HOME AND FOREIGN.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1479, 13 November 1872, Page 2

HOME AND FOREIGN.

Two Belgians and two Frenchmen havo been e)target! at Hammersmith, with being concerned in an attempt to fi»ht a duel. When arrested they were on tlifii way to wivnbhsdou common in a cab. Tike principals had pistols and powder in their possession, and one of them had also a paper setting forth an agreement to settle their aflair of honor in the presence of witnesses. A negatively complacent tone pervades the Royal speech with which the States General have been opened at the Hague. The state of the finances is not unfavorable ; the condition of the K»»«t Indian dependencies is satisfactory, but the West Indian colonies are admitted to be in difficult circumstances. The Ministerial reforms contemplated embrace militia reorganisation, improved defences, and un extension of the franchise.

Cholera is said to ha\c broken out with great virulence in East Prussia ; the wealthier inhabitants of some of the villages having fled in terror at the ra« vages it in committing. Railway accidents multiply amain. On the morning of September 16 a locomotive was torn in pieces at Bray Station, near Dublin, by the bursting of the boiler. The driver was killed on the .spot ami the stoker dangerously injured. A collision occurred on the Caledonian Railway, by which a driver and stoker lost their lives.

The following is taken from the London Daily Telegraph, September 17: —Aloio trying and crucial oven than any of the varied experiences with which King Amadeus the First has met. since his arrival in Spain, was his appearance mi Sunday last before the new Coitesihat take* the place of an impracticable Parliament. Possibly, on the harmony and honest patriotic energy of the present Deputies, on their mrnctit application to the woik of mak-

ing the Government effective and the finances respectable, may depend the existence of the dynasty of Savoy. Too much consequence may easily be attached to such displays of loyalty during the KiugVnorthern tour, were struck out by the contrasted forceslike flint and steel —of a singularly attractive personal presence, and a most foul and dastardly attempt at assassination. It is at Madrid, in the Parliament and the Cabinet of Spain, that the real cure must be found for theevils which have afflicted the and if King Amadeus has any capability whatever of realising his peculiar difficulties and lesponmbilitie*, he must do so now, when he is face to face with the deadlock of government. His speech on opening the Cortes is certainly full of promise, both for the maintenance of Liberal and Constitutional ideas, and for the performance of actual work in both the legislative and administrative regions. Notable is the firm tone taken up towards the See of Rome; the King regrets that the relations with the Pope had not been re-established, but hopes that I.is Holiness "will become convinced of the hinccriiy of the veneration and respect evinced for his spiritual power." Resolved to accept accomplished facts, and. to act in accord with the spirit and ideas of the age, theKing yet offers the Papacy the sole recognition to which it is now entitled,, and. in which it can exercise any real power; and, as things go, the offer is one which Rome would be unwise id contemn. His majesty *ent on to say that insurrection,' yet hardly extinct, would be severely punished; that all available force would be employed to> crush out the embers of revolt in Cuba,, which dependency would then be made the object of special legislation;. and the whole truth about the finances, would be told to the Cortes. All these are merely phrases, of frequent iteration and little result; but it almost takes away one's breath to hear that the conscription is to be abolished, that universal service on sea and on land is to take its place, and that both army and navy are to be reorganised, to meet the requirements of the time. Here is a mighty programme of work for a Spanish Parliament to undertake; indeed, it might almost be feared that the Government has steered from the Seylla of doing too little upon the Charybdis of undertaking too much. Let us tru»t there is no omen for fresh failure in the report, that the King and Queen, on their way to open the Cortes, were "coldly received" by the people of Madrid.

A correspondent writes thus to the Leeds Mercury :—Even human credulity has its limits, and the most gullible section of the public can hardly be expected to swallow some of the schemes which are now offered to it* Yet no effort is spared to induce them to rise to the bait. The great tiling is to induce M.P.'s to become director* in rotten schemes. In one instance which has come to my knowledge a country baronet formerly representing a southern county, was offered a year if he would* thus lend his name to a concern of this kind* As it was a mining speculation, and he knew nothing of mining, he very justly concluded that it was not his experience which was wanted to manage the business but his iutluence to decoy investors* and he simply put tha offer in the fire. In another instance a less extravagant proposal was entertained by an M.P. Contrary to the advice of his more clear sighted iriends he became a director. The affair was kept going a sufficiently long timo for him to congratulate himself and all his friends on having acquired a mountain of solid silver. .But at last the inevitable collapse came. The thing was an entire swindle, and then ho learnt with hitter mortification how the servant-maids in his neighborhood had iuvested all their savings in it. on the strength of his connection with it.

Sarah Gant, a domestic servant at Hammersmith, having disposed of her buhy, as is allowed, by tin-owing it into thoUrand Junction Canal, a toll-collec-toi who heard the aplash seized a gardea rake and diagged out the castaway unhurt. The accused .stoutly disowned it, but she has been remanded for fur* thov iiujuiry.