THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1671, 5 March 1890, Page 6

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

GENERAL SUMSXABY. A lad of 13 refJoned to the Exeter police on February 6 f h that his father stahbed his wife to death with a pocket knife while the lad stood by imploring him to spare his mother. The father then cut his own throat before his son's eyes. Investigations confirmed the story. The announcement of the settlement of the libel suit brought by Mr Parnell against the London " Times," by defendants paying plaintiff £1500, caused a sensation/ Referring to the Parnell case " The Times " of February 4th says :— " After the withdrawal of the letters it was clear we had no legal defence, and there- f fore no alternative was open to us but to come to terms or abide the verdict of a jury. As we had at the outset challenged such action, we cannot complain at being taken at our word. This result, however, in no way affects the larger question. It is more desirable than the Parliamentary Commission should report. When its report is presented, it is equally desirable that it may be placed in the hands of the public with the least possible delay." A scandal similar to the LondonCleveland affair has been dragged to light in Belfast. Twelve youths were arraigned on February, and other arrests are expected. A secret society has been discovered in Ireland against Mr Smith Barry, president of the Landlords' Syndicate, and other landlords. They are to be boycotted, and systematic obstruction made to all their business John Reid and Co., the big London shipbuilding firm, failed on February 3rd, with heavy liabilities. Bret Harte is reported to be dangerously ill at Ventnor, Isle of Wight. The Committee of French Customs propose to substitute for the various treaties of commerce and general customs tariff a strong protective treaty, in which tariff shall be put at maximum rate for the virtual prohibition of all commodities in which French manufacturers and dealers need protection, and at a minimum for all other articles of international trade. This new treaty will be applicable to all nations which give France any commercial advantages. A London despatch of January 18th Ba y ß: _"John Ruskin, leader of English literature, is hopelessly insane. His mind has been gradually giving way for seven or eight years. The first public suspicion of the fact occurred at Oxford in 1886, when after delivering several lectures he broke down during one and became incoherent, and greatly exercised the feelings of his sympathetic audience. He ventured no more there, and the matter was hushed up. He is steadily growing weaker, and the probability is that if he ever leaves his bed he will never go out of the house again. Cardinal Pecci, brother of the Roman Pontiff, died on February 7th of pneumonia. In a conversation at Zanzibar the African explorer Emm Bey said the Khedive's officials sent him vagabond officers and poor men, also worthless powder. For six years he maintained his authority against the ex-Mahdi and his followers and the treachery at Cairo. He hoped Stanley would help to make his authority ovar the country permanent. Prince Bismarck resigned at Minister of Commerce on January 31, and Baron Von Beilepsch was appointed in his place. It is believed the resignation is the result of the veteran's strained relations with the Emperur William since the incident of their misunderstanding over certain language used in a speech from the throne on the dissolution of the Reichstag, and which the Emperor refused to modify at Bismarck's r< quest in advance of delivary. The epidemic known as " la grippe " has been particularly fatal in many parts of the United States. Many prominent people in San Francisco were carried off by it. The influenza, ar "la grippe," caused so many deaths in the city of Mexico up to February 6th, that a sufficient number of hearses could not be had ' to properly convey the bodies to the various eemetries. five hundred glissworkera on strike at Gabblon, Bohemia, made an attack on January 30th on the factory in which they had been employed and, forcing an entrance into the building, destroyed all the machinery. The police attempted to quell the disturbance, whereupon the strikers turned upon them, and in the conflict that followed two rioters were killed and many severely wounded. The Chinese Government has given its consent to the construction of a line of railroad from Girin, in Manchuria, on the Sungara river, a tributary of the Amor, to Pekin. This has created uneasiness in Russian official circles. As a set off it is determined to increase the Russian fleet in the Pacific. Russia has ordered the two large ironclad frigates built in England to be provided with the largest engines and heaviest Krupp guns. Four of the greatest firms of Europe estimated for the contract, but the Czar insisted that the ships should be built in England. Cholera is raging in an epidemic form in the Caucasus. Grand Duke Nicholas, of Russia, is dying slowly from cancer. He has gone to Nice, seeking to prolong his life. Professor Bokia, of the Klassenberg University, Austria, claims to have discovered a certain antidote to hydrophobia, consisting of a solution of chlorine bromide, sulphuric acid, and permanganate nf potaßh, with oil of eucalyptus. The Duke of Cambridge's sons by his morganatic marriage are to be legitimised by a special bill. At the wish of the Queen, the Duke is to resiga the post of Commander- in-Chief of the Army, and will be succeeded by the Duke of Connaught. AMEBICAN SUMMARY. The Rev. R. C. Cave, one of the most eloquent pulpit orators of the Christian church in St. Louis, U.S., and a leading light in it, has created a tremendous sensation by delivering a series of sermons in which he denied the inspiration of the Scriptures and the divinity of Christ. He scoffed at His miracleß and those of His apostles, and generally belaboured the accepted dogmas of the church unmercifully. A fierce and destructive storm raged throughout Western Pennsylvania on February 7th. Large buildings, including the gass works at Blairsvilljß, were blown down and many persons killed. New Chertsey was shaken by an earthquake on February 17th. It is stated in commercial circles that Jno. W. Mackay has been offered 19,000,000d0l for his postal telegraph lines and cables. His investments amount to about 11,000,000d01. Chinamen are being engaged on the Pacific Coast by contractors to take the _< >c "f wh'te m^n A tenement nouse was burnt in Notth i

street,. Boston, on February 2nd, and witb it 11 inmates, while four more were seriously if not fatally injured. It originated by an Italian in the basement throwing a lamp at one of his room mates, which fell into a quantity of whiskey. Mr Henry George, the single tax apostle, leaves for the colonies by the steamer Mariposa, sailing at date (February Bth). During his stay in San Francisco he has been extensively interviewed in regard to his political and social principles, and also as to the object of his mission to Australia. Mr George is travelling on the single tax theory at present — that is, the abolition of all taxeß with the exception of a tax oa land or the value of land exclusiveof improvements, because, in his opinion, which is endorsed by his adherents, it is unjust to tax the proceeds of individual industry and thrift. His business in Australia is to promulgate this doctrine. Mr George has many partisans in San Francisco, and was well received by them. The American Wool Reporter of Boston, of February 12th, in its review of the week, says the strain of inactivity, which has not yet disappeared, keeps the market easy, and in favour of the buyer of pulled wools. Prices are a shade easier, and for wools from, the territories a trifle weaker. The negroes in the Southern States favour the migration of their race to the Congo Free State. A bill to that effect has passed through Congress. During a service in a North Carolina Church at Sparta the preacher took one of hia congregation to task for cannubial infidelity. A riot ensued, in whish the preacher and another man were killed with billets of wood, and five of the congregation were fatally injured. A resolution, introduced by Mr Muloch, of loyalty to the Queen passed the Canadian Parliament on January 29th without opposition and little debate. Two French members, prominent annexationists, did not vote in the movement for the adoption of the resolution. Mr Muloch said he had introduced it more for the purpose of showing the United States and the world that Canada had been grossly misrepresented in regard to her desire for a political change, either in the direction of independence or annexation ; therefore any belief that the Queen doubted the loyalty of her Canadian subjects would be set at rest. A meteor fell on the larger of the two Cornancha peaks near Granbury, Texas, on Friday night, January 31st. It struck on an overhanging boulder, and followed down the moun tain side, narrowly missing a large dwellinghouse. Its weight is . several hundred tons. Some of the fragments contain nuggets of gold. Wheat freights at San Francisco in February were dull, no spot charters being reported for several days. The chartered wheat fleet in port has been registered as 66,450 against 24,430 tons ac the same date last year ; disengaged, 18,150 tons against 24,450 ; on the way to this port, 181,857 tons against 216,125 on the same date last year. Long continued rains and snow fell in California and the Pacific Coast, which were generally cut off for some time from all communication between the mountains and the seaboard. The snow blockaded the railways and overwhelmed the cars with a heavy burden. The trains were locked up for weeks in immense snowdrifts, notwithstanding that two immense snow ploughs were at work till they were disabled, and a thousand shovellers were employed at the rate of 4dol a day. The Central Pacific Railway route (both Eastern and Oregon divisions) suffered heaviest from the snow, and the Southern Pacific from slides and wash-outs. The passengers who were detained in the snow shed of the Central underwent much hardship from cold and scarcity of provisions. Several succumbed to the misery of the time, and died without medical attendance. A horrible scandal of the same character as that recently brought to light has been shown up in the province of Ontario, where a young clergyman of the Episcopalian Church figures as the principal. Sir John Thompson admitted that the charges had been made, and says it will, in his opinion, ensure the passage of the Purity Bill, which provides for the flogging of persons found guilty of such offences. Governor A. Yardie, of Panama, has been notified by the President of the Republic of Columbia that the Government will not and the Governor of the Department of Panama will not promote the transfer of lands which under existing contracts with the canal companies should i under any case be returned to the National Government, or to permit the transfer of any property which at the expiration of the contract will become national property.