CABLEGRAM.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3254, 6 December 1881, Page 4

CABLEGRAM.

(Special to Australian Papers.)

LONDON

November 21

Messrs Howard, Smith and Sons, of Melbourne, have entered into contracts for the immediate construction of two steamers, each of 4000 tons, to be employed in the intercolonial coasting trade of Australia. Tbe colonists of Natal are very indignant at the appointment of Mr Sandall, one of the assistant secretaries of the Local Government Board, as Governor of ths colony in succession to Sir Evelyn Wood. They object to an untried official being sent out at the present time, and have offered to increase salary by £2500 per annum on condition that an efficient and more distinguished Governor will be apppointed. Hopes are entertained that the general rising of the Transvaal natives will be averted. Many of tbe Kaffir tribes, who showed a disposition to attack the Boers, are now becoming quiet. Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, has been betrothed to the Princess Helen, fourth daughter of Prince Waldeck Regermont. The Princess is twenty years of age. A tunnel through the Pyrenees is projected. An outbreak in Egypt is considered imminent. The Ulemas, who comprise the most intelligent and influential Egyptians, are encouragingthe Garislamis movement, which is spreading from the adjoining Mahomedan states. They are causing much disquietude by their intrigues with the Egyptian army. Clement Scott, a London literature, has obtained £1,500 damages iv a libel action which has arisen out of the will which Miss Adelaide Neilson, the celebrated actress, who died suddenly in Paris in August, 1880, made in favor of Rear Admiral Flynn. Atrocious outrages continue to be frequently perpetrated in tbe disaffected districts in Ireland, and a painful feeling of alarm prevails amongst tbe law abiding portion of the inbabitauts. Meetings in the Liberal interest which were to have been held at Newcastle and Marylebone, London, have had to be abandoned, in consequence of the violence of the Irish residents, who refused to allow them to take place. The Legislative Council of Natal have voted only six months' supplies for the current financial year, as a protest against the appointment. In consequence of Irish juries persistently refusing to convict well-estab-lished cases of outrage, the British Government, it is expected, will shortly suspend the operation of the jury law in Ireland. Mr Bourke, the representative of the British and Dutch holders of Turkish bonds in Constantinople, has applied to the British Government to help him in arriving at a satisfactorily settlement with the Porte by throwing the weight of their influence against the Russian proposals, which threaten to render a settlement beneficial to the bondholders impossible. The pistol with which Lefroy murdered Gold in a first-class railway carnage has been found in Bradcombe tunnel. The general in command of the Chilian forces in Peru has arrested Gorgi Calderon, the constitutional President of the Republic, and Galvez, Minister for Foreign Affairs, as a protest against Mr Blaine'e recent announcement that the United States Government prohibited Chili from taking advantage of the defenceless position of Peru to absorb that country. It 13 stated that the French intend to exercise protectorate over the Austral Islands, a dispersed group in the South, the Society Islands, and over Cook's Islands, in the South Pacific. At a meeting of the Royal Colonial Institution held to-day the Duke of Manchester, who, as chairman of the Council, presided, remarked that his observations during his recent extended tour through Australia had caused him to doubt whether the export of wheat from the colonies would be a success for Borne years to come. He also questioned, whether the policy of free selection," however well meant it might be, could be considered a euccess when judged by existing results. It was certainly injurious to the squatters. The Culzean of 1633 tons, belonging to Kerr, Grenoch, has been wrecked in Jura Sound among the St. Hebrides. Twenty-five lives were lost. An attempt has been made to murder the President of the Republic of Venezuela, General Blanco, but the assassin failed iv his object. The coastine steamer Columbia has been wrecked with the loss of thirty-two lives. A Nihilist plot to destroy the Emperor's palace at Gatchina has been discovered. The plan proposed was to load a baloon with dynamite, and cause it to descend on ! the palace. Several arrests have been made. Hanlan and Boyd have arranged a , sculling match on the Thames to take place in April next. Mr Bell, the President of the Legislative Council of Queensland, has been created a Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. Russia demands the territory of Armenia, or the right to collect Armenian taxes', in lieu of tbe indemnity payable by Turkey. Tbe Cholera at Mecca is abating. ' The Times, commenting on a letter which it recently published apropos of the reported annexation of Raratonga by France, maintains that tbe treaty between that country and Great Britain interdicts the former power from acquiring such possessions. Three additional land commissioners have been appointed to facilitate the despatch of the immense number of cases which have been submitted to the Irish Land Court. The Nihilists haye attempted to assassinate General Tocberoin, the officer in command of the Czar's special body guard, Guiteau, in his defence, has declared that the shooting of President Garfield was suggested by the newspapers, and that he was inspired to commit the deed by the Diety. A great storm was raging over tbe greater part of England throughout yesterday. Many houses were much j damaged by the extreme violence of the gale, and along the coast shipping disasters were numerous. November 29. It is anticipated that tbe Imperial Parliament will be summoned to meet for the despatch of business on January 19. Mr O'DofinelJ, member for Dungarvon, and Vice-President and Secretary of the Irish Homo Rule Confederation of Great Britain, is assisting Sir Samuel Wilson in his canvass for the seat for Londonderry County. Count Yon Moltke, Chief Marshall of tbe German Empire, has resigned the command of the German army. The ship British Navy, 1263 tons, Capt. Tilfer, has eunk iv the Downs while od

her voyage to Sydney. Twenty of the passengers aud crew were drowned. Calfrock light-house, in Bantry Bay, on the south coast of Ireland, haa been deserted.