GENERAL CABLES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XIX, 9 May 1903, Page 1285

GENERAL CABLES.

THE RACE PROBLEM. The Supreme Court has declined to compel the State of Alabama to place the names of 5000 negroes on the voters’ registration list. This is considered the beginning of a general scheme of negro disfranchisement. TWO GENEROI S ACTS. An old lady with whom he was entirely unacquainted bequeathed to M. Coqnelin, the French comedian, a sum of £12.000. M. Coquelin at once handed the money to the Retired Actors’ Fund. THE DREYFUS CASE. In connection with the Dreyfus ease a new fact has come to light through a letter now first published, wherein a Count, first a Minister, then the German Ambassador to France, informed Baron Reinac that nobody at the Germany Ambassy had any relation with Dreyfus, adding that the French spy with whom Captain Schwartz Koppen, the German Military Attache, had dealings, was Major Esterhazy. MR E. M. SMITH’S DREAM COME TRUE. The Hon. A. J. Cadman was banqueted at the Westminster Palace Hotel, and speakers congratulated him upon bringing to a successful issue development of New Zealand iron, steel and coal industries.’ Mr Cadman went to London about two years ago for the purpose of trying to get English capitalists to turn their attention to the ironsand deposits of this colony. Upon his return to the colony Mr Caduian, when interviewed, expressed the opinion that success was certain.. He shortly afterwards again went to London, and the above cable points to the ‘.ucecssfrl accomplishment of his mission.

GOLD <A\ ING. The great American electrician, FMiAun. has perfected an air blast for the reparation of gold from and. thus doing away wit!i the cost of r*ing water ri the process. Tho new method, however, is stated to bo more costly than the hydraulic system, but has the advantage that it extracts a great proportion of gold. The air is driven through falling screens of the crushed inatelia) the gold being thus winnowed out. DEATH OF MR HANIH RY. Mr Danbury, Pre-i lent of the Board of Agriuiiliuro. who has been for some days suffering from pleurisy ami pneumonia. has passed r.way. | The Right IL».i. Robert WlUiam ll.mbury. M.l’.. PA*., was 57 ve. is IPs death represents a leal loss i«» the Government at the present moment. \s an ardently reforming Conservative, nnd a merciless «-ritic of the adniiidstrntion. >»e has Inen doing :;<»und thonirh mowtentatlmn; work for his country. The only othur < llice that he held besides that of th*' Board f Agrluukure was ihe Financial Secretaiyship io the Treasury.] DISASTROUS KOI K SLIDE. A disaster, attribuled to volcanic agency, destroyed a colliery at Frank, in the North-west of Canada, killing over 100. chiefly women and children, and entombing 20 miners. The valley was violently shaken at daybreak, followed imm uliately by’ an eruption on the Turtle Mountains overlooking the town. Millions of tons of rocks were thrown hip. covering the entrance to the mine, and burying buildings, c .voting all persons outside the workings. Some reports state that th*' country for 20 miles is covered with lav« and scoria. The Crow’s Nest River i* blocked bylava. A new crater is ejecting lava. The latest reports from Frank state that the top of the mine is burning) The night shift, numbering 60. is inside. The river has been dammed back to a height of 100 ft, and threatens to flood a wide area. The disaster at Frank was due to a rock slide, carrying the top of Turtle Mountain down on to the village below. The dust was mistaken for volcanic smoke. Of the seventeen miners entombed, two were suffocated. The rest escaped through the debris uninjured. WORK AND WAGES. At a private conference of the coalowners of Newcastle, N.S.W., all but four agreed to reduce the selling price of coal from 11 to I*. 6 or 10/ per ton, with a consequent reduction of the miners' hewing rate from 4 2 to 3/10 or 3/8. It is understood that the notice of reduction, which is to be made on May 18. will be issued to-morrow. It will affect over 4000 men. The miners have not yet been apprised of this decision, and under the existing agreement 14 days’ notice of any alteration is necessary. It is believed in mining circles that the men will not quietly submit to the reduction, which the owners claim is necessary owing to slackness of trade and keen competition. It is alleged that though the nominal selling price is 11/. the rates for a considerable time, past have been gradually falling, and that contracts have been made at a rate as low as 9/. Longshoremen strikers at Montreal attacked non-unionists, shooting <»n *. They then set lire to the cargo of i line steamer lying at ihe wharf, endangering the Cnnadian-Paci-lic Railway’s grain elevators. The burning cargo was extinguished and six- arrests were made. Twelve hundred militia are guarding Hie hnrImjuf front and protecting non-union-ists. The shipping companies threaten io import thousands of English lumpers. BALKAN TROUBLE. Bands of revolutionists caused a panic at Salonica. They destroyed the Ottoman Bank, and bombs were thrown, which killed two persons. Three arrests have been made. Attempts to destroy cafes, the post oiiice, and other public buildings failed. Two thousand troops restored order. The Tsar has asked the Sultan to commute Ibrahimo’s sentence to penal servitude for life. A Bulgarian band, numbering 100. hat boon annihilated at Djiunnibala. Eighteen others were also killed and fourteen captured at Vladovousx i okon.

Compelled by the growingly alarming •tale of affairs in Salonika, the Porte has now proclaimed a state of siege. The Sultan’s Government interprets the attacks on European property by the Christians as being designed to compel foreign intervention. [Salonha. or more usually Salunlkl, Is the chief seaport and the capital of the Turkish vilayet of the same name, identical with the ancient Thessalonica. It is situated at the head of the Gulf of Salonikl, has a large and increasing foreign commerce. and contains relics of Homan architecture and Byzantine churches. Among the beautiful buildings of the city la Santa Sophia, now the chief mosque, a venerable church built by Justinian upon the general lines of the great Metropolitan Church at Constantinople. St. George's Church, an ancient building attr—uted to Constantine, is also now a mosque. More In keeping with present events is the occurrence which rendered the town famous In 1876. It was in that year that a Mohammedan mob murdered the French and German consuls. The population is liable to contlictiug estimates, but, roughly speaking, there are in the town somewhere ’ between 150,000 and 180,000 people. It will thus be seen that the fate of Salonlca Is not a small matter in the development of the Balkan situation,] PACIFIC CABLE. Canada's proposal for free press messages for a period of three months has been submitted to the Pacific Cable Board. Sir MacKenzie Bo well initiated an animated debate in the Canadian Senate by declaring that toe management of the Pacific cable lacked business energy. Mr. Sect, Secretary of State, on behalf of the Government, profoundly regretted that New South Wales had deliberately broken the contract. Sir John See strongly resents the Canadian charges against New South Wales of breach of faith in regard to the Pacific cable agreement, and declares they are absolutely without foundation. He is obtaining a report on the matter. With reference to the statement that owing to messages between Australia and New Zealand via the Pacific cable route suffering delay and mutilation business people were despatching circulars to their clients asking them to send all cables via the Extension route, official records obtained by the Postal Department show that there has been no undue delay on" the Pacific, route, and that the percentage of mistakes is materially below that of the Eastern Extension Company’s record. The Commonwealth Government is in utter ignorance of the doings of the Pacific Cable Board. Neither from the Australian representatives of the board, nor from the cable officials, comes any information. whereas Canada is kept regularly posted. Nothing official has been received about the estimated shortage of £94,000 in the coming year, whereof Australia's share would be £32,000. In connection with Mr Scott’s, the Canadian Senator, charge against New South Wales of breach of faith as regards the Pacific cable agreement, Sir John See has received a report on the subject from Jfr Crick, who was Postmaster-General at the time the agreement with the Eastern Extension Cable Company was entered into. The report points out that "New South Wales had already signed the Pacific cable agreement, and so far from Mr Scott's assertion having any foundation, it is so utterly opposed to truth that I cannot conceive how any responsible person could make such an assertion. After outlining the negotiations, whereof Mr Chamberlain was advised. especially as regards their bearing upon the Pacific cable, tile agreement with the Eastern Extension Company, embodying the alterations sugg sted by Mr < hamberlain. was signed.’’ Mr Crick concludes: “We, therefore, being pledged by statute to all we ever promised, could see no reason why we should not avail omselves in the interests of the commercial community of the cheaper rates that were then offering by the Eastern Extension Company, ami which did not affect our fidelity in carrying out our contract with the Pacific.” THE KING’S TOUR. The King of Italy, the municipality and the people of Rome combined to accord King Edward a splendid, cordial. and picturesque reception. The decorations were on a magnificent scale, and most artistic. The King of Italy contributed £lO,OOO towards the cost. The military display was brilliant and imposing. The King and the Royal Princes were welcomed on arrival at the station. Replying to the address of welcome presented by Prince Colonia, the Mayor

of Rome, King Edward said he was happy to render personal homage to the Eternal City. After greeting Queen Helena at the Quirinal, King Edward visited the Queen Dowager Margherita. King Edward laid wreaths on the tombs" of the late Kings Emanuel and Humbert.

King Edward assured the Italian Ministry that the friendship existing between Britain and Italy was owing to both following the principles of liberty, and to both desiring peace. After the State dinner at the Quirinal King Edward and King Victor Emannuel attended a gala performance at the Municipal Theatre.

The Church Association has cabled to King Edward expressing dismay at his proposed visit to the Pope. The King reviewed 20,000 Italian troops.

There was a remarkable demonstration of loyalty by the Socialistic members of the Roman Parliament over the adoption of the vote of welcome to His Majesty.

The authorities in Paris have sanctioned public rejoicings, including dancing in the streets, on Sunday, similar to the national fete, during King Edward’s visit.

King Edward was entertained at a banquet at the Quirinal. Responding to the toast of his health, proposed by King Emmanuel, he said the mutual friendship of the two nations would never eease. Both loved liberty and free institutions marched together in the paths of civilisation, progress and universal peace. Responding to the Pope’s wish, King Edward yesterday paid an informal private visit to the Vatican. He started from the British Embassy in a closed private carriage, declining an escort of carabineers.

A procession of Papal officers escorted King Edward to the Pope’s apartments, where Leo XIII. advanced and shook hands and asked the King to enter his private cabinet. Sitting in armchairs they conversed in French for half-an-hour. At Kng Ed ward’s request the Pope promised him a signed photograph. After the interview the King returned direct to the Quirinal. The crowds in the streets acc'amud him, and numbers of Irish pilgrims who are visiting Rome cheered entbusiasrically.

The King wore his field marshal's uniform and the Order of the Garter, and the Pope wore a white cassock and ,plen did diamond necklet and cross and "civet mozetta. The Pope referred to Queen V mu rni receiving him in Lon lon in IM6 ; and alluded to the Duke of Norfolk's recert visit to Rome. _ The newspapers say that Ring Eaward was surprised at the Pope’s eloaT"-o=f. c mind and good health, anl declared that he looked like a man not more than b> veers of age. ■ Nothing could have exceeded the splendour and cordiality of King Edward’s welcome on his reaching Pai.s. Tumultuous enthusiasm was displayed by enormous and eager crowds. President Loubet, attended by the members of the Ministry, received the Kin" at the Bois De Bologne railway statfim. where a great military pageant had been arranged.

The King proceeded in the same carriage as President Loubet to the British Embassy, being given a continuous ovation en route, cries of “Vive le Roil” being intermingled with cheers for the President, the army, and the Republic. These demonstrations were renewed on the occasion of the King’s half-hour visit to the Elysee, and when President Loubet fetched His Majesty in his carriage in the evening to a special performance at the Theatre Fraueaise, where Madame Loubet occupied a seat on ths King’s right. The illuminations in the city and the "eneral moving crowds on the boulevards were similar to those in London on Coronation night.

King Edward expressed himself highly gratified at his reception, not only by Hie head and official representatives of the Republic, but also by the public at large.

The King, in responding at the British Embassy in the afternoon to the British Chamber of Commerce’s address of welcome, said he was glad to think that the growing interests they represented would strengthen Britain’s and France’s ties of friendship and mutual

respect which had distinguished the relations of the two countries for nearly a century past- His Majesty added: "Diviue Providence has designed FranSe to be our uear neighbour, and I hope always our dear friend.” There were not two countries in the world whose mutual prosperity was more dependent on each other. He believed all differences between them had been removed and forgotten, and trusted that the friendship and admiration all felt for France would develop in the near future into the warmest affection and attachment between the peoples of the two countries. The achievement of that aim would be his constant desire.

French residents in the quarter to the north of Leicester Square and in Soho decorated the streets in honour of King Edward’s visit to Paris.

A special holiday is being observed in Paris. The streets and boulevards were crowded by nine in the morning by citizens waiting to greet King Edward as he was driving to the wellknown suburb of St. Vincennes.

At the review the troops in campaigning order marched past, concluding with a charge of massed cavalry, the latter pulling up sharply within thirty yards of the Royal stand. The prefects of the municipal councils held a reception at 'the Hotel Devile before the King proceeded to Longehamps, where His Majesty witnessed the race for the Gold Cup, which was the principal event of the day. Hundreds of ambassadors, Ministers, and members of the Institute dined at the Elysee prior to the gala. At the opera there was intense enthusiasm, and the streets were finely illuminated in the evening.