London.

Manawatu Herald, 20 March 1894, Page 2

London.

The Government has increased the Navy Estimates by three millions. Part of the programme for the next five years is to provide 7,000 additional seamen, and to build seven battleships of the Majestic type, to steam 18 knots ; six cruisers on the lines of H.IYI.S. Talbot, to steam 19 ' knots; and two sloops of war in addition to those already being built. A sum of £250,000 is to be devoted to fortifying the Home dockyards. :.■•■.{.■ ■.--.. • Eul Spencer,. First Lord of the Admiralty, implies that additional •cruisers will be built later on. The general opinion of the press is that, the proposals of the Government are fairly adequate. The Admiralty has ordered the obsolete type of guns which are stored for the use of merchant cruisers, in case of outbreak of war, to be replaced by quick firing gun; of the latest patterns. In the House of Commons Mr Balfour ridiculed Sir Vernon Harcourt's expedient of introducing a new Address-in Reply, as humiliating to the Government and unexampled in history. Mr-Labnuchere said they could easily find 500 R vdic il Peers, and the threat of swamping the Upper House was a legitimate one to use. Colonel Howard Vincent has given notice of a motion that a I remedy should be found for the depression at Home by establishing mutual commercial relations with the colonies. . . Ths ; Tw«6B says that Sir W. V. Harcoiirt has assured the Irish members that an appeal will be made to i the country, on the Home Rule ques- ! tion— probably * n . July— after the Registration ßUl 'and ' jbh.4 BudgeJ prajjdsaU have beenpassecL. ; Tb a letter to Major B/Rl. Jones, member ■ fot^ fC^nakr ttieo , d . Mr Gladstone' states that" the physical struggles h'eiias undergone are best known to himself. His resignation had become inevitable. Mr Gladstone will not seek reelection^ for Midlothian constituency at the next eleption. . It Jtia^s been decided that the British Government will administer affairs in Matabeleland and Mashonaland by means of a Judge and Council.tfoq^o/ the members qf life latter body to -be norai lated by the British South Africa Company, subj ecj; ,, to Jke ,8,0^1116,806110^. , of Lord Ripon; : '- ; '; ' ' ''" , '"' " ." ""| The rights of nativoa are to be relegated to a Land Commission, the rae'mbers^df which- are to be nominated eqnalJ.Y by |ihe British Governme^t3andjth|l S^j£b, 'Africa Company. The police raided an Anarchist nlub which has its pr-e*nises in thfc vicinity -cf. the- d-fanct Autonomic Club. • : " ,■ A number of joSpefs~were seized^ -and aulffe'^ietnbers founi on the pre4Tii9BH ; were- searched. ,-■_. The M:epcbmap Gallon, a leading Anarchist, who was arrested in London at the instance of the French Premier after the attempt to blow up the Gr«enwioh Observatory last month, has been discharged. The P.istnmsrter-General has ra I formed the Associated Chambers of

Commerce that he is williug to establish penny postage if the colonies will co-operate and the Chancellor of the Exchequer is in possession of a surplus this' year. Tho Chambers carried a motion in favour of the reduction to a penny. Information hag been received from the West Coast of Africa that the noted slave dealer Fodisilah. against whom the British troops have betn operating for some time nasfr, has been captured in French territory. The Oxford crew, who were warm favourites, led from start to finish, and won by four lengths, the race being a very hollow affair. The time was 21min SOsec.