Foreign.

Manawatu Herald, 4 July 1895, Page 2

Foreign.

The French advance in Madagascar is slow owing to the enormous difficulty encountered with regard to supplies. The Hovas seldom fight, and appear to decoy the French onward. '„- Nine workmen ' have been murdered toy Bashi-Bazouks in r Macedonia. ;: .The Standard's cowrespondenfTat ! : Constantinople says that Austria, Bulgaria, and Servia^ intend to mobilise troopsiramediately to secure reforms and restore' order in Macedojoia. "* The Turkish soldiery, he adds, are demoralised, and refW to -respond to the J3uit»n\ . e dsmands upon them. ' •■ i The correspondent .hints that graver complications are threatened than these in Armenia. •;■ China was convinced that the conditions imposed by Russia in regard fo the. proposed indemnity loan would absorb all her available guarantee, and prevent the successful floating of future loans. Finally British influence prevailed, and China changed her policy in connection with the loan. It is suggested that a sum 'of £40,000,000 will be sufficient to raise for the present. General Zurlinden, the French Minister for War, states that if the .military service is limited to two years the numbers with the standards would not be sufficient, and the training received would be inadequate. In view of the European situation such a change would be dangerous. A remark made by tho French Minister of War, that a great war may breakout at any moment, has occasioned much surprise in Berlin. A great fire has taken place in the Rue Concordat, and damage caused I to the extent of two million taes.