THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2165, 22 August 1895, Page 10

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Auckland, August 14

The R.M.S. Alameda, Captain Morse, arrived from San Francisco to-oight. She left San Francisco on July 25. The pafsage was uneventful. Fassen^e rs : For New Zealand — Mesdames Stillmau, Hamilton, Ritchie, Milner, Young (and 2 children), Miss Tucker, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Virce, Messrs W. Remhall, H. Rei shall, Maulish, Henderson, Norrie, Engelhardt, Harvey; and 11 steercge. In transit for Sjrdnt y, 37 saloon and 10 steerage v She leaves at daylight to-morrow for Sydney.^ Among the through passengers are the Rev. W. J. L. Clobs, Mr Alfred and Mrs Dam pier (and family).

GENERAL SUMMARY.

Robert Hudson, who murdered his wife atd child on Helenely Moor, York«hirt>j recently, in order that he might marry again, was sentenced t« death At the time of killing his wife and child, whom he butied on Helennly Moor, he was advertising under the name of Hunter for another wife.

Thtre is some comment in Paris because Lord Duffirin has dismiestd all his French servaLti at the British Embassy. The cecemty fer this action, it is said, was imperative. A couple of months ago a servant was observed opening the ambassador's despatch boV. The box was given him, locked, by Austin Lee, whose office is on the ground floor. The servant had procured a false key and tampered with the box en the staircase. The second time he was sent upstairs it was with a dummy despatch, and he was caught reading it by the ambassador's private secretary. He was of course paid off, and the servants received notice to leave, and have been discharged with excellent characters. Some years ago when similar measures were taken at the German Embassy one of the secretaries said it was no use to keep French servants. Through patriotism, whether or not strengthened by love of gain, a certain number invariably endeavoured to act as spies.

Oscar Wilde, now doing his time in Pentonville, has been taken off tbe treadmill and put to picln'Dg oakum, with making matches to follow. The doctors absolutely refused bis being continued on the mill. He is in gcod health. Lord Alfred Douglas has bought and furnished in a most luxuriant manner a residence not far from Sorrento, Italy. He has declared openly that his avowed object is to await the relcate of Oscar Wilde, whon he will at once transport him to the Italian coast.

A series of outrages and murders of little girl?, the vktima' ages ranging from seven years, has created great excitt meut among the working classes in the district of Wthhamatow, seven miles north-east of London. Within a month five little ones have been decoyed from their homes, and have vanished completely. Search parties subsequently found their bodies in -fields, stripped of all clothing, and giving evidence of most outrageous treatment. The immediate cau_se of death in every instance was strangulation. Tbe police inquiry points to a well dressed man of 30, but there the clue ends. Only "one of the many victims has escaped death. She was only four 3 earß of age, and ' was unable to describe her nssiilanb. Several half-witted men were arrested on suspicion,- but they established alibis and were liberated. The London police authorities received an unsigned letter purporting to have been written by this Weltham»tow monster to the effect that he will be in the neighbourhood pgnin shortly. He laughs at the police, and tells them they are on the wrong scent and never will be able to find him. He admits the outrages and murders already done.

It was announced in St Petersburg on July 2A that an agreement had beeu reached in Paris between Amerioan and Russian petroleum firms by whioh all the kerosene trade of the Mediterranean waters and Norway will be given to Russia. In the remainder o) Europe Russia is to export 35 psr oent, and America 65 por cent, of the kerosene needed.

Adrian Deacomi, of HuDgary, claims to have found in tho remains of the old Roman camp at Bertovio, at Bogfsau, near L'mescr, what he and certain learned men of Bucharest regard as inesislible evidence that the c&n utions of the fourth legion who were stationed there at Borne time during tbe second century were acquainted with movablo types. This will throw back the origin of the ait of printing nearly 13 centuries.

One hundred men and women, all in evening dress, were captured by the police in a raid on the London Paloco Club on July 18. Among them wtre a United States a Congressman, a prominent Jaw official of an Eastern American State, and an Ami ri can police official on leave.

According to London Vanity Fair the Queen speaks scathingly of the new woman in the advanced novel. She is reported to have remarked on this subject : "It is a pity that edncated women will allow thtir pens to run riot, and it is a greater pity tbe public \s in the mood to buy such books. If there was no public demand the authors of them would quickly ceise writing.

Prince Francis of Teck lost £10,OGO on the Curragh races. Lord Ardilaua offered to pay his debts, but the Queen interposed and paid them herself and then ordered the Prince to India.

Thomas Phillips, who was one of the surviving members of the famous " Six Hundred," died at Woodville, Michigan, on July 5. aged 76. By this death the remnant of Cardigan's hwoea ifl xftdaoed to three* who live in England.

supported by ft pension from the Britten Government. The failure of the fleet of fishing boats in the neighbourhood of the Elbfc-Craithio collision' last wiuter lo go .to the assistance of the sinking liners has at last been explained. The men of the fleet saw the Blbe'B rockets distantly, but the u-biiig boats use rookets so frequently in signalling among themselves that no attention was paid to tho signals. It is now suggested that rockets of a particular colour should be used to call for help at sea, and that their use for other purposes fhou'd be forbidden. Aocording to a London despatch of July 20 a report was in circulation that tho Duke and Duchess of York's baby Prince Edward infos born a deaf mute. There is growing excitement in Bio de "Janeiro over the occupation of Ihe island of Trinidad by the Euglish. The Government have despatched two Notes to the British Legation, quoting the British Admiralty Act of 1782, by virtue of which Trinidad wai evacuated by the Et»g'i>h and rj-sfcored to Portugal. Persona iv autboti'y in London being questioned on the subject, say that the British title to Trinidad dates from tho year 1700, when possession was taken of it without any objection on the pnrt of Portugal. It was adde.l that hitherto Brazil has not advanced any claim to , the island, but the British Government are ready to di-cues in a friendly ppirib any representation which Brazil may wieh to make on tho subject. At a national convention in Tyrone on June 8, called to select candidates, Mr Healy accused Mr John Dillon of selling Tyrone to the English party. Mr Dillon retorted by calling him an infamous li*r end traitor. There was a tremendous row, but it soon quietened down. A " smoking service " is the Intent novelty in tie religious world of London. The following invitations are now widely circulated in Whiteehapel : — "If you want a smoke free come next Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock fco the ChnVchurch Hall. A "free oup of tea if sou. like. Tobacco gratis." The experiment of making tobacco an ally of religion promises (o be a success in the estimation of those who have undertaken it. A London despatch of July 23 mentions that at a chapel in the East Bud arrangements were made on a receut Sunday for the congregation to smoke. Mox-e than 2000 men, among them the poorest of the poor, attended. A few came smo.king ; the others carried pipes in their mouths ißith the bowls iijvarted to denote oniptirefs. The gentleman who was to conduct the service, and who bimsolf blow a cloud from a briar, commenced to distribute the tobacco. The supply was contained in a bag, and each recipient got; enough bo fill two pipes. By the time all wore served many wreaths of smoke were cmling roofward. Several Ja^ies who were there to assist in the services took seats on the platform. Ficsfc there was prayer, and it was cuiious to see the pipe bowls and tobacco smoke half screened by one hand while the eyes were reverently covered with the other. Then there was a hymn, in which the female portion of the congregation joined, but not I many of the men, it being difficult to smoke and ! sing at the same time. After that cime what they evidently enjoyed more than all else— a hjmn sung with muoh sweetness by a lady. Prdbably thoy would not have ventured to applaud, but as the chairman, who fit'll puffed his briar, clapped bis hands, all followed with great vigour, and their faces testified bow much they were in earne*t. A chapter was read from " the Bible, and the chairman then preached on the miracle of the five barley loaves and two small fishes He delivered a simple discourse of half hd hour's duration. By that time the limited allowance of tobacco had smoked out, I aud after the crowning hospitality of a cup of tea with pieces of bread and marmalade for all, the proceedings came to an end. The Sunday afternoon smoking ooncert is likely to become a permanent institution iv Whitechapel. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. The purport of more recent despatches is to the effect that all the various explanations offered for the general demoralisation of Liberal voters is more beating the air. The safest i generalisation that can be formed ia-thafc with Mr Gladstone in retirement, Mr Parnell dead, the Irish parly rent with feuds, and the Liberal leaders unable to carry the Newcastle Programme, and unwilling to make an aggressive movement ag<iinat the Lords, tho poople have considered it necessary to have a change, and to give Mr Chamberlain a chance to show what he can do with his Tory democracy. To this may be added the fact that the Unionists had superior organisation, and all the money they needed for a successful canvass. The Liberals lacked leaders, organisers, candidates, and money. Mr Walter Phtlp3 Dodge, an eminent American, has writtea a letter to The Times, in which ho repudiates the statement made by Mr Chauccey Depsw that Americans favour Homo Rule for Ireland. Mr Dodge says that 11 while the politicians in the United States are compelled to truckle for the Itish vote, man) Americans oppose a policy of separation." He adds, " T have given what help I could to the Ununist oandidate for Norwich, and many other Anaei'cmi were glad of the opportunity to fight H.me Rule."

AVESIMINSTEB CATHOLIC) CATHEDRAL. Cardinal Vaughan la : d, in the presence of 8000 people, the foundation stone of the Catholic Cathedral of Westminster. Amon» those present were the sfcabaasadors of several Catholic couutrie*, Catholic bishops,, the Catholic nobility of England, and Archbishop Btoner, who represented the people. A report was current that the reason for the absence of Cardinal Gibbonß (of Baltimore, Maryland, U.BJ was bis fear, of a hostile demonstration

en the part of the Irish Catholics of London; Cirdinal Vaughan, at a luncheon given after the ceromouy, boasted the Pope fleet and then the Queen, and it is thought this will 'probably create commint, as it did when Lord Mayor Knfll of- London gave tho name of the Roman Pontiff precedence to that of her Mojeshy at a banquet. Duriug tfhe coiinte of his remarks the cardinal foretold tho return of England to the Roman Catholic faith. In toa«hing " The Visitors " the cardinal specially alluded to the canon sent by the Bishop of Orleans, and he asa referrfd to the presence of American clergy. The I itled guests present afc the lnnoheon were the Duke of Norfo'k, Marquis of Ripon, the French Auibassudor (Baron de Courccl), Lord and Lady Campois, Earl of Athburnham, Baron Beaumont, Earl of Denbigh, Baron Herries, Lord Walter Kerr, Baron Actou, Baron Russell, Lord Edmond Talbot, and the Dowager-Duohegs of Newcastle. m. stambouloff's assassination. M. Stambouloff's assassination is generally bflievod to be an acb of rovongo. A special to The Times from Paris, dated July 20, gives an interview published by the Figaro with s brother of Naoum TupektohiS, who 'was arrested for complicity in this murder. He said that his brother Naoum was & cloie friend of M*jor Panitza, who had been executed by order of M. Stambouloff, bub tho association was purely one of friendship and not of politic*. Whon tho Panitza plot t»au discovered all who had bceu connected with Panitza ware arrested. "Among them," the interview continues, " was my young brother Deutohs, aged 17, whom SUmbouloif thought ho could force to reveal Naoum's supposed connection with > the conspiracy. Deutchs was subjected to atrocious tortures for six months, M. St&mbouloff empioyiug his ingenuity and multiplying the moot horrible tormett*, until the executioners in his presence tore the nail-i from my brother's hands. and feofc, and comm'tkd acts yet more barbarous. The little fellow refused to accuse Naouoi, and, finally exasperated, he rpat in M. Staxnbouloff'a face, crying » Tyrant, I scorn you.' That was his death warrant. Stambouloff bathed him in kerosene and burned him alive iv October 1892." Tupefctchiff added that, navertheless, neither N*ouin nor himself was connected with the murder of M. Stambouloff, whioh they deprecated as likely to cause a reaction in his favour. 10RD ROSEBERY. The rnnjour that Lord Rosebery^is to many one of the Prince of Walos's daughbtra is revived, and it is said that he may relinquish politics altogether. It is understood that tho Queen would not offer any opposition to the m%tch. Lord Ro-ebery continues to be her great personal favourite, as her bestowal upon him of the late Duke of Hamilton's order of the Thisllo indica'es. Lord Rosebiry already possesses the Order of the Garter, and it is extremtlj rare for anyone not of Royal blood to hold both orders, the only other instances on record being the ca'e* of the Ea,rl of Aberdeen and the Duke of Arg'yle. TERRITOBT IH. EAST AFRICA. The formal transfer of the territory of tha British East Africa Company to Gre*t Britain was effected at Mombasa on July 21. Tha territory over which the British Government 'now assume direct control extends for about 400 miles northward from Umba, at the mouth of the Umba river. The boundary runs in a north- weafe direction to the intersection of Victoria Nyanzft with the first parallel of north latitude, skirts the northern shore of the lake, and then turna eastward to the boundary of the Congd Free Bt*te. Theifotil area of tho territory i 3 about 1,000,000 square miles,., embracing a great parfi of S;>mali!and. The railway. 657 miles in length, from Morumbana to Lake Ny.ui'za,* has besn protected. THE KIEL CANAZ. The Vossische Zeitung declares that if large merchant vessels cannot risk a passage of the Kiel canal it will bo wholly useless as a means of rapidly uniting the Baltic and North fleets, for warships will not be able to pass through uulcfs the canal is deepened and widened. In the meantime the military value of the canal will be very small. The National Zeitung beseeches the Government to explain the condition of affairs and state frankly how the errors in the. construction of the canal can be remedied, ratber th»n allow the country to indulge in dangerous deltuiojis ; and it is predicted that until the canal is enlarged at a heavy cost it will never be able to pay working expenses.