BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 13

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

London, January 25. The shareholders of the engineering firm of Sir Joseph Wbitworth and Co. have agreed to the amalgamation with Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell, and Co. (Limited). Jdouary 26. Reports from Capetown state that Lord Rosemead is likely to leave the colony within two month*. Captain George Pollard has been appointed to the command of H.M.S. Wallaroo. The residence of the Countess Da La Warr via* destroyed by fire, The Countess made a rope oat of blankets, and lowered herself into the street. The shareholders of the London Bank of | Australia have approved of the submission of a bill to the Imperial Parliament providing for the modification of the existing sobema of settlement with depositors. Mr Hanbury, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, stated that tenders had been accepted for tbe carriage of mails between England and Australia, but the contracts tiad not yet been signed. He added that it was unnecessary to lay on the table of the House the letter* received from the Australian Governments on the subject. The Royal Geographical Bociety and other institutions interested are raiaiDg L 50.000 to conduct a three years' expedition to tbe Antarctic regions to start in June nexk One society has subscribed L2OOO. Mr Goschen, First Lord of the Admiralty, is helping the movement in the direction of manning and equipment, bat is unable to spare a ship. January 27. Mr Gladstone has gone to the Riviera. The report of the Union Bank of Australia shows that the deposits amount to L 17, 135.460, the securities and cash to > L 7.684.560. and the advances on bills to | L 14.173.420. After careful investigation the j directors consider that sufficient reserves i have been made for all doubtful debts. J The steamer Rcuhina has arrived off the ; coast or Sierra Leone with her shaft broken. ' A collieiot) occurred off Dungeneas between H.M.S. Blenheim and the French five- maa ted steel ship France, and a serious disaster was narrowly averted. The Blenheim had te be j docked or repairs. | The cruiser Royal Arthur, a sister ship to I the Crescent, which visited Australia last year, takes out relief crews for the Wallaroo and Mildura. January 28. The Irish Landlords' Convention, held at Dnblin, demands an inquiry by English judges into the working of the Land Acts since 1869. Lord Londonderry said that the last act aggravated the owners' hardships, and that sub-commissioners were now reducing rents by 30, 40, and 50 per cent., j although the prices of product had advanced since 1882. Certain classes desired to expatriate the owners, but if Ireland became the property of paupers the land would revert into the hands of a few moneylenders. The Times correspondent at Rome wires that Italy contemplates the evacuation ! of Erjthrea with the exception of Masaowah, and that it is considered unlikely that tbis exception will continue for tiny length of time. E-vrl Kilmorey has sailed for Australia to make overtures in regard to tbe construction of the transcontinental railway to Port j Dirwin on the land grant system. An official inquiry is being held into the collision between H.M S. Blenheim and the French tteel ship France. The House of Convocation, sitting at Lambeth, has requested Archbishop Temple to amend the usages in connection with the confirmation of the selection of bishops. Mr Hooley, the millionaire, has made a donation of L 15.000 per annum for the assistance of the aged poor of Derbyshire, in which county he recently purchased an estate. Mr Ritchie, President of the Board of Trade, speaking at Wolverhumpton, referred to colonial expansion, and said that Britain must keep tbe territory she already possessed, and any Minister neglecting a chance of getting more wonld be blameworthy. Mr Aldusen (Conservative) has been elected by a majority of 147 to represent Salisbury in the House of Commons. [Tho result of the election doei not affect the Btrenßth of parties. The voting at the general election in 1895 was :— E. H. Hulse (C), 1404 ; Sir William R. Brown (L.), 1187.] January 29. The convention of Irish landlords carried % motion asking the Government to pay BWJj Attention to anastionß raiaed in the

House of Commons as to the financial rela- j tions between Great Britain and Ireland. Mr Chamberlain states that the Government has invited the Premiers of the various colonies to visit London as the gaeste of the country to assist in the celebrations of the Queen'B record reign. It is also desired to have a detachment of military from each oolonj present on the occasion. Canada, Cape Colony, and Natal have accepted the invitation, and the replies from theat) colonies are considered extremely gratifying as having testified their loyalty by a desire to assist in .the unique function. Oaplain Meryon has been appointed commander of H.M.S. Mildura and Captain John Jones commander of H.M.S. K&toomba. Captain Gaorgo Neville is reappointed commandant of the Victorian navy. Sfcaff-snrgeGn John Thomas is appointed to H M.S. Orlando, Staff-surgeou Lilly to H.M.S. Mildura, and Surgeon S. H. M'Shsrry to IJ M.S. Wallaroo. In reply to a qaestioo, Mr Chamberlain said that the Imperial Government and the colonial Ministries were dincussing the report of the Pacific Oable Commission. He was unable to fix a date when the report : would be laid on the table of the House. Farmer, a solicitor, has been arrested at Scarborough on a charge of having committed in America 17 forgeries of sums • aggregating 1.000.00010 l(L 200.000). January 30. In the Oowley divorce suit, both Earl Cowley and Mrs Oharington denied adultery, i bat the Earl admitted two offences with i other women. j The jury found that the oharges were not proved, and they (the jury) v/era discharged. ; In consequence of the admissions, the : Countess has applied to amend her petition. The hearing was adjourned. | January 31. The Western Australian and New Zealand Mining Trust, with a capital of two and i a-half millions, is being formed to deal with i mining properties and prospecting work in I those colonies. ; The Daily News states that, owing to the i Cznr and Czarina's illness, the projected visit |of Kaiser William, Emperor Francis, and President Fame to St. Petersburg has been postponed. The Czar's visit to London IB a.so deferred. , Vessels from India cow obtain coals from | the island of Comino, in the Mediterranean, i Passengers will be permitted to land in j quarantine for 21 days, f Pabis, January 26. \ The French Government oppose tho action of China in opening up W«st River, whioh favours British interests, unless France is allowed to construct railways from Tongkin into the provinces of Kwantung and , Kwangsi. January 29. M, Muravieff, Foreign Minister for Russia, has arrived iv , Paris, and had a long interview with President Faure and M. Hanotaux. BEBtiitf, January 28. Lieutenant Brusewitz has been sentenced t to three years' imprisonment for the murder j of a civilian in a caf6 at Carlsrnhe. Vienna, January 25. The Austrian Episcopacy have issued a I manifesto demanding votes at the coming ' general elections, in order to secure to ths church the control of the national educational system. St. Petbesbtjrg, January 25. M. Muravieff, the Minister for Foreign i Affairs, acting under the orders of the Czar, intends to visit President Faure. He will be banqueted at the Elysee. January 26. When M. Muravieff visits Berlin he is also expected to visit Vienna. It is reported that the Russian Government are arming their artillery with French rapid-firing guns. ] January 28. J i Reports from Odessa state that a cruiser ' j with 1000 men has sailed for Corea, conveying the Czar's envoy with presents for the King of Corea. Constantinople. January 29. The Porte is uneasy over the approach of the Mohammedan feast of Ramadan, as religious riots are likely to occur. Rome, January 26. The Italian Government are takiDg steps to expedite the transhipment of colonial mails at Brindisi. Athens, January 29. An extraordinary riot on the part of tbe City University students is reported. Irritated because the professors rebuked them for hindering an operation, they broke out in open revolt, stoned the police garrisoned at the University, and established a cordon of armed sentries. i January 31. The students who rioted and garrisoned

the university bave now quitted the institution, and the rector has resigned bis , position. ; CAIEO, January 27. The officials of the Egyptian Government; are inspecting Dongola with a view to ex- , tending the irrigation works to th&t district. ■ January 28. j A large foroe of dervishes are entrenched within 10 hoars' march ot Agordat. , January 29. j Tbe dervishes have abandoned the camp at Agridat and have retreated in a body. Natives friendly to the British are pursuing j them. . ; Copenhagen, January 26. j A lifeboat capsized off Jutland, &ud 12 I persons were drowned. Calcutta, January 25. ! Later particulars of the wrack of '„he troopship Warren Hastings show that the disaster occurred during a dark, stormy night. After the vessel ntruok the crew sue- > ceeded in getting a rope ashore, along which i those on bonrd who could not *wim safely passed until the ship was about to oapaize. j All swimmers were then ordered to jump overboard and make for the shore. The splendid discipline maintained by tbe troops permitted the rescue of all exoept two natives. Capetown, January 28. The kraal of the Chief Seka, near Fort Salisbury, has bsen burned by the troops owing to the chief's re£usft* to surrender arms. Amongst other thing? itaovered from | the natives was the Bibhop of Mw.honaland's | communion savvioe. President Krnger is reported to be iD- j censed at Sir B. Sievwright's sta*em*nt. ! Ottawa, January 28. i Tbe Montreal Board of Trade has requested i that an Imporiai Conference be convened to j disoass the qaeution of preferential trade. ; January 29. The French-Canadian bishops fcave prepared a pastoral upon the schools question, j in which they announce that they will refuse | to administer the sacrament to persons who accept the settlement offered by the Dominion Government. The Pops is considering the question. New Yokk, January 25. A terrible blizzard passed over Kansiß, lowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Daring the storm the mercury fell 50deg. The railways are blocked, and many lives were lo«t. There is great distress in Chicago. Fifty thousand people are reported to be utarving. The mayor is appealing for funds to | ameliorate the distress and avert riots. j January 28. j The Chicago police are distributing relief j to the famine-stricken people. j Terrible cold is being experienced through- I 'out the United States. \ Washington, January 28. The House of Representatives has adopted the report of a committee in favour of an Immigrants Restriction Bill. In the course of an 'interview, Mr M'Kinley stated that he was opposed to the annexation of Hawaii as stated. The Republican leaders had decided to drop the campaign agtinßt Bryanism and free silver, fearing a oarrency agitation would injure business throughout the States. January 29. Mr Hyman Gage, a Chicago banker, has accepted the Secretaryship of the Treasury in Mr M'Kinley'n Administration. January 31. Mr M'Kinley has appointed Senator Alger Secretary for War. Philadelphia, January 27. A fire at Philadelphia destroyed 30 building*. The damage is estimated at 2,000,000d0l (L 500.000).