Gardens, passed over the city, and descended near B andon, Esiex. In a second ascent last night Degoof was killed, owing to the failure of his plans. A duel between two Englishmen, one of whom was a member of Parliament, arising from a love dispute, was arranged to come off at Ostend, but the combatants were arrested on board a steamer at Dover by the authority of the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Earl of Yarborough, who so mysteriously disappeared after the Derby Day, was discovered at Jersey. He is ill, and under the medical care of Sir Wm, Gull and Dr Sibiey. The summer manoeuvres at Aldershot have elicited [ warm commendation from mditary judges. Some of the militia regiments present almost equalled the regular troops in the precision of their evolutions. A sham fight took place in the presence of the Queen. The Cleveland strike has terminated by 9000 irontoue miners acsepttng the masters' terms — 12$ pc cent, reduction of wages and 2d per ton on tonnage rate?. In South Wales the iron and coal trades are in a critical condition. The employers contemplate a further reduction of from 10 to 30 per cent., which creates intense excitement. At tho Ascot Races, on the last day, the Alexandrina Plate was won by King Lud, tho Ascot Plate by Lowlander, and the Queen's Plate by Lilian. On June 14th, 14 horses ran for the Grand Prix de Paris. The weather wa? superb, and the crowds were enormous. Trent's victory excited astonishment, and he was not cheered. The Factories Bill, restricting the labour hours o women and children, has passed through Committe. f Sir Wilfrid Lawson's Permissive Prohibitive Liquor Bill was rejected by 301 votes to 75. Mr Newdegate's Convent resolution was negatived by 287 votes to 04. The Bishop of London has introduced a Bill in the House of Lords ostensib y for the reform of the rubric, but virtu illy for obtaining legal recognition of the Convocation. The India Council Bill has passed the House of Lords. One important feature in it is the appointment of a responsible Minister of Public Works. Lord Sandhurst wrote to The Times, complaining that the Bill had been smuggled through the Honse without adequate discussion, and alleging that he in consequence had beun unable to oppose certain clauses. Lord Sandhurst was severely rebuked in the House by Lord Salisbury, who emphatically repudiated the charges. Several leading weeldy papers have utilised this incident by denouncing the bad system of reporting Parliamentary proceedings into which' our dailies j have lapsed. The Bill being objected to in India, Mr Fawcets will move in the House of Commons for its postponement until the correspondence between the Home and Indian Governments has been published. On asking for a vote of £35,000 to supplement tho Gold Coast revenues for tho purpose of carrying out the new administration of the West African settlements, our policy and duties again came under discussion. It is generally admitted that we cannot retire from the Coast, but there is a strong feeling that we should not continue to recognise slavery in any form. Ministers contended that abolition should be gradual and cautious, not sudden and violent. Captain Strahan, RN.,is appointed Governor, with a salary of £3,500. The head-quarters have been removed to Elmina, with a lieutenant-governor at Lagos. The administrative .staff is to consist of an auditor, a chief justice, a Queen's advocate, a police commandant, a colonial engineer, surgeons, and a military force of 1000 Iloussas. A sanatorium is to be established in the hills. Meanwhile the treaty is ignored by King Coffee, slavery is active, and human sacrifices have been resumed. Dr Lyon Playfair asked for a select committee to consider how Ministerial arrangement!) may be made more efficient in tho administration of votes for education, science, and art. He pointed out anomalies and inconveniences in the present state of things, and suggested the appointment of a Minister ef Education. The motion was supported by Mr Forster and Sir John Lubbock, but was opposed by Mr Disraeli and Mr Lowe. On Friday last Mr Baillie Cochranc moved a resolution to the effect — " That our commcrco being deeply interested in the uninterrupted navigation of the Suez Canal, it is desirable that the British Government should at once give in its adhesion to tho judicial reforms in Egypt approved by the European towers, by which the better administration of justice and the settlement of disputes will be secured." Mr C Lewis's motion to abolish the income-tax was rejected by 139 votes tj ,;3. , The Land Transfer and Registration of Titles Bill has been icad a second time. | A memorial praying for the removal of the electoral ' disabilities of women, bearing 1800 signatures, was 1 presented to the House of Commons by Mr Disraeli. A I duplicate was sent to Mr Gladstone. j

The revenue returns for tho quarter excite somo uneasiness The receipts to Juno 30 were £17,872,521, being £Br>!)38 r >!)3 less than last 3 ear. The latest news from tho Indian famine .districts is cheering. Plentiful rains have fallen, the labourers on the relief works are decreasing dally, seed corn U abundant, and the Government grain reserves will suffice until December. Tie Mansion-House Relief Fund exceeds £122,000.

Obituary.— Sir Stephen Glynne died suddenly at Shorcditch railway station, lie was Mrs Gladstone's brother. Sir J. R. Wolsoley, cousin of Sir Garnet,

suddenly ; M. Morln, Judge of the Court of Cassation, - by suicide ; Mr Howard Staunton, chess-player and Shakspearian commentator; UdyAmberley; Sir Alex. Nisbet, Inspeotor-General of the Naval Hospital ; Rev. Hobarb Seymour, Romish author ; Mr Frederiok Ledger, proprietor of The Era newspaper; Mr John Blackie, founder of the Glasgow publishing firm ; Captain Forbes, of the Black Ball Line ; the Countess of Clarendon ; Mr W. Leaf, Old Change, aged 83 ; Mr Henry Grinnel ; Sir Richard Musgravo, by suicide. FRANCE. A new postal convention with America has been approved by the Assembly. Figaro, La France, and Le Soir have been fined for reproducing from American papers passages from Rocheforfs letters. A truce prevails at present between the hostile Imperialists and Republicans. M. de Sainte-Croix, who struck Gamhetta. has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and fined 200 francs. M Courbet, the artist, has had his property segues. trated towards paying the expenses of restoring the Vendome column. A bi.l has been passed granting 20,000,000 franca ag an indemnification for damages sustained during the war. The Budget Committee, in opposition to Mr Magne'3 wishes, has adopted Walewski's proposal to reduce the annual payment to the Bank of France in redemption of the debt from 200,000,000 francs to 150,090,000 francs. SPAIN. The Government has accorded a grand funeral to Marshal Concha's remains. The Ministry attended, and all Madrid turned out to do honour to the deceased soldier. A public monument is to bo erected to his memory. The laxity of the French authorities in regard to the Carlist movements across the frontier is bitterly denounced by the Spanish Press. The Pope has bestowed tho Apostolic Benediction on the Republican army. Strong Carlist bands are gathering about Santander, alarming the inhabitants, who have telgraphed for reinforcements, the garrison being weak, should an attack be made, the Spanish vessels will shell the ap. proaches. It is reported that a German officer named Herman has been shot by the Carlists, and that Mr Arthur Hazelden, an English merchant, has been captured by the brigands. > The American Government demands from Spain an indemnity for the capture of the Virglnhis, and for the killing of prisoners. RUSSIA. The Grand Duke Constantine and several distinguished officers have been sent to Vienna by the Czar, to congratulate the Kaiser on the 25th anniversary of the battle of Raab, when Russia assisted Austria to crush Hungary. Tho incident has provoked the remark: "What does it mean?" A rebellion is now going on in Kokand. INDIA AND THE EAST. Ceylo.v, July 31st. Mr R F. Morgan has been knighted, the first Cingalese whom the Queen has so specially honoured. Sir Richard is to be sworn in as Acting Chief Justice next month, and it is likely that he will permanently succeed Sir Edward Li-easy, who is now at home on sick leave. A limited Company has been started to erect a hotel at Colombo, similar to the Great Eastern Hotel, Calcutta. The public of Bombay and the Chamber of Commerce of Colombo have petitioned the House of Commons not to sanction the revised mail contract with the P. and O. Company, and asking for a greater acceleration of the mails by three days. Much strong feeling: is entertained in India in favonr of greater speed on the P. and O. lines, and unfavourable comparisons are made between their services in this respect and that of all other great ocean steam lines. The Bombay petition has been entrusted to Mr Fawcett. M.P., while the Colombo merchants telegraphed to Sir James Elphinstone. The Viceroy of India is to hold a durbar at Dacca in October. The famine, or rather scarcity, may be said to have ceased. The crop prospects are generally all that could •be d-jsired, anxiety only being felt about Western Bengal. Sir R. Temple is still travelling through his districts. The weather is mo=t favourable to acricultur.U occupation. Nearly all the people have left the relief works. Sir Hope Grant is spoken of as the probable successor of Lord Napier of Magdala, as Comimnder-in-Chief in India. Lord Salisbury, in reply to the Parsee memorial about the Bombay riots, gave but faint praise to Sir Philip Wodehouse and the authorities He declared that the troops ought to have been called out earlier, and the atrocities of which the P.irsses complain should have been promptly suppressed. He praises the Parsses for their loyalty. The Parsees are to hold a ceremony of prayer for the Q'ieen. Great excitement has been caused amongst them by the news of the despatch. Mr Archibald Forbes was reported from London as likely to come out as editor of the Calcutta Englishman, but the correctness of the rumour ia denied.