NEWS OF THE WORLD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2978, 12 April 1911, Page 13

NEWS OF THE WORLD.

The following items have appeared in the Australian papers employing the independest cable service :—: | . LONDON, March 24. j Private cable advices received yesterday from business firms' representatives in the Far East are of a decidedly disquieting character. These messages assert that Russia will soon declare war against China, and the effect of this news was shown to-day, when Lloyd's rate to cover risks on any outbreak of hostilities ' within four weeks jumped from 5 to 10 guineas per cent. By the advice of Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Free Church Council has decided to postpone its big peace demonstration to aLow time for a similar manifestation being organised in the United States. The idea is that the two demonstrations should be held simultaneously. { The startling increase in the population of India is viewed with concern by the British Government. The preliminary census returns disclose that the population of the Indian Empire is approximately 20,000,000 in excess of that when the last census was taken. It is feared that famine and seditious outbreaks may follow in the wake of this continued increase. I March 26. ! The Kaiser's project for the construction of a new opera house in Berlin, at a cost of £1,250,000, is approaching realisation. The Kaiser has contributed £150,000. A mammoth iceberg, 60 miles long and about 325 ft high, was passed on Thursday by the liner Lavaeor, on her way to j New York.' The berg was first sighted off the Grand Banks. The French Government has admitted defeat in its effort to increase the revenue by raising the tax on the better grades of tobacco. The increased impost has merely had the effect of practically stopping the consumption of the commodities involved, and the tax has been lifted. An official police estimate says that London will shelter 10,000,000 people for the Coronation, the largest concourse at any place in the whole history of the world. In addition to the 6980 persons who are entitled to witness the Coronation, there have been 25,000 other applications for seats in Westminster Abbey. Of these 24,890 have had to be refused. i March 28. • Lloyd's, the great insurance underwriting agency, is instituting a novelty in the form of " Pluvius Policies." These are especially intended for holidaymakers. On payments of 15s weekly, Lloyd's will reimburse people who are away at the seaside or on; the Continent £6 for every week that is marred by two days or more of rain. I ■ March £9. ' The captain of the steamer Branksome Hall reports that the four-masted barque Butshire, laden with nitrate, is roaming the Bay of Biscay. She had apparently been abandoned not long before the Brankeoxoe Hall fell across her. Her sails were set, all her.lamps burning, and the vessel appeared to be in a seaworthy condition. Of the lifeboats only one was • missing. The captain of the Branksome I Hall said that a heavy gale which pie- ; vailed at the time prevented the derelict from being boarded. j Acting on orders from the Home Secretary, Scotland Yard is actively keeping on the track of all suspicious characters, with a view to getting the meat dangerous anarchists under lock and key while foreign Royalties are in London for the Coronation. ■ PARIS, March 26. I " Gipsy " Smith, the well-known Nonconformist evangelist, has been conducting ' missions in Paris, and some of his remarks have caused sensation, and called forth the indignation of Parisians. He declared to-day that the missionary societies Avould do more good by sending their emissaries to Paris than by sending them to heathen lands. " I have never," he said, " found a city where the people are so indifferent to all the things that matter. It' is a godless, careless, and i immoral place." Some of the newspapers 1 have severely castigated Smith, while one | journal talks of " the vapourings of a religious fanatic, who sees only the bad I side of everything." | - March 29. The lawyers acting for Wright Bros., the American airmen, predict that their • clients will obtain a verdict foir £200,000 in the suit which they have brought j against certain French manufacturers for ! an infringement of the plaintiffs' patent. Delegates representing 21 American

Republics will assemble at Saint Die on June 3 to celebrate the naming of America. The house in which the New World had its name bestowed upon it still stands, and a tablet is to be placed on one of its walls to commemorate the historic event of which it was the scene. Many high French officials will attend the celebration. There is very little doubt (though the fact has been disputed) that America was named in honour of Amerigo Vespucci (Americus Vespucdus, a Florentine, who first visited the New World in 1499. It is believed that one Hylaeomylus (or Waldseemuller) a German, first named the new land America. Saint Die is the capital of an arromdissement in the department of Vosges, picturesquely situated in the region of the Vosges Mountains, on the River Meurthe. It contains numerous interesting edifices, among which are the eleventh-century cathedral and a church of the eighth century. ROME, March 24. _ The Socialist leader, Signor Bissolati, had an audience with King Victor Emmanuel yesterday. This is an unprecedented honour for any Socialist, and it is the more remarkable since it was Signor Bissolati who, during the stormy sessions of 1900, thrice shouted "Death to the King ! " Only a lew moments after that memorable scene occurred King Humbert was assassinated. Signor Bissolati's audience with the King, however, becomes quite intelligible in view of the fact that the Socialists will have a decided voice in the formation of the new Italian Cabinet. March 28. When the trial of the Camorrists at Viterbo was continued, Abbatemaggio, who turned King's evidence on his fellows, was further interrogated. He said that the quarrel which brought the Camorrists to judgment arose foom an unequal division of loot valued at £4OOO that was stolen from the house of Count D'Aquino. Alfani Cuoceolo (the murdered man, regarding whoee death the trial is proceeding) and Demarinos demanded so large a share that the actual perpetrators of the murder received about 2s. As a consequence the Camorrists who got nothing denounced the rest of the gang to the police. Abbatemaggio has received many letters urging him to continue his revelations, saying that the whole world will defend him. WASHINGTON, March 29. The preservation of. the fauna of the Pacific is to b e the subject of a conference which will be held in Washington next May, and at which British, Americas*, Russian, and Japanese representatives will be present. First consideration will be given to fur seals, which are threatened with extinction unless restrictive measures are adopted. An international agreement will be drawn up, in which provision will be made for the protection of sea otters and plumage birds and their breeding-grounds. NEW YORK, March 28. The labour unions here have ordered the suspension of all work on Thursday and Friday while the funerals of the victims of the Washington Place fire are in progress. A mighty demonstration will be arranged by the workers as a gigantic protest against unsafe buildings. March 29. The bodies of the 143 victims of last Saturday's fire tragedy are to be taken through the principal streets of the city next Monday, followed by about 150,000 sympathisers. The procession will be one of a most imposing and solemn character, and will be headed by chorus- singers from the Jewish Choristers' Union. Heartrending scenes were witnessed at a memorial mass meeting held yesterday evening. Between 30 and 40 women became so hysterical that they had to be removed to the .hospital. SAN FRANCISCO, March 29. A mutinous outbreak occurred yesterday on board """the American naval tug Navajo at San Diego. Because of some fancied grievance the hands refused duty. The chief boatswain promptly armed himself with a revolver, and rounding up the ■rebellious crew, drove them all below decks. Armed parties frcm the cruisers California and West Virginia were soon aboard the tug, and the mutineers were then arrested and conveyed to the flagship. March 30. Since the dreadful fire at a New York shirt-waist factory, by which 150 lives were lest, the municipal authorities in Los Angeles have been actively inspecting all the larger buildings in the city with a view to satisfying themselves that adequate means are provided for escape in the event of fire. As. a result of this inspection the arrest has been ordered of 12 property-owners whose buildings are not properly equipped with fire escapes. March 27. Jack Johnson has had the most unpleasant of his many unpleasant experiences. He has been sent to gaol for 25 days. Johnson conducted his own case, and when his punishment was recorded by the judge he appealed. He had been smiling very broadly during the hearing of the police officer's evidence, and, incautiously, had pleaded "Guilty," meanwhile ostentatiously displaying a bundle of notes with which to pay his fineT When he heard that he was to go to gaol the smile came right off his face, and his mouth closed with a snap. Johnson was an extremely mad man for a moment or two. Then he said to the judge, "Can I appeal, sir?" "No," replied the judge, who was now doing all the smiling. " You conducted vour own case, and you advised yourself badly. You cannot appeal after pleading guilty. More than that, you have violated all your promises to desist from speeding. Go to gaol." The coloured pugilist departed from the court a sadder but a wiser man. He says he will never plead " Guilty " again. Arran foments have been made by his wife and other friends to get him special .accorm jodation at the county gaol, and his food .vill be taken to him from an adjacent r* ftaurant. Chickens, cham.

pagne, and water-melons will compraa the major part of Johnson's diet. Be says he'd have been unhappy without chickens, and he means to pass away the time by starting on a work which, ho has long thought of writing, dealing with his experiences in and out of the ring.