CABLE ITEMS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVIII, Issue XXII, 31 May 1902, Page 1077

CABLE ITEMS.

The Shah of Persia- has visited King Victor at Rome. The present outbreak of plague in Sydney is more virulent than that of 1900. Raheita, on the Red Sea, Littoral and Erithrea- have been annexed to Italian territory. Nine tourists and four boatmen have been drowned during a gale while boating on Lake Killarney. The White Star liner lonic, similar to the s.s. Athenic, and about 12,380 tons, has been launched at Belfast. Britain’s wholesale purchase of mules in Missouri has suddenly ceased. The Porte recognises an Italian protectorate over Italian missionaries in the Holy Land and the Levant. Edith Brookes, a parachutist, was killed at Sheffield by her parachute falling without opening. The death is announced of Lord Pauncefote, British Ambassador at Washington. Cholera is prevalent in the Philippines. Out of 651 eases at Manila 435 were fatal. The Knighthood of the Garter has been conferred on the Duke of Marlborough. Delacasse will probably be asked to form a Ministry in succession to that of Waldeck-Rousseau. Instead of presenting the Imperial Government with a cruiser, the Natal Government otters to contribute £35,000 annually to the navy. The Tsar lunched on board the French cruiser Montcalm. President Loubet received a splendid send-off on his departure for France. The cable last week announced that Earl Beauchamp is engaged to Lady Lettice Grosvenor, sister of the Duke of Westminster. China protests against being- compelled to pay the indemnity to the Great Powers in gold regardless of the fall in price of silver. M. De Lanissan, French Minister for Marine, has ordered thirteen submarine vessels, which can be submerged within five minutes. The Japanese warships Kongo and Hiyei, which are on a cruise through the Pacific, have sailed from Hobart for Auckland. The Miners’ International Congress, sitting at Dusselldorf, passed a resolution in favour of eight hours work per day. Armour's lard refinery in Chicago was destroyed by fire last night. The damage is estimated at one million dollars. Twenty-nine persons were injured. The Prussian Diet is considering a Bill to provide an additional hundred and fifty million marks for settling German peasantry in Polish provinces of West Prussia and Posen. The annexation by Italy of Raheita (in the Red Sea Littoral), which heretofore has been within her sphere of influence, was due to local disturbances. Mr J. J- Shannon, A.R.A., has been commissioned by prominent AngloColonials to paint a presentation portrait of the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. —» Tsinnipin leads 30,000 Insurgents in Southern Chili. They have massacred their own wives and daughters with a view to testifying their devotion to the cause. The Welsbach Incandescent Light Company’s premises at Westminster were gutted by fire. One thousand employees, who were on the premises, eseaped owing to the presence of wind of the foreman.

By an explosion in the Faterville mine, Coal Creek, Tennessee, followed by flames issuing from the shafts, 250 miners were killed.

The Chinese agreement confirms the arrangement entered into in 1898. It specifies that if funds are needed for branches of the northern line of Chinese railways the administration must apply to the British Chinese corporation.

Some reticence is observed in regard to the plague at the Sydney Zoo. It is understood that over fifty birds and animals have died of the disease during the past few weeks.

The “Daily Chronicle” states that a bomb which was intended to explode as the Emperor Franz Josef entered his compartment of the Imperial train nt Vienna was discovered ten minutes before the train started for Pesth.

Two robbers entered a jeweller’s shop in Bourke-street last week, gagged and bound the shopkeeper, and got away with £2OOO worth of jewellery.

Official returns received by the Health Department show that there had been 114 cases of plague in New South Wales during the present outbreak up to May 3, and 56 cases in Queensland. Up to April 26 there were 30 deaths in New South Wales and 16 in Queensland.

A collier, lighting his pipe, caused an explosion in the Crow’s Nest mine at Fernie, British Columbia. One hundred and twenty-three miners were killed. Fifteen escaped by a shaft leading to another pit.

Dr- Russell has been elected Moderator of the Church of Scotland, and Dr. Howie of the United Free Church. King’ Edward, in a message to the Church of Scotland, suggests the training of preachers in the Gaelic tongue.

The New South Wales loan was underwritten on the usual terms. It has been favourably received and is quoted about one half per cent, premium. Ministers express themselves highly gratified with the result of the loan.

A company has been formed in New York, with a capital of five million dollars, to operate Professor Fessenden’s wireless telegraphy and telephony. It is expected that Fessenden will shortly be able to telephone to France without wires.

Lenay Beautien protests against France’s intention to retire from the Lake Tchad region, and urges the effective occupation of Jado, in Tripoli, ou the line of march from the Mediterranean to Lake Tchad.

Burglars stole a Raphael picture worth £BOOO, and also several pictures by Corot, from Humbert’s chateau, Viveseaux. Their chateau at Celeyraus was also entered by burglars.

Mr Copeland, Agent-General for New South Wales, nas submitted to Mr Chamberlain the Premiers’ protest relative to the question of pro. cedure as concerning- the Common, wealth State Premiers and the New Zealand Premier.

The “Times” says the second volume of its “History of the War” is strongly condemnatory of General Buller and the general confusion of military administration.

A Blue Book issued shows that extraordinary consideration and leniecy were displayed in the application of martial law. A full report of Commandant Scheepers’ trial is also included.

Signor Prinetti, Minister for Foreign Affairs, speaking in the Chamber of Deputies, admitted that England and France had given Italy similar assurances regarding the Eastern frontier of Tripoli. He added that the Triple Alliance would be renewed at the proper time, though after Italy’s agreement with France re-

garding the Mediterranean the alliance had lost a good deal of it* weight. u M. Decrais, Minister for the Colonies, declares that the only news received in regard to the trouble on the Mekong is that 1500 Siamese rebels crossed the Mekong into French territory in Annam, and attacked a French post at Havanakek. They-j were repulsed, losing 100. The Premier of Manitoba, Interviewed in London, stated that he considered that the eolonial cost of Imperial defence might be adjusted and borne indirectly in connection with slight preferential Customs treatment. | Goliad, a county of Texas, United States, with an area of 900 square miles, has been visited by a tornado, which caused immense destruction of property and the loss of many; lives. It is estimated that 100 persons were killed and many others were, badly injured. j | Cavanagh, the parachutist, descending 1500 feet at Bradford, was blown on the steeple of a church, but managed to keep his hold of the strweture until rescued with ropes.

The “Daily Mail’s” Bangkok correspondent states it is reported that twenty thousand French subjects in Laos territory have revolted eastwards of Mekong.

The Hon. Colonel John Hay, American Secretary of State, proposes to extend the time for ratifying the sale to America of the Danish West Indies for a year.

The Danish barque Ebba, from New, York, passed a derelict American schooner on February 9 in latitude 54 degrees south, and longitude 28min west, in the Southern Ocean. The vessel is a serious danger to navigation. There was no sign of the crew.

Zaleski, a locksmith, and Schniver, a mason, both Austrian ex-soldiers, have been sentenced to 4J and 3J years imprisonment at Przemyal for espionage and furnishing Russia with exact plaster clay models of fourteen Salician forts and with stolen documents.

Dr. Morrison, the Pekin correspondent of the London “Times,” states that the Court’s eyes having been opened to the injustice of punishing the Viceroys Yuan-Shi h-Kai and Huyu-Fan, they have not been re>J duced in rank. Both are powerful supporters of Yung-hi.

The Kaiser, at Chateau Urville, when receiving the thanks of a deputation from the Provincial Assembly, of Alsace-Lorraine for the abolition of the Governor’s dictatorial powers, said he was waiting till he had gained the loyal attachment of his subjects in the province, and desired to convince the Powers of Germany's pacific aims. £.

A new alien danger has arisen in the shape of the arrival of an instaL, me nt of forty copper coloured Argentine na'ives of Spanish descent, with the prospect, of more to follow. The immigrants were admitted by the Melbourne, authorities, who did not think the Restrictions Act applied to them. The party promptly came overland to Sydney. tl

A sensational story comes from Meruke, in Dutch New Guinea. Two hundred prisoners came from Sumatra to carry out roadmaking. Thirteen escaped into the bush, and fell into the hands of the natives, including the Tugars or head-hunters. Each prisoner as he was captured was decapitated, and the heads were «arried off as trophies.

M. de Witte, Russian Minister of Finance, in an interview, said Russia advised France to settle the Fashoda incident, but it nevertheless became a real victory for France, since without the Fashoda settlement England would have avoided the Transvaal war, which rendered her unable to effectively intervene in China. h

The committee presided over by the Right Hon. A. Akers-Douglas condemns the entire system of army edu-i cation at Sandhurst, which they consider should be remodelled. They recommend that the course be fixed at two years at a cost of £212 instead of £l5O, with only one examination

for candidates for Woolwich, Sandhurst or the militia. Fifty commissions, it is proposed, shall be granted yearly for students from the polonies, said a hundred for University candidates

The Stock Protection Board in the West is urging, in view of the universal drought in New South Wales and Queensland, of unparalleled severity, that the Federal Parliament should temporarily suspend the grain and fodder duties. The Board understands tl-at New Zealand has a larger amount of produce on hand than for many years, and with the pound a ton duty removed pastoralists would no doubt purchase largely in order to save their stock.

Mr Chamberlain, in his speech at Birmingham, said the Empire was attacked on all sides, and it was imperative to cultivate closer internal relations. If through adherence to economic pedantry and old we lose the opportunity of closer union with the colonies and do not seize every chance of keeping trade in British hands we deserve disasters which must infallibly follow. Mr Chamberlain, speaking at Birmingham, referring to the foreign commercial policy of competition, and the new conditions arising from the creation of trusts, strongly urged the duty of seizing the opportunities of closer union offered by the colonies. A German firm at Shanghai has offered China 50,000,000 taels annually for the monopoly of the preparation of opium. China is favourable if interaationul obstacles ars removable. It is considered difficult to enforce a monopoly on all. Yuanshikai's opposition will probably secure the rejection of the German firm’s offer of 15 (not 50 millions. as previously stated) taels for the opium monopoly, though Prince Ching advocates its acceptance. On the tribunal asking Bnlschanett, the assassin of M. Sipiaguine, Minister tor the Interior, whether he had accomplices, he replied: “My accomplices are the Ministers and high officials who have deceived the Tsar and exasperated the people by their arbitrariness and tyranny. They are the real anarchists.” The death penalty for civilians not existing, Balschanett was sentenced to imprisonment for life. The troops suppressed a revolutionary demonstration at Sara toff, in south-east Russia.