NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1576, 8 March 1879, Page 4

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

| “Pall Mall Budget.”] CENTRAL ASTATIC EXPLORATION. An Austrian-11 ungarian expedition, counting of Count Bela Szcchenyi and two ■acEntific coadjutors, has started for Central •\sir, the Ivueii Lun, end Thibet, which they propose to reach by w»y of the great Yang-’tse-kiang River. The Count, accompanied Shy Baron Schenk, the German charge d’aflVres, had an interview with tho membe>s of (fie Board of the Tsnngli-Yamon, at Peking, about the beginning of October last, in the course of which ho expounded his plans to the apparent satisfaction of the Board. Prim e Kung particularly is said to have bson pJeisel with the Count, and has since furnished him with letters of recommendation to the Chii eio Resident at Lhassa and other officials. It is time for .English explorers to look to thtlr spurs; for though Africa and the A re I i r regions are fuoilo scenes of conquest to them, something more powerful than glaciers and snow-capped mountains appears to ke?p them out of Central Asia, and the field is left undisputed to the Bela Szechenyis, the Prejevalskys, and a whole array of minor Russian travellers. ICK AND BNOAV ACCIDENTS. Another change has occurred in tho weather, a thaw having set in on January 13th. Dp to that day .tie frost, continued very severe tnroughouo ti e kingdom. The steamboat traftl) on the Thames was suspended, and the general navigation was ranch impeded by the ice, which was carried down tho stream in i»reat quantities. The ornamental waters in the Regent’s Park and 3b. James’s Park and all tho available ponds in the neighborhood of London were thronged with skaters. Several fatal ice accidents oceurred in various parts of tho country, and two or three cases were reported of persons being overcome by the cold, and found frozen to death in the snow. In Scotland communication by rail was much impeded, and on several lines trains were completely blocked by the drifted snow. The coasts' wore visited by heavy gales from Saturday till Monday, and numerous wrecks occurred, attended with considerable loss of life. THE KASIIGAB CLOUD. Once more the whole situation in Kashgar seems to ho getting almost unmanageable. _ If Russian reports are deserving of credit (which is doubtful), tho Chinese are unable to keep order in the province they have re conquered ; their troops are unpaid and starving ; and the population is rising against their rule iu various direction*. It is scarcely probable that, after having exerted themselves to such an extent to re-conquor Kashgar, they will give up their regained poeseßsiou without a severe struggle, or that tho claim on Kuldja will be abandoned when they are to so great a degree dependent upon that rich district for supplies. But the more difficulties they encounter in reorganising Kashgar itself tho less likelihood will there be that any direct attack can be made unon the Russian position. Tho attempt to enter into negotiations with the Russian commandant of Fort Vornoe certainly does not look like an immediate intention to push matters to extremity ; and the internal condition of China is still such that any grave defeat might entail serious danger. The opinion of observers close at hand appears to bo unfavorable to ohineso prospects, and deprecates any closer connection between England and China ; but it should be remembered that the disruption of the empire bus been often predicted, and yet China is certainly stronger now than she was even ten years ago. A. good understanding between the two countries ought to be fostered as iar as possible, whether tho Chinese look upon ua as barbarians or not; and this may ho brought about by the mere force of events, as well as by the Chefoo Convention. A NEW WEAPON OP DUSTEDCTION. A now invi nfion, which it is contidei tly anticipated by many who have witnessed the preliminary trials made with it will altoget her supersede the use of torpedoes, is, it is stated by the St Petersburg correspondent of the “Cologne Gazette,” being much discussed at the present time by Russian naval men. During the late war the torpedo attacks undertaken by the Russians were for the most part carried out by means of torpedo boats, and notoriously very tew of them were successful. Of late also defensive arrangements against torpedoes have been organized in every navy, which render it very doubtful whether in future there will be much chance of similar attacks succeeding; and consequently much attention has been given in Russia since the conclusion of the war to devising some plan for bringing explosive charges into contact with hostile vessels without employing torpedo boats. The result of a number of experiments which have been made with this object in view is that a dynamite shell has been invented, which, it is stated, can bo projected against a hostile man-of-war from a distance of 200 paces, and which, falling upon the hull of tho vessel, or into the water near it, will explode and so destroy, or at all events seriously damage, the ship. The firing of these shells is said to be attended with far less danger than is incurred in making an attack with torpedo boats, and ns a greater effect is produced by a smaller charge they are also, it is asserted, cheaper than any kind of torpedo at present in use. TUB ACCIDENT ON THE THUNDERER. We are still without any complete account of the accident on board the Thunderer. All that is certainly known, so far as the general public are concerned, is, that on the 2nd of January one of tho 38-ton guns in the fore turret of tho Thunderer burst just before the trunnion, when loaded with full charge and empty shell; that the muzzle blew overboard ; that two officers and seven men wore killed, and thirty-two men were wounded, one of whom has since died ; that only one of the men who were in the turret survived, and that the wounded (the names of whom wore telegraphed to England after some delay) are now all progressing satisfactorily. Meanwhile, the written and, presumably, full report of Admiral Hornby, has been received by the Admiralty, and has been discussed by the assembled Board ; but this morning we are informed that it has been decided to withhold the conclusion formed on the spot at the moment of tho explosion, that it will be placed iu the hands of the committee appointed to inquire into the whole question of tho causes of the accident, and that their their repor l will bo published in due course. With the decision to withhold the conclusion as to the causes of the accident, no fault can ho found; it must necessarily have been hastily come to. But be-ides this opinion tho report of Admiral Hornby must contain much which, in the entire absence of any trustworthy account of the accident, the public would gladly hear ; and there does not seem to bo any adequate reason why it should bo withheld. AUBTBALIAN CRICKET. Cricket is evidently strong in Australia, and getting stronger. Lord Harris’ English eleven has been beaten by the Australian team that visited England by ten wickets, and, though the Englishmen are weak in bowling, this must bo looked upon as an excellent performance. On tho other hand, the victorious Australians themselves met with a downfall at the hands of fifteen of their own people in Sydney, by whom they wore beaten in one innings. Accidents to two of the champion eleven probably had something to do with this defeat; but for all that the average excellence of the cricketers in New South Wales, as we ! l as in Victoria, is probably a good deal higher than in most English counties. Bowling and fielding are as much looked after us they are by the Nottingham players, and there is rarely to bs seen that laziness on the part of young cricketers which so often mars a good eleven at home. The successful transplantation of the game is tho more to be wondered at that tho Australian climate in summer is almost too hot for its proper enjoyment. PROTECTION AND THE CARRYING TRADE. There seems a considerable probability that tho first break-down of tho system of protection in America will bo with the navigation laws. Here it manifestly does not work. As the “New York Herald” admits, America pays nearly £20,000,000 to foreigners for carriage, or, more strictly, allows foreigners to earn that sum without competition, because she cannot build her vessels cheaply and is not allowed to buy them. The circumstances in relation to the Brazilian trade, which every effort is being made to foster, bring the

justice, cu.ii. it is absurd, fhr.t ' her . ec m • municate quickly witn South. America, it should be necessary to make a detour by way of Europe. Wo say with apparent justice; but there can he no doubt that as soon as a trade of any importance springs up between Kao Janeiro and Now York a lino of steamers will very quickly begin to run between the two ports. These outcries foV fresh openings are really only an evidence of depressed trade. But the Atlantic steam business is a dill’erent matter. Here tho Americans have helped to beat themselves ; and they are beginning to see that to shut themselves out from the Cheapest market for steamers is to drive their own flag from the ocean and enrich other mercantile powers at their expense. (•‘European Mail.’’) THK AFGHANISTAN WAB, On January 7th General Roberts, finding the enemy collected in considerable numbers, attacked him with three small columns, the fighting resulting in a brilliant success. The enemy lost severely, being completely defeated. The British cavalry did great execution. Forty sabres of the sth Punjaub Cavalry charged a mass of the enemy, killing nearly 300, while skirmishers sent out by the 10th Hussars clro' e off the Afghans who had got in f o broken ground. Tho British took 100 prisoner?, and also captured a quantity of cattle and grain. The British loss was trifling, and a great moral effect is expected from this successful encounter. General Stewart reports that an advanced brigade of cavalry, under Colonel Palliser, encountered tho enemy’s cavalry, to the number of 700, and defeated Diem with a loss of thirty-four men. Tho British loss was trifling, namely, four men wounded. The enemy fled to Candahar. Later telegrams received from General Stewart state that according to intelligence received in camp, the governor and all the officials of Candahar, with the exception of the deputygovernor, fled during the night of January Rl.h to Herat, faking with them all tho remnant of tho cavalry after having disarmed the infantry. This report is confirmed by tho deputy-governor having made his submission shortly afterwards. Precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any disturbance arising. Tho general’s arrival only is awaited for the city to bo surrendered. Tho British troops marched through the city of Candahar on January 10th. ’the population along the line of march have been quiet, and allowed the British troops to pass without molest ation, and there has been no plundering of baggage by camp followers since the force left Pishin.

Early on January 7th a messenger arrived breathless from one of our pickets with the information that upwards of a thousand Mongols and others were assembled near tho fort of Matoond, and that they were preparing for an attack upon the camp. A troop of the sth Punjab Cavalry wore ordered to advance towards them, and to endeavor to draw them from the villages out into the plain. The manoeuvre succeeded ; the enemy, seeing tho smallness of the force, poured out of tho villages into the plain, and opened a heavy but very innocuous fire upon the Punjnbees. Major Bulkeley, with the 10th Hussars, now galloped up to the scene. Tho Mongols, who numbered fully two thousand, at once left the open plain and took up their position on the side of a rough hill lying to the north east of the camp. Wild though their fire was, two men were wounded and a horse killed, and the Hussars and and Native Cavalry then dismounted and opened fire with their carbines, as steadily as if they were target firing. Some of the Mongols were cut down, but the cavalry could not remain, as the Afghans were strongly posted among rocks, and completely commanded tho point to which the cavalry had been able to charge. As General Roberts was galloping towards the scene of action, a heavy fire was opened from the villages east of the camp. It was evident now that tho attack was a serious one. The 28th Punjab Infantry and No 2 mountain battery were sent in support of the cavalry engaged on the north, and the 21st Punjab Infantry, with two guns and a troop of Bengal Cavalry, wore ordered to advance against the villages to the east. Scarcely had they got in motion when heavy firing broke out to the south and west of the camp, and we were for the moment a target for an all round fire. At this time it was estimated that fully five thousand of the enemy were engaged in the attack upon our position. Several companies of the 72nd Highlanders, with two guns, moved out, and engaged the assailants to the south-west. For upwards of four hours the enemy held his position with great stoutness, and we could gain but little advantage. Then they began to fall back towards the hills on all sides, unable to stand the fire of our breechloaders and the effect of the shell from our guns. Near the villages on our south, Major Stewart, w r ith thirty men of the sth Punjab Cavalry, made a splendid charge upon a body of fully a thousand of the enemy, who were making for the hills, cutting down twenty and wounding a large number. One native officer was killed in this gallant charge, but all the rest got back safely. Late in the afternoon a largo village to the south, from which the enemy had fired, was surrounded by a body of infantry and searched. A great many arms and many fighting men were found concealed. The inhabitants wore then expelled; ninety men identified as belonging to our assailants were made prisoners. Many of them were badly wounded by shot, shell, or sabre cuts, one of the latter had his neck so nearly cut through at the shoulder that his being alive at all, much less his being able to walk, seemed little less than a miracle. This and the adjoining villages were then fired, and at sundown the operations ceased. Our loss was two men killed and eight wounded, which, as the result of a long morning’s fighting, shows that the enemy, though brave, are simply contemptible as marksmen. Besides this, three camel men were hacked to pieces before the fighting began. The following telegram from the Yicorqy, dated January 12th, has been sent to us from the India Office for publication : —“ Roberts reports affairs settling down in Kboet, people becoming reassured. All principal maliks have tendered submission. Proposes to leave there regiment native infantry, two troops cavalry, and two mountain guns, placing two months’ provisions in fort, and raising a few levies for communications. Returns himself to Koorum.” The Greek Government has instructed its representative in Constantinople to urge the Porte to come to a direct and definite understanding with it on the subject of the place and time of meeting of the mixed Commission. This, after what has passed, may seem rather strange, and the inference may bo drawn that there hud been negotiations on this subject all along between the Porte and the Greek Government, This, however, is not the case. It now turns out that the Porte when sending Mukhtar Pasha as its chief Commissioner had given him full powers to fix the place and time of the meeting according to circumstances, an arrangement which may in a great measure explain the uncertainty, delays, and misunderstandings which have occurred. Not being in direct relations with the Greek Government, Mukhtar Pasha addressed his proposals to Constantinople, where the Greek Minister was informed of them, he in his turn communicating them to his own Government. The latter, however, thinks that this roundabout way is not calculated to expedite matters, giving the Porte as it does an opportunity to disclaim all responsibility about the delays which may still happen. It therefore urges tho Turkish Government to take the decision out of the hands of its Commissioner and come to a direct understanding with the Greek Government regarding the place and time of meeting. The Turks object to this, alleging that, with reference to all tho conditions of the proceeding, including the place and time of meeting, their Commissioner on the spot is far bettor able to judge than the Porte. Especially as to the time, some latitude, they represent, must be left him, as he has to prepare all the detailed topographical and ethnographical material, which is of decisive moment in a question where the object is to find a good strategical frontierline and to take into consideration and deal fairly, not merely with one, but with all the different elements of tho population. It is better, therefore, tho Turks maintain, that there should be some short delay now than

t>r c> « c •■• • £! i.VSIAU *!»'■> >• I -'I •. -J !*•? - Boas Irfat ov- : x-jh "act .c-v-* s"'.»•=« «m but tho G-reeks boo m it on’} a Jcvics ju i—> part of tho Turks tc put oh' what is for them so very 'unpleasant, TUB DUKE OB CUMBERLAND. Tho “Post” reproduces a statement of the “ Cologne Gazette ” that the Prussian Government lias resolved to treat a renunciation of tho throne of Hanover by tho Duke of Cumberland as insutliciont to procure for him tho restoration of tho Guelph fund. According to tho view now adopted, in order to obtain this fund the Duke will have to renounce his hereditary claims to the thrones both of Hanover and Brunswick. MISCELLANEOUS. The Oxford and Cambridge boat race has been fixed for Saturday, April sth. The anniversary mass foi Napoleon 111, was celebrated on January 13th, at St. Augustine’s. M. Eouher and all the leading Bonapartists attended, many of them wearing bunches of violets in their buttonholes. A number of people collected outside, but everything passed off quietly. Tho question which has arisen between Denmark and Germany through tho reception of tho Guelph deputation at the Duke of Cumberland’s wedding, has, it is stated, been settled by tho Danish Minister, Herr von Q.uaade, giving the Imperial Government the most emphatic assurances of the friendly sentiments and pacific policy of the Danish Cabinet.

A terrible railway accident occurred in Eoumelia of Saturday last. A train was precipitated into the river Arda, between Philippopolis and Adrianople, by tho giving way of a bridge, and a Russian general, several officers and about two hundred men, all first and second-class passengers, were drowned. The engine-driver and tho passengers in three third-class carriages escaped. Communications with Constantinople have been interrupted for some days in consequence. The Pope’s Encyclical Letter, published last week, is mainly directed against Socialism, Communism, and Nihilism, which his Holiness maintains are the result of the Reformation. The Pope condemns civil marriages as a source of evil to families and an encouragement to immorality, and eays that tho Church is the solution of tho evils for which Socialism seeks a remedy. A singular fatality is reported from Ireland. A man named Montgomery, of Killinchey, county Down, dropped down dead on the 10th inst. His wife, upon hearing the news, also fell dead, and on a messenger being despatched to her sister it was discovered that she, too, had died suddenly. All three inquests were held in tho evening. Apropos of tho proposed Colonial Museum, we are told that the Government of Canada has not only presented its collections from tho field, forest, and mine, but has also given its large collection of highly ornamental cases (which cost in Canada several thousand pounds), and which were considered by design, material, and construction worthy of adoption as the standard for the proposed museum. Arrangements were made by which all have been forwarded to London, and it will not be the fault of Canada if the proposed colonial museum should fail to become a fact.

The Council of the Royal Colonial Institute, of which His Grace the Duke of Manchester is chairman, have under consideration the desirability of arranging for an exhibition in London of the products and manufactures of the colonies. The question has been referred to a meeting of the council which is to be specially convened for the consideration of the subject. A Massachusetts man proposes to travel across the Atlantic, double the Cape cf Good Hope, and cross the Indian Ocean to Australia, in a boat 19 feet over all, 5 feet beam on top, and a little wider on the water-line, her sides having considerable “tumble in.” Her depth of hold is 2£ feet She is to have an iron keel of about 150 pounds weight. Another new company is announced under the title of the Land Mortgage Company of Australasia, with a capital of £2,000,000, in £lO shares. Two millions sterling may be spent with much profit on reproductive industries in any of the colonies of Australia.

The following is all the intelligence published by tho “ Mail” respecting the loss of the Schiohallion: the English coast on January 11th, several serious disasters to shipping occurred. The Schiehallion, from New Zealand, ran on the rocks near Black Gang Chine, Isle of Wight, and a man and a boy were drowned ; the passengers and crew were brought to tho cliffs by means of the rocket apparatus.” Her Majesty Dom Luiz of Portugal has completed a translation of the “ Merchant of Venice” into Portuguese. He is now at work on “ Othello.”

Lizst’s new composition, “The Dance of Death,” is said to be “earthquakes and thunderstorms set to music.”