LATE CABLE NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6506, 3 January 1882, Page 4

LATE CABLE NEWS.

[Fib Pbbss Association.] (Per s.B. Te Anau, vi& the Bluff.) [Abots Specials.] LONDON, Dec. 18. An explosion occurred to-day at the Abram colliery, near Bolton, a large manufacturing town in Lancashire, about ten miles from Manchester. A large number of men were working in the pit at the time of the explosion, but it was not so destructive to life as was at first supposed. With the exception of 40, all the colliers employed were rescued. . The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued a circular letter to the clergy of the Established Church, in which he commends their approval of the scheme for the establishment of direct relations between the Church at Home and the Colonies. It is proposed that steps should be taken to keep the clergy well informed with respect to the religions and educational advantages which each of the British dependencies afford, and that such information should be extensively disseminated by hand-books published under the authority of the proposed organisation. The ichenje, which is largely conceived in the interests of intending emigrants, includes making arrangements for the reception of families on their arrival in the Colonies, and for their assistance' and encouragement daring the early stages of their Colonial career. Dec. 21.

It is reported that Bussia apd Austria have arranged the terms of a treaty by which they undertake the regulation of the affairs of the Balkan Peninsula, and pledge themselves to oppose any ambitious designs which any other Powers may entertain in connection with this portion of South-eastern Europe. Sir A. Kennedy, who has been Governor of Queensland since October, 1877, will leave the Colony next year. The strike amongst the operatives of North Staffordshire potteries, after lasting for six weeks, has collapsed, and many thousands who turned out have now resumed work. Notwithstanding the unsatisfactory result of the legal proceedings recently instituted by M. Boustan against Boohefort, the Gambetta Ministry decline to remove the Besident from his post, but have directed him to resume his duties at Tunis forthwith. The Sutlej, a new steamer, built entirely of steel, for the Peninsular and Oriental Oompany’s India, China and Australian mail services, has been launched. Indignation is very generally expressed in France at M. Boustan being permitted to return to Tunis as French Besident. Gambetta is especially blamed for permitting him to resume his old functions after the disclosures in the recent action against Boohefort, and has been rendered unpopular in consequence. Dbg. 24, Miss Beynolds, a prominent member of the Irish Ladies’ Land League, has been sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for advising the tenantry of Ireland to refuse to pay their rents. United h eland, the organ of the Irish Land League, has been printed in London in defiance of the recent mandate of Government prohibiting its publication, but the whole of the copies were promptly seised by the police. Since the secession of Mr Shaw, member lor Oork County, from its ranks, the Irish Home Bole League has become practically impotent as a political organisation. The Land Leaguers now constitute the only party of action m Ireland. The Nihilists have made a determined attempt to destroy the southern portion of the town of Oronstadt, the great naval station of Bussia, which is capable of containing 86 ships of the line. They set fire to the harbour works, and a large amount of Imperial property was burnt. M’Kenzie, contractor for several extensive Eublio works at Capetown, has failed. Hi* abilities are estimated at £600,000.

[Aaa Bpkoxam.] LONDON, Dbo. 19. The German Boiohstag has re-elected Dr Faunbaoh President. Serious disturbances hate taken place at Sues, arising out of the murder of a soldier by Bedouins. His comrades demanded instant vengeance, and proceeded to ransack the town. It seems a riot ensued, and a body of soldiers, going to the Governor's residence, attacked him with violence. For some time the town was in a state of tumult, but eventually order was restored, and all it now quiet. The Socialist movement is spreading in Austria, where many leaders expatriated from Germany have sought refuge. The Austrian authorities have also taken action against them, and the police of Vienna have arrested eighteen prominent Socialists, who have been lodged in prison. A discovery has been made by the Customs authorities of New York which has frustrated an attempted Fenian plot. The officials ascertained that on board a steamer bound for Liverpool there had been shipped 800 oases described as hardware, but which, on being opened, were found to contain rifles, and which there is reason to believe, wore intended for distribution in Ireland. The oases were seized, and are now held by the authorities pending full investigation. The steamer City of Bath, engaged in the Atlantic trade, was lost during the recent

heavy galei. All the passsagers and crew were saved with the exception of ten. A destructive explosion of gas has occurred In Vienna which did a considerable amount of damage, and caused the death of several persons. A split has occurred among the Irish Fenians in America. The League at Montreat threaten to publish a list of all members who refute to give to the dynamite fund. Die celebrated Cardinal Ledochowiki, Archbishop of Posen and Primate of Poland, who was imprisoned by the German Govern* ment in 1874, has resigned his See. The Pope, with much reluctance, has consented to accept the neignation. Hie action is attributed to a desire to confirm the friendly relatione existing between the Vatican and Germany by the appointment of a prelate leas distasteful to the German Government. Another earthquake faae occurred in Switzerland, the locality being Sex, a village is the canton of Vaud. The Swiss Assembly has now under consideration a Bill to provide for the protection of patents in Switzerland. K assail Bey, Governor of Tonis, has resigned bis position. He expected that bis discharge was imminent, and he elected to resign. Fogs of unusual severity have been experienced in the midland counties. Several cases of loss of life are reported of persons who missed their way, owing to the denseness of the atmosphere, and fell into canals. Investigation into the cause of the panic at the church in Warsaw, disclosed the fact that a false alarm had been raised by a Jewish pickpocket, and this fact becoming known, the rage of the populace was excited. They proceeded to commit great outrages on the Jewish inhabitants. The Jewish shops and houses were gutted, and the Jews had to fly for their lives, many of them being severely maltreated. The riots were not quelled until the military were called out and the streets patrolled by bodies of soldiers.

A collision took place at Queenstown bar* boar, a Canard steamer running into and linking the Heleuslea, a vessel belonging to Ban Franoiioo. Some of the crew of the latter were drowned. A destructive fire has occurred at Bochdale. A big building, used as a granary, caught fire,. and was destroyed. The other premises ad* joining were also Injured before the Same* could be extinguished. The damage is estimated at £160,000, The fund established under the presidency of the Lord Mayor of London, for the pur* pose of offering assistance to landlords, has reached the tun' of £9OOO. The supervision of the fund has been placed under the direction of six ladies. Nineteen British sailors belonging to a vessel in harbour at New Orleans have been arrested for creating a disturbance at a pubUo - meeting, held in that city, on the Irish' question. Sentiments were expressed bj some of the speakers which the sailora forcibly resented, and a riot ensued, Eventnally the seamen were arrested and'imprisoned. Bepresentatious have been made to the British Oonsnl on the subject. Considerable dissatisfaction exists in Natal with the recent proceedings of the Legislature, In Durban, the capital, an agitation has been set on foot to require the members ■ of the Chamber to return the pay they re- - ceive for their services, it being maintained that the revenue of the Colony is not sufficient to justify the granting remuneration. Serious disturbance* have taken place in the Island of Hayti, in the West Indies.An attempt has been made to overturn the* Government of the republic of Hayti in the western portion of the island, bat after some encounters with the insurgents, the authorities were enabled to suppress the revolution. The loss of life during the insurrection amounted to 150.