SUEZ MAIL ITEMS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 64, 6 April 1880, Page 3

SUEZ MAIL ITEMS.

The question of the Gorman action with regard to Samoa and Polynesia generally, has entered upon a new phase. In the Chancellor's memorandum to President School^ of the Imperial Board of Finance, recommending the new company, and promising an annual subvention for twenty years, stre3s is laid on the ' fact that Goddefroi's failure, would deprive the Empire of the greater part of the commerce and trade with the South Sea Islands, unless their estates were secured frdm falling into foreign hands. The Emperor is not much impressed with the scheme, but the Crown Prince warmly supported it It is now stated that the real reason why Prince Bismarck has gone into this matter is that there is the ulterior object in view of founding a German convict settlement in the South Seas.

Sir Henry Bulwer, Governor of Natal, has been mentioned in connection with Tasmania, and it is suggested that Sir Hairy Ord may be sent to Jamaica.

Mr Pope Hennessy's term as Governor of Hong Kong is nearly completed. It is believed that lie succeeds Sir Arthur Kennedy, the Governor of Queensland.

Orders have been received at Cronstadt to prepare shortly for the dispatch to the Pacific of tho ironclad frigate General Admiral, the Atlantiq ciuiser Zubiacia, and the clipped Plastoou. • On. the arrival of these vessels at Vladivostock they will find the ironclad frigate iVJenim, the At* lan tic cruiser Asia, and four new clippers, besides other vessels, belonging to the Pacific fleet. The effect of these reinforcements will be to give Eussia a naval influence iil the Padfic superior to any ever enjoyed by her in that quarter. The Indian budget presented on February 24th is considered highly satisfactory. The estimates show an anticipated" surplus of £417,000 after paying the charges of the Afghan war, the famine, and the-ad-ministration and construction of the frontier railway. ,

The first Russian consulate in India has been established in Bombay.

The steamer Hankow, bonnd from Melbourne to London, was wrecked off Plymouth breakwater on the, night of Bth February. She lost her propeller off Oporto, and reached the Lizard' under canvas. Tugs towed her almost to Plymouth, but left her owing to a heavy gale. She an-, chored outside the breakwater, and was in immediate danger of being driven on the breakwater. After maßy unsuccessful attempts the Government tug boats towed her inside. ■•'''•• The coachmen of Park are very kind to their horses, especially when ©ngaged-.for the hour. • '

Evot IN' Wheat.— A corrpspondent in an Aastralian contemporary speaking of rust in tli* Wartnambool district, in New South Walen, says :— For soine ycurs afto/ 1864, thsnderstbrlnsalmodt ceased to visit the district ; and String this peiiod we bad rust yearly, bitt' direcly the thunderstorms ngaiu became prevalent, rust again ceased $ and following that time the result of ay obsemtidris has been the Bonse. Ido not know that any of those writing about" rust" havetonched opon It in relation to thunderstorms ; but it will no doubt be interesting to know from others whether their observations, apd^mhro ernt in "Any ""m'tif similar.

G-BAIX Tbadb.— During four days in last week, 66,393 bags of grain were carried en the Chrlgtchurcb seotion.and branches. On Tu«r*day night the bags accumulated at the various stations amounted to 21,349.

The Frankfort Gazette publishes an interesting comparison of the budgets, national debts, and military expenditwfe $f\sW&BA&i States in 1866 and 1879/lWst of all, as regards Germany herself, her financial requirempnts in that interval have more th»>n doubled. In 1860 she rejoiced in the comparative innocence Of making two eiids meet with a budget of £31,000,000 sterling ; but greatness has ite expenses, and she now finds it no easy task to satisfy the public needs with £66,000,000 sterling., The heaviest budgets in Europe are at We-present' moment those of France and Russia —France 1 with; an' expenditure of some £119,000,000, and Eussia with one of £107,000,000, the latter now ranking before England by some ! £22,000,000. In ,186 a Russia, like 1 Geunany, required an income of less than half as much. /Her budget then amounted to £51,000,000. There is not a European State; but. has increased its expenditure since 1865, the total for all Europe having risen from £398,000,000, to £5>85,000,000.. As regards the national debts of the different European States, the same may be said of aJI except England and Holland, which alone show a certain diminution of their debts. Eussia especially has managed to bring up hers from a modest £208,000.000, to the respectable figure of £600,000,000, and she has been closely followed by Spain and Italy, France now ranking firfet of all; while in 1860 England was by far the- most heavily burdened, standing before France to the extent of £250,000,0p0. The.total debts of the States of Europe have risen from £2,626,000,000, to £4,324,000,000. But the most jnsereftrogf figures all are those "of the military expendi-' ture, and they afford much food for reflection. Of a total expenditure for Europe of £585,000,000, £160.000,000, are devoted to maintaining armies. In 1865, of £398,000,000, £117,000,000, were devoted to this department. Here, too, nearly every State has increased its expenditure, Germany,. France, and Eussia heading the list. Both in 1865 and 1879, however,? Russia and England stand first. Russia spent last year £36,000,000, England £4,000,000 less; France, £27,000,000; and Germany, £21---000,000. In 1865 the German ex penditure on war was estimated at £10,000,000 ; the Austro-Hungarian at £11,500,000 j tjhe French, at £17,0a0,00<f; |het ;British at £27;000,0&0; and the Russian al £22,000,000. Only Italy.and Aus-tria-Hungary have since' 1 then re» duced their army expenditure.

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