SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Kumara Times, Issue 2611, 19 January 1885, Page 2

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Miss Fortescue, the actress, who recovered £IO,OOO from Lord Gatmoyle for breach of promise, has again become engaged to Harry Muiller, a bank clerk and musical critic, whom she jilted for Earl Oairns's son. It is also stated that after a tour in the provinces this actress will go to America. A London paper of December 18 suggests as a reprisal for an insult to England in the German White Book that all grants of pensions be withdrawn from families of German extraction, which includes the Queen and a large number of her relatives. The millions thus saved could be devoted to the improvement of the British Navy, in view of the prospect that it may become necessary some day to administer a salutary thrashing to Germany. THE CANNIBAL CASE. At the trial of Capt. Dudley and the mate of the Mignonette the Courtroom was crowded. The scene during the pronouncing of the sentence was most impressive. Lord Chief Justice Read gave judgment. After citing authorities at length the Court declared that the taking of human life could only be justified on the plea of self-defence. The commission of murder for the sake of preserving one's own life was uujustifiable. Of course it was a duty to i preserve, one's own life, but duty often required one not to save but to sacrifice his own life. The Court must apply the law and declare that the prisoners were guilty of murder, for which there was no justification. If the judgment was too severe, the Court must leave the prisoners to the clemency of the Crown.- When prisoners were asked what they had to say before' sentence was pronounced, both Dudley and Stephen pleaded for mercy in view of their terrible situation when the deed was done. Lord Coleridge said it was the jury's privilege to recommend the prisoners to mercy, and then he sentenced them to be hanged, but without the black cap. The Secretary of State for the Home Department had advised the Queen to respite Dudley and his mate. On the 12th the sentenced men were committed to six months' imprisonment, without hard labor. THE SOUDAN. There was a report at Dongola on December 9th that the Mahdi accepted General Gordon's challenge to cross the. Nile and prove himself a true prophet. He tried to make his followers walk* across , the experiment resulting in the 10-s of 3000 men. It i < reported ihat tie* lUaixli's te::f i c i ..siiii: !y .su>ruuutk'd by u tuple i iU c J; &iuads, He

is harassed by the fear of being poisoned, and his favorite wife or daughter prepares his food. A late despatch says the natives have little confidence that the British expedition will prove successful, and they positively refuse to accompany it beyond Merowe on any condition. Advices from Korti to 20th December say General Wolseley will complete the concentration of his array at Korti in the first week of January, and will begin his march on Shendy on the 7th of that month. The distance from Korti to Shendy is 200 miles, and General Wolseley calculates the march will, occupy sixteen days, unless he meets with opposition from the enemy en route. Simultaneously a movement will be made from Souakim against Osman Dignah, in order to be secure from an attack on -> the flank. Major Chermside reports that out of the garrison at Souakim of 1200 marines and sailors there are only 1000 effective men. Fresh troops will be sent to Souakim.