NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 523, 21 February 1876, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

From our files to hand by tha mail, we make the following extracts. We may state, however, that the Zealandia, which arrived in Melbourne a short time ago, brought three days’ later English and European news than that now to hand : Boston, Mass. December 22. Shortly before seven o’clock this evening a terrible explosion occurred in South Boston, by which a large number of persons were injured and several killed. As yet it is impossible to learn the cause of the explosion or the extent of the damage. The large gas main running under the Federal street bridge to South Boston, and thence along the water edge under the pavement on Federal street, exploded with a loud report, tearing up the pavement for a distance of 150 ft or more. The street was thronged with people at the time, and many were buried under the debris. Crosby’s grain warehouse was badly shattered, and will have to be taken down. The foreman was instantly killed. It is supposed several persons were blown into the water. Several dead bodies have already been taken out. As yet there is no positive knowledge of the cause of the explosion; but it is supposed that the recent cold weather caused the pipe to burst, and, the ground becoming impregnated with gas, ighitibh from some cause communicated fire to the confined gas and caused the explosion. Bye witnesses state that the first intimation of the explosion was a bright flash about the middle of the causeway, followed by a sharp explosion, ahd’ paving stbneS, gravel, and debris flying in all directions. OTTAWA, December 25.

When the British troops were withdrawn from Canada, in 1870, an agreement was entered into by the Dominion Government with the Imperial Government to spend 1,000,000d0l annually in keeping up the defensive force of the militia for five years. As that time expires with the present month the Dominion Parliament will consider the militia question at the approaching session, and it is said that the Government will largely reduce expenditures. San Francisco, December 25. Another shock from an earthquake was felt last evening in Grass Valley. Hamilton, Bermuda, December 22. A fearful tornado passed over Tuckerstown and St David’s Island on the evening of the 17th instant. The dwelling house of Daniel Smith, a well known pilot of Tuckerstown, was blown into the harbor with all its inmates. Captain Smith was hurled into a clump of trees and saved. His wife was carried across the harbor, where she was found clinging to a plank. She was so badly injured that she died in a few hours. Their four children were drowned. The walls and roof of a stone tank near the house were torn asunder. Several other buildings were demolished, but there was no further loss of life. Half of the boats moored in the harbor were destroyed, and in St David’s Island the storm levelled everything in its course. Happily the tornado passed by

Hamilton. Had its path been across the town the entire place would have been more or less injured, or destroyed, Philadelphia, December 26. Frederika Greiner, occupying a room at the corner of Fourth and Brown streets, was burned nearly to a crisp this evening by the explosion of a coal oil lamp which she was carrying. The flames communicated to the house, causing a slight fire. Boston, Mass., December 26. A special to the Herald says :—Owens Reilly, a resident of Blackstone, R. 1., fell through the ice in the old canal at that place this morning. He battled his way to the shore, but froze to death, and bis body was sometime afterwards found on the bank, where, itps supposed, befell own exhausted, Rome, December 27. To-day being the Pope’s name day, there was a series of grand receptions at the Vatican. The members of the Papal staff and their commanding officers received the Pontifical benediction kneeling. The War Minister of his Holiness’ Council read an address congratulating the Pontiff, to which the Pope returned a suitable reply. Madrid, December 28. Intelligence has just been received here from the Phillippine Islands, giving the details of a dreadful hurricane which occurred there on the 30th of last month. The storm was particularly severe in the provinces of Albay and Camarines. which form the southeastern part of the island of Luzon. 250 lives were lost. 3800 dwelling houses were destroyed. Many cattle perished, and the crops in all directions are ruined. Vicksburg, December 30. The Caldwell brothers, colored, of Clinton, one of whom is State Senator, appeared on the streets of Clinton to-day drunk, and a quarrel ensued. Senator Caldwell then went into the cellar of a store and was pursued by whites, when he commenced firing. Dr Banks was shot at the second fire in the knee joint. The firing continued until Caldwell was fatally wounded. London, December 30, 4 a.m. The Admiraltj has issued to commanders of her Majesty’s ships an amended circular in regard to fugitive slaves. It orders that any slave received on a British man-of-war on the high seas shall be retained aboard until he can be landed in a country or transferred to a vessel where his liberty will be secured. Fugitive slaves asking admission to a British man of-war when in the territorial waters of a foreign State must only be admitted if their lives are endangered, and must not be kept ou board after the danger is passed ; but no demand for the surrender of a slave is to be entertained by a British officer. Berne (Switzerland), Dec. 27. News has been received here of a dreadful calamity which occurred in the little village of Hellikon, in the Canton of Aargan, on Saturday, Christmas festivities were being celebrated in the schoolhouse in that place, when the floor gave way. Eighty persons were killed, and fifty others more or less wounded. London, December 28. A special telegram from Penang appears in the second edition of the Times this afternoon, from which it appears the British now hold all the important positions in that neighbourhood. The Maharajah Lela has fled and taken refuge in Siamese territory. The British power is supreme at Perak —only the murderers of Mr Birch, the Resident, being in arms. Berlin, December 29. Austria’s project for the pacification of Turkey recently drawn up by Count Audrassy, the Prime Minister, has not yet been sent to the Great Powers for some reason unknown. It is reported that while an agreement has been made with regard to the control the treaty Powers should have, negotiations are pending between Austria and Russia as to what manner it should be exercised. St. Louis, December 13, A stupendous land swindle has just been unearthed in south-eastern Missouri. It appears that deeds to lands in northern Arkansas and south-eastern Missouri have been forged for some years past, and that agencies for this work were established in Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, New York, and Manchester, England. It is estimated that deeds to cover 12,000,000 acres of land have been disposed of, the valuation being 25,000,000 dols, to 30,000,000 dols. The land operated upon is owned by nonresidents, and, as the records were mostly destroyed during the war, the ring had every facility to carry on the enormous swindle. The deeds have been sold all over the United States and England. The Grand Jury of Shannon county, Missouri, have indicted Dr Thomas K- Harmon, David S. Bingham and James L. Lawton for complicity in the fraud. Lawton seems to have been the leader of the swindlers, and operated extensively in England. A part-heard appeal was heard before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on December.Sth, from the Vice-Admiralty Court of New 2Jealand. The appellants, as the owners, master, and crew of a small steam passenger vessel called the Storm Bird, instituted a salvage cause in New Zealand against the Strathnaver, a wooden emigrant ship of 1017 tons. The' Storm Bird’s case was that as she was leaving Port Nicholson harbour, at about eight in the evening, those on board of her observed the Strathnaver in a course which would have taken her on the West Ledge. Blue lights were burnt on the steamer to warn the ship, and the Storm Bird, putting on all steam, passed round under the emigrant’s ship’s stern, and hailed those on board to port their helm. They did so. The ship would afterwards have gone on Barrett’s Reef, but the Storm Bird took her in tow and carried her into Wellington. On the part of the Strathnaver, it was answered to this case that tin Strathnaver was never in danger, that she hac a pilot on board, by whose orders the course was changed, and that the service rendered was ordinary towage service, The Hew Zea land Court decided against the salvage claim and went further. The master and ownen of the Strathnaver claimed demurrage foi the arrest by the asserted salvors of the ship pending the decision of the court; and th( court gave them £6OO under this head againsi the asserted salvors. The appeal was thei i brought against both decisions. Dr Deane i Q.C, and Mr R. E. Webster were for thi i appellants. Mr Butt, Q.O, Mr Cohen, Q.C , and Mr B. C. Clarkson, were for the re i spondents. Sir Robert Phillimore deliverei the judgment of the committee, upholdini i the decision as to salvage, but reversing tha : by which £6OO was made payable for de s murrage. No Costs of the appeal were giver ) but the costs in the court below of the d« ) murrage question were to be those of th ■ appellants as far as they cwW ha separate