NEWS BY CABLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 40

NEWS BY CABLE.

AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. Mr Keith Murdoch says Mr Hughes is endeavouring to sell Australian wheat to the Inter-Allied Committee charged with the duty of feeding Europe. An authoritative estimate of the world's exportable wheat, after local needs have been supplied, exclusive of tho next American harvest, fixes it at between 23,000,000 and 28.000,000 tons, or, including the American harvest, between 33,000,000 and 38,000,000 tons. This is above requirements if the American and German yields are normal, but they are expected to be below the average. ADVERTISING AUSTRALIA. The Commonwealth Government is erecting a large screen on the front of Australia House, London, on which kinematograph views will be thrown in the afternoons with the object of demonstrating to English soldiers the possibilities of emigration to Australia and the promotion of Anglo-Australian trade. AUSTRALIAN DESTROYERS. The Australian destroyer Brisbane has arrived at Portsmouth from the Grand Fleet, to be refitted prior to returning to Australia. She entered the harbour amidst the soundings of sirens, whistles, and cheers from the bluejackets. The Admiralty announces that bad weather separated an Australian flotilla of six destroyers after leaving Gibraltar. Two of them put into Ferrol, two into Vigo, and the other two reached their destinaThe Australian destroyers Swan, Torrens, Warrego, and Yarra, after a buffeting in the Bay of Biscav, have reached Plymouth, and their mother ships are expected shortly. The destroyers, on entering the bay, got separated in a terrific gale, though they occasionally saw each other. All lost some deck gear. ' . All are refitting at Devonport prior to their return to Australia. A LARGE DIAMOND. A Kimberley message states that a sensation was caused in a Jagersfontem mine by the discovery of a magnificent bluewhito diamond of 288 carats, which promises to rival some of the finest stones yet unearthed. FLOODS IN ITALY. Milan reports that scores of villages in Tuscany were submerged and the town of Emboli isolated; also that the waters threaten to engulf Pisa. Large forces of soldiers are toiling to avert a further catastrophe. The telegraphs and railways are interrupted, and there are many casualties. . . , , .. The Tiber has risen 50ft, deluging the suburbs of Rome to a depth of 12ft. Heavy snowstorms and avalanches are aggravating the situation. THE PRINCE OF WALES. Mr James, from Coblenz. cables that the Prince of Wales attended the American Officers' dance. He favourably impressed the Americans by his demooratic behaviour. He took pot luck for the prettiest girls as dancing partners, and when an American major took his partner from the Prince of Wales a minute before the musv> stopped the Prince of Wales smiled and said, "Serves you right, sir." The Prince of Wales arrived m Cologne in an aeroplane from Spa. He persuaded the pilot to do "stunts," which the Prince thoroughly enjoyed. He also flew to Bonn, and attended a Canadian dance, where he danced with the nurses. Later on he visited the Americans occupying Coblenz. A WIRELESS INVENTION. The Navy Department announces that an underground and 6ubsca wireless American invention has been put to practical use by the navy and army during the war. The invention, hitherto practical only for receiving, can be developed into sending also. The inventor has refused remuneration. A GOLD TRUST. FUND. The Allies are discussing the possibility of forming a gold trust fund, to be deposited in the Bank of England, with, the object of eliminating the shipping of gold between countries as the rate of exchange varies. It is expected that the Peace Conference will discuss the matter. The New York Times Washington cor respondent states that the establishment of a gold reserve fund, with a maximum of 500,000,000d01, for the purpose of facilitating foreign exchange transactions ana eliminating the necessary shipments of gold between countries is being planned by the United States and tho Allies' financial advisers. The question may be brought up at the Peace Congress. > The fund would probably be deposited in the Bank of England. THE BRITISH NAVY. The Daily Express states that the Government intends to revive the British Mediterranean Squadron, and make it particularly strong. The First Battle Squadron has been ordered to preparo for two years' foreign service. A light-cruiser squadron and two flotillas of destroyers will accompany it. The base will be at Malta as heretofore. POST-WAR TRADE. A deputation of manufacturers to the President of the Board of Trade protested against the removal of restrictions on the importation of foreign goods, otherwise it would be necessary to discharge women workers. Sir Albert Stanley promised to restore the restrictions in March, and that no others would be removed. Everything must be done to give proper employment to demobilised men. THE UNITED STATES GO DRY. Thirty-four States have ratified the amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the drink traffic in the United States. The final passage of tho amendment is certain. The United States has adopted Federal prohibition, a majority of the States having ratified the constitutional amendment. A feature of the national prohibition movement is the rapidity of its accomplishment. Twenty States have gone dry since the beginning of the year. The prohibitionist*' principal weapon was Major-general Wood's testimony of tho benefit of. prohibition in the army zone.

IIELRS TO FORTUNES. Mr Herbert Leth budge, a co-executor of the estate, has filed the will of the late Mr George Yuill, of Sydney, disposing of more than two million dollars. Deceased held a deposit in the J. P. Morgan Company. The money is divided between his servants and the daughters of the Countess of Portarlington. Mr Lethbridge has filed a claim for exemption from the transfer tax. Wm. Allison, timekeeper at the Northwestern Company's locomotive sheds at Rugby, states that he has inherited £50,000 from a pastoralist uncle who died in Australia. Allison saw a Melbourne solicitor's advertisement three years ago seeking news of Allison's father, who, however, was dead. A sister answered the advertisement, but got no reply for a long time. Allison then learned that his uncle's fortune of £IOO,OOO had been divided between his sister and himself. SHIPPING DISASTERS. An American steamer rescued the crew of the Castalia, but several were drowned through the lifeboats overturning. A French steamer, supposed to be the Chaproi was mined in the Straits of Messina, and sank in four minutes. Five hundred persons mostly Greeks, Russians, and Serbs, were lost. One hundred and fifty were saved The American freight Lake Erie was sunk in a collision in the Bristol Channel. * VARIOUS ITEMS. Thirty people were killed .and 50 injured at Boston by the explosion "of a tank containing molasses. Four Maori soldiers have been detained in connection with a shooting affair in Bloomsbury, in which a soldier and a. woman were wounded. The Daily Telegraph states that Sir S. P. Sinha, the Secretary for Inda, will be raised to the peerage. M. Jacques Lebaudy, the famous French explorer, was shot by his wife and killed. The National Tourist Office is arranging motor tours to Rheims, Arras, and Verdun during the spring. Thirty-two private Norwegian banks haveformed a limited company for the purpose of. creating overseas banks. Mr T. N. Gregory, United States Attorney-general, has resigned in order to give attention to his private affairs. Captain F. C Dreyer has been appointed to the battle-cruiser New Zealand as Commodore and Chief of Staff to Admiral Lord Jellicoe on his cruise to Australasia. The plague of rats in Britain is so serious that the Board of Agriculture has established a special department to cope with it under experts. Forty-three I.W.W. anti-war agitators were sentenced at _ San Francisco to from one to 10 years' imprisonment. Sabotage plots were disclosed. Official: The marriage of the Princess Patricia will be celebrated at Westminster Abbey on February 28. The Kirkcudbrightshire has arrived at London docks from Australia, via' New York, being the first sailing ship to arrive in the Thames since sailing vessels were permitted to traverse the danger zone. About 100 Belgain journalists, who took refuge in England during the war, were entertained by Lord Burnham, of the Daily Telegraph, prior to their return' to Belgium. Many British journalists were present. The newspapers predict that the amalgamation of the Air Ministry with the War Office under Mr Churchill will revive the Admiralty's antagonism, resulting in the reestablishment ofj# separate naval air force. The New York Times Peking correspondent states that public opium burning at Shaghai is . arousing interest throughout the country. The President has approved of foreign supervision of the burning, because it was reported that opium chests had been rifled. __ , Cholera is nrevalent in Bombay. There . were 130 deaths for the fortnight ended January 4. , . ~ , n A pseudo Count Bouyon, a friend of the eminent French sculptor, M. Rodin, has been arrested at Paris for frauds. He obtained genuine Rodins, and induced an Italian sculptor to make copies, which were sold as originals, bearing Rodin's name. There is every likelihood that Mr Kearney, an Australian engineer, will secure permission to construct a high-speed railway under the Thames to Woolwich, on lines which he has invented. Several of the public authorities concerned have already given their approval to the scheme. A footman employed at Clarence House admitted in the *Bo\v Street Police Court the theft of jewels belonging to the Duke of Connaught, valued at £6O. He said : It is no use beating about the bush. Princess Patricia handed me a box, and I opened it and took the jewellery." He was remanded. Prince Antoine of Orleans is plaintiff in an action for the recovery of a pearl necklace lent to a lady named Carmen Flores to wear at a evening party, which she never returned. Carmen is now leaving for Spain. The necklace consists of 148 magnificent pearls, oace the property of Charles V, and ib valued at several million francs. Australia Day celebrations, lasting three days, will commence on January 25. The Australian Natives' Association are holding a corroborree, and General Monash will deliver an address, which is to be followed by a concert and ball on January 27. The Australian and New Zealand Club will entertain Admiral Sir John Jellicoe at luncheon, and other celebrations, including an Australian Y.M.C.A. concert.