BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 18

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

LONDON, March 17. Two British passengers, while journeying from London to Vienna, were robbed of jewels worth £40,000. They were abstracted from the luggage while travelling through Germany. The exhibition to be opened at St. Louis, U.S.A., next year will cover 1000 acres. It will be connected with 2-1 different railway systems. The Naval Arsenal at Valparaiso (Chili) has been destroyed by fire. The damage is estimated at 2,000 J ooodol. Obituary: Sir Richard Temple, P.C., aged 76 year^. March 18. The Deutschland, with Prince Heniy of Prussia, aboard, reacted Plymouth and proceeded to Hamburg. The King makes a yachting tour of the British coast in the spring instead c-f visiting the Continent. Reuter's Agency states that . the American Senate adopted the Shipping Subsidy Bill by 41 votes to 31, limiting the expenditure up to 1907 to 5,000,000 dollar.^, and afterwards to 8,000,000. The Admiralty has abandoned all hope of the missing Condor. 'lhe Suez Canal is again open. Mr Cecil Rhodes is cheerful and restful, though unable to lie down. He desires to return to England, and has had his passage booked. The doctors consider him too weak to travel. It is reported in Vienna that Colonel Grimm's wife, owing to jealousy, revealed the treachery which led to his execution. The revealed secrets comprise all Russia's plan"- of an invasion of Germany and those for repelling a German invasion of Russia. The Czar is incensed. The smallpox patient Duntrune, on the Forfar'-hire, stoutly resisted his removal. Fifteen contacts fought the police to j prevent their own removal, and escaped. They are still uncaptured. Mrs Russell, otherwise Bessie Rignold, has been divorced from her husband on the ground of adultery with Mr Edmund Gurney, the actor. Mrs Russell is a daughter of Mr William Rignold, and Russell, whose .stage name is Guy ton Heath, is a New Zealander. Both are well known iv Australian theatrical circles. Harold Apted, who murdered the girl O'Rourke at Tunbridge, has been hanged. T^e Kaiser welcomed Prince Henry at Cuxhaven. It is rumoured that Lord Lamington, ex-£Lo.Y_ernor of QueeaslamL succeeds Sit

J. West Ridgeway as Governor of Ceylon. For the first time in 18 years Russia has placed a loan in Germany, the amount being £10,250,000 sterling. The Daily Telegraph states that Russia's forward policy in the Far East has been abandoned, in accordance with 'M. De W T itte's (the Minister of Foreign Affairs) financial policy. The British columns have occupied Akwete, in South-eastern Nigeria, after severe fighting. This makes a successful completion of the campaign against the Aro tribes. The most truculent of the fanatical chiefs have been captured. Mai-eh 19. It is reported that Signor Lansaune, owing to the Swiss Federal Council declining to institute proceedings againbt an Anarchist journal at Geneva for insulting the memory of King Humbert of Italy, sent a strongly-worded note, I which the Council refused to accept, since it did not admit of foreign criticism of its internal administration. \ \ The King, desiring in connection with his coronation, at a cost of £30,000, to dine half a million of the poorest in London as his guests, has asked the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, Chairman of the London County Council, and borough mayors to make arrangements. After a slight reaction for the worse, Mr Cecil Rhodes slept and has slightly rallied. He has received telegrams of inquiry from the King and Queen, Lord Kitchener, and Lord Rosebery. In the House of Commons, in reply to questions, Mr Balfour stated that since the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons had appointed a committee to consider the question of the cure of cancer with a prospect of success, it was not desirable for the Government to appoint a commission. Portuguese gunboats captured 12 dhows at Mozambique, killing 50 slavers and liberating 700 slaves. The deaths from smallpox in London last week numbered 81. Since the outbreak there have been 845 deaths. Earl Kimberley, who has been ill for some weeks, has had a serious relapse. He is now semi-conscious. The Times states that a Russian loan of 15 millions will be issued in Parir in the summer. The Countess de la Warr has obtained a decree for the restitution of conjugal rights. Lord Curzoii, Viceroy of India, lias unveiled a statue of Queen Victoria at dajcutta. A conference on confession and absolution, convened by the Bishop of Londoii* ig aitiuui. at Fulham Pala.ce, It

was agreed that the Church allows ! private confession and absolution under certain circumstances. 1 The Fulham Conference were unanij mous that the remission of sins was not addressed to the apostles alone, but to ! the whole Chui-ch ; hence the clergy j were not endowed with the prerogative of remission. The conference also siffirmed that the discipline of private confession and absolution did not exist in the first few centuries of the Church's history. l)uring A=cot week the King will entertain a large company at Windsor, including the chief Coronation guests. After Friday night's Court reception, the King, of his own initiative, sent thr surplus viands and other delicacies to the patients of the London hospitals. The King, in thanking the Irishmen of Jamica for the loyal greeting they sent him on St. Patrick's Day, said he was sure that the whole of the Irish nation really joined in the greeting. March 20. The Prince and Princess of Wales inaugurated the National "Physical Laboratory at Bu«hey House. The Prince of .Wales paid his colonial tour had confirmed 1 ,the impression that foreigners were superior in scientific technical knowledge, which was the reason that British commercial pre-eminence was threatened. In the House of Commons, Mr W. R. Greene, member for Chesterton, moved fhe second reading of an Old-age Pensions Bill, for granting pensions to deserving poor at the age of 65 years. The bill provides that the State should contribute £6 a year fco each pensioner, and the State (? local authorities) the balance. Mr Long, President of the Local Government Board, said the Government sympathised with the object, but it wa.s impossible in time of war tc increase the taxation for such a purpose. The State was expected to contribute £3,920,000' and local rates £6,370,000. The proportion would be much larger in a few years. The bill wa.s read a second time without division. The promoter withdraws, remodels, and reintroduces it next session. Mr Cecil Rhodes is a little stronger, and has thanked the Queen for her inquiry after his health. A grand durbar will be held at Delhi in connection with the" King's Corona--tion. The festivities will cost a quarter of a million sterling. The Turkish Government have asked for the friendly intervention of the Powers against Bulgaria in connection with the Macedonian question*

Lord Charles Hereford, aa..r— m S the Institution of Naval Architects challenged the Admiralty to either den> his recent statements as to the unpreparedness. of the navy or to court-martial and dismiss him. Dr Wohlmann, of the Bath Hot Springs, ha.-, been appointed Government , balneologist for the New Zealand hot lakes district. 1 Lidv Hodnoy lias divorced her husband "on the grounds of cruelty and adultery. . ' Mr Cecil Rhode-, is stronger, and ni« lungs are decidedly better. The heart failures are les a severe, though he has difficulty in sleeping during the heat. The Paris correspondent of me limes Fay, diplomatics consider the concluding portion of the Uu-so-French declaration j with reference to the Anglo-Japane-e . Treaty grave because it aim-, at -ome I obiect not yet ripe, and indicate- that the Franco-Russian Alliance has widened and embraced the world. Friction exists between the Ameer ot Afghanistan and the mother of I'mar ( Khan, the younger son of the late \meer, owii)2 to plotting on the part of I'mar's. mother. Several of her follower-, have been butchered at Cabul. The present Ameer is tho son of another of the late Ameer's wives. ' Mahammed El Bennssi, knoAvn a- the Central Soudan Mahdi. attacked v column cf 200 Frenchmen in the vicinity of Kanem, on the south-east side of Lake , Chad. Six French were killed and several wounded. Sennssi lo>t heavily. Lord Hope, who =>ome yea re ago married the actress May Yohe, has obtained a divorce from his wife on the ground of her misconduct with Colonel Strong, of Kew York. Russia has officially informed France of •the extent and importance of GrLmm'.s ilivulgencies to Germany. It is reported that Persia has given Russia a fresh road and other concessions in return for a loan of 10,000,000 roubles. In the House of Commons, during the progress of the discussion on China, Lord Cranborne congratulated the Hoim' on the fact that the Anglo-Japanese agreement had been so well received, particularly by Russia and France, who warmly assented to tne principles which the agreement embodied. March 21. A Royal Commission, including Lord James, "Baron Rothschild, Sir Kenelin Digby (Permanent Undersecretary of the Home Office), has been appointed to inquire into the evils of the unrestricted immigration of aliens, especially as regards London, and into foreign and colonial aliens' restrictive legislation, and to recommend remedial precautionary measures. Mr Rhodes, despite the cooler weather, liad a relappe, and his condition is weaker. Heart troubles recurred at night, and the patient is restless. The House of Lord?, has adjourned till ■April 14. A hundred and eight ships, restricted to the Channel cruiser reserve &cjiiadrous, with those commissioned in tin doek- • * will participate ill itft JBAi&l review

on June 28. The-e include 18 nr<-t-da-s battleships, 9 fir^t and 13 second-cla^s cruiser-, 19 torpedo gunboat-, 30 destroyers, 14 training ships and 7 torpedo de-troyers. Each ve--el will be outlined by thousands of electric lights simultaneously lighted. The newspapers complain th.it the King's review will be distinctly inferior ( to Queen Victoria's. A few new ships will be included. The Daily -Mail -tates that 2-300 colonial troops have been invited to attend the Coronation. The Crown colonies were included. Fiji will *-end 20 and India 1000. Cambridge won the university boat race by eight length-. " " March 23. The nniver-ky boat race ua- rowed in heavy rain. The water was smooth. Cambridge won the tos-, -elected the Surrey station, and held the lead throughout. 'Oxford spurted at the Crabtree, but were three length" behind at Hammersmith. From thi.-. point the race degenerated into a precession, the losers beuirr rowed out. Time, 19miu osee. ICanibiidge ha» now won 25 of tho race?, wliilo Oxford hat won 33 '1 here wax a dead lioat in 1877 The first conte-t took place in 1836, but m fmn inab in the fottip-| tho race wa- not mwod. ( >imiKH Hrs u*i<-u-od for the first tune m 1846. and the tii^t race in the present .styl<' of boats without keek in 1857. Sliding "" s cit- were first n<=ccl in 1873] The Army Annual Bill has been pa-r>ed. ' [The Army (Annual) Act provides during 12 months for the discipline and regulation of the army, and enables a soldier to extend his ! period of service By passing this act yearly I Parliament asserts its authority over the aiuiy.j France fears that Colonel Grimm communicated to Germany the whole tenor of the Franco-Russian Convention, including the mobile plans in the event of war with the Triple Alliance. Mr Cecil Rhodes is weaker in general condition. The King reviews, at Hyde Park on June 14, 11,000 member-, of the Boys' Brigade. PARIS, March U>. The Chamber of Deputies has decided that its term of duration in future -hall be tor six instead ot four year--. March 21. In oriler to facilitate the transfer to America, the French Courts have sanctioned the sale of the Panama Canal Company's interests. BERLIN, March 21. The Prussian Government expelled 40 Polish-Russian students attending secret Pan-Poli»h meeting-. Many tied to Switzerland. HAGUE, March 22. The Queen of the Netherlands and her contort will shortly make a four months tour of the Dutch colonies. MADRID, March 18. Spanish workmen employed m State domains, mine«, and manufactories have been granted an eight-hour- day. VIENNA, March 19. The Pan-Germanic group created an uproar in the Austrian Reich-rath, shouting ''Hurrah for Hohenzollern ' " An Anarchist plot to dynamite sover.il of the Austrian battleships, at Trie-te

Maich 21. The semi-official prc-s of Vienna censure the unpatriotic attitude of the PanGermanic party in the Reichrath, as tending *o the disintegration of Austria. 53 March 23. The Tasblatt says that General Count Varkoff, attached to the itaff of Grand Duke Sergius of Russia, has been arrested, and that documents found in hih pockets showed that he was connected with the National Revolutionary Committee. ROME, Marcn 21. The Italian Secular Tribunal is trying three Vatican officials charged with robbing the Papal Treasury. It is alleged 8,000,000 lire of the Pope's private prorjertv were embezzled. • Mdich 21. Sootto, a Vatican official, has been sentenced to fight years' imprisonment for complicity in the robbing of the Papal treasury. Two other officials who were arrested have been acquitted. ST. PETERSBURG, March 18. In order to checkmate the extensive influx of Japane-e fishermen Russia has forbidden merchants to employ foreign fishermen in the maritime proMiice of Sibeni and the Island of Sakhalin. The workmen and students' demonstration on the Nevsky Pro-poet in this city was suppre--ed. Several pei-on- were killod, many mjuied, and hundreds arrested. M.m.h 21 A strike having occurred in the Government arms factory at Tula, near Moscow, t-he troops were called out, and fired blank cartridges at the -triker;-. An officer ordered them to u-e ball cartridges. The sergeant-major, refusing to obey the order, was threatened with death. The -oldiers supported the sergeant, and b a yon c ted the officer. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 17. Great unrest prevails in Coiistanti- | nople owing to the numbers of civil and military officers who have been arrested and deported. Fi< ld-mar«oial Fiud Pa-ba, recently arrested, has been -entenced to five year- deportation on a charge of conspiracy. "WASHINGTON, March '2.3. The Senate by 52 \otos to 15 pa-sed the bill affording protection again-t attacks on the life of the Pre-ident. NEW YORK, March 17. AVu Tine Fang, the Chinese Amba--a-dor at Washington, is accu-td oi retaining 80,000dol out of the amount of the Chinese indemnity refunded by America, and forwarding the balance only to the Empres—Dowager. His cm-or-j demand Wu Ting Fang's recall. March 2:5. The Allan liner Huroman i- 27 days overdue from St. John's. OTTAWA, March 18. The Hon. W. S. Fielding, Mnn-tt-r of Finance, delivered his Budget speech. He estimated the surplus at 5.725,000d01, and announced that there would be no tarifi changes. ♦