EUROPEAN ITEMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1489, 16 March 1885, Page 2

EUROPEAN ITEMS.

[By Telegraph prom the Bluff To-day London, March 4.

The Agents-General of the several Australian Colonies had an interview today with the Duka of Cambridge (Commander iu-Ohief of the British Army), the Marquis of Hartington (Secretary of •State for War), Earl Morley (P.diical secretary of the War Office) and L eut - General Alison. The Du*e of Cambridge, in the course of the interview denied that the offers of the Australian Colonies, to supply troops for the Soudan had been declined. Lieutenant-General A 1 sen pointed out that it would be impossible to utilise raw Volunteers, and that it was absolutely essential for the Australian contingents to become accustomed to army discipline before their services could be accepted. Asa result of the interview the Agents-General consider that the offer of the Australian troops will be accepted in the autumn.

The British Government, in Issuing their ultimatum to Russia forbidding any further advance towards the Afghanistan frontier, acted upon the advice of Sir Peter Lumsden and the Afghan Commission, and Russia has declined to retire from any positions occupied by her troops, but disclaims all intention of encroaching upon Afghanistan. Jb is expected that a peaceful settlement of the difficulty will be effected.

, London, March 6. The Government portion of New Guinea annexed by Germany is to be entrusted to a German South Sea Company, an Imperial charter conferring that power having been granted to the Company. The Reichest g has voted the necessary funds for the establishment of additional consulates in the Pacific

London, March 6. It is probable that the War Department will purchase 26,000 carcasses of frozen sheep from New Zealand to be delivered at Suakim in lota as required for the use of the troops,

Sir JJvelyn Ashley, Political Secretary to the Colonial offlee, stated in the House of Commons last night that the imperial Government was opposed to the agitation for severance of the North from the South of Queensland. They had, however, asked for the opinion of the Queensland Government on the subject. In the House of Commons last night Mr ■ ladstone stated that the Government intended to maintain the neutrality of the New Hebrides until the Australian Colonies consented to withdraw all claims to those islands. The Russian Government has given an order in America for building several war cruisers.

London, March 18.

It ia rumored that Mr Gladstone will retire fr.>m office when the present difficulty with the Russian Government has been settled.

The Kmperor of Germany has adviaed the Czar to come to a peaceful settlement wi h England in the dispute between the two countries with reference to the Russian advance on the Afghanistan frontier.