GENERAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1242, 18 September 1875, Page 10

GENERAL NEWS.

E : ghfy thousand persons attended a meet« \, jj ..j me Feniaua Amoesfcy Association in *«srvftvlJibertttßsFe»i«w*ow to f ***>*•

Two students and several citizens of St. Petersburg have been imprisoned for advocating Socialism. The Duke of Edinburgh is reported to have sold his right to succession to the throne of Saxe-Coburg Gotha to the German Government for an annuity of £80,000.

There is severe distress in the Provinces of Portugal owing to drought. The Government employs needy people on the public works.

A damaging hurricane and hail storm at Pontoire. twenty miles north wesb of Paris, occurred, and many houses were unroofed, and windows and chimneys demolished. In the surrounding country, for several miles in every direction, cattle were killed, fruit trees and vines destroyed, and a number of people injured by the hailstones, which were enormous. It is feared some will die from the injuries. The tempest lasted only half-an-hour. The damage fs estimated at £100,000.

A German Company is formed to explore Southern Abyssinia for scientific purposes.

The Levant Herald says the Government has authorised the circulation of the Bible in Turkey.

In the Queen's speed., referring to the preservation of peace iv Ireland, she expressed gratification at the adoption of a measure " which, while relaxing the stringency of former Acts is calculated to insure tranquility there."

Mr Webb, an Englishman who undertook to swim from Dover to Calais without a lifesaving apparatus, failed when half way across, owing to the increasing roughness of the waves. It was thought prudent ro take him aboard the attending sloop. He was apparently much fatigued.

A massacre occurred at Sm Miguel. Panama telegrams regarding it, state that after the barracks had been taken nothing was heard but the savage yells of the assailants dispersing in all directions, breaking open doors and windows of houses of merchants and others, robbing, pillaging, assassinating in their fiendish occupation ; applying torches to houses, and woatever ess their victims posspssed ; amidst this the cry "Death to foreigners;'' " Death to heretics," was constantly heard. The town remained for three days at the mercy of the assailants. During that time all classes of crimes were committed, and even those who took refuge in the Church were threatened with assassination by the mob. The losses in property will not fall short of one million of dollars. Foreigners in the place addressed their respective Governments for the purpose of making the Government responsible for it. President Gondoles, of Salvadero, had about fifty of those engaged in the recent fanatical outbreak shot in squads at towns between San Miguel and the Capital, causing the padres who occasioned the riots to witness the executions. Many of these victims confessed they were set on by padres, by telling them they might rob the rich, provided they gave part to the Church. Great sorrow and indignation are expressed throughout Central America at the events ia San Michael, in which respectable clergymen join. Mr Gladstone has published auorher pamphl«fc discussing the question of the Papacy. He makes a strong attack on the Papacy, from, which he predicts future trouble to Great Britain and on the Continent, declaring that the Papacy wiil seize the first opportunity through bloedshed to maintain its rule, and if necessary even plunge tho world into wax.

Fifty mills have closed at Ashton, England; 8000 operatives are thrown out. Fiftyone mills closed at Dundee, and 12.Q00 persons are thrown out of employment. Both employers and operatives have resolved not to yield.

The Oldham strikes extend to all mills. 20,000 persons will be out of employment. The Pope has written to the Archbishop of Naples anathematising the Italian National Catholic Society. A telegram of the latest date says all the Turkish regiments in garrison at Houmania and Bulgaria have been ordered to march to Herzegovena. The insurgents burned aoire villages, and massacred the whole Mahcmedan families. The Austrian Government has notified a treaty for the suppression of the insurrection in Herzegovena. At the O'Connell Centenary celebration at Dnblin, 40,000 persons lined the streets. Members of the Fenian Amnesty Association marched with a banner at their head hung with chains, and fliga draped with crape. Lord Ottaghan was to have delivered an oration, but was unable to attend. The Mayor essayed, but was cried down with shouts for Butt. The Mayor withdrew under the protection of the Police, but the other members of Parliament addressed the crowd. No disturbances occurred. A sermon was delivered by Dr Croko, late Bishop of Auckland, now Archbishop of Cashel. It was much admired for eloquence, and was sharply criticised by Liberal Catholics for drawing a new Ultramontane line, whi<h virtually excludes the Liberals from the Church. The Dublin Mail says nine parts of the discourse were devoted to the Church, and one to O'Connell. A grand banquet at which the Lord Mayor presided was given at the Exhibition Palace. The evening proceedings were marked by no incident of interest, until one of the regular toasts, viz , " Legislative and Independence Ireland," was reaohed, This the Lord Mayor announced, and called on Sir Charleß Gavau Duffy to respond ; but he, on rising, was greeted with tremendous uproar, and Bhouta for Butt. For twenty minutes there was a s-rne of wild disorder. The Lord Mayor made jepc-ated attempts to gam a heating, but ia vain, and vacated the obair. Dr Butt then rose. J!e began to speak, when the gas was extin» guinhed, and the company dispersed in great confusion before a series of regular toasts were finished.

An inquiry into the latest revolutionary movement in Peru shows that the Arcquipa friars of the Convent of Our Lady of Mercy were actively concerned ia a revolution. Some forty conspirators were captured in a monastery, and the Bishop of the I >iocese has been appealed to to close the rebellious institutions.

According to an account from Damascus, chclara is raging there. Four hundred caseß are reported daily, but tho real number is concealed, The Christian quarttra were departed, Syddeq deaths were ocouwd^ in

the streets. There are no physicians nor medicines to supply the patients. The disease is aiso bad at Antioch, Deerham, Rama, and Saiiph, and among the Druses. The Mission Schools are closed and the children dispersed. A Spanish Government docree is promulgated ordering a levy «i 100,000 men for military service. The levy includes youths who shall be nineteen before the 21st Decpmber next. Another decree directs the Minister of Finance to redeem the floating debt. The man-of-war Victoria is bomoarding the city of Lexiscayon.

Extensive floods are reported in Jun Jub, India. Travel on railways is interrupted.

A lawyer of HatheiJcigh, Devonshire, is the winner of tho Queen's prize at Wimbledon this year.

The Agent-General of Canada is cautioning immigrants against going there in the present state of trade. Il« says to do so jist cow is almost criminally disastrous to immigrants and the Colony. Latest telegrams relating to the Turkish insurrection state that the situation in Herzgovia is becoming serious. The insurgents attacked Trebike, burning and pillaging in all directions. Three thousand men, chiefly Dalmatians and Montanigrines, are endeavouring to destroy communication between Mosfcar and Hevicee. 1500 Dalmatians and Herzgovians are marching on the Bochtocks. The Montenigrines aud Dalmatians are also aiding the insurgents vith money and provisions. The Turks were defeated by the 13 erzgovinians in an obstinate fight at Nylerada. The Turks were ako defeated at Scrim. It ia expected the war will become a religious one. The Christian inhabitants of the revolution territory are greatly outnumbering the Mahometans.

Jerusalem ia again agitated by religious «h*s«ensions>. Oa Ascension Uay an encounter took place between the Greeks and Armenian priests, who had been allowed by the Latins to make use of the chapet belonging to, and built over, what is believed to be the Saviour's foot-print. Some dispute concerning precedence rekindled the hostility of the rival parties, and soon the interior of the chapel was turned into a battle field. The priest 3 fought up and down the edifice until they were separated by a company of Turkish poldics. Two Greek priests were wounded in the fray, and some of the combatants. One of the Eoldiers, tryipg to restore peace, is said to have lost an eye during the scuffle. Affairs of this kind occur periodically at Jerusalem.

The following cablegram apprars under date August 9th : — The trial of Alexander and William Coile, on charges of obtaining large sums from the London and Westminster Bank on false pretences, was brought to a sudden t>top by an announcement that Alex. Collie had absconded. His bail was thereupon estreated, and a warrant issued for his arrest. Collie's brothers and Sergeant Bailaptyne announced tbeir withdrawal from <he case. A cable rumour has it that the London and Westminster Bank compromised with Alexander Collie, and allowed him to escape to the Continent, and that proceedings against the brother William had been discontinued by the Bank.

The ship Glance, which lias arrived ab London from Adelaide, reports speaking a vessel named the Jessie Osborne. The captain reported that one of the crew went mad ami proceeded aloft. All efforts to dislodge him for five days proved unsuccessful. He began cutting the rigging, and threw down a block, breaking the boatswain's leg. The captain deemed it necessary for the safety of the ship to shoot him, and did co with a revolver, in the presence of the officers. His body fell on deck.

22 0 workmen employed at the Sr. Gothard Tunnel struck and rioted. The Swiss Government called out the troops, who dispersed the rioters, killing two.