BRITISH AND FOREIGN. London, March 14.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 17

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. London, March 14.

The death is announced of Sir Richard Quain, physician extraordinary to the Queen. March IS. Vienna reports that Austria and Germany are willing to entrust Russia, France, and Britain with the task of arrangiug a settlement of the Cretan difficulty. Italy's attitude on the ma'tev is, faow6V<r, uncertain. A total cf 58,889 equars feet has been allotted to India and the colonies st the Paris Exhibition, but they will be expected to erect their own buildings. The British Commission suggest that a collective display, be made. Colonial exhibitors can have their Bpace remitted to the British building if they exhibit ae' British. Mr Ob&mberlain has declined to recommend the disallowance of the West Australian Alien Immigrants Act. The reason given in that the feeling of Australia is very strong upon tha subject;, and Mr Chamberlain does not desire to conflict; with the decision «i rived at by the Conference of Australian Premiers. Application was made in the Ecclesiastical Court to Dr T. H. Tristam, Q.C., judge of the Bishop of London's Consistory Court, for the exhumation of the body of Thomas Charles Brace, upholsterer, who died in 1864, and whose remains were supposed to have been interred in the Higbgate Cemetery. It was alleged in support of the application that the burial was a sham one, and that the coffin, instead of containing the body of Bruc^, was filled with lead. The widow of the late Walter Bruce, son of Thomae Charles Bruce, declares that the latter was really the Maiqui* of Tichfield, who afterwards became the fifth Duke of Portland. The judge granted the necessary facilities for the exhumation of the body. A caveat against the order for 6xhumation was entered by Sydney Gsorge Bruce, grandson of the deceased, who resides in Australia. March 16. Sir William Broadbent expects the Prime Minister to leave London in a week's time for ccmplete rest and change. He adds that Lord Salisbury is not likely to return to the Foreign Office until after Easter. The death is announced of Sir Henry Bessemer, the eminent civil engineer and inventor ; aged 85. March 17. The House of Commons rejected a bill providing for a court of oriminal appeal. London, March 18. A Renter's telegram states that the American mission at Chin King, China, attacked a Chinese mob and that one of the missionaries was murdered and several others maltreated. The delegate of the Colonial Office on the Cable Committee favours a Pacific cable. All the delegates from the other Imperial departments support the offer of the Eastern Extension Company for a new line to Australia from the Cape. At the annual banquet of the associated chambers of commerce leading members of both political parties were among the guests. Lord Rosebery regretted the illnesa of Lord Salisbury, whom he complimented on his matchless experience of foreign affairs and his high spirit of patriotism. Mr Ritchie, President of the Board of Trade, said that all the existing disputes with the other Powers would probably be amicably settled. A match ha 3 been arranged between Weiss, the Australian billiard champion, and John Roberts, the English champion, Weiss

receives 6500 start out of 21,000. The spot ' and pu-h strokes will be baired. Sir Andrew Clark, Agent-general for Vie- j toria, is uigiDg on Mr Chamberlain that the I colonial mints be allowed to coin silver. j The Irish Nationalists in London celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a banquet, at which Mr Dillon presided. The chairman ventured the opinion that the peace which at present prevailed in Ireland was only the prelude to a thunderstorm. A benefit to Nellie Far r en, the ex-Gaiety actress, at Drnry Lane was a huge success. All the leading players participated, and crowds of playgoers waited all night picnicking on the pavement. Thousands were unable to gain admittance. The benefit realised over L6OOO, which through the Rothschilds' guarantee secures Miss Farren L 260 per annum. The Stands rd regrets that the Federal Convention did not decide to vest in the Commonwealth all the powers not assigned to States. It hopes that Australian statesmen will search for a basis of accommodation in regard to cxUting difficulties. Mr Gladstone, in the absence of any improvement in his health by his sojourn at Bournemouth, will return to Hawarden. March 20. Mr Goschen, First Lord of the Admiralty, speaking in the House of Commons, admitted that it was extraordinary that the colonies contributed so little to Imperial naval defence. He believed that the idea of helping the mother country had taken root, and be trusted it would grow rapidly. Sir Charles Dilke suggested that the first trial .of a colonial naval reserve should be made in Newfoundland. March 20. Mr Gladstone is in a serious condition of health, and much anxiety is felt concerning it. Relations are strained between Bulgaria and Turkey. The latter country is massing troops on tha frontier. Paris, March 14. M. Braton, Radical Deputy for the arrondisaement of Brest, alleges that the agent of M. Meline, the Premier, with approval of M Faure, offered L4OOO if Count GrefEaike's election to the vacant seat for the Brest division was unopposed. Four of Breton's friends overheard the cfEer, and seized a number of compromising papers. M. Greffulke and M. Faure deny the truth of the allegations. The Queen has arrived at Nice. March 16. Two German customs officials having crossed the frontier at Villerupt, a town in the department of. Meurthe et Moselle, a number of Frer>ch workmen Bought to effect their arrast, but a party of German soldiers levelled their rides and com celled the release of the officials. The French Government are investigating the incident. March 18. Le Temps states that the French naval mobilisation is merely an experiment to ascertain the time that will be required to provision tho northern tquadron. Captain Ghrnier, the French officer who captured Nikki in West Africa, has been promoted for his services. Berlin, March 17. The Neueste Nzchrichten, a Berlin paper, states that 80,000 natives of Uheheland, in German East Africa, have revolted. March 18. Two men — Steinbon (a sculptor) and Dussard (a commercial traveller) — have been arrested at Motz on a charge of espionage. A quantity of compromising papers were seized. BudA-Pesth, March 16. Throughout Hungary yesterday the fiftieth anniversary of the revolution of 1848 was celebrated with great rejoicicg. Constantinople, March 17. Sixty thousand Mussulmans in Crete have intimated to the Sultan that they refuse to accept Prince George as Governor. Rome, March 18. The committee appointed by the Italian Chamber of Deputies to inquire into the circumstances cf the recent duel between Signors Oavalotti and Masola, in which the former was killed, have recommended the prosecution of M&cola. March 20. Tha commission appointed to inquire into the charges preferred against Signor Crjspi, the ex-Premier, have decided that his conduct as Minister in stopping the Bank of i Naples inquiry was deserving of censure, but ' that no ground existed for impeachment. CAIRO. March 14. The Ministry of the Khedive, acting on the j recommendation of the local board, have declared Mecca in quarantine owing to the j risk of the black plague. The Khedive,- however, declines to prohibit the pilgrimage, on the ground that such prohibition would be opposed to the teaching of the Koran. j Calcutta, March 14. ! A detachment of troops now escort plague | search parties in their rounds at Bombay. | March 16. | The health authorities of Bombay, by way I of experiment, have abolished the system of i sending out search parties in connection with the operations for the suppression of j the plague, leavirg it to the head men of ! the various districts to report suspicious cape 3 of sickness. Instructions are given that the i funerals of victims of the plague are not to be delayed. March 18. Tribasmen on the north-west frontier of India who have not completed the payment of the fines imposed on them for taking part in. the frontier rising have implored Sir Wm. Lockharb not to invade their territory, and have suggested furnishing hostages as security for the payment of the amount. March 20. The plague at Bombay is committing great ravages, 216 deaths being reported daily. Cabul, March 18. The Mehran tribesmen concerned in the recent rising in Baluchistan have been fined 50,000 rupees. Tokio, March 19. The Japanese elections have resulted in a small majority for the Government. Capetown, March 15. A man named Ludwig Wertheim shot Woolf Joel, a relative of the late Barney Barnato, dead in Johannesburg. Wertheim demanded a sum of £3500, which Joel refused. Wertheim then snatched a revolver

from a t'esk and fired. lie subsequently attempted to commit; suicide, but failed and was arrested. Farther particulars of the murder of Woolf Joel show that Wertheim (the prisoner) submitted to Joel and Strange (Joel's manager) a scheme for redressing the grievances of the Uitlanders in the Transvaal. When money to carry out the scheme was refused him Wertheim snatched Joel's revolver from the desk, exclaiming " You know too much, and must both die." Strange immediately fired at Wertbeim, hitting him in the mouth, and the latt9r then shot Joel in\ the eye, killing him. He also fired twice at Strange before the clerks in the cfiice burst open the door. March 19. Mr Cecil Rhodes has sailed for Eogland, but returns to the Cape shortly. Washington, March 17. The Foreign Committee of the Ssnate has referred to the Congress a joint resolution dealing with the question of the annexation cf Hawaii. March 18. President M'Kinley expects that the report dealing with ths Maine disaster will be brought to America by naval officers. The report will not be cabled, owing to the Admiralty code being distrusted. Owing to America's good feeling towards Britain, Sir J. Pauncefote, the British Ambassador, is pressing the arbitration scheme on the attention of the authorities, The report of the Foreign Committee of the Senate states that if Britain is not openiy fomenting the destruction of the Hawaiian Republic and seeking the restoration of a monarchy her agents and her protegee, Princess Kaiulani, are doing so, while the exQusen Liliuokalani is kept near to enable her to fasten on to power should the pretext arise for the protection of British residents. Ottawa, March 17. The Canadian Houbo of Commons has passed h bill prohibiting the importation of American fruit frees and vines, owing to the prevalence of Ssn Jose scale. Francs has offered an annual subsidy of SO.OOOdoI for a direct steam service to Canada, on condition that Canada votes a similar amount. Sir Wilfrid Laurler favours the proposal.