MISCELLANEOUS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 324, 26 June 1875, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

Paris, May 24 President MacMahon has sent to the different Powers of Europe a diplomatic note stating that the sentiments of the French Government are peaceful, and that the nation is adverse to war or any unfriendly controversy with the other Governments. New York, May 21. A Times special fromOceola, Pennsylvania, says one of the most destructive fires that ever occurred in that city is now raging around the top of the mountain, near the summit of which Oceola stands. Early yesterday, the chutes of the Philadelphia mine, opposite the town, took fire from the sparks of a locomotive, and the flames spread to the woods, and soon reached the town. The Tipton house was destroyed; the inhabitants of the town were hemmed in by the fire, and great consternation prevailed. Finally a train dashed into the depot, the women and children were placed in the cars, and a successful trip through the burning woods was made to Phillipsburg. The mill of the Moshannon Land and Lumber Company, containing 14,000,000 feet of lumber, was destroyed ; also, three other large mills. Tyrone (Pa.), May 21,

The confusion is so great and the telegraph lines so busy with railroad business that it is impossible to get much further information about the fire at Oceola. Hundreds of people are homeless and friendless, destitute of clothing and provisions. The burgess of Huntington was telegraphed this morning for food and clothing for the sufferers. Relief is badly needed. A large number of cars and many feet of trestlework on the railway have been destroyed. The shipment of coal will be delayed for at least ten days. The total insurance report amounts to nearly 100,000dol. A fire is raging in the woods of Snowshoe City, where several houses and a number of cars and trestle-work are destroyed. Pottsville, May 21.

The wind having subsided to-day the fires in the mountains have not spread so rapidly, and the destruction of property is not so great as yesterday. A fire near Ellemgrowan destroyed twelve miners’ houses this morning. The men are out working against the flames, and the remaining houses have been saved. A small mining village was entirely burned. Fifteen miners’ dwellings were burned at Lanigan’s, and at Perry colony several houses and works are destroyed. Tyrone (Pa), May 21.

The fire is still raging furiously through* out the woods in the neighborhood of Oceola. Mr Wood, train-master at Tyrone, saved a great many lives by hisheroic conduct. He fitted up a train of box-cars, which he filled with men, women, and children, and sent it through the burning forest at the highest rate of speed to Phillipsburg, Pour such trips were made, and about 1000 people were thus taken to a place of safety. Great excitement and confusion prevailed among the people. Houtzdale, a town of about 700 inhabitants, six miles I'frora Oceola, is reported as entirely burned to the ground. The fire is spreading with great rapidity through the woods, and at the latest accounts has reached Parsonville. The ties on the Pennsylvania railroad track from Oceola to Houtzdale are burned, so that no coal can be shipped for some time.

Captain Brown, of the Falkenburg, states that on the 6th of May, while his vessel was lying at the wharf in Portland, the steamer Senator, plying between Portland and Oregon city, blew up, killing the captain, purser, and several of the hands and passengers, A number of persons are missing, but as no passenger list was kept, it was not known who was on board at the time. She was a stern-wheel steamer, about 150 feet in length, and was left a total wreck.

The financial outlook is gloomy for Spain. Her annual revenues do not exceed £16,000,000, of which it takes £15,000,000 to support her armies—leaving only £1,000,000 to conduct the civil service. Her debt has reached £530,000,000, at 8 per cent, upon which no interest can be paid, and the nation is forced into the negative position of a repudiator, A Madrid correspondent of the London Times says there is no possible exertion that the Government could make that would force from its resources beyond £30,000,000 per annum, or afford more than a fourth of that amount for the payment of the interest on her debt. The worst of the matter is, there is no hopeful prospect beyond.

The Sour un lerstanda that the leaders of the anti-vivisection movement have prepared a bill, which is already in the hands of the Home Secretary, and for which they are anxious to obtain the support of the Government. The measure is a moderate one. It imposes certain restrictions, and requires that special reports should be made of all that is done by way of experiment on living animals. The election for the little Dorsetshire borough of Bridport, which excited some interest in official circles, has ended in a severe defeat for the Tories. Either they did not like their candidate, Sir C. Whetham, or they did not care about their party, for only 189 came to the poll. The Liberal, Mr Pendale Ealli, on the other hand, received 620 votes, or six-tenths of all upon the register, a fact the more remarkable because he had honestly avowed himself a member of the Greek Church, and was fiercely attacked upon that ground. As far as we remember, Mr Ralli is the first of the AngloGreek merchants of London who has as yet reached the House of Commons.

President Grant has formally abandoned the attempt to improve the Civil Service of the United States. He had threatened that if Congress would not legislate on the subject before dispersing, he should regard its inaction as a disapproval of his proposals. Congress nevertheless dispersed without taking up the subject, and the Government has dissolved all the Examining Boards. The effect of this decision is to leave all offices whatever to be scrambled for at the next election by all persons, competent or incompetent, and immensely increase the bitterness of the contest. All officials must work to secure the return of friends of the White House in order to secure their places, while all who wish for office must aid the Democrats, who alone will put in many new men. It is rot improbable that with the next President we may see a complete change in all the United States offices, from the Minister in London down to the smallest postmaster. There is no reason to doubt that President Grant was at first sincere in his desire to reform the Civil Service, by making of it a kind of army, with admission by qualifications and no dismissals :but the steady dislike of the Senators, who want the patronage for their supporters, has beaten him in the end.