NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6508, 5 January 1882, Page 6

NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

The following items are from our files by tho mail to Nov. 18 : BBITISH POLICY IN EGYPT. Sir Edward Malet,' the British ConsulGeneral, has reoeived a lengthy despatch from Earl Granville, bearing date Nov. 4, in whioh His Lordship explains the policy of the British Government with regard to Egypt. Lord Granville says the Government's sole aim is the prosperity of Egypt in the full enjoyment of the liberty obtained in virtue of the successive firmans of the Sultan down to 1879 inclusive. He points out the progress and prosperity aoquired in the extension of instruction, tho abolition of vexatious taxes, tho establishment of an equit&ble Land tax, the diminution of the Oorvee, and other measures supported by the British Government and the .English and French Controllers. Lord Granville alludes to the urgent necessity of the reform of the administration of justice for the Natives, leaving to the advisers of tho Egyptian Government the task of satisfying the aspiration of the Native population, and objecting to any system of jurisprudence in contradiction with that handed down as the heritage of their ancestor?. He is convinced that until such judioial administration exists, no Ministry will enjoy the confidence of the poople. Her Majesty's Government urge Cherif Pasha to proceed with energy in the establishment and organisation of the native tribunals. Lord Granville denies that England desires to be the partisan of any particular Minister, and is of opinion that any Minister trusting to the support of a foreign power, or to the personal influence of a particular diplomatic agent, would be prejudicial to the country. He is of opinion that the tie which unites Egypt to the Porte is an important safeguard against foreign intervention, and that it is necessary to maintain the tie as it exists to-day, and only in the event of a state of anarchy in Egypt would the policy indicated be departed from. Her Majesty's Ministers believe that the French Government is animated by the tame sentiments, that the two Governments will continue to act together to improve the financial and political situation of Egypt, and that any movement on the part of either Government to inorease its influence would suffice to destroy this useful concert.

TERRIBLE FIRE AT SEA. A terrible fire, caused by the bursting of a barrel of naphtha, has occurred on board the Sol wry, while ou her voyage from Glasgow to Belfast. The vessel, which had on board a general cargo of whisky, oils, rum, sugar, oats, and flour, put in to Kingstown Harbour on fire on November 16. Her foremast bridge and fore main deck were burned down. Six charred corpses lay on the burning steerage deck, and five other passengers are supposed to have been lost, either burned alive or drowned in their attempt to escape from the biasing v.easel. It appears that when the ship was about twenty miles from Bookabill, off Skerries, a barrel of naphtha oil burst on the fore main deck. The oil ran along the deck to the steerage, where it earn* in oontact with a fire, and in another moment the vessel was in flames, the mast and fore main deck burning fiercely. The utmost consternation reigned; and, to heighten the honor of the situation, the sea was running mountains high, a violent storm raging. Six of the passengers, who were on the steerage deck at the time of the explosion, were literally enveloped by the flames, and before the unfortunate people could escape from the fire that surrounded them, their shrieks of terror and screams of agony were silenced in a terrible death. The rest of the passengers and crew, some fearfully burned, fled to the stern end of the vessel. The utmost terror and confusion prevailed. Some, believing that in a few minutes the flames would reach the rest of the highly inflammable cargo with which the vessel was laden, launohed a boat, and losing dread of the sea in their terror at a worse impending fate, put off towards shore. This party consisted of five passengers, but whether they succeeded in reaching land, or were drowned in the storm, is not yet known. The flames continued to spread, and the scene on board, as described by the survivors, was one of the most awful probbbly ever witnessed. The fire, fed by the oil and the timber, raged fieroely, rising high in the air, and rendering the portion of the ship in which it burned a blazing, craokling mass of ruin. The captain at once ordered the orew to get the buokets and throw water upon the flames, and by this means, and with the aid of a donkey engine and hose and unwearied effort, the men succeeded in keeping the flames somewhat in oheck—at least, so far as to prevent them extending further.

M. GAMBETTA'3 MINISTRY. The formation of a Ministry by M. Gambetta marks a crisis in the history of Republican France, and perhaps an epoch in European affairs. The composition of the new Cabinet is somewhat of a surprise and perhaps a little of a disappointment, for it contains several names of little note, and omits one or two of first-rate importance. M. Gambetta, we are assured, wished to take largely into account the questions of persons and groupa, but thought it necessary above all to construct a homogeneous Ministry having a olearly-defined programme upon political, economical, and military questions. He has accordingly submitted the following list of Ministers to President Gravy, who has signified his approval of the names presented to him :—• M. Gambetta—President of the Oounoil and Minister for Foreign Affairs. M. Waldeok-Bousaeau—Minister of the Interior. M. Paul Bert—Minister of Publio Instruction. ' % j General Oampenon—Minister of War. M. Allain Targ6—Minister of Finance. M. Baynal—Minister of Publio Works. M. Coobery—-Minister of Post and Telegraphs. M. Bouvier—Minister of Oommeroe, the Oolonies, and of the Merchant Marine. M. Caaot—• Minister of Justice. Admiral Goujeord Minister of Military Marine. M. Devoa—Minister of Agrioulture. M. Proust-Minister of Fine Arts and Industries. M. Spuller is the now Under-Secretary for i Foreign Affairs. It appears that a strenuous effort was made by M. Gambetta to secure the assistant) of his former colleague acd lieu* tenant of 1870, M. de.Freyoinet, who was invited to resume the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, whioh he resigned fourteen months ago. But M. do Freyoinet has not found himself able to join a Cabinet of so pro* nounoed a type as has been formed by M. Gambetta. This ia not a little to be regretted, for the return of M. de Freyoinet to the Foreign Office would have calmed susceptibilities in more than one quarter whioh may, Eerhaps, be somewhat ruffled at the outset y the assumption of this important port* folio by M. Gambetta himself. The name of M. Leon Say is another whioh it oonspiouous by its absence from the new Cabinet. He is opposed, it is said, to the purchase of the railways by the State, and therefore holds aloof. The definite retire. ment of M. Ferry is not, perhaps, wholly voluntary, but it will have the effect of

leaving M. Gambette 6m to deal a* be think* b«it with the affair* of Tools, and with other iiueetiona which have been left is a more or ess embarrasing condition by hie predecessors. The former question at any rate it one which will demand the immediate attention of the new Hiniitry, and will tsst ita temper and oapacity. The eopiona and tttilon| accounts which reach u* from Tunis, and especially from Kairwan, sufficiently indicate the magnitude of the task so lightly undertaken by H. Ferry and hi* colleague*, a* well a* the increasing difficulties which beeet it. M. Ohallemel-Lacour prefer*, it i* said, to remain at the Embassy in London, and has not, therefore, joined the new Cabinet. Bat he will repretent it in a position hardly leee important and responsible than.that of a subordinate poet in the Ministry, and perhaps less liable to the untoward vioi**itnd** of domestic politics.

GBBAT BOBBERY OF DIAMOHDB. Shortly after dusk on Wednesday evening, Nov. 16, a most daring robbery was committed at tbe branch post-office in Hatton garden, the mail bsg containing the registered letters and packets, among which were large consignments of diamonds for the Continent and elsewhere, being carried off in the very presence of the postal official*. It i* customary at the Hatton garden post-office to make up two bags for the evening mail, one containing the ordinary letters, tbe other the registered letters and packet*, whioh are conveyed in a van to the General Post Office. The work of making up these bags wa* just being completed on Wednesday evening, the hour being a few minute* past fire, when the gas wa* suddenly turned off at the meter, and the whole building plunged into darkness, j to the consternation of the employes, and suoh of the general public as happened to be transacting business in the office. In the commotion which followed, the mail bags were snatched from the hooks on which they were hanging behind the counter and carried off, by whom no one at present can say. When light* had been procured, and order restored, it was found that tbe robbers had got clear away with their booty, the value of whioh, in diamond* alone, is close upon £BO,OOO. The robbery must have been very skilfully and carefully planned. It is supposed to have been executed with the help of a confederate, who turned off the gas at the right moment, the hypothesis being tbat the robbers entered the office and engaged in in the usual manner, and that the gas was turned off at a given signal, so at to enable them in the darkness and confosion to leap over the counter, seize the bags, and transfer them to some vehicle waiting outside. Tbe gas meter was situated in a cellar underneath tbe office, to which it would have been difficult for a strarger to get access without attracting attention. In addition to the diamond packet* the whole of the registered and ordinary letter* prepared for the 5 o'clock post have been lost, so that it is impossible at present to estimate the extent of the robbery. Probably the amount of money registered was not great. It would consist chiefly of remittances by bankers to correspondents in the country, and therefore much j of that portion of the spoil will be useless to the depredators. It may be mentioned tbat j the bags were of the kind in ordinary use at j the Post-Office. The one containing the I valuables was of green canvas, and was marked " Hatton garden, Begistered Let- : ters." !

Whatever other property they may bare obtained, the object of those who planned the robbery wag no doubt to get possession of the diamondi, in which there is a large business done between Hatton garden and the Continent. Hatton garden is the headquarters of the diamond trade in London, and as many of the jewellers then have houses in Amsterdam, Paris, and other Continental cities, as well as mennfactories in Birmingham and Coventry, large consignments of valuables are constantly pasting through the Hatton garden Post-office. It is not at all unusual for a registered letter or packet to contain £6OOO or £BOOO worth of diamond*, and a complete system of insurance is generally adopted. This is effected through an insurance office at a charge averaging Is 3d per £IOO yalue. Some merchants take out a floating policy by paying premiums .in advance to insure £20,000 or £25,000 worth of goods, and every time a paronl is despatched the insuranoa office is advised of its value, and write off the amount in their books, until, the balance being exhausted, a new policy is taken out. Thus it will be seen that no ultimate loss will be incurred by at least the bulk of the consignors in the present instance. The moment of the robbery was well chosen, the 5 o'clock mail being the heaviest of the day so far as valuable consignments are concerned. On Wednesday evening, however, it happened to be rather lighter than usual. The number of registered letters and packets did not exceed 40, though of course many of these contained property to the value of several thousands of pounds. That the plans of the robbers were carefully laid is shown by the faot that the robbery waa committed a few minutes after 5 o'clock, the hour at which the reception of letters for registration at the Hatton'garden post-office ceases. The most singular fact is that no one seems to have seen the men who did the deed, or to have noticed the vehicle in which they must have carried off the spoil. The bags were too bulky for a man to cany in | the street, and it would have been dangerous I to have exposed thorn to public obsecration. Probably they wore thrown into an ordinary cart, which would be less likely to attract attention than a gig or a dogcart, the appearance of which would be unusual in Hatton garden. Evidently the robbers were uncertun at the moment in whioh bag the valuables were contained, otherwise they would scarcely havel burdened themselves with a quantity of useless letters and newspapers, whioh would add to the chances of their detection. As it is they seem to have made good their escape, and to have left the police absolutely without a due. They will probably find no great difficulty in disposing of the stolen property. Already the polioe at Amsterdam and the other principal entrepots of the diamond trade will be on the alert, but diamonds, whether unout or polished, are a species of; property whioh it is almost impossible to j identify, and whioh oau always find s> market in large or small quantities. The bulk of the loss iu the present instance falls upon the in> suranco companies, and these have decided to offer a substantial reward for suoh information as may lead to the arrest of the criminals.

THE ANGLOFBENOH TBRAIY. The negotiations oonoerning the Anglo* French Treaty hare suddenly collapsed. The British Commissioners returned to London on Mot. 5, and there will be no treaty yet. The Frenoh have oertainly made a alight approach toward* the British requirements, but 10 Tery faintly that their propositions, although officially noted, are very far indeed eren from reaohing the point at whieh a compromise might be entertained As before, the cotton section is the rook on which the negotiations hare been wrecked, although minor point*—such as mineral oils, felt hats, and leather—still remain in an unsatisfactory condition. The Paris correspondent of the St Jamet* Oatette, in writing on the subject, •ays : -"I hate latterly been in considerable fear that the Ferry Cabinet might for political purposes veer round and offer terms which Sir Charles Dilke could not consistently deoline, and whioh would yet be leu favourable than the conditions whioh I feel convinced the Gambetta Cabinet whioh is to come, and whioh will be the issue el a oompact majority of both Houses of the Legislature, will be both able and willing to concede. M. Loon Say is on all sides indicated as the Minister of Finanoe, aacl M. Maurice Boavier, of Marseilles, Minister of Commerce, of the impending Cabinet. Both are 'out and out' Free Traders, and vaaUy Liberal men, and both for the first tim* siaoe 1872 will have their hands free. M. Leon Say will not, then, I am convinced, forget the sth clause of his oorrespondeneo of June 9,1880; and with a Liberal Minister of Corn* meroe to support him, both the Protectionist influence and the power of the permaneat officials will wane before th« firm oetaraica< Hon of a united Cabinet. But to derive the

fall benefit from this position we mast wait until after the senatorial elections next January, and I therefore trust that oar Commissioner* when separating in a few days wiO. not bind themselves to meet again at a date which is not safely on the other side of the year." CONTINUJtD OUTBAGES IN IBELAKD. One of the most daring attempt* at assassination ever perpetntea in the County of Westmeath took place near Ballymor* o* Sunday, Nor. 18. As Meior-General Mean, the Deputy-Lieutor-ant of the County, was returning from Ball/more church, in a ear, in company with another gentleman, he waa fired at from behind a ditch by two men with long rusty gun*, but ho fortunately escaped on nlured. (The General immediately jumped off the car and gave chase to bis assailants, in which be was afterward* joined by the Silice. A later despatch states that Majoreneral Mean had lately issued writs agauut a number of hi* tenants for recovery of rent. Last week, while hunting with the Westmeath harriers, be woe stopped by several persona from coming on their lands, and had to give up his sport. It appeared that the would-bo assassins, when pursued by the General after the attempt, must hare passed close to the Bill/snore police - barrack*. M*jot-General Mears, whose residence, Mean Cou»t, is a few miles from the scene of the. outrage, served with distinction in the army, and retired some years ago from the command of the 20th Begiment with the rack of major-general. A brutal agrarian outrage was commii(«d a few days ago at Killavullen, in County Cork. The house of a farmer named Cartin was visited at midnight by an armed and disguised band of ruffians, who, because fee waa about to evict a sub-tenant, did violence to all members of tbe household. Curtin, presumably through tfrror, refuse* to take proceedings against tbe supposed offenders. Tb*> assailants consisted of twenty men, armed with rifles and revolvers. They first attempted to force in the dooT, but Mr Curtis and hi* son, judging that their Tint was not of a friendly character, resisted the application by securing the door. The front window* were then *ma»hed in, and a »hot fired through one. The door was subsequently forced, and the party entered. All had their faces blackened, and tho person who appeared to be the leader was dreised in a tolA'wfm tunic. They maltreated nil the inmates, and draggedMrOurtinoutofbed. They demanded money, and made a search in vain,'Mrs Curtis having taken the precaution of removing her money and concealing it. Frattrated with respect to the money, they dragged Mr Curtin himself out into a field, and nude hint swear on his knee* that he would not eject a. sub-tenant of his named Barrett, who alao kept a publio-faouse close by. Mr Curtin failed to repeat the words of the oath as they were dictated to him, and he received a blow with the butt end of a gun which felled him. He was compelled likewise to give up the notice which he was about to serve on Barrett. The p3rty toon afterwards left, and fired several shot*. During the scene a daughter of Mr Curtin eicaped thiough a back window, and gave the alarm at the houses of the neighbours. The people, however, on seeing the large hostile force engaged, were afraid to interfere, and even left their own houses lest a visit should be paid them also.

A MHEBABLfI COUHTIIT. The Panama Star and Herald of Oct. 20 has » letter from its Lima correspondent, in which he says:—"The occupation of the important town and department of Puira hasbeen effected by the Chilians, who, suddenly landing in Paita 1500 stzong, at once marched inland, and entered the city without firing s> shot. The inhabitants, as a rule, are delighted at the enemy, the Chilians, taking: possession, as although a war tax will undoubtedly be imposed, they will be free from the innumerable exactions and outrages they have suffered at the hands of Colonel Negroa. and his assistants, who pretend that: they am engaged in a war with Chili, but in reality devote their energies solely and wholly to the plundering of their fellow-countrymen. A. gang of these men is reported to have destroyed the machinery. &c, at the Patapo i plantation in the north, alleging it to be Chilian property, and showing no respect to it, although it is leased to a German, Benor Solf. The montoneros in o:her parts are much quieter than they were a couple of months ago. They commence to fear reprisals at the hands of the inhabitants, who are getting exasperated at the actions of the ' patriots.' Trouble is again threatened at Oerro Azul, where there are two opposing bands, on which a third one, which has its headquarters at Chincha, k preparing to make a descent in the hopes of obtaining rich booty. General Cacerea remains very quietly at Chosica. He claims to have 12,000 men under his command, but if he had 100,000 he would not get them to come to Lima. The terranoa will return to their homes whenever an opportunity to desert offer s. They do not like a soldier's life, and have nothing to gain by fightinr, while the olimate of the coast is death to them. Ten men were shot in the close vicinity of Lima on Monday last. It was reported to the chief of police that a band of robbers were on a farm, and he sent to capture them. They resisted, using a brick kiln as a breastwork, but they were all shot by the troops. This is the report of the officer in charge. The Peruvians declare the men were innocent labourers, who were seized, put in the kUn, and there shot in the most barbarous manner. Benor Garcia Calderon continues to style himself Provisional President, altaough what he presides over is most difficult to determine. He certainly exercises co power within the Chilian lines. Should he go outside them, he would suffer death at the hands of the montontrot, by whose congress at Ayaoncho he has been sentenced to death. Bobberies are of daily and nightly occurrence, and murders are of unpleasant frequency. There are no police in the city. This shows little consideration for the inhabitants on the part of the Chilian authorities. 'J here is no reason why a police force should sot be organised, and if fears are entertained that trouble would ensue with the troops, they can easily be kept out in the camp, where the greater part of them now are."