THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 419, 19 December 1884, Page 5

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Auckland, Dec. 15. The Australia, with the European news to November 22, arrived from San Francisco at 3 o'clock this afternoon. She left San Francisco on November 24. GENERAL SUMMARY. The distress among English shipbuilding workmen is increasing. At the ship-yards on the Tyne, Clyde, and Mersey scarcely one-fourth of the possible working force and power is now in' effective operation. A severe shock of earthquake, accompanied with terrible explosive reports, occurred on the night of November 14, at Clitterskoe, Cheshire, 25 miles from Manchester. The shock threw down horses in the streets, and caused great consternation and excitement among the inhabitants. A troopship, with 2000 marines, was ordered to proceed on November 10 fiom Portsmouth to the isle of Skye, to assist the police in restoring order among the crofter s. There is no abatement of the excited feeling in Skye. Crofters from the neighboring islands are flocking there to assist their brethren iv maintaining their claims. Fully 2500 crofters met the detachment of police on their arrival on November 11. They demanded tbe olject of tbeir coming. No satisfactory answer being given, the ishmders conducted them back to the landing place and requested them to leave their shores. A dispatch of the 16th says news had been received that the crofters have resolved to submit unconditionally. One of the events of the week ending November 22 was the debate in the House of Commons on this subject. Sir William Harcourt, on behalf of the crofters, denounced both emigration and c 'iction, and so general was the feeling in their favor that the Tories spoke with moderation. Several Conservative landlords have agreed to stay their demands, and a resolution asking prompt legislation for the crofters was carried unanimously. The leading farmers at the same time have called for wholesale reduction of rents. The ' United Ireland,' of November 21, states that it is the intention of the Nationalists to impeach Earl Spencer for conspiring to murder. It says the Irish party is determined to force an enquiry into Earl Spencer's acts, A Blue-book published on November 13 says Government has sanctioned the expenditure of L 464,000 for the speedy manufacture of latest patterns of breechloading ordnance, and L 417,000 for works and armaments for defence at Aden, Ceylon, Singapore, Hongkong Simon's Bay, Sierra Leone, St. Helena, Mauritius, Jamaica, and St. Lucia. The principal expenditure ia at Aden and St. Lucia. The Colonies themselves contribute L 233.000 towards the works, and L300,0Q0 towards the armament. Postmaster-general Fawcett was buried on tbe 9th at Cambridge. Fully 15,000 persons were present. The Hon. Geo. J. Shaw-Lefevre succeeds Mr Fawcett. Henry George, the land agitator, ariived in London on the Bth from New York, at the invitation of tho Scottish Land Restoration League. His public lectures will deal particu. larly with the crofter question. A cablegram from London _f the 9th says : " A sensation has been caused by a rumor that the Earl of Durham, the great landowner, politician, and bearer of an illustrious name, is. about to bring an action for a judicial separation from his wife. The cause assigned is the discovery that the unhappy lady is mentally unsound. Opinions differ as to the rights and wrongs of the business. Some persons blame the husband, while others declare that he was wilfully deceived by his wife's relatives. Fred Archer, the jockey, who has recently lost his wife, has left England for the United States. The Queen returned to "Windsor from Balmoral on November 10 in excellent health. On the 21st the Marquis of Salis* bury pressed Mr Gladstone for a reduction in the number of Irish mem]J bers in the House of Commons under the proposed Redistribution Bill, and it is reported that Mr Gladstone consents to reduce the number by five. A. coalition of extreme Radicals and Parnellites in the House threatens the Liberals with a large defection. Michael Davitt, Jfenyy @ep,rge, Miss IJelen Tuylor, and several members of Parliament attended a large land restoration league meeting at St. James' Fall, London, on November 18. There was a good deal of enthusi, asm during the discussion of the proposition that the land inalienably belonged to the people, John Bright, in a long letter, favoring Frestrade, published on November 17, argued that since its adoption by England the price of food and hours of labor have diminished, while wages have doubled. He says although trade in England is momentarily depressed, tbe depression is far greater in " Protection " countries like Russia, France, and America. He concludes by saying that the recent overthrow of the i party of Protection and monopoly in America may prove a great blessing, i and when England and America have embraced a policy of free industry the ] whole structure of monopoly throughout < bhe world will take its downfall, i Lord Bunraven replied to Mr Bright - next day, and takes issue with him on - j very important particular. He asserts i that wages have risen more in America < man in England, that American work- • i men are much better off, and that ] ihousands of English artisans are thus ] ittracted to America. He asserts that ( he trade of "Russia, France, and imerica hag been rapidly e&teodhig ( luring the last seven years, while that < >f England has been declining. The I jorrespondence was induced by the Hackney election^ which took place on i the 10th, snd iato whicji local option 1 ?jpfcered as largely as Freetrade, '

i The Lord Mayor's Show took plac« 'on November 10, and passed off with immense eclat. The wea-ther was fair The streets of London was throngec with people. A fine display was mad* by the various ancient guilds. Amon£ the most noticeable and popular fed tures of the procession were severa Nile boacf, fully manned ; a herd ol camels, with Soudanese attendants and a drove of elephants ; also ma„3 splendid cars, bearing hiatorica tableaux of a most elaborate descrip tion. Mr Pearce, of John Elder and Co. also o^vner of the Zealandia anc Australia says he will place the Alask* ' a n d Arizona on the Pacific service foi a consideration, and would undertake a service between London and Auck land .of 25 days. IRISH AFFAIRS. Michael Davitt made a speech al Call bridge, G-lusgow, on November 11 in which he predicted great danger for England if, after the passage ol the Franchise Bill, +he Government refuse to allow Home Rule in Ireland. * United Ireland ' pays : "It is possible a general fiscal revolt will recora. mend itself as the simplest and most effective way of compelling the (Government to yield to Irish demands." A serious riot occurred at the mining village of Coal Island, in the suburbs of Dungannon, county oi Tyrone, on November 16. While hiding far from good Catholics, the colliers are bitter haters of the Protestants, and to show . their feelings they, attacked the church and drove the Protestant worshippers out, assaulted with clubs and stones every Protestant they could find, and held possession of the village for two hours. They were dispersed by a police force from Dungannon.