BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 13

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

London, February 22. J < - H.M.S. Royal Arthur has sailed with relief j crews for the Australian station. ' The Borne correspondent of the Standard s gays that Great Britain is sending a mission < to King Menelek with a view to discussing questions regarding the occupation of the territory of the Soudan. ' The death is announced of Blondin, the ' famous tight-rope walker. February 23. The Jarrahdale Company have contracted to supply 1100 loads of blooks for woodblocking Praen street, PaddiDgcon. The contract price if LlO 19a per load. The position of Dr Napier in regard to the Adelaide Hospital squabble will be oon•idered by the British Medical Association. The health officer at Merthyr-Tjdvil, in i Wales, has instituted proceedings against a local firm for having Melbourne chilled butter treated with preservitas. It was alleged on behalf of the proseoution that preservitas is injurious to health. "Professor Sollas, who some months ago visited the BUis group and other islands in the Pacific with a view to testing tha rival theories as to the formation of coral islands, will issue his report shortly. Replying to a question, Mr Hanbnry, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said he believed that the Australian colonies were unwilling to face the expense of a special mail service between Naples and Calais in order to expedite the delivery of the colonial mails via Brindisi. February 24. A telegram from Moscow states that the report of the death of Steinitz, the chess player, is untrue, although he remains very ill in the hospital. Mr James Rennell Rodd, one of the secretaries to Lord Oromer at Cairo, has been appointed Queen's special envoy to King Menelik. He sails for Egypt on March 11, en route for Abyssinia. Mr George Herbert Murray, a clerk in the Treasury, has been appointed to succeed Sir Alfred Milner as chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, the latter having accepted the Governorship of the Cape. Mr Edward Wingfield, one of the assistant Under-secretaries, succeeds Sir Robert Meade as Permanent Undersecretary of the Colonial Office. An explosion at Nobel's dynamite works at Stevenson, Ayrshire, killed six persons. February 25. In the case of Mrs Annie Biown, of .Wellington, who was convicted- on a charge of performing an illegal operation in conjunction with her husband, and who appealed to the Privy Council, the appeal has been dismissed. Sir G. Sprlgg, Premier of Cape Colony, states that 2000 Bechuanas at Landberg are disloyal, if not actually rebels. Lady Wallace, widow of the late Sir Richard Wallace, Bart, has bequeathed to the nation Hertford House, Manchester square, London, together with a valuable collection of pictures and works of art, which are valued at over a million sterling. The bequest is made conditionally on the Government erectiog a museum. Sir Blundell Maple, M.P. for Dulwicb, has donated LIOO.OOO bo rebuild the hospital in

connection with the University College, Gower street. February 26. Hemp is slow of sale. New Zealand is quoted at Ll4 10s. Mr Mackintosh, of Victoria, won the Prix Quinto at Genoa, together with a gold medal and lOOOf r, defeating six English and French crack shots. February 27. The arbitrators in the Costa Rica Paoket case, arising out of the detention of the ship by the Dutch in Java, awarded the owners of the vessel L3BOO, captain and carpenter • L 3150, and the officers and crew LI6OO, with I interest since November, 1891. The Dutch I authorities were also mulcted in L 250 costs, j The Board of Trade inquiry into the abandonment of the ship Oronsay resulted in the captain being reprimanded. February 28. The British punitive expedition ia returning from Benin to headquarters. ' Edward Blanohard Eccles succeeded in breaking the bank at Monte Carlo. Mr Balfour, replying to a question for assistance for the poor board schools, said it was impossible to remove the inequality of the education burden until the Exchequer met the entire cost. St. Petersburg, February 22. The death is announced of William Steinitz, the famous chess player. William Steinitz was born in 1836 at Prague, Bohemia, where he was educated, completing his studies in Vienna. He early attained distinction as a chess player, and in 186j> won the championship of the world, a position which he held against all contestants until recently, and for years gained every single-handed match or series. In 1883 he settled in the United States and edited the " International Chess Magazine." In 1889 he published the first portion of his work " Modern Chess Instructor." February 25. A treaty has been concluded between Russia and Japan which maintains the autonomy of Corea under the protection of both Powers, who will retain a small military force there. Cairo, February 28. Rasaloula, the Abyssinian general who commanded the force which was despatched to the relief of Kassala during the Soudan campaign in 1885, is dead. j It is expected Mr Rodds's mission to AbysBinia will result in the permanent representation of Great Britain at the court of the Negus, while the King of Abyssinia will be represented at the Queen's diamond jubilee. Madrid, February 28. News from the Philippines states that the iusurgents attacked the Spanish barracks at Manila and killed the commander and a number of officers. The troops fought bravely, but many were killed. Washington, February 22. Colonel Hay, who was private secretary to the" late President Lincoln, has been appointed to succeed Mr Bayard as American Amb'avador in London. Mr Smalley says that the selection shows that it is the intention of the American Government to restore the United States Embassy to an active share in diplomatic business similar to the time when Messrs Adamß and Phelps were Ambassadors in London.

ing" time among icebergs after passing the ; Crozets. She ran on to a submerged berg j and glided up the sloping surface, but after j a few thrilling moments slid off again without losing her equilibrium. She sustained no injury. Lord Brassey, while riding in Albert Park, accompanied by Lord Gla»gow's daughters, was thrown from his horse. He struck the ground with his head and shoulders, but his helmet broke the impact, otherwise the injuries would have been serious. As it was he broke his collar-bone and received a severe shock. Lord Brasscy passed a bad night,. but has slightly improved to-day, and his tempera- j ture is somewhat lower. Quin, charged with the murder of Mrs Watson in November last, was found guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy. He was sentenced to death. February 24. A daring attempt at daylight robbery was made in a jeweller's shop in Elizabeth street. A man named Stewart went to the shop, and was shown a tray of rings. He snatched the tray and decamped, but was captured after an exciting chase. The value of the goods was L 250. A couple of rings are missing. February 25. The Postal Conference meets on Saturday to discuss the subject matter for reference to the Universal Postal Conference at Washington. The Hon. Mr Seddon will attend. Great friction continues to exist in cyoling circles over the aotion of the Victorian League of Wheelmen in restoring Martin after his disqualification. The Racing Board, as a compliment to the stewards who resigned, re-elected them, but the stewards as a body declined the honour, and in a warmly-worded letter declared that the council's decision was tantamount to a verdict of incompetency, and that a considerable section of the council displayed no honest deaire to assist the officials to purify the control of bicycle riding. Lord Brassey is rapidly recovering, and is now able to leave his room. Owing to the Government deolining to vote L2OOO to send a team to Bisley, Mr David Syme, of the Age, has given the ) whole amount, and the Premier has accepted the offer. A young man named Hall has been arrested for wife murder at Eaglehawk. The wife was found dead in a house on the 11th insfc. with her head and hands in a tub of water, as if she had fallen there, but the medical examination showed signs of a fit, and a verdict of accidental death by drowning was returned. Suspicion was subsequently aroused, and the body was exhumed, when the post mortem revealed that the woman had died from suffocation through compression. February 27. It has practically been decided that Post-master-general Duffy, of Victoria, will represent Australasia at the Washington Postal Conference. February 28. A man named Gehan met with a horrible death. While climbing a tree to obtain honey he cut down a bough which struck another branch. The lacter rebounded and pinned the man, who was fearfully mutilated. It took his companionß all night Friday and Saturday morning to extricate the ■ ' body.