YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2042, 20 November 1907, Page 1

YESTERDAY’S CABLES.

Unitod Press Association—Copyright , The British Board of Trade lias issued a notico that after January Ist foreign seamen will bo unable to engage in British ships in European waters unless they have enough: knowledge of' English to understand Die orders given in English. The order affects Italians, Portugese, Spaniards, and Greeks. 'Mr. Asquith, speaking at Nuneaton, suggested that tho -recent conference was a little Birmingham comedy for the salting of Mr. Balfour’s tail. He added that when Mr. Balfour rose the hulk of his Protectionists hearers must have asked themselves, “Shall we get him?” After tho speech another question must liayo been asked, with varying degrees of anxiety ami assurance, “liavo wo got him?” “My disinterested verdict,” continued Mr. Asauith, “is that the bird has the best of it.” It was now plain that tho Tory party, as a party, liad been captured by the Protectionists, -and tho Liberal party stood betwoen the country and protection. A return to protection now had becomo a more substantial and more imminent danger than tiio showy spectre of Socialism. Liberals’ first- duty was to show that they were able to continue tho inestimable advantages of a freetrade jiolicy, with steady, continuous progress in social reform. J Tho North German Gazette, tho organ of the Government, expresses' delight at tho hardly surpassable condition of tho Kaiser’s -welcome, and characterises the visit as a highly important political event. King Edward and Queen Alexandra had luncheon on Sunday at Windsor Castle. The Kaiser and Ivaiserin, King and Queen of Spain, and the Queen of Portugal and of Norway wero xiresent. An Order-in-Couneil lias been gazetted, providing for the exercise of the King’s jurisdiction in tho New Hebrides in accordance with the An-glo-French convention ratified on October 29. Tho steamer Kilbride, which went ashore on a 'reef at Suva, was discharging sugar into lighters at the time. Att cm ids to float lier have failed with two. tides. Tlie weather is mild ; otherwise tho iiosition would bo ominous. At Proskuroff, (Bussia) a court martial sentenced eleven xieasants to be hanged for tho murder of a- rural guard. 'The German naval estimates for next yeair are 17 millions sterling, and for the future years millions. The construction xirogramme provides for three Dreadnoughts annually until 1912, two afterwards until 1916, one mammoth cruiser, and twelve destroyers annually, besides submarines.

Lord Milner, spieakiiig at Edinburgh, said that tho Empire’s expansion was comidoted, and eonsoilidilution ought to proceed on a basis of equality of x>art-nership of all kith and kiii. A w’iso policy of fiscal reform would belli commerce into assisting tlio British worker, also helping colonial development-. Obituaries: Admiral Sir F. L. McClintc'ch, discoverer of t-lie fate of Sir John Franklin, aetat 88; B-ob-ert, -Duko of Parma, Italy, aetat 59. Tho latter’s fortune is eight- million pounds sterling.