NEWS OF THE DAY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1957, 2 June 1880, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Thb San Fbanoisco Mail. —The City of New York a rived at Auok acd at one o’clock this morning. A summary of news will be found in another column. Scholabsuii? “Examinations. The examinations for the Government scholarships (classes A.B. O.) commenced yesterday at the Normal School. Exchange on Cheques. —With reference to a paragraph in Monday’s issue stating that the Banks had decided to place an exchange rate of 2s 6d per cent, on cheques, the manager of the Union Bank of Australia requests us to state that for the present no charge will be made by that institution for the collection of cheques within the provincial district of Canterbury. Municipal Wohks. —A meeting of the works committee of the City Council was held yesterday morning. A petition was received from residents of Taylor’s lane, praying (ho committee to have tho lane metalled, and the surveyor was instructed to have tho work done. The committee also instructed tho town clerk to wri e tho Tramway Company to the effect that a portion of Victoria street loft in an unfinished state after operations in connection with the tramway work, would bo repair, d a d the cost charged to the company. A Musical Monkey. —An accomplished orang-outang was lately exhibited at Munich which played the violin magnificently, and was particularly deft in executing tho “ Carnival of Yenice.” Its owner pocketed large profits at first, but one evening a doubling spectator alily gave tho wonderful monkey a sharp cut with a penknife. The creature apparently did not feel the cut, so the visitor gave a vigorous pull at his tail, which suddenly came off, and brought with it part of the monkey’s skin, displaying underneath a man, tho father of tho exhibitor of tho animal prodigy, whose disguise had been so complete as 1® defy detection for a week.

A O.P. —Court Thistle of the Forest hold a special summoned meeting on Tuesday evening, when the officers for the ensuing term were nominated. s'N.

Xhbatbb Rostal. —The bill of Uie pre ceding evening was repeated last night at the Theatre Royal. To night “ Blow for Blow ” ia announced, and “ Plying Soud ” is also ' s ated as being m preparation. An Ikbukancb Confbbbncr. —We understand (says the “ Australian Insurance and Banking Record”) that advantage, will be taken of the presence in Melbourne, during the continuance of the approaching International Exhibition, of many managers and representatives of marine insurance companies from the neighboring colonies, to hold a conference, at which topics of interest to marine underwriters will be discussed, and information of various kinds exchanged. No definite scheme has been drawn up, but we believe that, among others, the two following points will be brought under the notice of those who may be present at the conference :— Deposits in connection with general average statements (a matter taken up by the Merchant Shipping and Underwriters' Association, Melbourne, as far back as October, 1878), and a uniform hull policy. We hope to see tbis coming together of underwriters well attended, and we hive strong hopes that their consultation will be productive of much good.

A Soi/diee OP Pobtunb. —General Bristow, who is publishing in the “ Philadelphia Times ” a series of articles upon the annals of war, briefly and tersely recites the military history of General Grant, ex-President of the United States, as follows ;—“Before he was 43 years of age Grant had participated in two great wars, captured 500 guns, more than 100,000 prisoners, and 350,000 of small arms, redeemed from rebel rule over 50,000 square miles of territory, ro-opened to the commerce of the world the mightiest river on the globe, and stubbornly pursed his path to victory, despite all obstacles. Since then he has crusned out rebellion in the South, re-estab-lished tho authority of the Union over a territory larger than Prance, taken 200 battle flags, scores of cannon, thousands upon thousands of prisoners, and hundreds of thousands of small arms, and then modestly returned to the capital of the nation to disband his army of a million men, lay his sword at the feet of the Congress of the people, and wait their pleasure whether he should fill a high station or become an humble private citizen. The world furnishes few such examples of greatness and humility, and our country only one other —that of George Washington.”

The Petroleum Fields op Russia.— The ownerj of American petroleum deposits will before long have to encounter a considerable amount of opposition in view of the discoveries of this valuable oil on the Continent and especially in Hanover and Russia. The beds in the latter country are comparatively boundless, extending for a distance of 1500 miles along the Caucasus range, from the Caspian to the Black Sea. At the present time, however, there are but two districts in this large area where any systematic efforts are being made to obtain the petroleum. One is in the valley of the Kuban river (which flows into the Black Sea), where two wells have been sunk by a French company under the superintendence of an American manager. This company has a refinery at Taman. The other and msa. productive district is near Baku, on the Caspian Sea. Many wells have been sunk hero to the depth of 300 feet, having a daily yield of 28,000 barrels of crude petroleum. An extraordinary amount of sand flows out with the oil, and is heaped up near the orifice of the wells in banks at least 30 feet high Large refineries exist at Baku, though tho refined oil at present produced there is not as good as the American oil.

Thb Tbamway—Tho line is now com-, pleted on the new section as far as St. Albans Jane. In all probability the trial trip will be made in the space of a few days, and the train will shortly be running on the new section of tho tramway. Poblichotjse Licensing Courts —The Courts for Kaiapoi, Oxford, Sefton, and Waipara were on Tuesday adjourned to be held — Kaiapoi, 7th; Oxford, 9th; and Sefton and Waipara on June 10th. Acknowledgment. Tho master of the Burnham Industrial School desires to acknow ledge the following donations with thanks :—Mr G. Gould, £5 for the harmonium fund and £5 for the library fund; a friend J6l, Mr W. S. King .£1 Is, Messrs King Brothers .£ la. for the harmonium fund ; also a case of apples from a friend.

» Masonic— 4. lodge of emergency in connection with St. Augustine Lodge, No. 0 9, B.C , will be hold to-morrow evening at halfpast seven. Pheasant Shooting, The season for shooting cock pheasants commenced yesterday. Midland Cricket Club. —A. special genera’ me“ting of the members of this club will be hold at the Commercial Hotel this evening at eignt o’clock, for the alteration of rues and other business.