ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1973, 18 October 1888, Page 3

ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

The Pope has forwarded to Cardinal Gibbons, of Baltimore, a decree favorable to tbe Knights of Libor organisation m

the United States. Tbe Qaeen has granted a charter to the BritUh and East African Company,

organised to promote commercial interests In the territory granted by the Sultan of

Zanzibar and other potentates. Despatches at London, September 23, say the crop In India has failed, and that the Government have been c mpelled to adopt meaiares for tbe relief of the population. At Bombay and m the Decoan tbe or ops are suffering from drought, while m Bengal exoess of rain has flooded the oonntry Under the leadership of Cardinal Larlgerie a society has been formed for the suppression of negro slavery m Africa. The French Government has ordered gunboats to proceed to the west coast of Afrlo* for the purpose of pursutag vessels engaged In the slave trade, especially those which fly the French flag. A scare was caused m the War Department Lt Washington on September sth by information that a British officer had penetrated the secret of the operations of American torpedoes, on which chief reliance is placed for coast defence, and had forwarded a complete drawing to London. The Irish inmates of the Emigrants' Home at Glasgow broke out In a riot on. September 18tb, wrecked the house, and fotffcht desperately . The police broke 20 baton* m endeavoring to quell the disturbance. Sixty-five of the rioters were arrested, 52 of them being sentenced to one month's imprisonment and the others tftmanded.

Latest advfees from the north-west of Canada report that there la starvation among the inhabitants, with many deatha. Oannlballim exists In the River Plate district, the parents of families haying killed and eaten their own ohildren. 64,000db1s voted for supplies to the North* western Indiana hare been appropriated by dishonest agents, snd heuce the sufferings, Gabriel Dnmont Is stlrrlrg op discontent against the Canadians, and has snooeeded m gaining a large following. Families are fleeing from starvation In <* Labrador. Four were brought to Qaebeo m a schooner oh September 22 id. They abandoned everything they possessed,

•As a result of recent ioveatlgatlons, it

li reported that the valuable goldfields near Alaska recently dficoveted, and now being worked on the YonbJn River, are In British and not In United States territory, as had all along been supposed. Premier Meroler has oaaaed a sensation by laying, In a recent speech on the Independence of the Province of QaebeC| that " Qaebeo dires Downing-street or Ottawa to Interfere farther In her legislation." He alio denoancod the vetoes of the Dominion Government as inspired by English Protesta&t hatred of Frenob Roman Catbolici. The Premier's special organ (The Eleoteur) openly threatens the secession ol Qaebeo from the Canadian Union, and a new and powerful party has been formed with the ultimate object of jj •nnmtion to tht ynftej iStitei, -*