CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2010, 1 September 1892, Page 34

CABLEGRAMS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. (Peb Pbess Association.) London, August 22. There was a good attendance at the Antwerp wool sales, and the bidding was conducted with animation. Previous prices were maintained for all classes of wool. 1250 bales of River Plate were sold out of 2250 offered. August 23. Silver is quoted at 3s 1 15-16 d. The cholera has reached Cabul. Thousands of pauper Russian Jews are preparing to emigrate to England and the British colonies. Baron Paul and four other leaders of the German punitive expedition have been murdered at Kilemanjaro. The depression in the cotton trade in Lancashire is very acute, and many mills have suspended operations. . , Sir J. J. Abbott, Premier of the Dominion of Canada, has agreed to refund to the owners of Canadian vessels the tolls levied on them by the United States for using St. Mary's canal. Congo despatches prove that M. Poumayre, the French explorer in Central Africa, with 30 followers, has been murdered by the natives in a manner similar to that in which M. Crampel's expedition was annihilated. Mr Barbour, director of Indian finances, recommends the adoption of a system of double legal tender by international agreement to meet the silver crisis, and asserts that a common standard of value in India and England is absolutely essential. It is reported that the Sultan of Morocco is paying eight dollars each for the heeds of the Augherite rebels. . The Japanese Government is supporting 1000 persons rendered destitute by the earthquake in Japan. . Mr Munro, Victorian Agent-general, informed the authorities that Victoria would be willing to divide the profits with the English Mint if allowed the privilege of coining silver. The Marquis of Ripon, Secretary of State for the Colonies, promised to push the matter to a conclusion. Attention is being given m France to the study of the customs and wants of the Russian middle classes, to enable France to assist Russia in an economic struggle with Germany. The barque Roma, from Quebec, was wrecked at Port Elizabeth and all hands lost. August 24. The cholera has broken out in Havre, and a number of deaths are reported in that city. Marshal de Fonseca, ex-President of Brazil, is dead. New Zealand Trust and Loan Company s shares are quoted at LlO 15s, and Robert Campbell and Sons' at L 2 10s. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,276,000 quarters ; and for the Continent, 864,000 quarters. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company declare that if necessary they are able to transport troops to Vancouver at the rate of 12,000 per day. An eight-oared boat race between English and French crews will be rowed on the Seine on October 9. The latter were tho challengers. Prince Ferdinand, of Bulgaria, in the course of an interview with the representative of the Figaro, declared if he fell it would be by the knife or by the bullet of a Russian assassin. Sir Andrew Clarke is in favour of the annexation of the New Hebrides by England, in order to prevent their being ultimately annexed by Germany. He considers, however, it would be better for both England and France to agree to abandon them than to set up a joint protectorate. The United States has invited the European navies to send representatives to the Chicago Exhibition. Refugees from Omdurman who have reached Massowah declare that the people are revolting against the Mahdi. |They say ma^y European women are confined in his harem. There is an exodus from Hamburg in consequence, of the cholera. After a long debate the council of the British Medical Association, by eight to one, confirmed the resolution to admit women to the ranks of the medical profession. The innovation was supported by petitions from Victoria, New gouth" Wales, South Australia, Canada, the Cape, and India. The American visible wheat supply is 39,700,000 bushels. The heat in England has culminated in heavy storms, which have done much damage. August 25. A general ■ disarmament of old cruisers is going on. ' The Turquoise and the Opal have been condemned as unfit for farther service. August 26. The Colonial Office authorities consider that Lord Glasgow is bound to accept the advice of his Ministers respecting appointments to the Legislative Council, unless he believes they intend to violate the law, despite the public feeling in the colony. Tbfe arrival of documents, however, is awaited before returning an official answer. Sir T. C. N. Braddon, Agent-general for Tasmania, is on a visit to St. Petersburg as Australian delegate to the Railway Conference. He was presented to the Czar at Peterhof . Etna is again in eruption. It is believed the Marquis of Ripon will support the Now Zealand Ministry in the dispute with Lord Glasgow. The weekly returns of the Bank of England show the total reserve to be L 17,920,000, being an increase of L 588.000 as compared with the previous week. The proportion of reserve to , liabilities is 50 per cent. New Zealand long-berried wheat, ex warehouse, flat at 32s 6d ; off the coast cargoes, 26s 6d. Canterbury frozen mutton, 3|d per lb. New Zealand beef— forequarters 2£d, hindquarters 4d. The market is active. New Zealand hemp is in good demand at a slight advance; Auckland, good quality, L 22 per ton ; Christchurch, good quality, L2l los. South Australian wheat, ex warehouse, is weaker at 33s 6d ; Victorian, ex warehouse, flat at 335. Danish butter, 106s. The Titus Salt Company are winding up owing to the serious effect of the M'Kinley tariff. By an explosion in the Park Slip Colliery, Bridgend, Wales, 140 miners have been entombed. Nineteen of the entombed miners in Bridgend, South Wales, were rescued alive after all hope had been abandoned. The Bradford wool market is steady, and prices show occasionally a slight advance. The London market is quiet. Since the close of the last series up to date the fresh arrivals have been 319,000 bales. Many rumours are current of the imminent failures of shipping and mercantile houses, especially one old firm of Australian merchants of high standing, but a strong effort is being made to prevent their suspension. The Dublin City Market and adjoining houses have been destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at LIOO,OOO. Messrs Miles Brothers, of Now Zealand,

have been registered as a limited company with a capital of LIOO.OOO. August 27. The harvest in the Astrakhan district, Russia, is a failure. Pirates on the Algerian coast massacred Professor Hermann and the crew of the yacht Astor. . Several large fires have occurred m New York, and one factory was totally destroyed, involving a loss of L 50.000. Sir H. Loch and Mr Cecil Rhodes will revisit England to discuss the Swaziland difficulty with the Imperial Government. Neill has been committed for trial on the charge of poisoning a number of women in various parts of London. Lord Brassey considers "that Dr Barnardos is the only successful scheme of benevolent colonisation. The gentleman who died from exposure on Mont Blanc is not the Oxford professor, but his brother, Mr R. L. Nettleship. At the annual conference of Oddfellows objection was taken to the scheme of old age pensions, and to the proposed interference of the Government. A dispute has occurred between the Roumanian and Hungarian authorities, the former boasting that they will bathe in Hungarian blood. The Canadian Salvationists accuse General Booth of misusing the army's funds, and living in luxury while the officers of the army in Canada are starving. Scott Sanders, formerly a captain in the army, has been arrested at Liverpool on a charge of forging Loldes (sic) Bros', name to a cheque. It is believed that his defalcations amount to L 200.000. The Marquis of Ripon has received a minute from Mr Goschen, ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, who urges that the Australian colonies should come to some arrangement locally regarding the coinage of silver, and then submit their proposals through the Victorian Government. Sir J. Vogel, in an article in the " Nineteenth Century," proposes the establishment of a British zollverein not sooner than 10 nor later than 21 years. He suggests that meanwhile bonuses should be allowed on colonial produce, which, he contends, would increase trade and be of enormous benefit to toe empire. Tallow : Medium mutton, 24s 6d ; beef, 235. The English wheat market is heavy and inactive', the Continental is declining, while the American market is showing a general decline. At the Antwerp wool sales the competition was weak, and prices are now five centimes under the rates ruling on the opening day. Half of the quantities offered have been withdrawn. Silver, 3s 2£d. It is estimated that there will be a deficiency of 8,000,000 bushels in the Canadian wheat crop. August 28. The work of rescue at the Park Slip Colliery has been carried on in the midst of scenes of the greatest excitement. The gallant men who went down into the mine to save their comrades had to creep flat along the ground in order to prevent the gas from suffocating them. They stumbled over bodies, and had to take refuge from time to time behind the pillars supporting the roof. By slow degrees they _at length reached the spot were the survivors were entombed. The wildest joy was shown on the bank as the rescued men were hauled to the top, women and children frantically embracing one another. The knockings of the entombed men were heard in the distant workings. The efforts of the rescue party were renewed amid the cries of crowds of women, who called upon them to save those still entombed. One of the survivors who^was interviewed says that he lapped up dirty water from a puddle tp prevent himself from being choked. The Queen has sent a message of sympathy and condolence, and Home Secretary Asquith is visiting the scene. Forty men have been rescued. The mine is full of after-damp, and the rescue party showed great heroism in their work. '' August 29. The wheat cargo ex Kilmory is realising 26s 6d. The Times states that Lord Glasgow's position re the Legislative Council appointments in New Zealand demands the Marquis of Ripon's able discretion, as a wrong decision would have disastrous results. The Rev. Mr Patton, in a letter _to The Times, declares that neither the Primate of Australia, Bishop Barlow (of North Queensland), Sir Samuel Griffith (Premier), nor the Rev. Kennard Rose, who favour the introduction of kanaka labour into Queensland, have seen the kanaka traffic as conducted in the islands and at sea. Sir J. J. Abbott, Premier of Canada, claims the right to appoint Queen's counsel. The French troops have occupied Eatagu, in Dahomey. Dombusch's circular estimates that the European crops will be about the average. Heavy rains are delaying the English harvest and causing mildew. The threshing reports are unfavourable. Bolckow, Vaughan, and Co., ironmasters, of Middlesborough, are unable to pay a dividend owing to the strikes. The Titus Salt Company (woollen manufacturers, &c.), who have been compelled to wind up, did not use any Australian wool. A receiving order has beon made against Redfern, Alexander, and Co., colonial merchants, of Great Winchester street. Their liabilities are stated at a quarter of a million. Much sympathy is expressed in the city for Redfern, Alexander, and Co. The liability of the firm is not so large as at first stated, and does not exceed L 300,000. The precise reason for failure is not known, but is attributed to family matters. The Marquis of Ripon is the first Secretary for the Colonies who personally called on the Agents-general of the colonies. The tin works at Swansea have been obliged to close up owing to the depression in their trade. Twelve thousand men are thrown out of employment. Sixty tin-plate works have been stopped in Wales owing to the M*Kinley tariff in the United States, and 10,000 men are thrown out of work. The Treasury is willing to allow Australian mints to coin silver tokens special to Australia, or, if the colonies collectively desire, to coin a British token of silver as agents, the head mint receiving a reasonable allowance from the profit towards the loss incurred in the coinage of gold ; this arrangement to terminate on the adoption of federation, also to be contingent on the complete concert of New South Wales and Victoria. • City importers of colonial produce are urging shippers in New Zealand to appoint an expert in London to survey and report on the condition of cargoes of produce on their arrival. The rescue parties at the Park Slip colliery have abandoned the work, finding it impossible to recover any more bodies. One hundred and seven men have been taken out of the mine. A relief fund is being opened at the Mansion House. Tho -Rev. Mr Paton, in his letter to The Times, says that 40,000 cannibals in the South

Pacific are ready to hear the pleading of the Gospel, but Queensland's recruiting vessels will hinder the work of the missionaries and depopulate the islands. The Colonial Office is asking for the views of the Australian colonies before deciding on the question of allowing any of them to coin silver. General Booth denies the accusation of living in luxury, and ajcuses the Canadian officers of the Salvation Army of intrigue. He does not believe that the rank and file will join, but it is stated that the revolt against his authority is spreading. The leader of the rebels near Tangier has submitted and gone to Fez. Paris, August 24. Two French generals and a colonel have been placed on the retired list for needlessly exercising their troops in the sun, whereby a number of deaths were caused from sunstroke. August 25. Intelligence is to hand that the French warships are bombarding Wydah and other ports in Dahomey. The French troops have left Porto Novo and moved in the direction of Abomey, but await the arrival of reinforcements before making an attack on the king's stronghold. The French troops have occupied Takoa (Dahomey) with only small loss, and the Dahomeyans have now evacuated the district. August 27. Professor Richard Nettleship, of Oxford University, has died from exposure on Mont Blanc. Berlin, August 26. The heat iv Germany is so great that crops [ of fruit and vegetables have been destroyed in some districts. At Altona, which is a filthy town, men are dying in the. streets. Vienna, August 25. Eighteen persons died from sunstroke yesterday. During the military manoeuvres 430 soldiers were prostrated, and 12 died while marching in the vicinity of Buda-Pesth. St. Petersbuhg, August 23. The prohibition of the export of rye from Russia has been withdrawn. August 27. Sir E. C. N. Braddon, Agent-general for Tasmania, who is attending the Railway Conference as Australian delegate, has been appointed vice-president. August 29. A serious fire broke out in Horishoff, and 1000 houses have been destroyed. Belgrade, August 27. It is reported that ex-Queen Natalie will be permitted to re-enter Servia. Palermo, August 24. The last formidable band of Sicilian brigands has just been arrested at Catinia. Brussels, August 24. The number of deaths at Antwerp from cholera is increasing. There is an exodus in consequence, and preventive measures are being taken at English ports. Berne, August 25. The Peace Congress, sitting at Berne, is urging a European federation in the interests of peace. Lisbon, August 24. The Portuguese Government has authorised the importation of 12,000,000 kilos of wheat monthly for a period of 10 months to supplement the harvest. Tangier, August 24. The Sultan of Morocco has ordered his troops to advance and exterminate the Augherite rebels. Zanzibar, August 26. Reports from the interior state that, having pacified the natives, Captain Lugard is marching towards tho coast. Capetown, August 23. A general election is going on in Natal. The question at issue is the acceptance or rejection of responsible government. The opponents of acceptance fear English troops will be withdrawn, and the cost of defence thrown on tho colony. August 25. Sir H. Loch and President Kruger, of the Transvaal, are negotiating respecting a settlement of the Swaziland dispute. Calcutta, August 25. The Anchor liner Anglia capsized in. the River Hooghlyi and 15 persons were drowned. August 29. When the Anchor liner Anglia capsized in Hooghly river three of the seamen were imprisoned by the rush of water in the forecastle. They thrust their heads through the portholes and piteously appealed for help. Nothing could be done to rescue the unfortunates, and as the vessel slowly settled down she engulphed the victims. Hongkong, August 27. The Chinese Minister in Berlin has been instructed to proceed to St. Petersburg to demand the recall of General Yanoff's expedition. Singapore, August 29. The murderers of Harris and Stewart, of the Australian exploring expedition in Pahang, have been sentenced to death. Washington, August 24. A band of outlaws murdered four gentlemen who were on a hunting excursion near Cunney, in Texas, and sacked their camp. The assassins demanded dinner, and were told they could have it if they asked civilly. They again demanded food, and some hesitation _ being shown murdered the unfortunate men in cool blood. No arrests have yet been made. August 23. A lady attempting to descend from a baL'oon with a parachute at Columbia, Ohio, fell 300 ft and was killed. August 27. The Government deny Hawaii's claims to Cornwallis Island, and assert that they never owned it. New York, August 25. It is reported that Sheridan, one of the Invincibles, has been fatally injured in a railway accident in Colorado. San Francisco, August 26. _ The Hawaiian Government claim Cornwallis Island, recently reported to have been annexed by Britain, and allege that Hawaii never transferred part of Pearl harbour to any foreign Power. Ottawa, August 27. Isaac Berringer and Hiram Sibley, American millionaires, have been drowned while on a yachting cruise in the western waters of the Dominion. , __ Callao, August 23. A great fire has been raging in Callao, the seaport of the Peruvian capital. The offices ot the South American Steamship Company are among the buildings destroyed. Half the population of Callao and Lima are suffering from influenza.