BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1952, 23 July 1891, Page 13

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

(Per Press Association.) London, July 14.

Tenders for the West Australian quarter of a million loan at par were opened to-duy. The total amount tendered for was L 364.000, and those at Is premium receive 40 per cent. The average price of the Western Australian loan was LIOO 10s lOd. It is believed that the announcement of a Victorian deficiency affected the loan to the extent of fully 1 per cent. Dr Joseph Kenny, M.P. for the South Division of Cork, has received an appointment at Dublin, and will resign his seat. The Emperor William inspected the Forth Bridge, and subsequently left for Norway. _ In view of the impending famine in ' Russia, all speculation in grain has been iorbidden. The Council of India grant Mrs Melville, widow of the officer kitted in the Manipur massacre, a pension of £100 per annum. Miss Varesco, to whom the Crown Prince of Eoumania was said to have been betrothed, has been dismissed from the Queen's service. She was Maid of Honour to Carmen Sylva." It is rumoured a conference will be hem in London shortly between the Marquis Rudini -(ltalian Premier), Count Kalnoky ' (Premier of Austria-Hungary), General Yon Caprivi (Chancellor of Germany), and Lord Salisbury (Premier of Great Britain). The Irish Land Purchase Bill has been read a third time in the House of Lords. It is reported that Mr Egan, United States Minister in Chili, is favouring President Balmace3a's party in opposition to British sympathy with the insurgents. News from Chili reports that the insurgents are preparing for a final attack on Santiago and Valparaiso at the end of . August. Ohio Democrats intend to iun a candidate for the Governorship of the State in opposition to M'Kinley. Mauche, formerly a member of the . Emperor of Germany's Cabinet, is being prosecuted for accepting bribes and embezzling funds devoted to charitable pur- - poses. c „, The trial of the Ticino insurgents resulted in all being acquitted. The Porte has declined to recognise Prince Ferdinand as Prince of Bulgaria. July 15. 'Mr Spnrgeon passed a restless night. His heart is failing, and the doctors report that . the end is near. The Prince of Wales sent to-day to inquire as to his condition. At the convention of Parnellites at Tralee a gentleman named M'Cartby, who was in the chair, said that he preferred Balfour and the priests to coercion. Russia has withdrawn £800,000 in gold. Five leading Canadian officials have been suspended on the ground of illegally obtaining extra pay. " The families of the Sicilians who were lynched at New Orleans are claiming damages from the city. . Cholera is raging at Massowab, Abyssinia. The heat is terrific. The Austrian frontier guards drove refugee Jews back at the point of the bayonet, and compelled them to return to Poland. A great sensation has been caused by a disastrous fire at Montreal. Twenty miles of shops and houses have been laid in ruins. The total damage is something enormous. The Emperor of Germany Requested the Duke of Cambridge to convey to the army his appreciation of the soldier-like bearing of the troops. He was much struck by the efficiency of the volunteers and militia. Austria and Roumania have decided to forcibly prevent the influx of Russian Jews. At a meeting of the New Zealand Antimony Company the directors were authorised to arrange with the New Zealand share- 1 ' holders for carrying on work at the mine at Endeavour Inlet. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,544,000 quarters, and for the Contiuent 2,336,000 quarters.

July 16. Mr Pamell has paid the costs in the divorce case, amounting to £1 000. Mr H. Arnold White, British Ambassador at Constantinople, considers the cruelty shown to Eussian Jews is due to Prince Dolgoroukoff, late chief of police at Moscow. He considers it ridiculous to attribute the savage treatment to the Russian people generally. . The Bulgarian Government has discovered the real murderers of M. Eeltcheff, Minister of Finance, who was shot by mistake for M. Stamboulofi on March 28. The Howell Lumber Company of Chicago have failed for one million and a-half dollars. Mr J. G. Blame has recovered sufficiently to be interviewed. He expressed his intention of resuming his official duties on September 25 The Eussian spring crop of wheat proves to be of fair average yield. Speaking at the United Service Club the , Marquis of Salisbury said he was unable to satisfy curiosity as to when the general election would take place. The Government 'were anxious to abolish illiterate voters, and consider the question of extending the franchise to women. He also expressed the opinion that the cause of Home Rule had made no progress since the last election took place. The British Commission to inquire into the Behring Sea fisheries is confining its researches to sealers of Victoria and British Columbia, Truth, commenting on a statement in the Sunday Times, of Sydney, regarding petty tyranny on warships in Australia, and especially on the Ringdove, urges that the allegations should receive prompt and emphatic denial, or that the vessel should be recalled, an inquiry held, and examples, if necessary to save the honour of the navy, be made of those guilty of the misuse of their position. It says that unless the disclosures as to what took place on the Egeria and Ringdove can be denied, the days of the British squadron in Australia are numbered. Bishop O'Dwyer, of Limerick, addressing a congregation, denounced Mr Pamell. The Marquis of Salisbury, speaking at the United Service Club, referred to the one-maa-ofle-YQte» s&& wnsitiwi that it was

unfair to attack the oldest franchise in the country. He expressed delight at the strong hold the doctrine of Imperialism had taken on the public mind, and mentioned that" agrarian agitation in Ireland had now become a clerical conspiracy. Mr H. Arnold White, a member of the Association for Preventing the Immigration of Destitute Aliens, and who has been inquiring into the treatment to which the Russian Jews are subjected, says that the Charges of cruelty are largely exaggerated. The Rev Mr Bevan considers Australia has little to learn from the American system of education, except that some of the btates possess a complete system from the primary schools to the University, which is open to the poorest child. m % The withdrawal of one million in gold by Russia and Germany is hardening the money market. ' A steam pipe burst on board the P. and O. steamer Rohillas in the Albert docks. Six Lascars were scalded, three of them being seriously injured. Miss Frances Saville (daughter of Madame Simonsen) gave a private recital to-day before several leading musicians, including Sir A. Sullivan and Herr Richter, who expressed themselves delighted with her voice. New Zealand long-berried wheat, 41s 6d. Cargoes on the passage are offering at 39s 9d, while buyers offer 39s 3d. New Zealand hemp, firm. Latest sales show an advance of 5s per ton. Wellington mutton, 3£d per lb ; lamb, sd ; Canterbury ' is unchanged; beef, hindquarters, 4|d. South Australian wheat is flat at 42s 6d ; Victorian, 425. The American visible supply is 18,100,000 bushels. The Victorians failed to attain the second stage for the Queen's Prize at Bisley Common. Their highest aggregate was 66, while j the aggregate of the lowest of the successful competitors was 82. The Victorians also competed in other matches, but without success. The Paris correspondent of the Daily News states that the French Budget Committee have reduced the war estimates by £3,500,000, and increased the peace footing strength of the army by 10,000 men. Mr Parnell, having refused to pay Captain O'Shea's costs in;the recent divorce case, has been served with notice in bankruptcy. July 17. The Education Bill passed its second reading in the House of Lords without division. The Russian Government has protested against the Sultan's reception of the Bulgarian representative, Prince Metcherstag. The editor of the Grashdanin ridicules an alliance between France and Russia. The official report on the method of execution by electricity at Sing Sing Prison, New York, is that it is the best yet devised. It is rumoured that it is intended to transform the Austrian Navy from a defensive to a combative fleet at a cost of 36,000,000 florins. July 18. Sir John Pender, chairman of the Eastern j Extension Telegraph Company, states that the result of the reduced cable tariff between England and several of the Australian colonies has proved very satisfactory, and that the company has so far been recouped that they are prepared to continue the experiment beyond the time arranged for— one year. A train consisting of several waggons has been overturned at an embankment of the Manchester ship canal, Eleven persons were killed and many injured. The House of Lords to-day agreed to the Marquis of Salisbury's motion not to hear Lord Denman for the remainder of the sitting, because of his recent absurd speeches j and motions in committee on the Irish Land Purchase Bill. It is reported that the Emperor of Germany has abandoned his intention of suggesting that England should propose a European disarmament. It is believed that the withdrawal is due to the Marquis of Salisbury hinting that Germany ought to set the example. Quelch, a Socialist, has been committed for trial on a charge of inciting operatives on strike to assault free men. In reply to a question in the House of Lords to-day, the Marquis of Salisbury denied the truth of the statement that the French had oscupied Lunang Prabang, one of the States of Siam, the rumour of which had created a good deal of excitement in China. The English Bank of the River Plate (Limited) has suspended in London in consequence of the Government of the Argentine Republic suspending the liability of creditors to pay their debts. Tallow : Medium mutton, 25s 6d ; beef, 245. Leather : Best sides, BJd to 9d ; ox hides, 3|d to 3f d. All descriptions of hides are in fair demand. The English wheat market is lifeless, while the Continental shows a general decline, and the American is declining continuously. A dispute is prevailing among the Conservative party as to whether Chancellor Goschen or Irish-secretary Balfour should succeed to the leadership of the House ofCommons in the event of Mr Smith resigning. The majority of the party prefer Mr Balfour. Mr Spurgeon is decidedly improving. His delirium has subsided, And he is now able to take solid food, the first time for a month. July 19. The English Bank of the River Plate, which has suspended payment, had an authorised capital of £1,500,000, in £20 shares, half called up. For the last three years the bank had paid dividends of 10 per cent. The highest quotation for their shares recently was £14 ss, while the reserve amounted to about £425,000. The bank's liabilities to depositors are £2,150,000, the acceptances £1,250,000, the visible assets £1 285,000, while the South American securities held by the bank amount to £8,363,000. The directors include Lord George Hamilton and the Hon. Sydney Carr Glyn. Germany has decided to encourage the growing of cofeton in her colonial protecThe ' ShareboldeTß' Committee of the National Bank of New Zealand advise that the number of directors should be reduced to jjixj that no fr?sh cojoniai

should be made, that non-paying branches should be abandoned, and that salaries should not be reduced. - It is announced that Mr Parnell will proceed to the United States in the autumn, but will be unable to make a journey to Australia, as he at first proposed. He expresses himself very much disappointed at the result of the mission of his delegates to the United States. Mr Parnell, speaking at Newcastle, said that the consistency of two-thirds of the members of the House of Commons was not worth a sixpence, and he contended that it was the Liberals who taught the Tories coercion. Mr Justin M'Carthy has consented to lead the seceding party until the end Of the session. Mr Parnell is extending his policy, and intends to introduce many of the labour can- • didates into the Irish elections, and generally I to reorganise the National League. j The Marquis of Salisbury's denial of the statement in the House of Commons that the French had occupied one of the States of Siam was couched in language warning France not to interfere with the autonomy of Siam. Mr Balfour, speaking at a meeting of the Hatfield Primrose League, predicted that the general election would take place next year. Later reports from the country districts of Russia state that the .harvest of half of European Russia is ruined. Seventeen District Governments require grants of 6,000,000 i roubles to provide seed for the villages, one of which has been deserted by the starving ; peasants. The farmers of Novgorod have petitioned the Government for a grant of 8,000,000 roubles, with which to purchase seed for food grains. Portugal has reduced the import duty on wheat to seven rees per kilogramme. Prince George of Wales will leave for India on a State visit in November. The Austrian military authorities are tasting ecrasite, the new explosive, which has double the power of dynamite. A match has been arranged between Frank Slavin and Charles Rowell for a "go as you please " for 200 miles in 200 hours. Professor Wallace's work " The Agriculture of Australia" is published. He urges an extensive State system of irrigation. The Rev. Mr Bevan presided at the meeting o£ Congregationalists at the City Temple. The speakers advocated the federation of English-speaking peoples, international arbitration, universal peace, and national righteousness. 4 | Serious complaints are made against the South African Company for neglecting to provide proper equipment for the Mashona- > land expedition. The country is alleged to ! be full of graves, 50 deaths having occurred at Bundi alone. At Fort Victoria, 152 out of 160 police are on the sick list. The estate of the late Sir John Macdonald has been proved at under 200,000d01, 120.00 Cof which had been acquired during the last 10 years, whereas his salary was only 8000dol. His friends allege that the Canadian-Pacific Railway Company shares are only worth 40,000d01, and were held in trust. July 20. The immediate cause of the failure of the English Bank of River. Plate was the refusal of the London and River Plate Bank to accept bills drawn by the Argentine Government, which the former might then have discounted. General Booth leaves England in the Tainui in August. He visits the Cape, and after a brief stay goes on to Australia, thence to New Zealand. In a paper which he read before the Congregational Conference to-day, Dr Roseby insisted on the necessity of shorten ing the hours of labour and the lowering of rents. The Rev. Dr Bevan dwelt upon the tyranny of capital, and said the church must protect the masses, or they would lose them. He declared the Australian labourers were exhausted at the age of 50 years through overwork, and considered that men should be enabled to save enough to live on when worked out. Baron Hirsch's present arrangement is to establish Jewish colonies for those expelled from Russia in the Argentine Republic only. The Civil and Mechanical Engineers' Society propose to invite President Carnot, of France, to visit England in the autumn. , July 21. Mr Spurgeon has suffered a relapse. The court has appointed a provisional liquidator for the English Bank of River I Plate. The Standard says that the bank's liabilities are under £5,000,000 nominal; while the excess of assets over pliabilities is £2,000,000. General sympathy is felt with I the directors. The railway accident at the Manchester Canal was caused by the blunder of the pointsman, a lad of 17, who has been arrested. Mr Parnell predicts a victory for Mr Gladstone at the general election, and states that if the Liberal leader provides in the Liberal programme for the gift of legitimate freedom to Ireland he will not stand in the way. The Times, reviewing the harvest of the world, thinks it unlikely that prices will decline. The Scotch team at Bisley defeated the Victorians in the match specially arranged between them. The London Board appointed for the purpose of promoting irrigation in the Australian colonies have decided to issue £200,000 worth of debentures at par, and all the amount will be placed on the market at an early date. The Russian Press have been warned not to publish alarmist reports about the state of the harvest. Russian officers are forbidden to make political speeches or to visit French residents. The English football team, now on a visit to the Cape, played four matches and won them all. The late Sir John Macdonald's Pacific Railway Company's shares are valued at a quarter of a million dollars. The Hungarian Govarnment have introduced a bill Ih> disqualify members who print election speeches before they are actually delivered. The elections now going on haTe excited a considerable amount of

race hatred. The leaders of different sects have attacked the marriage and property laws, and promised to distribute private and public wealth as an antidote to the growth of the socialistic and anti-Semitic movements. General Booth intends to build an international temple in London at a cost of £200,000. Mr De Cobain, in reply to a summons from the House of Commons to attend and answer the serious charge preferred against him, states he is too ill to appear. The Speaker has decided to send a medical gentleman to interview Mr De Cobain to ascertain the truth of the statement, and it is considered probable that the Government will defer further action in the matter until next session. The House of Lords has dismissed with costs the appeal in the case of Allcroft Leighton v. the Bishop of London. The result of the decision is that the placing of the sculptural imagine of Christ and the Virgin . Mary upon the reredos in St. Paul's has beer sanctioned. The death is announced of SirJFrederick i ! A. Weld, at the age of 64. [Sir Frederick AJoyaius Weld.O.M G-, third ion of Humphrey Weld, "of Ohldeock Manor, Dorset, was born on May 9, 1823. and was educated at Sfconeyhursfc and Fiburg, Switzerland. He emigrated to Few Zealand In 1843. and took an active part in the early struggles of colonists. He became a member of the Executive Council in 1854, and was appointed Minieter for Native Affairs in 1860. In the crisis of 1864 he was entrusted with the task of forming an Administration to, as put by the Governor, " assißt him in saving the colony In this great crisis " of threatened bankruptcy and actual war. He was a supporter of the self-reliant policy by which the colony had to do without the aid of British troops. Sir Frederick (then Mr) Weld had great influence with the friendly Natives. He assisted greatly in the promotion of early settlement in the South Island, and pßrsouaUy explored many districts then unknown. Retiring from the colony he waa appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1869, of Taimnnia in 1874, and of the Straltß Settlement*; in 1880, retiring in 1887. In Western Australia he introduced a public works scheme, and pushed on railways and telegraphs. He took great interest in the work of exploring the interior, wnicn he aesisted in every way. He was the author of several papers and pamphlets, many of which related to New Zealand. His paper on the great volcanic eruption at Mauna loa, Hawaii, was published by the Eoyal Geographical Society ] Paris, July 17. President Carnot has signed a decree creating large French colonising companies. The Chamber of Deputies has increased the duty on bacon to 20fr, with a, view to rescind "the decree excluding American pork. The City Corporation have decided on ' the construction of an underground electric | railWay ' July 19. The Chamber of Deputies rejected a vote of £24,000 proposed by the Premier (M. Freycinet) for the purpose of enlargisg the Polytechnic School. The Premier was angry at this check, and talked of resigning, but the rest of the Cabinet dissuaded him from doing so. The session has now closed. Berlin, July 17.' Baron Hirsch intends to form a great English company to conduct the emigration of refugee Jew's, he himself holding the majority of shares. He states that he finds that the selection of suitable directors and not the scarcity of money is the chief difficulty to be surmounted. July 18. Dr Bergman has forwarded to the Government his answer to the charges brought against his treatment of cancer patients in the Berlin Hospital. He denies that innoculation of patients with cancer lymph is attended with any pain. . \ , ST. PETEBS3BUBG, July 18. The Assembly of Kuzan has applied fco the Government for five million roubles to feed the starving people. It also appeals for delay in the payment of taxes, and urges the closing of the liquor shops for a year. The Czar and Czarina, who have been on a visit to Finland, are much pained at the cold receptions by the inhabitants. The Fins are displeased at the recent measures in the direction of Russianising the country. The average daily number of Jews leaving the towns in South Russia is 700. July 20. The expulsion of Jewish artisans from St. Petersburg has been postponed. Constantinople, July 20. The Porte is sending troops to insist on the lelease of Miss Greenfield, abducted by Khurds in Persia. Teheran, July 15. The Persian cavalry have prevented a thousand Khurds from reinforcing those who abducted the British girl Greenfield. July 18. The Khurds who forcibly abducted Miss Greenfield, a British subject, have refused to surrender her, and Persian troops are preparing to attack them. In consequence of the threatened engagement there is great disorder in Sonj Bollak, in Persian Khurdistan, where the girl was taken away and lodged in the Turkish Consulate. Lisbon, July 20. _ The monetary situation in Portugal is serious, and tradesmen will only accept notes in payment at a heavy discount. The workmen at Oporto refuse to accept payment of wages in notes. Calcutta, Jnly 17. A famine is threatened at Patialla and j Kaperahala owing to the drought. Washington, July 16. I A fierce drunken affray has taken place at San Diego. A number of sailors from the United States cruiser Charleston, aided by several civilians, resisted the arrest of one comrade by the police, who used their batons freely, and in the melee one sailor was killed and another fatally injured. Two policemen were rather badly hurt. July 17. The Postmaster-general (Mr Wanamaker) is inviting tenders for fast steamers, to be American owned and manned, to carry mails between the United States, England, and Belgium. * July 18. The Hon. W. A. E. West-Erskine, a member of the South Australian Legislative Council, in the course of an interview at Chicago on the labour question, said that the recent strikes had been calamitous to Australia. Excellent sugar estates and mines had been abandoned owing to the behaviour of agitators. The growth of the Australian debt was alarming, and one-fourth of the loans had been invested in unproductive channels. Quebec, July 16. A, sensation has been caused in this city

by a report that the civic treasury is empty. The police and firemen have not been paid their salaries. Ottawa, July 17. A Canadian cruiser confiscated seven American fishing boats which were fishirjg in Canadian waters. Crews were taken off the boats and landed on Dog Island. The incident has caused great excitement in the United States. July 18. A sensation has been occasioned in Canada at the discovery that the late Sir John Macdonald has bequeathed a large block of shares in the Canadian Pacific Railway Company in trust for his wife. This discovery largely dispels the confidence of his friends that the late Premier never used his position to enrich himself. v Mexico, July 17. An epidemic of yellow fever is raging at Vera Cruz, acd the populace are fleeing from the city.