BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1904, 18 May 1888, Page 12

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(Per Press Association.) London, May 9. The Antwerp wool auctions opened yesterday with great animation. The prices show an advance of five centimes on the closing sales in January. Of the 18,400 bales available, 350 are from Australia. Mr Bavitt is arranging for a collection of Irish wool goods to be forwarded to the Melbourne Exhibition. , • May 10. Mr Goschen is endeavouring to meet the French objection to the proposed duty on bottled wines. On May 19 a large fleet will assemble at Plymouth to celebrate the tercentenary of the destruction of the Spanish Armada. The Local Government Board have granted assistance to the Board of Guardians of the Isle of Thanet for the purpose of enabling them to despatch paupers to the colonies. The collection of pictures for the Melbourne Exhibition consist of 150 oil paintings, 100 water colours, and 200 engravings. Mr J; J. Boehm, R.A., sculptor, will send splendid specimens of bronze and marble statues, and Mr E. J. Long his picture, " Phardah's daughter." ' ' May 111 The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,320,000 quarters, and for the Continent 420,000 quarters. The American visible supply of wheat is 31,600,000 bushels. The weekly returns of the Bank of England published to-day show the total reserve in notes and bullion to be £112,000,000, and the proportion of reserves to liabilities 36 per cent. An Adelaide wheat cargo on the spot has been sold at 35s 6d; off-coast cargoes in iron bottoms, 33s s 6d. The market is firm, and prices are dearer. Flour is quoted at 245; tin, £37 15s. The bank rate of discount has risen to 3, per cent. The bill which has been drafted by Sir F. Dillon Bell provides** for the transfer to' the Colonial revenue of unclaimed, stocks and dividends after a period of 10 years, subject to the rights o? claimants. May 12. I, The English wheat market is, firmer, but Continental markets are changing a little for the worse. The American market is advancing, and shows increased firmness. Forward business is firm at late prices. Australian wheat, ex warehouse, is quoted at 35s 3d; ex ship, 33s 6d. Off the coast cargoes are mostly sold. New Zealand flour, patent, ex store, is quoted at 235. ' At auction 1400 casks of Australian tallow I were offered, and 700 were sold, realising 26s for prime mutton, 23s 6d for medium beef. The Australians won the match against Warwickshire by one innings and 150 runs. Scores: Warwickshire —First innings, ,67 ; second innings, 129, May 14. The Hon P. De Keyser (Lord Mayor) to-day opened the Italian Exhibition here. The Prince of Naples was to have performed the ceremony, but was unable to travel owing to the injuries received in the recent accident. Three Australian wheat cargoes have been sold —one of 8000 quarters and another of 3000, both February shipments, at 33s 9d ; the third, of 550 quarters, an April shipment, realised 345. The English wheat market shows an improved tendency, and prices are 6d better. The Continental market is unchanged. The American is advancing rapidly, but it is largely speculative. Mr Thomas Dickson (Parnellite) has been returned for St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, by a majority of 1877 over his opponent, Mr ; Robert Sexton (Unionist). 1 The second match of the Australian team was commenced to-day on Kennington Oval against Surrey. The Australians in their first innings scored 363, the highest scorers being M'Donnell (56), Bannerman (43), Turner (103), Trott (37). The death is announced of Rear-admiral I Sir W. N. W. Hewett, X.C.8., X.C.5.1., &c, of H.M.S. Sultan, of the Channel Squadron; aged 54. ■ > , May 15. Sir James Fergusson, replying to a question in the House, said the Government were favourable to the policy enunciated by Sir J. B. Thurston for the Government of Samoa, but declined to give any information as to the instructions given to the English delegate to the conference to be held at Washington on Pacific islands affairs, saying that it was desirable that those instructions should be kept secret until the conference had brought its sittings to a conclusion. Mr Stead, editor of the Pall Mall Gazette, intends making a tour through Russia to Merv, returning via Constantinople and Bulgaria. The Coptic's cargo of frozen meat arrived in excellent condition. , Berlin, May 15. • The Emperor is much improved, and is now able to take a daily walk, attend to correspondence, and receive visitors. Prince Bismarck is unwell, and has been ordered complete rest: Ottawa, May 10. The Canadian wheat harvest is excellent, and it is expected the yield will .largely exceed the demand. Lisbon, May 10. The treaty concluded between China and Portugal cedes to the latter country the perpetual possession of Macao, a Portuguese settlement on an island in the Bay of Canton.

(Special to Press Association.) London, May 10. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales inspected the collection of pictures intended for the Melbourne Exhibition before they were packed,' and expressed himself as highly pleased at the excellence of the collection. ■ A large painting of Mount Cook, New Zealand, will be sent to the exhibition. May 11. Tallow is unchanged. German beet sugar, 13s. Hides, 3fd to 3£d. ■

Mr W. Hamo Thorneycrof t, sculptor, has been elected as a Royal Academician. , '■ The cricket match between the County t of Warwiok and- the Eleven was commenced at Birmingham to-day. In their first innings the Australians made 346, the principal scores being Blackham (96), Trott (83). and Macdonald (46). Bishop Kennion has deqlinfed the Bishopric of Ghristehuroh. Mr Dillon, M.P. for Mayo, has been sentenced" to ' six' months' imprisonment with hard labour on a charge of having advocated the Plan of Campaign in addressing a meeting at Dundalk, County Louth. Mr Dillon gave notice of appeal. • Captain Atwell P. M. Lake, formerly of H.M.S. Nelson, has been appointed commander of the new flagship Orlando. May 12. Sir F. Johnstone's Friars Balsam has been scratched for the Derby and also for the Grand Prix. It is reported that Sir Wm. F. D. Jervois, Governor of New Zealand, is likely to be appointed for another term. ' - A cargo of Australian wheat has been sold at 33s 6d. . Two thousand cases qf kauri gum were offered for sale to-day. Eight hundred cases were sold at a decline of 5s on previous quotations. There ,is a moderate demand for rabbitskins. ; Good ' qualities have realised full prices. „ „ Tin <is quoted at £81 ,10s. , New Zealand 6 per cents., 105; inscribed, 97. Lord- Brassey has published a statement to the effect that the Whitworth factory is supplying France with heavy guns to the exclusion of English orders. The Victorian Marine Bill, which stipulated that foreign vessels entering into competition with the maritime coastal trade must conform to the rules and regulations which aiffect Victorian-owned yessels, has been jvetoed by the Imperial Government. The steamer Garonne, which collided with the steamer Lucinda in the Red Sea a week ago, is now in dock at Aden undergoing repairs, and will sail for Australia in' three weeks' time, and complete her repairs in Sydney. The Emperor of Brazil, who has been dangerously ill for some time at Belgrade, has suffered a further relapse. Berlin, May 11. Sir Morell Mackenzie states that the Emperor's throat is slowly improving, and that the sesophagus is not affected. • The marriage of Prince Henry of Prussia to Princess Irene of Hesse is fixed for the 24th inst. Cabul, May 11. Severe fighting has taken place on the Afghan frontier between the Ameer's troops and the rebels. The Ameer restrained the Abevassed tribe from seeking Russian protection, and General Alikhanoff has been despatched to assist the Aberasseds. I » . Later, i The Ameer's troops have severely defeated the Dhemshed tribe who revolted in favour of Russia. The tribe were located between Penjdeh and Herat. Rio de Janiero, May 11. The Chamber of Deputies have passed resolutions in favour af the immediate and unconditional abolition of slavery. :