BRITISH AND FORESIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2293, 10 February 1898, Page 20

BRITISH AND FORESIGN.

London, January 31. j A terrible disaster occurred daring a fire at an oil refinery ia Newcastle. A tank containing 1G tons of creosote exploded. Two persons were killed and 100 spectators Injured. Tbe latest reports as to tbe state of Mr W. E. Gladstone's health are unfavourable. Geeeral Sir Daniel Lysons, Constable of the Tower ; aged 82. Februaiy 1. Lord William Neville has been committed for trial in connection with the Lewis-Olay money-lending case. Bail was refused. At the hall-yearly meeting of the Union Bank of Australia, Mr Arthur Flower, chairman of tbe London board, in moving tbe adoption of the report, said the outlook generally was better than at any time siaca 1893. The preference shares offered for subscription in the new company formed to* take over the business of Messrs Houlder and Co. have been over-subscribed. Direct cable commuQication has been opened between England and Jamaica via Halifax, Nova Scotia. Reports from Tangiera state that five Englishmen, members of the Globe Exploring Society, have been arrested and are accused of landing arms. February 2. Mr Gladstone's health is improving. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has mada a grant of LISOO towards tha endowment of tbs See of North Australia and LIOOO to the endowment fund of the Goulburn diocese. The steamer Channel Qaaen, belonging to the Plymouth and Channel Islands Steamship Company, has baen wrecked off tbe coast of Guernsey. Eighteen passenger* •were drowned. A panic occurred among the passengers, and one of the boats was swamped. There was a dense fog at the time cf the disaster. February 3. Crosy Hghtboase, near Liverpool, has been destroyed by fire. A gale prevailed at the time. Tbe lanteras were smashed and the burning oil descenf3ed, setting fire to tbe Dtructnre. Three attendants were killed. A meeting of representatives of 40 New ilcutb Wales miaing companies resolved to support ths Sydney Chamber of Mines in its efforts to obtain an amendment of tbe mining laws in the direction of better security of tenure and labour conditions, with a view to increasing tho oobfideace of capitalists and stimulating investment. February 4. Two parliamentary elections took placa to-day. Mr Gibbons (Unionist) was elected by a majority of 111 for Wolverhampton South to fill the vacancy caused by tbe death of Mr C. P. Villisrs. Sir Samuel Edward Scott, of Tivyrord Hall, Norfolk (Uniouist) wao returned unopposed for Marylebone West as successor to Sir H. B. Towssead Farquhar, recently raised to the peerage. The Admiralty authorities bave sent Mr A. W. Fawkes, Q.C., Attorsey-general at Gibraltar, to Tangier to inqeire into the arrest of five Englishmen, members of the Globe Exploring Society, on a charge of landiDg arms. Di- Benuam, Aldrichian demonstrator of isomparative asatotny at Oxford Usiversity, lhas been appoiated professor of biology and curator of the mugeum of Otago University. There were nine candidates. Apropos of tbe rumour that Mr Seddon bad accepted the office of Agent-general, Mr W. P. Reeves ia unaware that auy change in tbe offioa is contemplated. His own future plans are not definitely settled. The parliamentary vacancy for South-east Durham, cansed by the murder of Liout.general Sir Henry Havelock- Allan on the Indian frostier, resulted in the return, by a majority of 275, of Mr Joseph Ricbardsoa (Liberal), who formerly represented tbe constituency. Report* from Bonny, West Africa, state that the Royal Niger Company's force, acting against the tribes in the Ediba district, bave beea engaged in severe fighting. Oa tbe British sids Captain Fen ton was killed. The enemy lost heavily. A man giving his name as Alfred John Hiokey was arrested on a charge of having a revolver in his possession in tb» gallery of the Gaiety Theatre, and has been remanded for medical examination. When arrested, a letter, written in' an incoherent; style, was found ia his pocket. In it he mentions tbe name of Sergeant Hampton and Dr Cleveland/ of Adelaide. Tbe roflgh January accounts prepared by the Receiver-general's department in conneotio» with the Canadian-Australian mail service show the banking liabilities to be L 68.000 and the free assets LIO.OOO. Tbe receiver says the company will need to borrow largely to continue tbe business. A mail train collided with a fast goods train at Ban&seee in Ayrshire, Scotland. Two engines, two carriages, and three vans were smashed. Seven passengers were killed and many injured. February 7. Sir Andrew Clarke, Sir Daniel Cooper, Sir Malcolm Fra«er, Sir Henry Norman, and Sir Westby Perceval are gazetted commissioners at the forthcoming exhibition at Paris. Frank Ford Fenton, killed at Deba, was captain of the 11th Hussars. Sir Horace Farquhar has resigned the position of director of the British South Africa Company. Paris, February 1. The Italian Government denies having had jiny connection with Captain Dreyfus. In the Chamber of Deputies M. Lockroy, *7ho was Minister for Marina in the late Bourgeois Ministry, said France must locate % port opposite Gibraltar, where a flotilla of (torpedo boats might prevent a British entry Jato the Mediterranean. Berlin, January 31. j A duel was fought between Count William 1 third eon of Prince Bismarck, and iHerr Manbash, Privy Councillor. Tho latter w«b severely wounded. February 3. ' The Reichstag is discussing a bill providing for the extension of foreign markets for German manufactures outside Great Sritain, America, and the British colonies. The reason assignea for the introduction of

the measure is the recent development of the relations between tbe British and German Empires. February 5. America has intimated to Germany that her action in forbidding ths importation of American frnifc without notifying Mr Uhl, the American Ambassador, is unprecedented. America threatens to adopt retaliatory action. February 6. A steam launch capsized at Kiol while conveying the guard to a man-of-war. Nine sailors and three workmen were drowred. In connection with the protest by America against Germany stopping the itnpc-rtation of American fruit, the German Imperial Gazette explains that traces of a dangerous iasecb were discovered in Oalifornian fraifc. Vienna, February 5. The German students at the university at Prague, the capital of Bohemia, having been prohibited wearing their club colours, the j students throughout tbe Austro-Hungarian Empire, to express their sympathy, refused \to listen to the professors. Frequent conflicts between Germans and Slavs have occurred in many towns. St. Petersburg, February 7. The failure of the harvest is causing terrible distress in Central and South Eastern Russia. Constantinople, Fabruary 1. In May last, on tbe strength of tbe Sultan's offer to pardon, members of the Young Turkish party and grant them reforms at a future date if th«y would assist ths Turkish Govercmetit during the crisis arising out o£ fche Grteco-Taikinh war, it was agreed by the party to suspend hostilities against the Government. The Sultan havic-g failed to fulfil his pledges, the Young Turks intend to resume the agitation for reforms. Fabruary 2. Izzet Bay, a favourite of the Sultan and one of the secretaries of his household, has been arrested on a charge of treason. A son of Izzefc, who is also implicated, effected his escape, takir.g with hitn a number of secret dt-cumenta. Febjuaiy i. An" earthquake at Balike?ri, a town in oortfe-westorn Asia Minor, destroyed the Turkish militaiy prison. Twenty persons were killed. Calcutta, February 4. Demedar Cb,apekar, tbe Brahmin advocate, who confessed to murdering the two special plsgse officers at Poo»ah in July last, bas been sentenced to deatb. Oapstown, February 3. The Chief Muapha, concerned in tbe rscenfc trouble amongss the natives at Basutoland, has been heavily fined by tbe British authorities, and deprived o£ bis chieftainship. Sir Gordon Spsigg, Premier of Cape Colony, has stated that if the Orange Froe State concurs, he is willing to suspend the duty on imported meat for a period of three months, pendiag legislation on the matter. Pbkxobia, February 6. Chief Justice Koize, of the Tr&D&vaal, in a letter to President Kvuger, says tha agreement to amend the geondwet bo as to define tha exacs position of tbe judges is still unfulfilled. He now repudiates the arrangement come to by the judges last yaar not to test in future any of the laws of the Volksraad. Washington, February 1. The House of Representatives rejected by 182 to 132 Senator Tiller's resolution in favour of bonds beiag made payable either in silver or gold. Mr Diagley, in the course of a speech, said the resolution was meant as an attack upon the financial honour of America by the payment of debte in depreciated currency. February 3. The Senate ia indignant over the action of Germany in prohibiting the importation of American fruit on sanitary gronnds. It is claimed that the reason assigned for tbe prohibition was merely a 'pretext to retaliate against the American sugar duty. February 4. It; is reported that Japan ha 3 withdrawn tbe opposition to America annexing tbe Hawaiian Inlands on condition that the Japanese are granted equal rights with other residents of the islands. New Yohk, February 2. A great blizzard is reported from the Eastern States. Tha railways and the highways are compUfcely blccked by snow, and Boston is in an isolated position. February 3. Farther particulars cf the blizzard which evrept over the Eastern States show that 36 ■p&rsoßiT perisfied -gloEg the Kew England coast. Tbe damage done in Boston amounted to more than, a million dollars. Many fires which have since occurred in towns damaged by the blizzard have remained unchecked. Falling electric wires were responsible for tbe death of fully 200 horses. February 6. During a fire at Boston six firemen were killed by falling wall?, and many others injured. Ottawa, February 2, Reports from the province of Winnipeg state that large discoveries of gold bave been made in the district of Hiy and on tbe Buffalo River. Cfc" i