EUROPEAN ITEMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1035, 30 August 1883, Page 4

EUROPEAN ITEMS.

London, August 7. The Governments of Germany and itassia are actively engaged in strengthening the garrisons on their frontiers. from the present grain harvest will; be *'V. 2,000,000 quarters less than the return of last year. " M. Pecron, recently appointed Minister .... of Marine for France, has expressed hia Approval of Admiral Pierre’s conduct in ..relation to the officers of the British ship Dryad, at Tamatave. Arrangements are being made in L0n,.1 jdbn,,for the emigration of people from that city to Canada, upon a gigantic scale. V ( , t V .The French authorities at Madagascar y], f have,been negotiating with some inferior ‘ native, tribes inland with a view of‘.inducing them to render assistance to the French troops. They have already'sue- . (seeded in enlisting 3,000 men belonging to one of these tribes. Mr Gladstone complains that his statements/with, regard to the annexation of New Guinea and the New Hebrides ' by j.the: Australian colonies have been in;correctly reported. It is now probable that the Imperial Cabinet will reconsider , their decision, and allow the islands to be . . annexed subject to certain conditions. f The official trial of the torpedo boats , whioh.bave been constructed for the New Zealand Government has been postponed for a month. Despatches which have just arrived from the' British officials at Tamatave show that the conduct of Admiral! Pierre towards British officers of the man-of-war Dryad was much more tyrannical and outrageous than had, been previously supposed. The matter was warmly commented on by the London press this morning, moat ■ f the journals insisting thait it is atr imperative duty of the English Gqvernment to demand an immediate explanation from France. : ; Admiral Jobber wil succeed Admiral Pierre in the command of the French ■ fleet at Tamatave. - ’ A The annual municipal elections, which ... have just taken place in Fr 'rice, have re--aultqd m the return of Republican candidates in a largo majority of instances. Several' envoys from the Empire of Burraah are visiting Paris on a diplomatic ‘ mission.