NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 203, 28 June 1878, Page 3

NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

(Per S.S. Arawata, vi& Bluff.)

GENEEAL SUMMARY. London, May 10,

The Prince of Wales visited the Colonial court of the Paris Exhibition, and is said to have greatly delighted the Colonials by holding out a prospect of not a distant visit to the antipodes. The Queen is at Windsor, in excellent health.

It has been finally arranged that the Duke of Edinburgh is to continue in the Mediterranean. The Duchess returns to Kussia, on a visit to her parents. The Bishop Selwyn Memorial Committee have resolved to erect a monument in Lichfield Cathedral, and to found a Selwyn Collage at Cambridge, to include provision for the education of mission students. Liberal subscriptions are flowing in. An impression generally prevails that Ministers will appeal to the country at the close of the present session, which will be abridged whether there be peace or war. By a terrible squall which passed along the Biscayan coast on May 20, 80 boats were destroyed and 320 men and boys perished. A boiler explosion at a Dublin foundry on April 27 destroyed about 20 lives, and the premises were reduced to ruins. The unfortunate Eurydice is still at the ; bottom of the sea ; all attempts to raise her have proved unsuccessful. There is much grumbling at the want of skill displayed. The number of persons dependent on those who estimated at about 300, to relieve whom £20,000 will be required, and nearly that amount has been already raised. Advices from the Cape continue disquieting. Fighting from day to day is reported from one quarter and another with indecisive results. In each encounter fifty or sixty Kaffirs Are killed, and sheep and cattle taken, but the enemy retires into his fortress, and so prolongs the contest. It has required £19,000 a week to afford a moderate amount of relief to the distressed people on account of the strike in Lancashire.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer informed the House that the cost of the Indian Expedition would be borne by the Imperial Exchequer, and that the troops while in Europe would remain under the provisions of the Indian Mutiny Act

The Czar lately signed a decree calling oiit 240,000 men of the reserves ; 14,000 spades have been sent to the Russian head-quarters in Roumania, 20,000 cartridge chests have been ordered in Holland and Cronstadt, and Whitehead torpedoes are being steadily manufactured. One large factory was recently blown up.

The military situation as regards Eussia and Turkey appears to be improving ; the attitude of the Russian artny in the neighbourhood of Constantinople is less menacing, while the Turks have been diligentlyemployed during the past days in multiplying and strengthening the defences around their capital, so that any attempt on the part of the Russians to seize the city would certainly provoke a stubborn resistance.

Intelligence comes from Armenia to the effect that the Russiansare moving in considerable force into the districts adjoining to Batoum, with the intention apparently to attack the place if it should not yield peaceably.

The Christian population are hostile to Russian, rule. They flee from their homes, and abandon their fields, and have sent formal complaints to the Porte of the cruelties of the invaders.

Baker Pasha's appointment to the cornmat d of a division occupying part of the defensive lines of the capital is regarded with satisfaction at Constantinople.

The lines are occupied by 90,000 men, and forces are constantly arriving from Asia. The Sultan inspected his troops last week.

' The Duke of Edinburgh has been transferred from the command of the Sultan to the Black Prince, the crews of the two ships being changed. The Black Prince is at Malta, and remains part of Lord John Hay's squadron. The Duchess returns to Russia, the Duke accompanying her for a portion of the journey. She will, however, spend some time in Coburg. A movement is afloat for the erection of a Bishopric in Liverpool. The fund needed for the endowment is £80,000, and half is already promised. Sir J. Fergusson has recently been entertained at a banquet by the Greenock conservatives, who failed to return him to Parliament in the late election contest.

Colonel Wellesley has been appointed First Secretary to the EnglKi Embassy at Vienna.

In anticipation of the election of a new Parliament in autumn, candidates are everywhere working their constituents, and many old representatives have signified their intention to retire.

The new hall and library of Keble College, Oxford, were opened last week with a great ceremony. Messrs Gladstone and Gathorne. Hardy were the principal speakers. There is agitation among the Metropolitan police for an increase of pay. It originated with the sergeants, and extended through every grade of the service. Obituary—Admiral Sir F. W- Grey, Mr G. S. Crawford, M.P for County Down, Alderman Carter, Mr W. Mitchell, proprietor of the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette; Viscount Southwell.

News from the Cape is very disquieting. General Thesiger has rendered himself extremely unpopular with the Volunteers. A writ of habeas corpus for the production of tho Rev. Mr Dodwell from Broadmoor criminal lunatic asylum, with a view to his discharge, was refused by the

Judges. A remarkable will case has been proceeding for the last three weeks in the Irish Probate Court. Mrs Bagot, grand daughter of the late Sir W. Verner, challenges the will of her husband, Mr E. A. Bagot, who had large estates in the West of Ireland, and had amassed an immense fortune in Australia. She contests it on the ground of unsoundness of mind, and undue influence. A son born shortly after the marriage was repudiated by the husband. Some disgraceful disclosures have been made regarding the Verner family.

Contracts have been made for the supply of a million yards of cloth for nriliiia uniform.

Kumour has fixed upon the stipulations respecting the delineation of, New Bulgaria and the cessions demanded in Asia Minor as those forming the chief subject of contention between the two Governments. It is said that England, supported by France, objects to the extension of Bulgaria to the iEgean sea-board ; while Iα Armenia she is determined to tolerate no changes calculated to compromise ber connection with India.