BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1832, 31 December 1886, Page 17

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

CReuteb's Tbleobams.) London, December 21. £1,000,000 in gold has been withdrawn from the Bank of England for Australia. The death is announced of Sir Thomas Douglas Forsyth, the well-known Indian statesman ; aged 59. In an interview with the Bulgarian deputation to-day Count Herbert Bismarck strongly advised the Bulgarians to accept Prince Nicholas of Mintjrelia, as their ruler. The Bulgarian deputation has left this city for Paris.

London, December 22. Adelaide wheat is at 38s 6d, and Adelaide flour at 26s 6d. For New Zealand wheat the lowest price is 325, and the highest 36s 6d. Australian beef tallow is at 24s (id," and mutton tallow 29s per cwt. London, December 23. The Bank of England weekly returns show the total reserve in notes and bullion to be £10,600,000, a reduction of £1,000,000 during the week. The proportion of reserve to liabilities is 40 per cent. Colonial breadstuffs and tallow are unchanged. Consols remain at par. New Zealand securities : Five per cent. 10 40 loan 102 ; 4£ loan, 995 ; 4 per cent, inscribed stock, 96. A conference of Agents-general with the Postmaster-general, for the purpose of discussing the postal arrangements between Great Britain and the Australian colonies, took place to-day, but no. settlement was arrived wb. Further consideration has been adjourned until communications have been exchanged between England and the •slonies. Mr Cecil Raikes, Postmastergeneral, expressed himself as doubtful if any decision could be arrived at prior to the meeting of the Imperial Conference in May next.

Pabis, December 23. A letter is published in to-day's issue of Le Temps from its Aden correspondent stating that the agents employed by the British Government had incited the Soumalians to massacre the captain and crew of the French war vessel Penguin, on the 31st .November last. This was done the letter alleges, in consequence of a fear of French annexation.

Rangoon, December 23. The British column under General Low reached a position close to the ruby mines without meeting with , further opposition from the rebels. Klaoo, one of the most notorious of the Dacoit leaders, has made overtures for peace, and is prepared to surrender.

(Special to Press Association.)

London, December 21.

Vigorous action on. the part of the Government has checked the lawless proceed ings of the Land League, which has been able to collect but few rents, and those only at night.

The National Press passes by Mr Parnell's statement unnoticed.

London, December 22.

The agitation against the collection of rents by the Land League is still being carried on, and plans of the campaign continued, though in a secret manner.

Alderman M'Quide, of New York, has been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment and fined 5000dols for bribery in connection with the Broadway railway.

The Agents-general favour the creation of a jurisdiction over the Pacific Islands to be recognised by the Powers interested for purposes of policies and securing titles. The Times asserts that the plan of the Irish campaign was drafted - before the Chicago Convention, where it was secretly discussed and approved of. Mr J. Dillon, M.P., addressing a meeting of Land Leaguers, «aid that the plan of the campaign would be carried out in spite of the action taken by the Government, and it would end in destroying the power of the rack-renters and evjetors.

Mr Norton, of Sydney, has had an inter view -with Mr Parnell, and intends to propose at 'Belfast that a National Convention shall be convoked in Melbourne or Sydney, similar to that which sits at Chicago, for the purpose of exciting sympathy with the Home Rule party.

London, December 23. A further shipment of £30,000 in gold has baen made to Australia.

London freight is being secured to contract for the carriage' of 80,000 tons of iron to Victoria.

It is officially intimated that the committee appointed by the Prince of Wales to report upon the question of a memorial befitting the Queen's jubilee have recommended that the memorial must be of such a character as to embrace both England and the colonies. They also advise that the-management of the memorial be entirely distinct from any existing organisation, and representing the commercial interests of the empire. In connection with .the selection of a site for the Imperial Institute, it is argued that a site at Kensington, would be obtainable vir- . tually free of cost t while if a city site -were selected it would cost at least a quarter of a million.