LATE CABLE NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3386, 4 August 1885, Page 3

LATE CABLE NEWS.

(By Telegraph.) (Pei- steamer at the Bluff.) (Special to the Melbourne "Age.") LoifDON, July 21. Th» Hon. F. Stanley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, is desirous of having the Australasian Federal Council Enabling Bill paesod without any alteration excepting the withdrawal amendment, enabling any colony retiring from the Council to abrogate legislation previously passed. Mr Saul Samuel, the New South Walea Agent-General, has requested that the passage of the mensure shall be delayed to enable the Colonial Governments to arrive at some unanimity respecting it. Sir Charlea Gavan Duffy has written to Earl Carnarvon, tho Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, suggesting that the system of government followed m the Australian colonies Buould be conceded to Ireland. Latest news from tho Soudan shows thnt tho death of the Mahdi has not effected the rebellion, as the hostility of Osinan Digna continues unchecked. Tho Eight Bcv. Dr Moran, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, is to conduct the sorriee at which tho Her. Dr Woleh is to bo consecrated Archbishop of Dublin. July 25. General Gordon's diary at Khartoum was issued m published form on the afternoon of tho 24th. Tho London paper 3 publish long extracts from its pages, m which tho defender of Khartoum pours forth tho bittorness of his soul at the port played towards him by tho British Government. Tho last words m tho diary aro : — "I bavo done my best for tho honor of my country." In hia last letter to his sister, General Gordon writes : " Like Clarenco I have tried to do my duty." Writing of tho expedition for the relief of Khartoum, he says : "No one can judgo the waste of money and tho expense of life m the present oxpedition. It is an utter waste of both, nnd simply duo to tho indecision of tho English Government." In characterising tho Soudan policy of the Gladstone Government, ho describes it as a " policy of log-floating down tho stream." In another passago ho Bays tho action of tho Government was such as to convince him they grudged him his perverso persistency m living. If ho had been killed the Foreign Ofiico would havo thought it a good riddance. In other passages ho comments sarcastically upon the roluctftnco of tho Ministry to face tho responsibility of their own acts. The Pall Mall Gazette describes the Diary aa an epitaph on the Liboral Government, written as by the iingors of an invisible hand — an opitaph summed up m the word " Indecision." Tho Seals of Ofllco were formally |traii3forrod at Windsor by Her Majesty tho Queen on tho aftornoon of tho 24th from tho Liboral to tho new Conservative Administration. Mr Gladstono tho samo ovoning laid before tho Houso of Commons tho correspondence which had passed, through tho medium of tho Queon, betweon himself and Lord Salisbury. Tho correspondence occupied fhreo days from tho 17th to tho 21st Juno. Tho lcttors nddrceaed to thoQuoen woro by horsent oil for tho consideration of the rcspeetivo stalcsmon. Lord Salisbury asked fram tho Liboral loaders a plcdgo of coopomtion that whenever n. voto for Supply was put down on tho notico paper, Government business should bayo precedence, but that if no other provision wore made for meeting the expenditure on tho Estimates left by Mr Childors' votes crodit already passed, tho deficiency should bo met by issuo of Exchequer bonds. Mr Gladstone's first reply was rogurded by Lord Salisbury ns too vague, and on Mr Gladstono being further prosscd, ho declined to givo a specula pledge, but replied that] on tho Liberal side there woidd be no disposition to embarrass tho Government to make extreme illegitimate use of its power of n majority. Lord Salisbury finally consonted toaucopt ofllco notwithstanding Mr Gladstone's refusal to givo a specific undert uking.