CABLEGRAMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 28

CABLEGRAMS.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN.

LONDON, June 20

A great shortage in English apples and plums is foreshadowed by the nature of the weather now being experienced.

An ocean race from Melbourne to Queenstown between the Este, Iredale, and Inverurie ended in a close finish. The three vessels were signalled at Queenstown almost simultaneously. The Este was first and the Iredale second. The clippers left Melbourne on March 11, and parted company the first night out. Two were mutually sighted off Cape Nome, but were not seen again until the three were nearing Queenstown. The Este encountered several hurricanes?" and received heavy seas aboard, several of her boats being smashed. The Inverurie's sails were torn to shreds.

June 21

The King of Italy's award in the Barottie frontier dispute, involving 7500 squ.ve miles west of the Upper Zambesi and north oi Victoria Falls, gives Britain a strip of territory 500 .miles' long and nearly 100 miles wide west of the Zambesi, and Portugal obtains the head waters of the Zambesi and about half the disputed territory.

Germany seeks to abrogate Article 11 of the Treaty of Frankford, securing to France and Germany the most favoured treatment in each other's territory. Germany prefers commercial treaty with France, hoping ultimately to establish a European zollverein. >~

The Unemployed Workmen's Bill was read a second time in ftie House of Commons after Mr Bartley's hostile amendment had been rejected by 228 to 11.

Replying to Sir H. C. Bannerman, Mr Balfour stated that the directors of public prosecutions considered the papers relating to the South African supplies scandal did not disclose a case for criminal action. The censured officers had been relieved from duty. It was undesirable to courtmartial until further investigation took place. It was probable a select committee of the House of Commons would be the most expeditious mode of inquiry.

The disputed territory in Barotseland, or Worth-western Rhodesia, is 750,000 square miles. '

The Dreadnought battleship, referred to by Mr Lee at Portsmouth as the most powerful ship . in the world, will be- a turbine of 20 knots.

June 22

The battleship Commonwealth is conducting gunnery -experiments at Bantry Bay, Ireland. • Wonderful results were attained- at -a range of 10,000 yards. The Right Hon. W. C. Gully, exSpeaker, has been- granted a pension of £4000 to enable him to support a peerage.

Mr Brodrick, in the House of Commons, delivered the Indian Budget. He stated that the United Kingdom's exports to India equalled its exports to Australia, Canada, and Cape Colony together.

Replying to Sir C. Dilke, Mr Brodrick stated that the Government had every reason to be satisfied with the Afghan mission and the Ameer's attitude. While sympathising with the claims of British Indians to 'reside in South Africa, it was necessary to remember that "we could not compel the autonomous colonies to grant the natives of other countries all the advantages a colonist enjoyed." Wreckage sighted in the Atlantic is apparently the missing Hamburg-American liner Castiiia. The loss is attributed to an explosion. She carried a crew of 27. The wreck of tHe steamer Ashmount is the biggest loss of the year. The Court of Inquiry at Port Elizabeth declared that the captain's navigation from April 5 until the disaster was negligent and unseamanlike. His certificate was suspended for three months. A Manufacturers' Association of Great Britain has been formed on the model of the Canadian Association, with correspondents in all parts of the world, to report on openings for trade and local changes. John Thomas Fisher and Herbert Percival Sievier, betting agents, were charged at the Clerkenwell Police Court with defrauding their clients. Fisher was sentenced to (?) years 'hard labour. Sievier has absconded.

June 24.

The Daily Express states that France is building two armoured destroyers of 25 knots, whifh it is hoped will be impervious to quick-firers, Mr Balfour, addressing the Pilgrim's Club, which was welcoming Mr Whitelaw Reid, the new American Ambassador, declared that President Roosevelt was the only potentate to ably and usefully intervene in the promotion of peace.

The public over-subscribed the New Zealand Shipping Company's debentures.

The directors of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand have declared an interim dividend of 7^ per cent. The report of the National Bank of New 1 Zealand shows a profit of £58,300. A dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, and a, bonus of 2 per cent, was declared. The amount carried to reserve was £20,000 and carried forward £8310.

The Island of Nushima, which began, to appeal' off Japan in November, and rose to a height of 480 ft, is now pnly 10ft above tho sea. It is gradually disappearing. Canada is embarking on an extensive Continental immigration scheme, and pays the Btotfc Atlantic Trading Compjm;jr A

Am&terdam, a bonus of £1 for every man, woman, or child of the agricultural class or domestic servant introduced. The agents for British immigrants only receive a bonus of 7s.

June 26.

The Daily Mail rejoices at Australia's invitation to Mr Taft and Miss Alice Roosevelt to visit the Commonwealth.

PARIS, June 20.

Miss Cary, an English governess, when walking near Mont Valerien, in this city, was strangled in broad daylight.

Numerous suspects were arrested, and the police finally ran to earth a blacksmith named Gallard, wjio had in his possession the victim's watch and money. He confessed that he committed the crime during an irresistible fit of dementia due to

drunkenness.

June 25.

A man named Causanel was arrested here on a charge of receiving bombs from Spain in connection with the late attempt to assassinate King Alfonso.

Count Zeppelin's new airship, which cost £50,000 and is driven by an 80 horsepower motor, crossed Lake Constance. It was easily steered.

BERLIN, June 25.

The Kaiser has decided to maintain permanent cruiser squadrons in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. He also intends to build 16,000-ton battleships, instead of vessels of 13,000 tons.

ROME, June 22.

The Chamber of Deputies by 190 to 48 approved of the bill for increasing the expenditure on the navy.

ST. PETERSBURG, June 26.

M. Pokotiloff handed the Dalai Lama at Wifa two packages of presents from the Czar.

ATHENS, June 26. M. Ralli succeeds the late M. Delyannis as Premier of Greece.

CONSTANTINOPLE, June 23.

The insurgents at Erivan sacked and burned four Armenian villages. The Cossacks subsequently inflicted enormous losses, capturing 900 insurgents. -The leaders of the movement and the mullahs were executed.

Many other Armenian villages were surrounded. At Badambu 800 Christians were compelled to embrace Islamism. Many women were outraged at Djagrakh in the presence of their husbands and sons. Thirty-seven men were beheaded in the presence of their wives and children.

WASHINGTON, June 20.

The United States Postmaster-general has signed a convention with Australia for a parcels post similar to the- AngloAmerican Convention. It comes into operation "on August 1.

June 23.

President Roosevelt has dismissed Mr Bowen, the American Minister at Caracas, Venezuela, for bringing an unjustifiable charge against Mr Loomis, the Assistant Secretary of State.

NEW YORK, June 25,

The Ventura's mails arrived two days late in San Francisco. The American Postal Department and the railway companies, by a great effort, made up the time and caught the steamer Etruria, which was only detained an hour. PEKING, June 22. The Viceroy has prohibited meetings to boycott American goods.

TOKIO, June 25.

Advices from Peking state that Great Britain and China have settled the Thibet question. The indemnity to be paid will only amount to 450,000 dollars.