General Cable News.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XVI, Issue 2899, 21 December 1898, Page 4

General Cable News.

-—« Dr Gatlin'a large cast steel guns have been tried at Ohio with astounding results. Artillery experts declare that they will revolutionise the cost of armaments, which will be reduced by half. Two boys found a trunk floating in the larra, near Richmond, containing the nude, decomposing body of a woman wrapped in old sacking. It had evidently been in the water for a considerable time. An inquest waß held at Sydney on. Saturday in regard to the loss of the Government tug Little Nell, which capsized off Red Head while being towed to Newcastle, the captain and one of the crew being drowned. The engineer gave evidence that the captain was pretty far gone in drunkenness, was very obstinate, and refused to be advised. The witness attributed the disaster to ei ratio steering. Other evidence was given to similar effect. The Hon J. Q. Ward, formerly Colonial Treasurer of New Zealam , was interviewed on his arrival in Sydney on a business trip. He said New Zealand was never rr.ore prosperous than now in almost every branch of industry and commerce. The harvest promises to be one of the best and largest ever known. The so-called Socialist legislation had been the result of wise observation, bo far as could be judged, it had all gone in the right direction. Mr Ward spoke highly of the results of the Conciliation and Early Closing legislation. He considered the old age pension scheme would have a good effect, and add to the health and tone of the social fabric generally, and so would prove in time to be a remedy for its own apparent defect in the matter of cost. Though New Zealanders were much interested in federation, the feeling generally was in favor of keeping out of any Australian federal scheme. Dr Numa Droz (late Minister of Foreign Affairs), a member of the Federal Council, who some time ago refused the Governorship of Crete, has now refused an offer of the post of Councillor to Prince George of Greece, the recently-appointed Governor. Sir Joseph Abbott, Speaker of the New South Wales Assembly, Lady Abbott and Miss Elsie Stanley Hall, a promident Australian pianist, have left by the Mariposa for New Zealand. Inquiry in regard to the body of a woman found in a trunk floating in the Yarra at Richmond shows that the deceased is about 80 years of age, was enceinte, but there is no mark of violence or of an illegal operation. The body has apparently been in the water less than a fortnight. The doctors are of opinion that chloroform waß administered to deceased by an unskilled person for the purpose of performing an illegal operation, but the use of the drug resulted fatally. There is no clue to the identification of the victim, but it is believed that she came from the country. The Parisian police authorities have discovered the existence of an extensive organisation for the sale of French arms and ammunition to foreign Powers. The steamers Ilios and Pierremont collided off the Tyne. The Ilios foundered after the impact, and 20 of those aboard are missing. The death is announced of Baron Ferdinand James de Rothschild, aged 59 years. The British Government has secured a concession of territory in the neighbourhood of Niuchwang, at the head of the Gulf of Leao-tong, where Russian influence has lately been paramount. The Italian Chamber of Deputies by 172 votes to 43 rejected a proposal to abandon Erythrea—an Italian colony on the Red Sea littoral. A Deputy stated in the Chamber that a treaty existed between Italy and England to maintain the status quo with regard to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean with the hinterland of Tripoli and Raheitai in the Red Sea. The Government allowed the statement to pass in silence. A madman named Pearson threw several bricks through a glass door at the British Embassy, slightly injuring Miss Pauncefote, daughter of Sir Julian Pauncefote, British Am- :.:.. ador. The Sultan favours a proposal made by Count Kapnist, a Russian financier, to construct a railroad from Tripoli harbour to Kowey, on the Persian Gulf. The line would reduce the journey between Bombay and Brindisi to eight days. The Bishop of Maitland has announced tbat from Jauuary Ist flowers will not be permitted by him in connection * with funeral dipplays. Worldly pomp, he said, had grown into abuse. He also recommended people to discontinue© the use of flowers in their homes. Sir Sandford Fleming (an eminent Canadian engineer), who has been urging on Mr Chamberlain, Secretary of Mates for the Colonies, to support Slave cables from Vancouver to New Zealand and from Australia to Cape Colony, thence across the Atlantic to Canada—thus connecting all' British possessions- estimates the length of his scheme at 28,000 knots, - and its ci-et at £6,000,000. iVi. Talischeff, assistant Russian Finance Minister, speaking in London, Baid that Russia appreciated England's " open door " policy, and would reciprocate when the commercial treaty with Germany expired in 1901 if British merchants would indicate their requirements. A box containing a body was found in the YBrra. The name of T. R. Akins was printed on the lid. The police are informed thai a young married woman, Theresa Rebecca Aiins, answering the description of the victim, is mißsing. She recently wrote to a friend that Bhe was coming for a holiday to.Melbourje.