EUROPEAN ITEMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1412, 23 December 1884, Page 2

EUROPEAN ITEMS.

London December 8,

Major John Adam Fergusson, formerly Deputy-Assistant Adjutant General of the South Australian forces, will embark for Adelaide in the Orient steamer Liguria, which sails on Wednesday. It -is probable that Major • IJ 'ergaaaou will succeed Colonel Downes in command of the South Australian forces.

Earl Duff-cm, who has been appointed Viceroy of India, in succession te the Ma-quis of Ripon, has arrived at Bombay. Mr Bradlaugh has applied for a new trial in the action brought against him by the Government for illegally voting in the House of Commons, he not having taken the oath. ' The application was refused, but the execution of the penalties claimed was stayed, pending an appeal to a higher Court.

Prince Albert Victor, eldest son of the Prince of Wales, will come of age next year, but it has been decided not to ask Parliament for any special allowance for him until his marriage. Henry Fowler, member for Wolverhampton, has succeeded Mr Hibbert as Political Secretary to the Home Department, Mr Hibbert having been appointed Financial Secretary to the Treasury. Speaking at the Royal Colonial Institute last night, Earl Dunravea said that the establishment of a system of Imperial free trade was an impossibility. He advocated, however, the adoption of diffeiential duties in favor of the colonies.

An important discovery has been made in France for the destruction of phylloxera. It consists of a preparation of arsenic.

The German Government have effected the purchase of a block of territory on the Arabian Coast of the Red Sea from the Sheiks. It is said the object is for strategic purposes. Blue books will shortly be iaaued by the German Government, detailing the action taken by Germany with respect to Samoa and other islands in the Pacific. A despatch received from the German Consul at Apia has been published by the German Government, and they advocate that Consuls should be appointed and war ships stationed at the Islands of Hew Britain, New Ireland, and Tonga, to protect German interests and enable the commerce of that country to compete with British commerce.

The Standard advocates the appoinl

ment of a mixed Commission for the purpose of adjudicating the claims in question.

Commenting on the present position of the New Guinea question, the Pall Mall Gazette insists on the necessity for Mr Gladstone’s Cabinet adopting a more decided policy in reference to New Guinea. hhe London press, in discussing the proposal for a mixed Commission to adjudicate upon the conflicting claims of England and Germany on the subject of A ngra Pequina, recently annexed by Naohtigal for Germany, deplores the humiliation which England has been subjected to in connection with the matter. The Telegraph states that' three torpedoes, which have been constructed in England to the order of the Chines a Government, have been shipped to Australian ports with the object of reshipping thence to Shanghai.

The Australian Federal Council Enabling Bill, which has been amended by the Imperial Government, will be despatched to the Premiers of the various Australian colonies on Friday next