ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1026, 20 August 1883, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

The City of Sydney arrived at the Auckland Wharf shortly after 8 p. m. on Saturday. She left t-an Francisco on July 28 h. The passage was uneventful. Passengers—Cabin, for Auckland Mr and MrsJ. M. Mitchell, Messrs Glendinning, Mitchell, Porter, Harzog, Layard, Patrick. Steerage—Mr and Mrs George, Mr and Mrs Carlie, and Mr and Mrs Hart and three children, Mrs Johnson, Mrs Balmer, Mrs Sims. SUMMARY OP NEWS. European News. London, July 27. A deputation of the British Medical Association and several members of Parliament called upon the President of the Board of Trade on July 16th to urge that greater precautions be taken on emigrant vessels, and that the pay of ship surgeons be increased. Mr Chamberlain replied that a Bill would be introduced in the Commons dealing with the matter mentioned.

The Belgian Chamber of Deputies haa increased the duty on tobacco to 75 franca per 100 kilometrea of the manufactured article. Sir Roderick Cara ron entertained the officers of the American and Canadian Crabs at a banquet in London on the 27th July.

The Paris Figaro has received advices

f'om Tamatave,MadagasoaE, by way of Aden, to July 27th, saying that the British Admiral there demanded of the French Admiral that the state of siege be raised, but that Admiral Pierre refused to comply. There was a tragedy in Bedford on July 17th that caused great excitement. A party were playing lawn tennis at St Cuthbert’s, in the centre of the town, Mr Dever, an army officer, and Miss McKay, a handsome girl twenty years of age, being among the players. Suddenly, without any apparent provocation, Dev-;r pulled out a revolver and shot Miss McKay dead. He then blew out his own brains. Both victims were well known in society. It is believed that jealousy was the motive of the crime.

A despatch of July the Ist says that the Bishops are so alarmed by the storm of criticism evoked by their opposition to the Deceased Wife’s Sister Bill, that they have prepared a reply in justification, explaining their motives. The despatch says further that the Royal Family is much vexed at the failure of the measure, which puts the intended ma.'riage of the Princess Beatrice with her widowed brother-in-law as far off as ever, and that project is being said to explain the warm advocay of the Bill by the Prince of Wales and his brother.

The London cable to New York on July 25th says the report is confirmed of the betroth.il of Miss Nellie Fortescue, the favorite actress ot the Savey theatre Company, to Lord Arthur Wi liam Garmoyle, second and oldest living son of Lord Cairns. The young loVd is not twenty-two, and has for a long time by his pronounced love for theatricals and constant association with people of the stage, been in disfavor with bis father. The prospective groom has, however, the strong sympathies of his younger brother, who also develops precocious predilections for the stage. Lady Charlotte, the wife of the Rev EL. Neville Shortbrook, and sister to Lord Cairns, is making a tumult over what she calls the pending degradation of her brother’s family. The London Standard says great complaints. were made at Hamburgh against the excesses of the crew of the United States steamer Lancaster, The policemen had been obliged to arrest several officers and sailors belonging to the vessel.

There is a hitch in the purchase of Sir

Philip Miles’s picture gallery by the New York millionaire, Vanderbilt. In the meantime connoisseurs are urging the Government to buy the celebrated Raphaels and Claudes in the gallery. In the House of Lords on July Ist, Lord Derby, Colonial Secretary, said the Government was not ready to annex New Guinea, owing to the enormous extent of territory of unknown character in the interior, and certainly the natives would object to annexation. A sad accident occurred during a temperance fete at the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield on July 2nd. There were thousands of school children on the ground. A number of them climbed on a dray, when the horse, becoming frightened, caused a panic among the little ones, two of whom were killed and twenty others injured. Though Queen Victoria’s lameness has been entirely cured, according to reports of July 7th, her mental|indisposition still continues.

The Duke of Marlborough died of cardiac syncope on July sth. He was found dead on the floor of his room.

The Daily News’ financial article |of July 7th says a number of holders of Confederate bonds have subscribed LIO,OOO to be used in trying to recover a portion of their debts. Lord Penzance and Messrs Gorst and T. 0. Bruce, M.P.’s were appointed trustees. The promoters do not expect more than 10 per cent, of the debt, averaging LBOO,OOO. The attempt to galvanise the market proved a failure. There were more sellers than buyers. It appears that the joint committee of the Lords and Commons rejected the Channel tunnel project by six to four. The majority of the Committee, however, differed so much relative to their reasons for voting against it that they refrained from presenting any collective statement of their views to Parliament.

A cable despatch, July 15th, states that the outlook for the English harvest is not so favorable as reported the preceding week, as heavy storms had lodged the wheat in many places, but still the general prospects are good. Cardinal iioward has left R-me for England. A despatch, July 13th, says his mission is to establish, if possible, diplomatic relations between England and the Vatican.

The London Lancet, of July 12th, says there is nothing in the Queen’s condition to excite the slightest anxior.y. The iron men of Wolverhampton have agreed to resume work at a reduction of wages, against which they struck. In attempting to launch the steamer Daphne at Renfrew, five miles from Glasgow, on the 3rd July, the ye«sel fell over on one side, precipitating a large number of people into the wiSer, Two hundred working men were on board when the capsize took place in the middle of the stream. The vessel left the ways at a very rapid rate of speed, and when she got into the water rolled fr ,m side to side, and the persons on board becoming frightened, ran to and fro, until finally she rolled over and nearly disappeared beneath the water. Those who maintained their positions on the portion of the steamer which was not submerged, did their utmost to save those Who were oast overboard. At the same time boats quickly

assisted in the work of rescuing the un

fortunate people, and saved quite a number, but for all this the death roll is estimated at one hundred and fifty persons

The vicinity of the scene was crowded with relatives of the deceased. The cause of the capsize was that she had too much top weight. The builders of the Daphne testified at an enquiry begun on the 11th, before Sir Edward Reed, that the vessel was launched in the usual manner, and no fear had been entertained of danger. They said the deck on the starboard side had been removed to admit the boiler plates, and the planking and other material were stowed on other parts of the deck. She sank on the port side. According to the statement of eye-witnesses

and the survivors of the disaster the

vessel left the slip too rapidly, causing her stern, which entered first, to sink deeply into the water. She was then caught by a strong current of the river, by which, as well as by her top weight, she was caused to heel over so far that the water entered her ports. The vessel had all her machinery in place when she was launched, and a diver, who was sent down shortly after the disaster, said the companion way was blocked up with a solid mass of bodies one upon another. It appears that the men who were at work below when the ship went over rushed from their work and became jammed in the passage way. Some of the bodies still had tools in their hands. There was a large number of boys on board. The Daphne is a vessel of 500 tons, and was built for the coasting trade. She was partly raised on the 13th.

American Items.

San Francisco, Jul> 2s.

The Hanlon—Hosmer —Lee boat-race at Fulton, New York, on July 26, was won by the first-named. Time —Hanlon, 19.40; Hosmer, 19.50; Lee, 19.60. The course is not a full three miles.

James McDermott, a Brooklyn newspaper man and Republican politician, was shot dead on July 22 by James Gaynor, who said as he raised his revolver — “ McDermott, you traitor, I’ve followed you 3,000 miles to kill you; and I’ll do

it now.” It is asserted McDermott was shot by order of the Fenian Brotherhood. He had tinned informer, and it was on his evidence Featherston, Dalton, Deary and others were arrested for conspiracy to murder. Gaynor was one of two members of the Brotherhood who had followed McDermott from Ireland to slay him.

Yellow fever has made its appearance at a quarantine lazarette below Philadelphia.

Physicians are apprehensive that the Egyptian cholera will visit the United States, as it is travelling just in the same tracts as in former years. A strange serpentlike creature 30ft long and 2ft in diameter, was reported as seta on July 26 at Greeu Bay, Lake Michigan, by two citizens and fishermen, at Bailies Harbor.

The Catholic clergy in the United States will follow the Pope’s instructions, and not the lead of Parnell.

England has sent a protest to the United States against returning emigrants to the former country, whose friends in America had invited them to come here, with a promise of assistance. It was reported on July 27th that the Spanish Minister to Mexico had been recalled, and a serious rupture between the two countries was probable.

The health authorities of New York have taken extraordinary precautions against cholera, and will not allow the importation of rag cargoes till they are rebaled.

The steamship City of Sydney, leaving at date, carries to colonial order 124 fine American merino sheep from - Vermont. • The animals a. e large and heavily fleeced. The British ships Gilderhope and Euterpe, bound to San Francisco, are now (Ja y 28th) ninety-two and ninety-one days out from Newcastle, Neiv South Wales. Nothing has been he£rd of them since sailing. Captain Matthew Webb, the noted English swimmer, who first came into notice by bis notorious feats iu the English Channel, perished on the afternoon of Tuesday, July the 24rh, in attempting to swim the Niagara River whirlpool rapids. He was rowed in a skiff to a point in the river opposite the old ‘‘Maid of the Mist” landing by John McOlay, ferry man at the falls, 'and leaped from the boa,t at two minutes past four o’clock. The daring swimmer passed the big rapids all right, keeping in the middle of the stream. He struck a whirlpool, and was rushed to the American side, where the waves, if is estimated, are from 30ft to 40ft high. When last seen be was throwing up one arm. His intention had been to pass the whirl* pool on the Canadian side. The refusal of the railroads and the hotels to hare anything to do with what they called “ going to his death” rendered the affair, financially, a failure. The river was searched two miles below the whirlpool, but no trace of the drowned man was found. It is generally believed he was engulphed in a whirlpool. Webb leaves a wife and child in E gland.