BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 13

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

LONDON, January 29.

Russian newspapers predict the gradual partition of China. Some prophesy a Russo-Japanese alliance. January 31. The Lord Mayor has opened an Indian famine relief fund. At the tallow sales 875 casks were offered and 425 sold. Mutton: Fine, 29s 6d; medium, 28s. Beef: Fine, 28s ; medium, 275. Obituary : Marquis of Queensberry. February 1. The owner of the Gulf of Ancua has been awarded £5000 for rescuing the steamer Darius, which broke her shaft off Sumatra while on her voyage from Melbourne to Ceylon. All references to Australian federation during the debate in the House of Commons were cheered. Great Britain will convert Gaja, on the north-west coast of British North Borneo, into a naval base, in order to counteract the French naval station at Saigon, on the north-east coast of Lower Cochin China. At the Monte Carlo grand international pigeon-shooting carnival the Grand Prize of the Casino, valued at 20,000fr, with a sweepstake of 400fr ,and a trophy, resulted in a tie between Count O'Brien, of Spain, and Donald M'lntosh, the Victorian. Owing to the failing light, it was agreed to divide the prize. Mr Alfred Drury, the eminent English sculptor, has been elected an Associate of the Royal Academy. Judgment has been reserved in the appeal case Coates v. Queen. [This is the Midland Railway Company's appeal against the decision of the Appeal Court. Mr Coates is the receiver for the company. Mr H. Dillon Bell, of Wellington, went Home to argue the case for the colony.] The American visible supply of wheat is estimated at 88,500,000 bushels. February 2. Owing to foreign Powers contracting largely for Welsh steam coal, The Times expects famine prices will prevail till the middle of March. The news paper urges the placing of an embargo upon such contracts. February 4. Dumbell's Bank in the Isle of Man has suspended payment. The Paris Bank of London takes over the liabilities. PARIS, January 29. General Mercier, who figured in the Dreyfus case, has been elected a member of the French Senate. February 1. M. Waldeek Rousseau, the Premier, has reprimanded the Archbishop of Paris and suspended the stipends of three bishops who were concerned in printing news-.

1 papers commenting on the Assumptionist 7 I trial. [ February 4. The French press is exultant over a Yellow Book just published by the French ! Government showing that Britain aban- I , doned a protest to the extension of a French territorial concession at Shanghai — ! which last year gave rise to vigorous prote&ts on behalf of the British, American, ' and German Governments! — owing to erroneous information furnished by the British and American consuls at (Shanghai with , legard to the matter. The press claims, ' the' result was a victory for M. Delca&se, , Minister of Foreign Affairs. j ROME, January 30. j A rupture of Italian relations with ' Turkey is probable owing to Turkey re- ' fusing to surrender Sylvia Gemili, who ' was placed in a Turkish officer's harem, on the ground that she has embraced Islamism, j January 31. S Italy has sent an ultimatum to the ' Porte, owing to the refusal of Turkey to release a woman placed in an officer's harem, the woman having, it is alleged, ' embraced Islamism. ' ■ ST. PETERSBURG, January 29. A Nihilist plot has been discovered at Warsaw and St. Petersburg. One hundred . and fifty arrests have been made. February 1. The Russian Government have guaranteed a Persian loan on the security of the customs revenue, excepting that collected , in the province of Fars, in the south-west, • and at ports on the Persian Gulf. This j j agreement gives Russia a dominating position in Persia. | February 2. I The hands of Persia are tied for 75 years ; by the agreement w-ith Russia. The new j loan procures a prolongation of the Russian concession granting that country the exclusive right to construct railways in Persia. | CONSTANTINOPLE, February 1. | The Porte has acceded to the request of j Italy, and restored the girl who was being ] detained in a Turkish officer's harem to her i father. j CAIRO, January 29. j Osman Digua has been imprisoned for j life at Rosetta. ! FThere is a town named Rosetta in the delta ! of Egypt, situated near the Rosetta, arm of the Nile, 35 miles E.N.E. of Alexandria.] NEW YORK, January 31. A farmer has been arrested at Frankfort, Kentucky, for murder. He shot Mr j Goebel, United States senator, who had just been elected in the Democratic interJestJ est to the position of Governor of the j State. February 2. A named Sutton has been arrested in connection with the shooting of Governor Goebel. He confessed that it was he who had committed the crime, and not Walker. CALCUTTA^ February 4. The Indian Treasury's expenditure on the famine relief up to April next will he £2,500300 sterling. I Mat Salleh, a notorious leader of a strong ' I band of outlaws in North Borneo, who for many months past have given the British authorities trouble, has been killed and his followers dispersed. PEKIN, February 1. The Empress of China has directed the , Tsung-li-Yamen and Viceroys to take steps to forcibly resist foreign aggression.