ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1533, 6 May 1885, Page 2

ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

GENERAL SUMMARY. London, April 12. Berlin newspapers comment on the fact that Queen Victoria did not send congratulations to Pr.nce Bistuaack on his birthday, All other rulers sent felicitations It is claimed that at the next Parliamentary election a largo majority of Liberals will be returned, and Mr Gladstone will then retire in favor of Lord Darlington. The Volunteer review at Brighton on April 6 was considerably curtailed, owing to heavy rain which set in. A firm at Bir min gham has made 2,000,000 cartridges during the six months last past for Chine.

Henry M. Stanley, the explorer, now in London, proposes to visit the United States at the end of April. The London merchants, Scaramarga and Company, failed on March 25th for LI ,000,000, caused by decline in the wheat market.

Charles Price and Company’s oil mills at Belmdere, Kent, ware burned ; loss L 1.000,000, A London stockbroker, name not given, absconded on March 31 with a large amount of securities, leaving L 175,000 liabilities.

Two thousand five hundred Yorkshire colliers struck against a 10 per cent reduction of wages on March 31. The St James's Gazette of April 2 reported the failure of Benjamin Davis, London, solicitor, for L 1,000,000. He fled to Spain.

The Parliament of Switzerland have restored to the Cantons their right of local option in regard to the sale of intoxicating liquor. Brandy drinking has grown to frightful proportions, and profound agitation force! Government to this concession.

Wholesale arrests of Anarchists, chiefly Germans and Austrians, were made at Berne and Zurich on April 3 At the race between Cambridge and Oxford crews on Match 28 the river banks tyere lined with spectators. The water was smooth, and the conditions favored the Oxford crew. Both boats got off well together, but Oxford took the lead and maintained it to the end, winning by three lengths. Time—2omin 36aeo, a trifling improvement over the time one year ago, when the record was 2lmin Syaec. The improvement is not as great as \yas anticipated in view of the fine weather and smooth water. AMERICAN SUMMARY. Mr Deakin, Irrigation Commissioner, with Messrs Cunningham, representative of the Argus, and J. L. Lowe, of the Age, leave I?" the steamer for Sydney at date. Ejf-President Fiske, Grant's partner in the broken Marine Bank, was found guilty on April 2, of embezzling the funds of the concern, and is liable to imprisonment for from five to ten years. The Secretary of State, Mr Bayard, declined to interfere in the matter of Burton and Cunningham, dynamiters, now awaiting trial in London for connection the recent explosions there. The'request to interfere came from the Irish National League. The New York Financial Chronicle says the present views on the price of wheat are extravagant, Without counting the

Californian surplus and good crops which now appear assured, the amount in sight in the United states and afloat for Europe is 2,000,003 quarters more than last year. A few loyal subjects of the Qneen in Victoria, B. U., sent Her Majesty, on March 29kh, a Fraser river salmon, weigh* Ing 901 b. S.M.S. Swiftsnre, Heron and two other war vessals, have been ordered to Victoria, British Columbia, to increase the naval defence of the Province in view of the possibility of war between Russia and ; Engl nd. The Uruguayan Government is attesting priests for preaching against attitude of the authorities In regard to civil marriages. A ruptnre with the Vatican is I imminent.

A delegation of {Chinese have arrived at the city of Mexico to treat with Government for the introduction of their countrymen into the republic, and making them full-fledged Chinese citizens. Mr Phelps, of Vermont, has-been appointed Minister to the Court of St James; Mr M Lane, of Maryland, Minister to Franc ; Mr Pendleton, of Ohio, Minister to Germany; and Mr Jackson, of Georgia, Minister to Mexico.

The Memorial Cathedral erected by the late A. T. Steward, New" York millionaire merchant, at Garden City, Long Island, was formally opened on April 3. It is one of the finest and most costly ecclesiastical structures in America.

The Land and Cattle Company’s proparty, embracing 60,000 head of cattle and 30.000 acres of land near Fort Worth, Texas, was sold to an English syndioite incorporated in London on April 9, for 3.750.000 dollars. The Baltimore police arrested all spirit mediums and clairvoyants they conld lay hands on on April 7. They were fined 25 dollars each.

California was awarded on April 4, by the Committee of the New Orleans Exposition, the sweepstake gold medal, againstthe world, for the best varieties of citron fruits. Ex-Secretary of State Frelinghuysen died at Newark, N. J. The Hon John Prisntery, ex-member of Congress, and a strong Fenian, was pelted with rotten eggs at Chicago on April 5, while attempting to address a rough poli- | tical meeting. The New York Chinamen held a jubilee on March 31 over the defeat of the French at Langson. A naturalised American named Robert

Ireland was kidnapped in New York by English officials, fie was a piper in the English army in 1876, and a deserter from Ayr. Ireland was taken to Canada, and will be sent to England for trial. The casejwas laid before the Secretary of State at Washington. A large Mormon emigration from Utah to Mexico is going bn at present, under orders from the church.

A professional spiritualist and medium named J. Harvey Watt came to grief in Kansas City. He had made a number of

converts during the year, but was at length exposed at a materialising seance by a newspaper editor, who threw a small jet of an aniline solution on the face of the imposter.

THE REVOLUTION IN PANAMA. Preston, the rebel leader on the_ Isthmus, seized R. M. S. Colin at Aspinwall on March 30, and imprisoned Captain Pearse, agent of the Company, Consul Wright and other Americans. H.M.S. Lily, on nearing the wharf at Aspinwall, was fired on, and promptly returned the fire. An American man-of-war was ordered to Aspinwall. The rebels got possession of Panama on March 31. Aspinwall was burnt by the insurgents the same day to escape capture by Government - troops. The Pacific Mail Docks, on the north end of the island, and the Canal property at Chripol, are the only buildings saved. There was no loss among the shipping. Thousands are destitute and without shelter. Great complaint is made of the English and American wardships for not protecting foreign interests on the Isthmus.

Later advices say Preston, chief of the, insurrectionists, is a notorious criminal, and his party is made up of banditti fromPern, Chili and Jamaica, with many negroes. They have no political principles, and aim only at plunder. The dis- - turbance, both in Panama and Aspinwall, is entirely social. There was a serious loss of mail matter by the burning of ; Aspinwall. The entire mail for the South Pacific, registered and ordinary; des-." patched from New York on March 21, perished. Consul Adamson telegraphs on April 2:—“Suffering at Aspinwall is awful,” and asks aid for the homeless and starving people. Railway transit over the Isthmus was closed on April 1, but would ■* be ro-opeoed shortly. The U.S. ■Severn* ment despatched some £OO marines to the scene. The Governor of Canca telegraphed on April 8, that the , had taken possession of the City of Panama. A United States force was guarding both ends of the railroad on April 11, and a relief train was running.

THE CENTRAL AMERICAN CON FEDBRAOY.

A treaty of offensive and defensive, was signed on March 1§ at Salvano, by the Governments of San Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Bics, for mutual defence against Barrios, of Guatemala, and his schemes of confederacy. President Zalvidere, of San Salvador, assumed the chief command. News was received on March 31 of a battle between Barrios’ troops and the San Salvador forces, in which the former were defeated. The fight took place on the plains of Santa Anna, near the frontier. After’ ten hours’ desperate fighting, in which quarter was never asked or taken, the , Guatemalans were completely routed, leaving 1,500 dead upon the field. Barrios retreated across the frontier. The San Salvador force numbered 11,0C0 ; Guatemalans, 16,000. The opinion is that this battle has definitely settled the question of a Central Union on the plan proposed by Barrios. Great (?) sympathy is expressed for the defeated revolutionists, and the disaster is regarded as good news by the mercantile community. According to a despatch of April 4, hostilities between Guatemala and the Allied Republics were suspended, and an armistice of one month’s duration is announced. The Union decree of President Barrios was also annulled. The gold-hilted a word of Barrios was found on the'battle field of Ohalcbicaps, broken, and his death has' been confirmed. The installation of bis successor, General Llsseodro Barrelos, one of the two Vice-Presidents, has taken place, and his Presidency was acknowledged by the United States. The family of Barrios has left Guatemala for San Francisco.

AFFAIRS IN THE SOUDAN.

The r Mudir of Dongola has arrived at Cairo, to confer with the English Egyptian officials. On leaving Dongola, some of the natives threw mud at him. General Graham’s troops returned to Suakim on April 5, and according to Hatches of that date from London, it is believed the public is witness the withdrawal of the whole of the British forces froqa the ;oodan to Egypt, and the abandonment of the nlla'Alßn to urn expedition. General Graham telegraphed from Suakim to Government on April 6, as follows •' OUr march tuTamai, and'our destruction of that place after Osman Digfia’s Boast to drive us into the sea, must greatly discourage the rebels.?’ 11 ' ' ■ General Stephenson reports on April 1}. —It will be practically impossible jfco move the British forces from Dongol*

daring the summer. The Nile is not navigable from March to July.” The report is confirmed that the English Government invited Italy to occupy Cairo and the Soudan.

ENGLAND AND RUSSIA.

San Francisco, April 12. Russia is continuing her naval and military preparations with great energy, and the Russian fleet is in a thorough state d readiness. Since April 2 the Russian naval authorities have been looking for available vessels in every port of the United States. Orders for six fast iron cruisers have been received from Russia by Philadelphian firms, and they are to be of the Esmeralda pattern. Both powers are actively courting alliances with foreign powers. The defences of Victoria, 8.C., are being strengthened with all possible despatch. Ayoub Khan, ex-Ameer of Afghanistan was arrested by the Persian authorities on the demand of the British Minister at Teheran. He was arranging to join the Russian troops at Askabad. The morning newspapers throughout Russia, with very few exceptions, commenting on the recent battle, are very bellicose in their utterances, and charge Earl Dufferin and Sir Peter Lumsden with provoking war by advising the Afghans to advance on Ful-i-Khiati, which the English officials knew was a part of Russian territory. The Afghans, they say, also fully understand that Pul-i-Kbisti was Russian territory, and would never have attempted to advance their pickets to that place unless strongly urged to do so by British officials. The war party fully endorse the assertions of these newspapers, and are very pugnacious over the affair. 1

The Paris Gaulois publishes a telegram from Berlin, which says Prince Bismarck has assured the bankers that, in spite of the incident of Penideh, be hopes to preserve peace. Bari Northbrook has decided t) organise a great cruiser service of swift vessels.

Part of the British squadron in Chinese waters has been ordered to rendezvous at Point Hamilton, an island in the Corean Archipelago, recently taken possession of by England. As Point Hamilton commands the entrance of the Sea of Japan, and largely commands the way to Russian parts on the Pacific, this order has been issued, it is believed, with a view to attack YJadivostock if war with Russia be declared.

British transports are being rapidly prepared for the conveyance of troops. Several have already received orders. The work of fitting out ships of war is being carried on with all speed, and two vessels of the Channel Squadron—the Saltan and Neptune— have been ordered to Portsmouth, to have their torpedo fittings examined.

Reports are current that large orders have been given for field guns, torpedoes and torpedo boats. General Stewart, in anticipation of instructions to advance bis entire Indian command, has ordered an advance by way of Quettah of the artillery corps now stationed at Peshawur.

The utmost secrecy is maintained about the movements of British troops in India. Press correspondents at Rawal Pindi are refused all information about the Army. It has been ascertained that a number of detachments have already left en route for Quettah. It Is learned from St Petersburg that the Ameer’s plan of campain in connect ion frith the army, in case of war with Russia, is about as follows:—The Ameer’s troops are divided into four corps, one of which ramairs in Cabal, while the other three have taken up a position against the Russians. The three corps embaoa 27,800 infantry, 8,900 cavalry, and 116 guns. These three corps stand at present in Herat, in Tenstapul, and in Sarispul. Together with the troops in Cabul, the Ameer has an army of 67,000 men. Russia has mobilised 60 divisions, which have been'sent to the Trans-Caspian. As ah indication of the feeling in the Caucasus, it is asserted that the Mussulmans are convinced that Turkey stands on the side of Russia. This notice is the first positive information received here from these regions. A St Petersburg telegram of April 11 pays:—Tue war feeling here is overwhelmiogty strong. The Czar appeared at the theatre last evening. The audience, still enthusiastic over the news from Pei jdeh, on the general assumption that Komar off'a conduct bad the Imperial approval, rose when they saw the Czar, and shook the building with an ovation of applause. The Czar and Gzirina, and members of the Royal family, attended this evening at a grand entertainment in .his city for the benefit of invalid soldiers. The presence of the Czar aroused the greatest enthusiasm. The National Anthem was sung by the whole audience, and when the Czar advanced to the front of the box and bowed his thanks, he was greeted with cheers. The ovation was continued outside the theatre, and the Royal family was followed by crowds of people to the gates of the palace. The Minister of War, speaking to the officers to-night, said he bad the assurance of the Czar that Russian troops might advance, but they would never retire.

IRISH NEWS. The Nationalists In Ireland are jubilant over the downfall of M. Ferry, the French Premier. They exalt over it la their newspapers, and describe it as the just punishment of the Premier for his arbitrary act la expelling Fenians from France. They say Stephens, Davies and Lproy were as peaceable and law-abiding residents os any men in Paris, and that which made them outlaws was a piece of mean obsequiousness to England. Per contra, the English press points to the miserably small sums subscribed for the relief of Jamee Stephens as a proof that Fenlanism is dead. The Nationalists' strength, however, is growing throughout Ireland. This is shown by the Poor Law Boards elections recently. These results, it is generally admitted, forecast a greatly increased League representation in the Parliamentary elections which will soon take place. Mr Healey, who presided at a meeting of Nationalists in Dublin, said the Prince was coming ostensibly to see the condition of the country. It would be better if he visited the hats of evicted families whom the League was supporting, instead of pionicing at landlord's homes. He regretted a gentleman destined to be King of Ireland—(great uproar, and shouts of “ Never ”) —should be so ignorant of public feeling in Ireland as to visit Dublin Castle, sod thereby cause Itishmen to attribute to him a desire to prop op Spencer’s filthy sceptre, and whitewash Dublin Castle, and to connect him (a Prince) with the murderer of Joyce and Haines. He concluded by assuring the Prince that, while wishing him a pleasant voyage and plenty of amusement, his visit would have no political effect whatever. Haoley, O’Bijen and other prominent Kutlonolists also ' denounced the preparations made to receive the Prince, and aoggssted that the Corporation of Dublin should close the roads along the proposed route of the visitors. The Irish Nationalists in Dublin have Issued a “ Parnell manifesto,” which is intended to draw from the Prince of gales’ reception the sympathy and good-