ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1463, 24 October 1878, Page 3

ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

[from the correspondent of the press.] A correspondent at Constantinople states that the prospectus of the treaty proposed by Russia for enforcing those portions of the Treaty of San Stefano which wore abrogated by the Berlin Congress, fixes the amount of war indemnity to be paid by Turkey, exclusive of territorial concessions, at 310,500,000 francs.

ENGLAND, AFGHANISTAN, AND RUSSIA. Vienna reports state that Lord Salisbury has asked what is the object of the Russian mission to the Ameer of Cabul, and what position Russia intends to assume regarding Afghanistan. The “Goloß”says the report is probably correct, but needs confirmation. It thinks Russia will reply that she does not feel bound to explain the object of her mission, and that in the event of war between England and Afghanistan she will observe the same degree of neutrality that was observed by England during the late war between Russia and Turkey. THE SOCIALISTS BILL, The Socialists Bill provides that the Penal Court of Appeal for cases arising under the Bill consist of four members of the Federal Council, selected by their colleagues, and their judges from the Supreme Court of the Empire or individual States, the Emperor to appoint a president and vice-president of the Court. The Government is opposed to method of constitution of the Court of Appeals adopted in this amendment to the Bill by the Parliamentary Committee. NEW ZEALAND AFFAIRS. The “ Scotsman” devotes a leading article to New Zealand. It says the teaching of statistics shows that New Zealand had developed her wool staple more than any other colony. New Zealand gets as much wheat per acre as in Scotland. She has far more justification for her expenditure, for there is better security for her debt, even largo as it is, than other colonies can offer. New Zealand stands out before them all as possessed of a soil, a climate, and resources which seem to guarantee prosperity. With wise government and judicious development of these resources, her debt will bo in truth a fleabite, and her taxation, though now heavy, may be at some time lessened and made easier. CABUL. When the British mission was refused passage, the commandant of Alumisfla told Major Carrington that but for personal friendship he would shoot him on the spot. The Indian Government has long had possession of authoritative documents advising Shore AH in the name of Russia, and by Russian agents, to just such a dangerous policy as he is now pursuing. Indian newspapers publish despat ches to the Ameer. The first, dated August 14th, is an intimation in friendly and dignified language of the intention of sending a mission to Cabul. The second, of August 23rd, offers condolence on the death of Adulluh Jar, the heir apparent to the Afghan throne. No answers were returned.

The British force of 15,000 men is assembled. xnE princess Alice disaster.

One of the most melancholy catastrophes of the present century occurred on the Thames on the evening of Friday, 3rd September, and has overshadowed the city with deep gloom. A saloon steamer, the Princess Alice, which had left London Bridge in the morning on one of her daily excursions, was returning up the river. She was run into amidships by the Bywell Castle, a screw steamer, and was damaged so severely that she sank almost immediately. It is believed that there were in all about 800 souls on board at the time, and of these only about 100 were saved. The remainder perished within sight of their homes. Captain Harrison, of the steamer Bywell Castle, attributes the accident to a sudden and unexpected change in the course of the Princess Alice. The vessels were approaching each other at a bend of the river, and when the Princess Alice was first visible to those on board the Bywell Castle, slje was advancing on the port tack, but suddenly starboarding her helm, as if with view of crossing the other’s bows, a collison was inevitable, notwithstanding that the engines of the screwsteamer were reversed. The crew of the By well Castle rendered all assistance in their power. That vessel has sustained little damage. Great sympathy is felt for the bereaved friends, with whom the Queen has publicly expressed her condolence. A fund lor the relief of sufferers by the disaster has been opened by the Lord Mayor, and already £IO,OOO has been subscribed, the Queen contributing 100 guineas and the Prince of Wales 50. Among the subscribers the Australian cricketers appear for the handsome sum of £IOO. A Board of Trade enquiry will bo held as to the cause of the disaster, and a committee has been appointed by the Government to enquire into the present laws in force as to Thames navigation, with a view to their amendment. CYPEUS. The fever, which was for a time on the decrease in Cyprus, has again increased. The “Pall Mall Gazette,” oir the 10th instant, in reference to this matter, says—“ The \Y ar Office intelligence, if rather tardy, is at any rate conclusive. A telegram Sir Anthony Home, dated Harnaca, September 7th, settles the question as to the health of the troops in the Island of Cyprus, and fully confirms the statement printed by the “ Daily News ” despatch. The Royal Engineers are very sickly. Twenty-five per cent, of their strength are sick. Of the whole of the force of 2640 men, 307 are in hospital. I have been ill myself, but now recovering. It is evidently time that some steps should be taken to check the spread of this serious, fever, which, though not fatal in a large number of cases, leaves those who recover in a very weak condition, and liable to relapse.” The bright anticipations which were at first found as to the acquisition of the island are becoming diminished, and it is every day growing more apparent that its valve was at first greatly exaggerated-

EAIiAVAY ACCIDENT. On Saturday week a disastrous accident occurred at Sittingboimie, on the London, Chatham, and Dover railway. A fast passenger train from Ramsgate tp London ran into a goods train which, instead of having been shunted into a siding, waa turned across the up line. The carriages were overturned and greatly damaged, causing the death of five persons, forty more being injured, some very seriously. Many of the passengers consisted of persons returning from their season’s holiday. At the coroner’s inquest on the bodies of the persons killed, Colonel Rich attributed the accident to a mistake on the part of both guards, and said such mistakes could only he prevented by the adoption of th.o cyatem. of interlocking points and signals, Both'guards were committed trial On a charge of manslaughter.

UAHBETTA’S PROGRAMME

Gambetta has made a very violent speech. A correspondent at Paris telegraphs that notwithstanding the approbation of Gambetta’e

speech at Rouen met with from one part of the Republican Press, it has made moderate Republicans uneasy. It is not thought his programme will contribute to the success of Senatorial elect ions, for it opens up a field to discussion in w'dch the adversaries of the Republic will find it easy to exaggerate the orator’s words, and show that the Republic proposes to lay hands on every existing institution in the revolutionary sense. I heard the speech objected to by men who are neither clerical nor Monarchist nor Bonapirtist. They regretted Gambetta’s formulated programme, the smallest fault of which is that it is inopportune. The Vatican has decided to instruct the French Bishops to spare no efforts to counteract the effects of Gambetta’s speech. A Paris despatch says Gambotta’s speech at Rouen, as published in the “ Republiquo FranQaise,” is considerably toned down. It was said this was done in consequence of President McMahon having threatened to resign.