AMERICAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5801, 14 December 1886, Page 3

AMERICAN.

The Northern Pacific Railway Company is ut-gotiating the purchase of the Oregon Navigation Company's Puget Sounds steamers, with a view of offering greater competition to the Canadian railroad people for the control of the Victorian, British Columbia, and Puget Sound trade. Mr Justice Gillies, of New Zealand, accompanied by his daughter, left San Francisco for Europe, via Chicago and New York, on Nov. 5.

A Syndicate of Canadian residents in Minnesota have acquired a title to about 50,000,000 acres oi pine forests in the north-western part of that State, and is arranging to gobble up the rest of the vast timber belt in the North Slope, including about one half of the entire State.

The Eev Henry Ward Beecher, the popular American preacher, returned on Oct. 31 in better health than in temper with the English people. The Plymouth Church divine was not wanted in the Old Country, . where his orthodoxy was challenged on all hands.

There is a scheme afloat among some restless spirits in Texas and Arizona to invade three north-western States of Mexico and lower California, and establish what they call " A Socialistic Republic." The movement grows out of the recent cutting trouble at El Pasco.

An English syndicate has purchased an extensive ranche, called "Sunny Slope," in Southern California, which it is proposed to devote to the cultivation of grapes. It is the opinion of the managers that they can make it profitable to supply the English market with Calif omian wine and brandy.

The Turkish Government is flushing the factories of Hartfort, Conn., with, orders for war materials.

Greenbaum, lately Consul at. Samoa, arrived at San Francisco from Apia on Oct. 30, in the Mariposa. He states that his resignation as American Consul was given in consequence of an agreement between England, the United States and Germany to withdraw their Consuls- General from the Islands. Greenbaum will represent Hawaii at Samoa.

Chief Engineer Menocal, of the United States Navy, has lost faith in the Panama Canal. As yet the work has been attacked only on 23 of the 75 kilometres comprising the Canal proper. He thinks it better to abandon the route and start a new canal at come other point. Despatches of Nov. 18 state that the Colombian Consul at New York, Senor Calderon, has received information that work on the Canal had practically stopped, and that there was trouble between the contractors and the Canal Company in regard to payments for work performed. The Monarch Steamship Company of New York are building an enormous steamer for the Japan and China trade, with a view of diverting it from San Francisco, and bringing it direct to. New Y©rk.

Herr Most, .anarchist, has written a letter in opposition to Henry George and the George movement. He denounces the author of "Progress and Poverty" as a mere mercenary, who has doomed himself by his book.

The steamer leaving San Franciaco for the Colonies on Dec. 16 will carry to Auckland 2,500,000 fish eggs from the United States.

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 22.

The Mariposa, which arrived at San Francisco this morning (Oct. 30), made one of the best passages from the Colonies on record. Her running time from Sydney wag 22 days 6 hours. From Honolulu to this port, 6 days 9 hours 22 minutes. The steamer came to her dock in 39 hours less than her usual time, and 50 hours less than the ordinary steamer passage from Sydney.

CANADA, Kov. 22.

The Canada aDd Pacific railway bridge, p panning the St Lawrence at Lachine, waa finished on Nov. 12. Ib has twelve piers, built in the water, 18ft to 35ft deep, with a 7S mile current.

Indignation meetings were held ab St John's and Fredrick3on, N. 8., on Nov. 15, consequent on the decision of the Dominion Government to make Portland (Maine) the terminal port of the ocean mail service, it is the opinion of shippers in Montreal that neither Halifax, United States, nor St John's can compete with Portland, Central and North America.