EUROPEAN NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 664, 13 November 1878, Page 2

EUROPEAN NEWS.

[press agsncy.] London; September 27 Shere Ali,‘having received and entertained the envoys from Russia, the Indian Government resolved to despatch an imposing mission to Cabul. After repeated delays, the British envj}' left Peshawur on the ,21st inst, and. ou teaching the month of the Kyb *r Pass, he learnt that the Ameer’s commandant had advanced an outpost to dm centre of (he Pass, and was prepared to dispute the passage. The party comprising M. ij >r Carnagie, two native, piinces, and a small escort, advanced to Ali Musehad, and had three hours’ conference. with tne commandant, who threatened an attack if the party pioceedc l. Thus insolent!v rebuffed, the mission returned to Peshawur, and but for person >1 friendship, the Afjnin commandant declared ho would shoot Maj >r Carnagie. General Sir Neville Chiinbulin was recalled, and the mission is dissolved. Russia in tire meantime persists in maintaining a permanent embassy at Cabul.

Tiie death of the King of Burm ili is denied.

The Times lues declared that tin; G )- vi-rumeiu is fully prepared fm dm pre-s.-n,. ci is;s. An explanation will be doemade.l, and militu-y preparations are proceeding vigorously. The frontier

policy was deliberately finned arid will *' e . carried out/’ whether Shi re Ali ia friendly or not. An advance «»f three columns is ordered, and' 8000 men will reinforce ihe garrison of Qnettah and hold the Bol.m Pass, 6000 will occupy Co'irat Valley, and the third c damn will penetrate the Kyher Pass, war is to be immediately commenced or post* poned till spring., Gandahar will be occupied A Constantinople telegram states that an envoy from Afghanistan had arrived, and that h« is striving to induce the Porte to conclude an alliance with Russia.

The M miteur states that the Porte is eutle < vouring to effect a,confederation . of Asiatic M-islem Princes under Shere Ali, and that the envoy has gone from ; the Sultan to Cabul on the errand. An inquest on the victims of the Thames catastrophe was commenced on " t!ie 16ib, «nd is still proceeding. The principal witnesses' are sailors or passengers oni hoard the Princess Alice. The general drift of their testimony is that the accident. was caused by the sudden porting of her helm hy the Byewell Castle." It came out during the enquiry that the steersman of the Princess Alice at the. time of .the collision was a man who had -yplunteered as a substitute, and had never steered a passenger-steamboat before. Nearly 800 persons have been acconnted for as dead or rescued, bnt.a large numlter is still reported missing. 130 saved 14 have sine j died from the shock and the poisonous effects of Thames water. Toe expenses incurred by the Woolwich parish officials exceeds £I2OO, including cost of 200 e.jffi is. The Mansion He use relief fund approaches £30,000. The Queen subscribed 100 guineas towards the fund fbr relief of the ' sufferers by the Ahcicnrue mine disaster,” and other members of the Royal Fainily coutri mted smaller amounts. : The fhird has swollen to £IB,OOO, brit fully £30,000 \viil be needed. "The closing of the ui'rie brings destitution to hundreds of families. Primping ojieratioris Inve been coniinence.| but' make' slow progress owing to obstructions, for removal of which divers have to be employed. Th" sale-of the Middle Park racing stn.l, realised 48,195 guineas, fine, aiiianils being purchased for Australia. I At the annual sale of the Duke of Devonshire's shot thorns at lialar-in-j Furness, 30 -head »f- cattle realised £20.000. ■; ■ ; ~r . , Tin- Q teen Unis ripoioyod Franz Gum-*-•mer as. Danish Consul for New Zea- 1 , land. , ; ” , ■ ■* ‘ , ’..Disquieting news has been received from the,'•Transvaal.; The Zualika pblioe had mntiniod,. and the K ifflrs . have assumed the offensive. Colonel Parv>.s has been appointed commanding . officer of (Jolonial forces vice Griffiths. Tlid Gape M6un't^ v : again for the protection of’ Cape Colony. 1 1 ' ' ■’ - In response ;; to strong ! A{'»‘i>e--ils; for ntercy on behalf Grantj cori-1 demned to death- for stabbing Ivor husband in a drunken quarrel, her sentence has been coni nutted to imprison rhentid for life. .. , ; ■ A ,

Six hundred Mormon converts recently sailed from Liverpool' for America.-' Nearly half of thein are front Sweden, Norway* and Denmark, the' remainder are English, Scotch and Welsh. . ; r.

The death is announced of Colonel Arthus Leslie, late of the -40?li Regiment, who served in the New Zealand War.

The sudden crisis, developed in our . Indian policy is exciting extraordinary interest not only here, but throughout the Continent, and war against Afghan- ‘ isian, and possibly against Russia, is deemed also inevitable.