SUEZ MAIL NEWS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3237, 6 February 1879, Page 3

SUEZ MAIL NEWS.

London, December 20.

§ The Eight Hon W..E. Gladstone has intimated his intention of contesting Mid* lothian, in the Liberal interest, should the Liberals committee of the country decide to unite in his,support. Thecouncil of .'the. Secretary of Stati for India has decided' to increase th iative v army';by'ls,ooo men.

Signor in his paper, said, hat from His experience of New Guinea,' he considered .the wholp Island, and th|e main land.in its vicinity, as the part of New .guinea most suitable; for colonization. The country was well watered* withi an ; abundance of grass, l the olimate was good,, and the heat! moderate; He hoped the commencement would not be undertaken by golddiggers, and shbuldprefer from his sympathy with the natives, to see the agriculturist firstin the field. His plan would be the formation of an agricultural mission for, the material benefit of the natives; 1 Mr,P. Young said that negotiations were still pending in the Goyernment with, regard to taking steps to secure the colonization of the southern part of New Guinea, The'strong and increasing interest taken in colonial matters by the British publio is shown by the. prominence given to those subjects in the London Press, . I The troops operating in Afghanistan have had an uninterrupted career of welborne since crossing the frontier. Lord Lyon has left Lahore for Calcutta. Pre. vious to his departure he received a feudatory contingent, composed of upwards of three thousand men of all arms, Not only the important Sikhs and Mahomedan ohiefs, but also the Scindah natives and former officers of the Government had spontaneously and promptly ofiered their services. The contingent leaves on Saturday for Peshawur, and will, it is proposed, hold the Oabul river and Khiva Passes, in order to allow the regular troops to advance. British officers of all branches of the service are attached to the contingent, . The unusually early winter has greatly intensified the wide-spead distress existing in many parts of England and Scotland. At Sheffield the distress is said to be without parallel in the previous history of the town. Very gloomy accounts are also received from Manchester, Birmingham, Wigan, Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Plymouth, Bristol, Dundee, and Glasgow. In the pottery districts the distress is becoming alarming. Bombay, December 29.

After the success of Piewar Eootal Pass the column proceeded on towards Shooter Pass. News from Cabul said there were eight regiments of infantry there, but that the Afghan troops were not inclined to fight. The Mirakasor has been attempting to induce the hill tribes to exert themselves actively against our troops. An attempt was made to capture him, but he fled to the higher part of the Tufedgoh ranges. The tribes about Khaibur having given serious annoyance by harrasing camp followers and strangers and attacking baggage convoys, an expedition was despatched against them, which destroyed some of the offenders' villages.

Our European troops continue in good health, but the cold weather has proved very trying to natives. There are, however, few men in the hospitals. General Stewart efiected a junction with Gegeral Biddulph in Pass. Supplies are coming in freely. The passes are strongly held by our troops. Our troops entered Bellalabad on the 20th. All the nota bilities came to meet them outside the town.

f wo additional regiments 'of infantry and a strong force of artillery hare been seat to the Capo at the urgent request of

LM'd Chelmsford, the General Command* ing in-Chief.

As regards Eussia, a report is current that the English Government, having applied to the Eussian Government to know whether, in tho event of the Ameer, Shere \li, flying to Herat, it would consent lo an * nglish occupation of that town, the latter had signified its acquiescence to such a proposal, but has added that, as Herat is the point at which Russian influence would begin to take effect, it will necessitate a Eussian occupation as well.