LATEST BRITISH AND FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

Kumara Times, Issue 2317, 31 January 1884, Page 2

LATEST BRITISH AND FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

[REUTER’S TELEGRAMS.] By Electric Telegraph—Copyright, SPANISH WINES. MORE GOLD COIN FOR AUSTRALIA. THE DISABLED SHIP SIMLA. BANQUET BY THE LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ASSERTING THE LOYALTY OF THE COLONISTS. THE EMPEROR WIT,IT AM (Received January 30, 5 p.m.—Delayed in transmission between Australia and New Zealand.) London, January 29. Communications have been addressed by the Spanish Government to the English Government with a view of obtaining further concessions of Spanish wines imported into Great Britain. It is expected that an additional sum of £IOO,OOO in gold will shortly be withdrawn from the Bank of England for Australia. (Received January 31, 1 a.m.) January 30. The statement that the disabled ship Simla was being safely towed to Gravesend has proved to be erroneous. ! A banquet was given last evening by i the London Chamber of Commercej at

which the colonial Agents-General were present. In responding to the toast of “ The Colonies,” Sir Arthur Blythe, Agent-General for South Australia, said that he rejoiced at the increasing interest in the colonies which was now displayed throughout the mother country, and he emphatically affirmed the unwavering loyalty of colonists to the Imperial authority. Berlin, January 29. The Emperor William has recovered from his recent indisposition. [SPECIAL TO MELBOURNE AGE.] London, January 15. It is reported that El Mahdi and his followers have approached towards the White Nile, which separates Soudan from Egypt proper, and have occupied Sennaar, Granary, Khartoum, and other adjacent places. It was generally credited that Sir Hercules Robinson, Governor of Cape colony, would be appointed to succeed the Marquis of Normanby as Governor of Victoria, but doubts are now entertained whether he can be spared from his present post. [special to press association.] London, January 26. The collision between the City of Lucknow and the Simla occurred during a heavy gale, about twenty miles from the Needles. The City of Lucknow proceeded to London, The captain of the Simla, with his wife and child, the third officer, three apprentices, and Mr Short, a passenger, succeeded in boarding the City of Lucknow. The chief officer and four other officers, seven of the crew, and two stowaways were also rescued by the steamer Guernsey, but the remainder of the crew of the Simla are missing. She has on board a general cargo. The Committee of the French Senate has withheld the report on the Recediviste Bill until the Minister of Marine announces the names of the places to which the Eecedivistes are to be relegated. At the trial of the new Victorian gunboats the Victory made twelve and a half knots, and the Albert ten and a - quarter. The machinery aud guns on each boat worked smoothly. Shaw, Shrewsbury and Lillywhite are organising an All-England Eleven to visit Australia. Barnes and Gunn will be included in the team. They will play the first match in Adelaide in November next. The Times, referring to the work of the Australian Conference, highly approves of the establishment of the proposed Federal Council, bnt considers it too small in number to adequately represent or legislate for the diverse sections in the colonies. The Specfcotor expresses the opinion that the Colonial Office will redraw the whole Bill. The name of Lord Camperdown is mentioned as that of a probable successor to Lord Normanby as Governor of Victoria. The Economist says that the recent large export of gold to Australia is directly traceable to the large and rapid increase of colonial indebtedness, and that borrowing has been overdone. The weakness of the reserves in the Australian Banks is strikingly short. Sir Saul Samuel, as Agent-General for New South Wales, has invited tenders for the manufacture in the colony of 150,000 tons of steel rails. The Times, in noticing the fact, expresses a hope that no attempt will bo made by the Colonial Government to subsidise the industry in any way. The ship City of Lucknow from Adelaide collided in the Channel on Friday evening with the Simla, bound for Sydney. The steamer Guernsey rescued fifteen of the Simla’s crew. The Simla was not carrying passengers.