CABLE ITEMS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIX, Issue XVI, 18 October 1902, Page 981

CABLE ITEMS.

The plague has broken out at Nokohama. 1 A great fire is raging in Amoy. It has spread to the British concessions. The death is announced of Likunje, the Viceroy of Liang-Kia ng. Household coal in England has advanced a chilling a ton. The Japanese loan has been covered two and a half times. The King will, on October 27, review the Foot Guards who have returned home from the war. The British and Japanese Ministers quit Pekin at the end of October on indefinite leave. Lord Milner is touring in the Lydenburg and Zoutspaneberg districts inquiring into Boer grievances. The Shaw, Savill and Albion Company has declared a dividend of five per cent. The death is announced of Mr Justice Hensman, of West Australia, from pneumonia. Dr. Lowther Clarke, the new Bishop of Melbourne, reaches there on Feb. 25th. Great Britain and Germany have agreed to evacuate Sanghai on November 1 if Japan assents. A portion of Manchuria, southward of the river Lian, has been restored to China. The Army Remounts Commission reports that the remount system is generally good. President Roosevelt, in a recumbent position in a carriage, reviewed the troops. The Mansion House fund for the relief of the St. Vincent eruption sufferers has reached £652,000. The Holland-American line is ineluded in the Mercantile Marine Company. The Irish landlords* convention, by 77 to 14. rejected a proposed conference with the tenants. The cable steamer Colonia was paying out the Pacific cable from Vancouver off Fanning Island on the 6th inst. The Admiralty intends to increase the cruiser squadron on the Australian station to four armoured and four protected cruisers. The Austrian battleship Hapsburg is the fastest in the world. At her trial speed at Pola she attained a speed of 19 3-5 knots. The Board of Trade returns for September show that the imports increased £3,555.700 and the exports by £1.837.799. Curious experiments with birds and guinea-pigs in the late M. Zola's bedroom showed the fatal character of the gases arising from the fire in a closed room. Reuter's Agency states that 180 earthquake shocks have been experienced at Guam, in the Ladrones Islands. Western Pacific, north of the Caroline Islands, recently. An American syndicate, with four millions sterling capital, are opening mills in Ireland, importing maize and wheat, and milling and distributing the products. The Tasmanian Government’s proposal to reduce the payment of members to £5O a year, with expenses to country members, was carried on the casting vote of the Speaker. The King has approved of the Federal Government's design for the Commonwealth flag (the Union, Southern Cross, and large white star on blue ground).

The Government commercial agent in South Africa recommends the Government to take steps to warn people from flocking to South Africa for employment.

The appointment of Vjee-Admiral A. b. Fanshawe. to the command of the Australian station is oaring the press to speculate if a rear-admiral will be second in lommind. Fifty lots of Victorian and New South Wales butter are exhibited at the Islington dairy show. There are no New Zealand or Canadian exhibits, the latter having arrived too late. The Third Grenadier Guards, on landing at Southampton, received a telegram from the King congratulating them on their splemHd work during the recent war. The “Times" states that an official report has been forwarded to Washington by Dr. Razlan, of Vienna, who is said to have successfully treated fourteen eases of leprosy in the Philippines. , The Miners’ Federation has resolv ed that the bill dealing with the employment of boys and eight hours should have precedence over faderation and other bills before Parliament. The Crown Prince of Greece met with an accident while motoring. He was avoiding a carriage when he was thrown into a ditch, and cut about the eye. He is progressing favourably. A hundred and forty-four peasants of Vetluga have been sentenced to two months, with fines aggregating 9000 roubles, for persistently attempting to forcibly evict a landowner from forest lands. The National Union and Woman's Suffrage Societies have congratulated the Sydney Womanhood Suffrags League on the Parliamentary enfranchisement of the New South Wales women. Bohemians declare that the Archduke Franzis’ son is the law-ful heir to the throne of Bohemia, where the Hapsburg law does not operate, and that the Archduke is unable to debar the children. Messrs John Dillon and Miehael Davitt have sailed to collect Parliamentary funds in America. Mr John Redmond accompanies them for the purpose of attending a convention in Boston. Cardinal Moran has started for Rome. He returns to Sydney in the steamer Orontes. Cardinal Moran, prior to his departure, unveiled at Kensal Green a memorial cross to the late Father Timoney. Sir Wilfred Laurier, the Canadian Premier, in the course of an address at the Corn Exchange, Liverpool, declared that in ten, or within twenty years. Canada will be able to meet Britain’s total grain requirements. The King on October 24 holds at Buckingham Palace the largest investiture on record. There- will be 300 recipients, including, besides the Coronation honours, many Distinguished Service Orders granted on Lord Kitchener's recommendation. The American troops completely routed the Moros, in the island of Mindanao, killing the Sultan of Cabugatan. Forty forts were captured, the resistance being desperate. Several sorties were made and some the fighting took place in long grass. A sensation has been caused by the publication by the “Weiner Tagblatt” of private letters written by the late Queen of the Belgians pathetically lamenting her unhappy marriage a month after the wedding and again in 1854 and 1855. General Percin, private secretary to General Andre, Minister for War, fought a duel with a member of the staff of the newspaper “Ganlois,” who accused him of shaking hands with Dreyfus at Zola’s funeral. Percin was twice wounded.

An ex-priest, who was cashier of the Czech Clerical Loan Bank at Prague, has committed suicide, leaving a deficit of £124,000 sterling spread over a period of 20 years. Monsignor Brozd, ex-president of the

bank, and two other officials, have been arrested. Two thousand tons of English coal hare been landed at Dunkirk and other cargoes follow. The English eoal sold at 25/ a ton, a rise of 5/. Large imports of coal are coming into France from the German and Belgian mines. Count Paul Esterhaxy. who is abandoning the order of Jesuits and the priesthood, claims the return of £33,000. The Jesuit order has refused to return the money on the grounds that it was an unconditional gift. Mr Farrell, M.P. for North Longford, has been sentenced to two mouths* hard labour at Longford, under the Crimes Act, with three months’ imprisonment without hard labour afterwards, unless he gives bail for his future behaviour. The Agent-General for New South Wales is urging the Westminster City- Council to lay the best NewSouth Wales hardwood paving blocks alongside the American blocks, under the heaviest and most constant traffic, in order to test the merits of the two. The Mayor of Capetown welcomed and entertained the Australian cricketers at Capetown on their arrival there. Major Wardell, responding, hoped the tour was the commencement if a series. The team was entertained at Johannesburg with enthusiasm. Mr Borden, a member of the Canadian Ministry, speaking at Boston, Ontario, announced that a CanadianBritish twenty-knot steam service had been practically arranged. Canada’s subsidy is to be £150,000 from Great Britain, and 375,000 dollars from the Canadian Pacific railroad. Cardinal Moran, interviewed by a “Pall Mall Gazette’’ representative, said he was much impressed by the excellent spirit of order and religion in Ireland, the absence of crime, and the remarkable development of industries. The Miners' Conference at Southport recommended that each section of the federation should not enter upon a wages agreement binding it beyond 1903. A special conference will be held in January to consider details. The ’’Standard's ” Paris correspondent, under reserve, reports that Russia is about to issue a Note to the Powers announcing that by arrangement with Turkey the Dardanelles will be open for the ingress and egress of Russian warships, but closed to the squadrons of other Powers. The Imperial Tribunal, revising the Leipzeiger Bank judgment, has acquitted Dodel, the president of the Board of Supervision, of breach of trust, and Exner of breach of trust and fraud. The judgment in other respects is quashed, and the case will be again sent to a jury. The Governor of New Caledonia is dis.posed to make provision: for landing time-expired Queensland Kanakas at New Caledonia if the men, for personal reasons, deem it unsafe to return to their own islands. Negotiations are proceeding between the State Government and the French Consul. Reuter's Pekin correspondent states that an edict orders students in future to proceed to Western countries at the expense of their respective provinces. The officials describe Japan as hardly suited for students, as Japan is still a pupil of the Western countries. Viscount Cranbourne, M.P., speaking at Rochester, after hearing the Free Church objections to the Education Bill, expressed views favourable to clergy of all denominations teaching the children of their respective ereeds in church schools, which would in this respect be to the advantage of the Government. The latest, reports from Japan state that the new Japanese warships to be built during the next six years will represent a hundred and twentythousand tons. The annual expenditure will be two millions sterling. The new fleet will comprise four battle-ships, to be built in Great Britain; six first-class cruisers, to be

built in Great Britain, France, and Germany, and various smaller eraft, which are to be constructed in Japan. The Kaiser, while believing that the English system of voluntary enlistment is unworkable in Germany, has directed army experts to prepare a report, as to its applicability to Germany. The Kaiser considers that the British volunteers are a most efficient body, and a good investment, and that the nation should spend more money on them. The “Times” castigates the Army Remount Department as being ignorant of the sources of supply and too self-satisfied to seek information. The department silently ignored the offer of the military attache at Washington. The "Times" adds that compared with the "whitewashing” committee Dr. Panglass was a whining pessimist. Tr>e new schooner Coronation, 140 tons, which sailed from Newcastle for Auckland on Tuesday last (having been purchased by Captain Niuman for the New Zealand coastal trade), has returned to this port for repairs. Her main-boom snapped when at sea, and the rudder trunk is leaking. The schooner's pump was found to be defective. By a treaty signed at Paris Slam has given France a special position in the Mekong Valley and cedes a portion of the shore of the great lake, including the major part of the fisheries, and the provinces of Gionprey and Bassak. a total area of 13,500 square miles. Siam regains her full rights to the right bank of the Mekong and in Angkor and Battambang; also the repossession of Chantaboon. A financial panic has occurred in Montreal and other Canadian markets. The stringency of money after intemperate speculations has led to the liquidation of holdings carried on with borrowed capital and caused a serious reaction. Dominion steel shares and Canadian Pacific railwaystock have suffered badly owing to the recent trouble in Wall-street, New York. Dr. Chavasse, Bishop of Liverpool, replying to a correspondent in regard to Ritualism, stared that where the Lambeth judgment, is observed he would supportl the clergy, but where it was ignored he would ignore them as Nonconformists. On the other hand the methods and tone adopted by a small extreme section of the Protestants had done as much harm to true Protestant Christianity in England as the Ritualists’ disloyalty. The Amalgamated Railway Servants' Conference at Swansea withdrew the appeal in the Taff Vale case (which was decided against unionists), and resolved to warn their officers that members of the society would undertake no liabilities for acts they (the officers) might commit contrary to the rules and authority of the society. The British Admiralty, with a view to increasing the speed of 27-knot destroyers, has decided that they shall carry only one torpedo tube. Firstclass torpedo-boats are to carry three tubes instead of two. Commandant Erasmus reports that Madagascar is totally unfit for Boer settlement. The French refuse to allow the perpetuation of the taal (the Boer tongue). Erasmus now proposes to visit the Argentine. Vice-Admiral Fanshawe's flagship for the Australian station will be the first-class cruiser Spartiate. The “Times" says it has been considered heretofore desirable that the naval commander-iu-chief should rank next the Governor of the colony. The higher status of the GovernorGeneral of the Commonwealth is therefore sufficient to explain the choice of a vice-admiral to command the Australian Squadron. ,

Speaking at Whitehaven in defence of his own Department, Mr. Brodrick. Minister for War, declared that the Army Corps system was now the bedrock of the British Army system. The Government, he said, were giving the army snch a proper organisation for war that when a change of Ministry came it wonld never be possible to change it. They were also cheapening the expenses of officers.

especially in cavalry regiments, which meant opening the door to those eligible and not possessed of large means. A sensation has been caused in the city of Indianapolis, the capital of the State of Indiana, by the arrest of the professor of anatomy at the local medical school and two of his assistants on a charge of wholesale grave robbery. Thirty corpses havebeen found stored in a freezing room in a cold storage house at Louisville. It is believed that these bodies were disinterred soon after burial and that they were intended for use in anatomical demonstrations in the medical school. Ten thousand men of all trades in Geneva have struck in sympathy with the tramway strikers. The infantry and landwehr are in readiness to maintain order. The strike leaders in Geneva have been arrested. Several thousand strikers demanded the resignation of a tramway official, and the infantry were ordered to clear the streets, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The cavalry, with drawn sabres, then charged the rioters and wounded several. Forty-nine Anarchists have been arrested and a number expelled. A three and a half year old child got through the guarding the lions’ cage at the Zoo and its grandfather (Renn) rushed to its rescue. A lion put its paw through the bars, grabbed the man, and struck him with another paw, seriously tearing his flesh and back while trying to draw him into the cage. The man was rescued from the clutches of the lion with difficulty. David Moon, secretary of the Operative Bakers' Association, has been committed for trial on a charge of inciting the men to strike in one bakery. Mr John Kensit, the anti-ritualist (whose agitation some time back created much excitement), has died in the Liverpool Infirmary from double pneumonia. His son (who was recently arrested in connection with the holding of street meetings), was permitted to visit him before death occurred. The sou lias since been released. The late Mr John Kensit, the antiritualist, was buried at Hampstead Cemetery. Thousands lined the route. London and provincial Protestant associations sent deputations and bands. The Grand Duke Nicholas, referring to Macedonia, assured the Sultan of Russia's friendly wishes regarding the maintenance of order. General Ignatieff, speaking at a municipal banquet at Philippopolis, said it would be inopportune at present to deal with Macedonia, but he looked to the realisation of the desires of Bulgaria on the basis of the San Stefano Treaty. Taking advantage of the presence of Russian visitors at the Shipka Pass celebrations (the unveiling of a Russiau war memorial) Colonel Jankoff and twenty-eight chiefs of the Bulgarian insurgent bands in Macedonia have issued a fiery proclamation calling upon every Macedonian to fight for liberty against the Turks. The financial trouble in Canada is due to the need of money to move the crops and the collapse in Wall-street prices. Confidence has now been restored. Barabas, a member of the Kossuth party In the Hungarian Diet, declared that Austria was trying to despoil and ruin Hungary, in fulfilment of the Emperor's will. He denounced the Ausgleich negotiations. A violent scene ensued. The Premier denied that the Emperor had ever attempted to influence the Ausgleich negotiations (the agreement between Austria and Hungary embracing the regulation of their commercial and fiscal affairs). Mr. Brodricfc, Minister for War, addressing the Northern Union of Conservative Associations at Whitehaven. said the Government would unfalteringly adhere to the Education Bill, which was not a partisan measure, and which would be carried because it was the best scheme yet advanced for furthering education.

There would, he said, be no withdrawal, and the country must choose ment. No bill meant no Unionist Government. The details of the Bill were in the main settled. Regarding the majority clause accommodation was necessary in some details. Concerning secular education accommodation might doubtless be possible, but there was a far greater divergence of opinion on t|ie majority clause between the opponents of the Bill than amongst the supporters of the Government.

Out of 489 councils of the Evangelical Free Churches 413 favour refusal to pay rates under the new Education Bill, 29 oppose, and 48 are neutral. Cardinal Vaughan, in a letter to Mr. Redmond, strongly appealed to the Nationalists to support the Education Bill, declaring that the triumph of the Government over Nonconformists’ opposition would be a strong guarantee for liberty to educate Catholic children, in the Catholic religion, in Catholic schools. Mr. Davitt, in a letter to Mr. Redmond, while confident that the party would not be influenced in its desire to retaliate for the rascally conduct of the Government in subjecting Ireland to coercion, asked him to remember that thte English Catholic leaders were not their political friends, but the deadly and malignant enemies of the nationalist movement. The Nationalist party at Dublin discussed the Education Bill, but the result has not been announced. It is understood that it is intended to watch any advantage for Nationalist purposes. One section favoured opposing the Bill in the hope of embarrassing the Government. Mr Chamberlain, addressing 105 of the chief liberal Unionists of Birmingham, in a speech lasting an hour, strongly defended the Education Bill, subject to reasonable amendments. He warned his hearers that the Government would not survive the tremendous loss of prestige which would follow the withdrawal of the Bill, while it would be to risk the destinies of the Empire to cease resisting the Radicals and Little Englanders who were dependent upon the Irish Catholic vote. A final consultation in conference on the vital points showed minorities varying from four to 16. A mere fringe of the party were against the Bill, the vast majority being in its favour with modifications, including popular control of all secular education. The “Tiroes” states that Mr Chamberlain and the Government are willing to establish absolute popular control of secular education in all the rate-aided schools, and preserving denominational control of religious education in denominational schools. There is a consensus of opinion that Mr Chamberlain’s emphatic declaration that If the bill is defeated the Government would resign contributed to firm rallying in favour- of the bill. The N.Z. Shipping Company’s steamer Waikato (which recently broke down in the South Atlantic, and was repaired at Capetown) has arrived at Hobart from London and the Cape after a stormy voyage of 39 days from the latter port. The captain reports that after leaving the Cape the. Waikato met with a succession of gales, which lasted nearly all the way across the Southern Ocean. For a whole month the steamer was battling with the gales, until, on September 27, the coal supply ran very short. The engines revere then stopped, and the steamer trusted to her sails for making an easting. All available sail was set (the Waikato is squarerigged forward), and under canvas she ran before a strong westerly gale for a week. On the 4th instant the engines were started again, and the steamer made port without further incident. All on board are well. The steamer proceeds on to New Zealand after coaling. A London cable message on the 3rd instant stated that t'.e underwriters of the Waikato were reinsuring the vessel at 20 guineas per cent. The possibility of another break-down after she had continued her voyage from the Cape was no doubt feared.