BRITISH AND FOREIGN. LONDON, July 23.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 31

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. LONDON, July 23.

The Prince of Wales, presiding at the annual meeting of the Board of the Royal [Academy and Royal College of Music, said that it was satisfactory to hear of the successful manner in which the offer of exhibitions had oeen received in Australia, and that the successful exhibitioners had decided to take up their studies in ZiOndon. The Daily Telegraph states that all points in the new Anglo-Russian Agreement have been definitely settled. July 24. The SoutTi Manchurian 5 per cent, railway loan of £4,000,000 guaranteed by Japan and offered in London was only Sialf subscribed, the earip falling to Ii f>er cent, discount. The underwritera. have fceen compelled to take nearly 50 per cent. of it. An official inquiry is proceeding into the alleged extravagance of the Mile End. Boazd of Guardians, who ar« accused of granting privileges and contracts in which many thousands of pounds are involved. ' The judge granted the Solicitor-general's application for a change of venue in the trial of 67 drivers of cattle on the ground thai, a fair trial in Galway was impossible. July 25. lieresaa and Cooke, member* of the firm of Starkey, Leveson, and Cooke, sbarebrokers, who recently failed, have been sentenced to five years' imprisonment each for misappropriating their clients' money. The Standard asserts that the Government has succeeded in obtaining a pattern of the short Lee-Enfkld rifle, which experts declare to be *the best in the world. The General Post Office notifies that the Tate of postage on parcels to New Zealand exceeding 4ft in length and girth combined will be increased from Thursday next owing to the large numbeT of bulky packets now being despatched. July 26. The Rev. J. Scott Lidgett, M.A., has been elected President of the Wesleyan Conference. The Natal Government complains that, •while the Transvaal's war contribution, amounting to £30,000,000, lias been ■waived, Natal's proportion, £700,000, has not been reduced, and the £520,000 due to the colony for rent* and harbour dues has rtot been paid. „ At jk meeting of the Permanent International Sugar Committee there were indications that the- signatory Governments were desirous of finding a solution which would allow Great Britain to remain a party to the Brussels Convention. July 28. When assembling for the impending review of the Home fleet, the destroyers Waveney and Rother collided off Beachy Jlea<J_ Tiie Bother -was eamewhat eerioualy damaged. July 29. Messrs Hariand and Wolff, the wellknown shipbuilders, are constructing for tiie Dominion Line steamers embodying two sets of quadruple expansion engines, with an additional one of low-pressure on the turbine principle, each independent of the others. This means that the vessels will have three distinct and separate propellers. BERLIN, July 22. Prince yon Bulow, interviewed by a French journalist, said he rejoiced over the improved relations between France and Germany. He denied that Germany sought colonial expansion. The fleet was only intended to protect her commerce. He did not anticipate trouble between Japan and the United States, and, further, he did not believe in " the yellow peril." The Japanese were too serious and efcneible to threaten Europe. July 28. Three little girls in Berlin have fallen Tictims to "Jack the Ripper" outrages. One of the girls has died. A madman is suspected of committing the crimes. July 25. The Kaiser has again denounced in sharp terms the Tich living that goes on among his officers, in the army. BUCHAREST, July 29. Fifty-eight Roumanian soldiers have Toeen sentenced to penal servitude' for life for refusing to fire upon peasants during the recent agrarian disturbances. • CONSTANTINOPLE, July 24. A number of Albanian peasants, assisted by Turkish troops, exterminated a band of 65 Servians near Salonica. 6T. JOHN'S, July 24. Unless the modus vivendi in connection with the Newfoundland fisheries is lenewed the United States herring fishermen threaten to bring full American crews to Newfoundland, rendering 800 colonists unemployed. NEW YORK, July 24. A blackmailer in broad daylight murdered Mr Tavohajian. the wealthiest Armenian in the United States, in Union square, New York. When the murderer was arrested he justified the crime on the ground that the deceased had refused to •subscribe in order to assist his countrymen in their patriotic struggles. July 28. Mr Erbacher, a young American millionaire, was killed at New Jersey while motoring. July 29. Dr Taylor is- now Mayor of San Fran--ofeco. He has appointed 16 supervisors

of high standing, including merchants and I bankers, to succeed the " grafters." His invitation to the labour union leaders to serve on. the board was not accepted. VICTORIA (8.C.), July 24. Fire destroyed 150 buildings in the city, including two churches. CARACAS, July 28. Venezuela refuses to arbitrate respecting the asphalt concessions granted to Americans. BOMBAY, July 28. Two hundred natives /were arrested at Auck, after an exciting jungle drive, on a charge of committing extensive robberies. The movement is not connected with the political situation, though the prisoners were abetted by the land-holders. TOKIO, July 23. An explosion at the Toyoka colliery, in, the province of Bung, is reported. It is feared that 470 miners have been killed. ♦