BRITISH AM) FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1787, 20 February 1886, Page 9

BRITISH AM) FOREIGN.

i iiicui'Kß's Tkt.bgkabis.) London, February 10. M. Gomot, the French Minister of Agriculture, is so welt satisfied with his visit to M Pn-»teur's laboratory (a Paris correspondent states) thitt he will ask the Chambers to enable liiin to practise inoculation against rabies ou a lir,;e. scale, and to treat human beings suffering from that malady in a special hospital. About 40 persons were under treatment when M. Gomoc was at ?il. Pasteur's. One was a Hungarian sent l>y his Government. Another, a captain in the Russian Imperial Guard, whose hand ,i mastiff had bitten. He was accompanied by the C/,,\r\ doctor. There were also severa. children who had received biteo in the face.

There was n considerable amount of excitement in the city and southern suburbs this afternoon when it, was rumoured that a hostile mob were marching in from Greenwich and Deptford. The rumour proved incorrect, but a majority of the shops closed, and a hundred extra policemen were stationed at various points wherever groups of roughs congregated. The events of the last few days have given rise to a very general feeling of uneasiness among the residents of the metropolis. Special precautions ate being adopted by the authorities to preserve order.

February 11. The rumours which gained currency yesterday afternoon that a mob was marching from Deptford were baseless. The night passed quietly. Small gatherings took place at various points, but were easily dispersed by the police. Thu excitement was heightened, and increased anxiety felt, as a thick fog set in towards the evening.

At yesterday's wool sale 9200 bales were submitted to auction, the tone Of the market being weak. The panic caused by the recent outrages has now in a great measure subsided, and business has resumed its usual course.

The Agents-General meet at an early date at the offices of Sir Arthur Blyth, representative of South Australia, in order to discuss the position of affairs as regards the New Hebrides. They have also decided to obtain an interview with Earl Granville, Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the same subject. February 12. Mr John Morley, the newly-appointsd Chief Secretary foi Ireland, appeared before his constituents at Newcastle last night, on the occasion of his seeking re-election on' taking office. Referring to Irish affairs, he expressed an opinion that reparation would be a disgrace to England and a disaster to Ireland. He stated that her Majesty's Government, while granting considerable enlargement in the autonomy of Ireland, would use vigorous measure* in the maintenance of order and defence of the rights of property. Mr O'Shea, the Pamellite nominee, has been elected for Galway. There was no auction sale of wool to-day, on account of the dense fog which prevailed throughout the city. 22,000 bales have been withdrawn from sale since the commencement of tbe present series.

The divoice case Crawford v. Crawford and Dilkn wib concluded to-day, when Sir Charles Diike was acquitted by the jury of the charges brought against him. « The operatives employed iv the hosiery factoiii-s at, Leicester are out on strike .since ye'-.terdaj, and the town has been the scene of riotous proceedings. A number of' operatives paraded tile town, smashing the windows of the factory proprietors and other persons who are obnoxious to them They then proceeded to wreck the factories, quantities of valuable machinery being destroyed. The police ar^ totally unable to cope with the outbreak, and a large number of residents have been obliged to be sworn in as special constables. jggThe first of the year's series of wool auctions was closed to-day. 240,000 bales have been sold and 46,000 held over for the next auctions. Prices show an all-round decline in gieasy wools generally of about Jd to Id below the last sales, inferior sorts b'-ing about 3d lower. Fleece wools show a decline of id to Id ; while scoured wool < have dropped quite Id. Crossbred" is also cheaper. Fine sorts have declined about Id, and coarse wools M per lb.

February 13. All the members of the new Ministry have been re-elected. It was intended to hold another meeting of the unemployed in Hyde Park to-day, but tbe display of force on the part of the police prevented the gathering. An inquiry is to bo held into the riots of last week, and the failure of the police to suppress the outbreak. Summonses have been issued from Bow street against the Socialist leaders, returnable on Wednesday next, 17th inst.

February 15. Rioting at Leicester has ceased, and the town is now quiet.

Hyndemnn, Burns, Champion, and Williams, leaders at the unemployed meeting, have been summoned to appear ;ib Bow street to answer a charge of uttering seditious speeches at Trafalgar square on Monday last.

The labour agitation is spreading in England. Serious riots of the unemployed have taken place at Birmingham and Yarmouth. In both instances the police authorities proved equu! i,j the occasion, and succeeded in speedily quelling the outbreaks.

The death -is anuounced of Viscount Cardwell ; aged 76.

February 16. Mr Gladstone has written a letter to the newspapers, in which he invites Irishmen of all classes and all parties to communicate to the Govern-

ment the needs of Ireland, and calls upon them to aid him in deciding upon a plan for the settlement of the Irish question.

Berlin, February 16. A bill has been introduced into the Diet by Prince Bismarck virtually repealing what are generally known as the May Laws affecting the clergy.

Constantinople, February li>. In compliance with the wishes of the European Powers, Bulgaria and Rouinelia have recalled their reserves.

The Porte has replied to the demands of the Russian Government to explain the agreement entered into with Bulgaria. In his reply tiie Sultan states he hopes the agreement arrived at will be adhered to, since it is evident Turkey has been faithful to the terms of the Berlin Treaty. Rangoon", February 13. His Excellency Lord Dufferin has arrived at Mandalay. Hio De Jankiko, February 13. The Tainui left yesterday for London, with her cargo of frozen meat in good condition. (Special to Pbess Association.) London, February 10. When Bishop Moorhouse was elected Bishop of Manchester five of the honorary canons were not allowed to vote. It has been decided that Lord Rosebery shall continue to hold the portfolio of Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The anti-Chinese outbreak in Washington territory has been quelled. London, February 11. The Oriental Bank have paid the Victorian Government 20s in the pound, with interest added, in satisfaction of their claim against the old bank. , February 12. Mr Charles Russell, Attorney-General in the new Ministry, has been re-elected to his seat. There has been serious rioting in the town of Leicester. The frozen meat by the steamer Coptic iv selling at 5d per lb. Two eight-inch 12A-ton breech-loading guns have been made to the order of the Victorian Government at Sir William Armstrong's factory at Elswick, and have been shipped by the ship Midlothian. The flour market is depressed, and there is large country supplies in .'toek. The wheafc market 5s steadier, but values are unchanged. Shipments, ex warehouse, are quoted at 365, There is no record of forward business on Australian cargoes. The wool sales have concluded, and the bidding was somewhat spiritless. The sales show an average decline of from one halfpenny to one penny on the prices realised at the December sales. The number of bales catalogued waa 224,000, of which number 24,000 bales were reserved for export, including 12,000 for America. The divorce case Crawford v. Crawford haa created a great deal of excitement, and the impression left on the public mind is that the facts contained in the allegation have not been disproved, but that the verdict obtained was simply a legal acquittal. Mrs Crawford's admissions were unsupported, and complete evidence was not produced by the petitioner's counsel. Acting on the advice of his counsel, Sir Charles Dilke did not present himself for examination. The Times characterises the result of the case as extraordinary, and the Pall Mall Gazette says that Sir Charles Dilke's promised refutation of the charges has not been given. The marriage has been dissolved.

Hordern's Western Australia Land Company has increased their capital to £300,000. Rear- Admiral Hosking and Admiral Erskine have been appointed Naval Lords of the Admiralty.

London, February 14. Ihe Times states that Servia is finally resolved to adopt a peaceful attitude in. future. It is reported that Sir Charles Dilke will resign his seat in the Ministry. Speaking at Paddington, Lord Randolph Churchill predicted a civil war would occur in Ireland if a separate Parliament was granted. The Standard states that the Great Powers will not allow the offensive and defensive agreement of Turkey and Bulgaria. Mr John Morley, Chief Secretary for Ireland, has been re-elected by a majority of 26C0. Russia and France will not coerce Greece. London, February 14.

Obituary. — Principal Tulloch, D.D., ViceChancellor of the University of St. Andrews: aged 63 years.

February 15. . The Orient Steamship Company are about to have a steamer of 6000 tons built for them on the Clyde.

Teemer, the sculler, has issued a challenge to William Beach to row him for the championship of the world, and offers the latter lOOOdol for his expenses.

The Socialists intend to hold a meeting in Hyde Park on Sunday next. The annual meeting of the Federation League was held to-day. The report presented was of a hopeful character, and considered that the cause had been greatly advanced by the action of the New South Wales Government iv despatching a contingent to the Soudan. Sir Alexander Gait, High Commissioner of Canada, and Mr Justice Dobson, of Tasmania, urged the immediate projection of a scheme of federal defence. There was only a small attendance. Lord Rosebery and Mr W. H. Smith, who were present, did not speak. '

February 16. The Corporation of the City of London are arranging for the reception of notables visiting the Indian and Colonial Exhibition.

Mr Morrison has introduced a bill into the American Congress for the purpose of reducing the amount of duty on various importations. The proposed amount of reduction to b& effected is 20,000,000d01, and will be principally on sugar. The reduction on wool will be onlw very slight. •*