GENERAL CABLES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue XXI, 24 May 1902, Page 1013

GENERAL CABLES.

THE BOVERIC

The disabled steamer Boveric, which broke down at sea, bound to Durban from Australia, has been picked up and towed to Fremantle by the s.s. Narrung, of Lund’s Blue Anchor Line. The Boveric was picked up a thousand miles from Fremantle, The ship and cargo are valued at £60,000. The underwriters believe the salvage claim will range from. £lO,OOO to £15,000.

Details of the Boveric's experienced adrift in the South Indian Ocean show that the steamer’s tail-shaft broke on April 3, when she was a thousand miles west of Fremantle. After the lifeboat had been despatched to the coast for assistance, sail was made on the steamer, and for three weeks she had winds from the south, with periods of calm, and a southerly swell. During this period she drifted about 270 miles. On a change of wind coming, she ran under what sail she could spread 430 miles to the south-east, crossing the position she had passed 27 days previously.

After this the wind shifted to the south-east, with a heavy swell, and the steamer drifted north again. A change of wind came once more, and the steamer crossed her former track for the second time. She was in a fair way to drift considerably to the south when the steamer Narrung (of the Lnnd line, 5078 tons register), bound from Adelaide to Capetown, came in sight and took her in tow. The Boveric was ’then 870 miles west of the Australian coast, and 200 miles south of the point where she had broken down.

A sharp look-out was kept all the time on the Boveric, with the electric light flashing out at night, but nothing was sighted till the Narrung appeared.

The damage to the machinery proved irreparable at sea. The passengers and crew arc in good health. They had plenty of food and water.

Out of 965 horses 912 are still aboard, in splendid condition. The balance died from various causes, chiefly pneumonia.

As soon as the breakdown occurred the horses were put on diminishing rations until they were down to about eight pounds of bran and chaff daily. They had about eight days'

feed when the steamer was picked up. The Boveric remains at Fremantle for repairs. IMPERIAL TARIFF. In the Canadian House of Commons Sir W. Laurier, the Premier, amidst cheers, announced that he was prepared to arrange with Mr Border, leader of the Opposition, the unanimous adoption of a resolution in favour of mutual trade preference with the Empire. The Colonial Premiers* Conference, at his invitation, will discuss commercial relations, and he supposes that Mr Chamberlain will make some proposals. Fifty-seven members of the House of Commons, Unionists and Liberals, have formed a Permanent Committee to promote the interests of trade and commerce. , Mr. Chamberlain will afford three expert®, representing the engineering textiles and soft goods industries, special facilities to ascertain the best openings in South Africa, hoping thereby tn check German and American competition. THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. Tn the House of Commons Sir Wilfrid Laurier stated that he was prepared to discuss at the Imperial Conference the question of defence in the spirit of Canada’s reply to Mr Chamberlain, but he was not prepared to endorse the policy of a certain school in England and Canada, which would bring Canada into the vortex of militarism, which was now the blight and curse of Eurcpe. Sir A. Hime, Premier of Natal, referring to the colony’s contribution of a ship to the navy, says the smallness of the population prevents the contributing of men. He hopes that the outcome of the Imperial Conference will be the establishment of a permanent Imperial Council. He favours preferential treatment, of the colonies. THE CORONATION. The London Corporation and boroughs supply hundreds of thousands of children, widows, and cripples with teas and entertainments in connection with the Coronation. COBB’S COACHES. The manager for Cobb and Co. states that the Company’s overdraft in connection with the carriage of mails reached such a point, that the Queensland National Bank declined to finance any further, unless a guarantee was given not to increase it. Cobb and Co. have asked the Federal Government to give a guarantee or an increased subsidy, but the Government refused. Probably the Government will call upon the sureties to go on with the contract. It is unlikely that they will do so. Arrangements will be made if possible for the National Bank to carry on the work. The stoppaage of the contract has caused consternation throughout Queensland.

Temporary arrangements have been made to despatch the mails on most of the suspended lines, and fresh tenders are being called for. Messrs Cobb have been officially notified that the mails will be resumed at fheir risk and expense. It has been found impossible to restart some of the services without Cobb’s plant, which they refuse to lend. In the Senate Mr Brake stated that he had called upon the sureties of the Queensland mail contracts (which Cobb and Co. have thrown up) to carry out obligations. This had not been done, and he was now arranging to carry on at the risk of the sureties.

ENGLAND AND THE COLONIES

Canon Dalton, who as chaplain accompanied the Prince of Wales on his recent colonial tour, read an interesting paper at the Royal Colonial Institute, embodying his impressions of the tour. The Canon held the British East Indian- squadron was too weak to prevent Russia and France occasioning regrettable incident? at Ceylon and the Mauritius in the event of war.

He noted the existence of a strong undercurrent of republican aspiration in Victoria and New South Wales, though the local statesmen discouraged it. In future wars it would be less easy for the Australian States to

voluntarily support Great Britain, owing to the fact that everything depends upon the flat of the Federal Minister of Defence.

He advocated a regenerated Imperial Parliament, consisting of a. hundred and fifty or two hundred members, with colonial representation. Home rule all round would, he considered, be a step towards greater unity. It would be possible to separaitc Imperial frem national matters, as well as keep an open mind on the question of reciprocal trade relations. AUSTRALIAN AFFAIRS. A conference of State Premiers has been opened to discuss Commonwealth matters affecting inter-State interests. Resolutions have been adopted declaring that for such State property as is taken over, the Commonwealth should become responsible for an equivalent in the State’s public -debt in the shape of a 34 per cent, loan, and that the establishment of a High Court of Justice is an urgent necessity. A resolution was also passed condemning any large increase in the Federal Public Works staff. THE AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT. The condition of the interior is very serious. The drought is unbroken. The late rain in the coastal districts was insufficient, and more is badly wanted. The 'Sydney water supply is again causing anxiety. Owing to the terrible drought in the Northern Territory, the natives are starving, and are in a pitiable condition. They are flocking to the telegraph stations for water and food. KING OF SPAIN. The Duke of Connaught, on behalf of King Edward, has invested the young King Alfonso of Spain with the Order of the Garter. The ceremony was a brilliant one. THE 'FRISCO MAIL. News from Noumea, New Caledonia, states that the General Council discussed a proposal by Mr Spreckels for the San Francisco steamers to call at Noumea for an annual subsidy. Amongst the advantages pointed out were that the French colony would be able to import from America corn and conserves, of which Australia at present had the monopoly, while in case of war with England the line would bring Noumea within twenty-eight days of Paris. The Council has authorised the Administrator to negotiate with Mr Spreckels on the basis of a subsidy of fifty thousand francs a year. SHIPPING COMBINE. There is a consensus of opinion amongst shipowners and merchants in Liverpool that it is imperative to develop the colonies so as to make England less dependent on America for food supplies. Mr Pierpont Morgan is trying to make arrangements to obtain control of the Manchester ship canal. Mr Gerald Balfour, in the House of Commons, announced that the White Star steamers, acquired by the American Navigation Syndicate, would be permitted to retain the British register.

Mr Arnold-Forster said the Admiralty had renewed the agreement with the White Star Company for three years, the company agreeing not to transfer their cruisers to a foreign flag.

crible recently announced P J? rpo ,Y t M . or san had bought the White Star line right out for £9,000.OuG. lhe "White Star line is composed of a fleet of 26 steamers, with an -aggregate of 250,000 tons. Among- the vessels sailing utjder this company’s flag are the Majestic, Oceanic, Teutonic, Celtic, Medic Afric, Athenic, and Cymric.] THE SITUATION IN RUSSIA. German tenants on large estates at Novogradvolhynsky refused to pay increased rents, and resisted eviction. Many of the police -were injured. The peasants’ revolt in South Russia has been suppressed. The agitation in Moscow is declining, though the millhands and ironworkers insist on the right to form trades unions, which the authorities now oppose, after at first encouraging the, move--inent.

Thousands of starving peasants from Central Russia are flocking into Moscow.

The students expelled from the universities are conducting an active revolutionary propaganda in the Russian provinces, producing widespread unrest.

The Minister for the Interior has secured the repeal of the law making a district res]x>nsible for the taxes due from an individual. The Minister has also remitted 120 million roubles, peasants’ arrears of taxes.

Count Tolstoi wrote to the Czar, urging him to buy land and transfer it to the peasantry at a cheap rate. He declared that the Czar alone was able to rehabilitate the Russian Empire, unless the influence of those around him- prevented him. The Czar wrote thanking Tolstoi, and declared that the letter contained many truths.

A soldier at Poltava, where some of the recent disturbances occurred, has stated: “We shot all who resisted and beat to death al! who were taken prisoners.”

LORD HOPETOUN’S RESIGNATION.

Lord Balfour, of Burleigh, is mention as likely to succceed Lord Hopetoun.

[Lord Balfour of Burleigh, who is mentioned as Lord Hopetoun’s probable successor, is the sixth baron of that name, and was born in 1849. He has occupied a number of positions on various local bodies, and was Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade from 1889 to 1892. He was Lord Rector of the Edinburgh University from 1896 to 1899, and Chancellor of St. Andrew’s University in 1900. He graduated as B.A. at Oriel College, Oxford, in 1871, and took his M.A. in 1872. He owns about 3000 acres of land in Scotland. He has been Secretary for Scotland, with a seat in the Cabinet, since 1895.] It is understood that Lord Hopetoun’s decision is irrevocable. He vs-ill probably leave about October.

For the eighteen months ending June the Governor-General’s establishment cost about £38,000, made up as follows: —Salary, £15,000; allowance for Rpyal visit, £lO,OOO. and allowances paid or to bb paid by Government, £13,000. To this will have to be added repairs to Government Houses in Melbourne and Sydney. Under the new arrangement the Governor-General in future will have to pay many items and allowances out of his salary. Sir George Turner, the Federal Treasurer, states that Lord Hopetoun has spent £49,000 since he arrived in Australia-