ENGLISH NEWS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 788, 25 May 1877, Page 3

ENGLISH NEWS.

— o — City of New York, with tho San Francisco mails, arrived at Auckland at one o’clock on Saturday afternoon. She brings European and American news. Dates are to the 25 th ult. European. On the 24th the Russians crossed tho Pruth. There are, therefore, no accounts of engagements. The .Turkish Government demanded of Roumania to resist their passage, but they replied it was too serious an undertaking. The Grand Duke Nicholas has issued a proclamation to the Roumanians, stating that the army came as friends for the sole purpose of helping the unhappy Christians, and that everything required for the army would be paid for, Fifty thousand Russian troops marched on Galatz, another fifty thousand crossed the river at Ten thousand Turks’marched from|Widdin to defend the Danube between Silistria and Ismail. Rustchuck is well organised. The Turks have made great preparations for defending the Danube, by ironclads, boats, etc. The Porte has made a demand on Servia to prevent the passage of the Danube by Russian troops. The Sultan sent a requisition to the Khedive for troops, and ho promised 50,000. The Russian fleets in the Atlantic and Pacific have been ordered to concentrate in the Mediterranean. A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says I have just inspected the Ottoman fleet in the Bosphorous, and find the condition of the Sultan’s navy splendid. The vessels are fully manned, and the discipline is as good as possible. Hobart Pasha has been formally appointed commander of the Black Sea Squadron, which comprises 15 ironclads. The forts on the Bosphorous are also ready. Reports from the Turkish armies are also satisfactory. Mahomet Pasha, first A.D.C. of the Sultan, has left the capital to inspect the troops and) munitions of war in Anatolia, and superintend the : final arrangements along the Asiatic frontier. The Abdul Kerim, the Turkish General, has started for Shumla, to assume the command of the army of the Danube. The Athens correspondent of the Daily News states that the Greek Government has given orders that the army of 60,000 men will be in readiness for active service in case of need. The feeling in Athens is intensely anti-Russian. The Bosnian refugees, now in Austrian territory, number 110,000, who cost their entertainers SOO.'OOO florins per month, in consequence of the insurrection. Should these numbers be doubled, Austria might be compelled to cross the frontier with an armed force, to quell the localised insurrection. With this view, Count Ignapiry has" received orders to make every preparation at the frontier for meeting such a necessity. The Persian camp on the Turkish frontier will be broken up to prevent misunderstanding. The Turkish troops upon the plain of Mastibetilis were recently ordered to Erzeroom. Immediately on their departure some of the Xoordish tribes rose, burned the barracks, and commenced to plunder the Christian villages. Inhabitants fled to Bitish. The Koords have now been scattered over the country for three weeks, robbing the caravans and travellers. The cavalry which has been sent against them are too few to drive them back. The movement of troops between Trebizond and Erzcroum is more active than ever. All necessaries are at famine prices. Commerce no longer exists. The distress is extreme. The pay of troops is thirty or thirty-five months in arrears, and they are ill-fed. The correspondent of the Standard on board the Danube steamboat reports that the Turks made great movement from Widdin towards Rustchuck in boats towed by steamers, i ■ Tho Turkish preparation for tho defence of the Danube, by means of gunboats, ironclads, &c-, is most, formidable. The Turkish troops are well armed and clothed, and in good spirits, although dysentery has appeared among them. London. The plague has broken out in Bagdad. One hundred thousand persons proposed to march in procession to the House of Commons to present a petition in favor of the Tichbourne Claimant. Troops wore kept in barracks to prevent disorder, 50,000 persons took part in tho Tichbourne demonstration. Tingall and Sons, of Liverpool, have failed for two millions and a half. ■Vienna. Austria is well prepared for war. The Standard special says it is impossible for Hungary and Austria to remain neutral. Both argue in favor of an alliance with England against Russia. China. Ten thousand troops mutinied near Tienstein, threw away theit arms, ami marched to Shanttering. San Francisco, April 25. A fight between Indians and hunters has occurred on Buffalo Range, and fifteen of the latter were killed,

In Mexico a battle took place near M anczath, in the State of Canca, between General Tongollos and the enemy. It lasted seven hours. Tongollos was victorious. The losses of both sides wero’he.avy. Spotted Tail and many Indians havo surrendered. Tho steamship Leo'was ’burned at sea. The captain and 13 of;the crew?esoaped in a life-boat. Three passengers and 18 of tho crew are missing. A terrible tornado at Rutherford, Tennessee, blowjdown fifteen houses, and killed three persons and w’ounded eight. The Grand Dukes' Alexis and' Constantine, and the Admiral of the Russian fleet, have visited New York. Mexico has outraged the American flag by the seizure of tho’’schoonerl Montana, and the arrest of the United States Consul at Acupuleo. Two American war vessels have bcenfseut to enquire. The Southern Hotel, the finest of the kind in the city, was destroyed by fire between 1 and 2 o’clock in the morning. Before tho engine had arrived at the fire the upper storeys were in flames. At 2 o’clock the scenes in the vicinity of the hotel were indescribable, ‘ and the excitement intense. Numbers of tho inmates were killed in the flames, and others dashed to pieces by jumping from the windows. Two hundred female helps wero asleep on the sixth floor at the time of the outbreak. Tho mortality among them was very great. Many wonderful escapes occurred, and deeds of heroic valour were performed. The hotel was completely destroyed. The loss of property was estimated at one million dollars ; insurance about one-fourth. The number of killed is 125. The report that the Prince of Wales will visit Australia is contradicted. His Royal Highness has been suffering from abscess, the effects of his severe illness. He has recovered, and leaves with the Princess for the Continent, preparatory to a Mediterranean cruise. Societies are erecting a large number of houses in Jerusalem for Jews. A Belgrade despatch to the Times says that commerce and manufactures in Bosnia are suspended by the enforced circulation of paper 'currency. Insurrectory bands are continually receiving accessions. Troops and artillery are going in all directions. Warlike preparations continue. The Government is demanding money and supplies from Christians, and they are being drafted into the army and sent to Asia. Mr Layard, who succeeded Sir Henry Elliott as British Ambassador at Constantinople, proceeded with the idea of keeping his Government as correctly informed as possible of the military and political affairs about to occur ; also the disposition the Porte manifests during the earliest phases of the struggle, in order to seize, if possible the moment when, in consequence of military events, it will become possible to exert mediatory influence. From 50,000 to 60,000 people took part in the Tiohborne demonstration. Their leader, Mr De Morgan, proceeded alone to the House of Commons. Ho wrote to Mr Cross, Home Secretary, who replied that he would read the petition, and if good reason were given would move that he be heard at the bar of the House. The crowd dispersed peaceably. A motion by Mr Shaw in the House of Commons to enquire into Ireland’s demands for Home Rule caused a hot debate. It was rejected. Von Moltke said the French war budget is heavier by a hundred and fifty million francs than that of Germany. The French papers were full of envy and spite against Germany. France, remembering how often the Empire invaded Germany before it became united, feared similar treatment, hence the strengthening of the positions between Paris and the frontier and its gigan-tic-armament. He did not believe peace could be long preserved. The Government must soon strain every nerve for existence. Russia has felt the strain on her financial resources very severely, and has issued paper currency to such an extent that the journals protest.