CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 16

CABLEGRAMS.

HOME AND FOREIGN* LONDON, July 31. The Master of Arts pass list of the London University, just issued, contains the names of eight women and ten men. The women won four out of the six places in the classics list.' The Consistory Court of the Bishopric of Lincoln has fined the Rey. Mr Surman (rector of Healing, Lincolnshire) one-thiri of his income for absenting himself from his parish duties in order to act as musketry instructor of volunteers. August 1. The Archbishop of Canterbury has forbidden the use of incense and processional lights. Neither, he says, are authorised, and their use is only permissible to sweeten church buildings, entirely apart from public worship. He has entreated the clergy to respect his decision. General Sir George Willis, writing" to The Times, corrects the reports of his recent speech. He stated that if the infori mation in Brassey's " Naval Annual " was concocted while Lord Brassey was Secretary of the Admiralty it must be a breach of faith. Sir J. Pauncefote, British Minister at Washington, has been raised to the peerage. A Blue Book has been issued dealing with affairs in Crete. It states that the British Administration has raised the revenue of the island fourfold. The receipts exceed the expenditure, the gaols are empty, and public works have been begun. The Shamrock has started for New York to compete for the America Cup. The Emperor of Germany's yacht Meteor won the Queen's Cup at Cowea regatta, defeating the Britannia after giving her 10* ; minutes' allowance. ;. Hales, a London cyclist, has commenced the task of riding 100 miles daily, Sundays ! excepted, for one year. J Mr Goschen, in the House of Commons, i replying to a question, said the Admiralty's attitude towards Brassey's " Naval Annual " was one of benevolent' neutrality. No important or confidential detail* wers supplied to it. Lord Brassey was not the man to countenance the disclosure of official secrets. James Colquhoun, city treasurer, of Glasgow, has been arrested on a charge of embezzling the corporation and private funds. It is reported that the deficiency is £140,000. M. Delcasse has started for St. Petevsbui£ to arrange for the visit of the Czar to the Paris Exhibition. August 2. The New Caledonia- Copper Mines Company, formed with a capital of £750,000, the whole of which has been issued, will, work the mines at Pilou and Ao. In connection with some recent decisions affecting Ritualism given by the Archbishops, many Ritualists blame the Arch•bishops for yielding to outside opinion. Colonel Gordon will continue to act as military adviser .to the colonies until the ■autumn, when he returns to Adelaide. Glasgow bowlers defeated the Australian bowlers by 25 points. August 3. Lord Charles Beresford in a letter states ■that Brassey's "Naval Annual" is a most valuable book, and contains _ nothing unknown to all the foreign naval attaches. The German Emperor's yacht Meteor won the Royal Yacht Squadron's £100 «prize. The Bona was second. The House of Commons passed the Colonial Loan Bill. Mr Chamberlain, in defending'the loan to Jamaica, said the island would become bankrupt unless assisted. The elected members of the Island Government made an awful mess of the finances, and it was necessary that the Imperial Government should regain a large measure of control if it assumed responsibilities. While the Manchester express was passing Greetland Station at full speed a large driving wheel became detached, and was hurled through the stationmaster's office, and traversed the platform. The train continued running for a hundred yards. The American visible- supply of wheat is 48,622,000 bushels. The magistrates at Derby refused the vaccination officer permission to prosecute in defiance of the Board of Guardians, though the Government had ordered the prosecution. After 12 months' experience of the working of the Workmen's Compensation for Accidents Act it has been found that there has been *n increase in the number of persons killed of 14 per cent., and of persons injured of 38 per cent. Mr Long informed the House of Commons that the law officers consider the Board of Trade right in declining to allow any reduction from tonnage in respect to Lascar crews' space. He is urging the Indian Office to assimilate the Indian to the Imperial law on the subject. The Queen presented • the National Portrait Gallery with Hayter's portrait of her&elf 4 attired in the coronation, robes.

It is reported that New South Wales, - Queensland, and New Zealand are each claiming to have a member on ihe Pacific Cable Board. The British fleet under Vice-Admiral Si* Compton Edward Domvile met a slow con- ■ voy 300 miles west of Bantry Bay, and brought them safely . to Milford Haven without firing a shot, thus winning the manoeuvres. *" • - Vive-Admiral Sir Harry Rawson, who commanded the hostile fleet, did not sight the convoy or the British fleet owing to a " j4O hours' fog-, - Marconi's wireless signalling proved most efficient, and scored a veritable triumph. : It largely contributed to Admiral Dom- . vile's victory. August 4... Tke Right Hqp. E. H. Carson, Q.C., Conservative member for Dublin University, has seceded from his party, owing to the Government's indifference over the > Dublin Corporation Bill. " .... The bubonic plague is causing serious' " ravages in Poona. There is " Also" a slight recrudescence at Alexandria. ... •..<?£ ' • August ' 5Lady Salisbury is convalescent. . > The Hon. W. P. Reeves, Agent-general for New Zealand, is recovering from % T severe, attack of diphtheria. The Hon. John M'Kenzie -is improving slowly. "" . The Standard states that Sir George 9'Brien has resigned the Governorship of Fiji. August 6. Lightning set fire to the Llandudno pier, Wales. A detachment of the Cheshire Regiment, marching from .Limerick to Thurles, were also struck by lightning, nine men being injured and the legs of a sergeant paralysed. The injured are recovering. A number of Alpine accidents are re- ~ ported. The son of Sir John Henry Gibbs Bergne, head of the commercial department and examiner of treaties at the British Foreign Office, when ascending Schreckhorn, the summit of the Swiss Alps at Berne, accompanied by a number of guides, fell 150 ft. All the party were severely injured, and one guide succumbed. . - Dr Herz* of Paris, when climbing Zer- - matt, fell and was killed. t A Zurich tourist and two guides were lulled by an avalanche whilst touring over- % land through Switzerland. ' August 7. The Washington correspondent of The Times states that Great Britain and Ame- ' rica agree to the principle of Canada leasing a port on Lynn Canal, Alaska, subject to abstaining from American coastal trade and the retention of American sovereignty. The Ritualistic clergy at Cardiff and | Norwich have disregarded the decisions of the Archbishops of York and Canterbury. Mr Cobb. assistant secretary of the English Church 1 Union, states that the decision of the Archbishops has rendered disestablishment inevitable. PARIS, July 31. In a duel fought with sabres between two sergeants cf the French army, named Brancarellian and Klein, which took place at St. Germain, Klein was killed. Just prior to the commencement of a bull fight at Marseilles the toreadors demanded prepayment of their wages. The indignant spectators set fire to the wooden arena surrounding the ring. A panic en--sued, and many persons were seriously trampled upon in the rush from the build-, ilR S' j. August 6. Two trains collided near Paris through inattention being given to the signals. Ten persons were killed, and a similar number injured. August 7. Two express excursion trains left within five minutes of each other. While the first train stopped at Juoisy station on the 'way to Fontainebleau, the second train, not observing that the signals were it, owing to the storm, dashed into the station at 50 miles an hour, and telescoped four carriages of the stationary train, killing 17 and injuring 73, chiefly women and children. BERLIN, August 4. The Emperor pays a visit to Queen Vie* toria in the autumn. Owing to the Congo Free State not having effectively occupied the territory, Ger< many has established a post oh Lake Kivu,' midway between Lakes Albert Edward Nyanza and Tanganyika, and has claimed the district lying east of Kivu, between the Free State boundary and German East' Africa. . '■ August 6. A semi-official Note has been issued in Berlin commending the efforts of the Peace Conference in the direction made towards humanising warfare. It recommends the exercise of caution, so as to prevent the provision of mediation and arbitration being • misapplied, lest such misapplications! should create those dangers which' it was intended tQ.ftYttfc •

August 7. The Socialist party in Germany are engineering to secure the support of the SeriVftnts' Union in Berlin. ST. PETERSBURG, August 4. LAn Official Note declares that the Peace .Conference fully answered the expectation (Of the Government, and marks a successful beginning. Time will do the rest. August ,6. The Russian and Siamese Governments {have entered into arrangements to concede favoured nation treatment to each other. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 5. jPrance has decorated several high Palace fiofficials here. This is believed to indicate 18, conciliatory policy, and with a view to promote commercial concessions. BELGRADE, August 4. Lieutenant-colonel Nikolitch, head of the historical section of the Servian War department, has confessed to instigating the recent attempt on ex-King Milan's life. He stated he had received foreign subsidies ito # assist him in carrying out the plot. ROME, August 1. The Pope has crushed the noeral aspirations of American Catholics by confirming 'the decision of the recent Conference of Pan-American bishops at Rome extending Latin Catholicism to America. August 2. Etna, which was recently in eruption, Btill continues active. It is reported that hot stones ejected from the crater pierced the iron cupola of the observatory which is situated on the mountain, and damaged the scientific inetruments. ; MADRID, August 2. 'A number of Spanish officers here who are being court-martialled on the charge of surrendering Santiago to the Americans declare that the town was defenceless, the defenders short of food, and that threetfourths of them were ill. BRUSSELS, August 1. The Belgian Ministry have resigned. The Parliamentary Committee appointed by the House of Representatives to consider the proposals for electoral reform which^were submitted to M. Vanden Peereboom rejected his scheme. August 3. » "M. P. de Smet de Naeyer, who was President of the Council and Minister of Finance in the late Ministry, has succeeded in forming a Cabinet. TOKIO, August 6. The Japanese Parliament have i>assed a Jaw making the vaccination of children ten months old and the revaccination of those between the ages of six and twelve compulsory. CAPETOWN, August 1. An altercation has taken place in the legislative Assembly between Mr Cecil Rhodes and Mr John Xavier Merriman. Mr Rhodes declared that he was aware at the time of the Jameson raid of the nature of the letter sent by Mr Merriman (who was a member of the Cape Jameson Raid ■Committee) to the Johannesburg Reform Committee. He, however, did not divulge its contents, although they might have proved that, so far from his being solely responsible for the raid, the whole of the Cape Ministiy, of which he was then the head, were with him. August. 2. Mr Merreman, in the Legislative Assembly, proposed the acceptance of ocean penny postage. In the Assembly Mr Merriinan has proposed an income tax of Is in the pound on dncomes over £5300, cynically adding that the chief sufferers would be those interested in the De Beer's mine and the- mem- I bers of the Progressive party. He also j proposed a land tax of one halfpenny in (the pound on estates over £1200 in value. Sk J. G. Sprigg stated that he would oppose the proposals until an excise duty was proposed. August 3. The Hon. J. X. Merriman's income tax proposals, not applying to incomes derived from land, are being strenuously opposed. Mis opponents describe this omission as a sop to the farmers and a penalising of the mines. August 6. The plague is prevalent in Mauritius. Fifty-two cases were reported last week, thirty-seven of which resulted fatally. NEW YORK, August 3. While competing with the Defender the steel mast of the Columbia snapped, and the upper piece narrowly missed striking Mr Iselin, the owner of both yachts. August 5. LA. tornado destroyed Carrabelle and six other towns in Florida. Many persons were drowned. August 7. 'A car on the electric railway fell from Skelton Heights, at Bridgeport, a distance pf 90ft, killing 46 occupants. SAN FRANCISCO, August 1. ! Advices state that the Samoan commissioners propose that a disinterested Power should appoint an administrator, who will (Reside over the tripartite council*

I OTTAWA, August 2. Two French-Canadian banks in Montreal i have suspended. A run was occasioned on ! two other banks, which are meeting all demands. PORT-AU-PRINCE, August 1. Serious disturbances are fomenting in the Republic of San Domingo. The commerce of the island is paralysed. August 3. A number of those who were implicated in the assassination of General Ulisses Beureaux, President of the San Domingo Republic, including a priest, have been shot. * INTEB COLONIAL. MELBOURNE, August 4. The steamer Cqurier came into collision with the steamer Penguin, outward bound to Tasmania. The. Courier sustained some damage, but the Penguin was only very slightly injured. On Tuesday fche Postmaster-general gave notice of motion affirming the expediency of the colony co-operating with the other colonies on the Pacific cable question. August 6. In his Budget Speech next week the Premier expects to announce a surplus of £300,000. \ The Premier states that the Eastern Extension Cable Company's offer came too late. Victoria is already pledged to the Pacific route, and cannot draw back. He also favours the Pacific because it will proj vide a second and competitive line, whereas another owned by the company would place the public in the hands of monopolists. August 7. The Conference of Naval Officers have concluded their decisions respecting the establishment of a naval reserve, but they will not be published until they have been considered by the various Premiers. The weather is intensely cold. Light snow fell in the city for the first time for twenty years. SYDNEY, August 1. The Government Commission to inquire j into the charges in connection with the Newcastle Company's A pit found the discipline disgraceful, and that in cases where miners received injuries through fire damp the facts were concealed by the manager, under orders from the proper authorities. It also found that the air courses had been obstructed with a view to deceive the Go- I vernment inspector, though it could not say by whom. August 3. A Singer Company's traveller has been j stuck up by armed masked men and i robbed of a small amount of money. August 4. The police discovered two men with the j proceeds of an extensive burglary from Morris Bros.' (tobacconists) in a cab. The i men bolted, and an exciting chase ensued, j The police fired several shots, and eventually one of the two runaways was captured after being shot in the thigh. A team of Australian bowlers will visit England next year. A severe gas explosion partially wrecked the premises of Edwards, tea merchant, George street. A boy, who struck a match, marvellously escaped with slight burns. The ship Republic, which gained notoriety recently, lias been sold to Mr G. T. Niccol, of Auckland. The price is withheld. The fact that a number of vessels recently arrived have taken up charters for the coastal trade with coloured crews is ! engaging the attention 1 of local shipping j companies. The Maroc, which is loading ! coal at Newcastle for Lyttelton, is manned by Tonquinese. August 6. Cardinal Moran has addressed another long letter to the press, in which he makes sweeping charges against the Protestant | missions in the Society Islands, and claims that they have resulted in the decadence of the natives. Seventy-five persons from all parts of the world, in addition to those admitted to be next of kin, have made claims on the Tyson estate. Heavy rains caused the embankment for the new Glebe Island bridge to slip,-de-stroying the old bridge. No fatalities occurred. The steamer Laserena has been towed from Broome, Western Australia, to Sydney, a distance of 3400 miles, which is a record for the colonies. August 7. Cardinal Moran. recently claimed that the Imperial authorities had settled the question of precedence by declaring that he, in his capacity of a Prince of the Catholic Church, should take precedence over the Anglican Primate at all social functions. The Primate, in reply, has published the Secretary of State's decision in the matter, declaring that as the offices of Cardinal and Primate are considered of equal rank the holders for the time being shall rank according to the dates of their , appointment.

The Canadian-Australian mail steamers, together with the contracts and other assets, have been purchased from the liqui-_> dators of the company by tlie New Zealand j Shipping Company. The service will be conducted as at present. i ADELAIDE, August 1. ' The chairman of the Adelaide Steamship * Company has called attention to the grow- } ing competition of foreign Government j subsidised shipping, especially the Chinese ' and Japanese lines, which are ousting local : tonnage. He fears that it will end in re- ; ducing wages to the Asiatic level. j August 4. j The Methodist Federal Council have f adopted the plan of union. August 7. j Lord Tennyson, the Governor, has pre- j sented the public library with the manuscript of the first poem written by his father as poet laureate. It is a dedication to the Queen, written in 1851. PERTH, August 2. In the Assembly the Premier tabled the 5 correspondence with the Agent-general in ' reference to the Eastern Extension Com- 1 pany's proposed Cape cable. The Agent- j general considered the terms favourable, j and the Premier replied on July 24 that .; the Government were favourable to the pro- = posals, and would be prepared to agree to ■ them, if it was understood that the privilege I of collecting and delivering cablegrams } would only extend to those from and to j places beyond Australasia, and that the . , cable from Fremantle to Glenelg did not enter into competition with the Australian land lines and to the Eastern colonies. On July 28 the Agent-general replied that the company had agreed to all the Premier's conditions. PORT DARWIN, August 1. The Midge was 28 days on a sandbank. Her crew subsisted on a short allowance of shark and catfish. Some of the men landed, but were driven on board by armed natives. THURSDAY ISLAND, August 2. A pilot boat capsized to-day. The crew with the exception of Pilot Woodhead reached the_ shore safely. Later on the headless body of the poor fellow was found. He had evidently been attacked by sharks. HOBART, August 5. The Customs Duties Amendment Bill proposes to remove the duties on sheep, cattle, pigs, horses, meat, bacon, butter, cheese, fresh fruit, grain, and flour, besides c, number of other articles, and to further reduce the duties on others. [ \