CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

Manawatu Herald, 15 February 1898, Page 2

CONDENSED CABLEGRAMS.

' London. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER. Parliament was opened on Toes (lay, Lord Salisbury, eaid that if Britain was withdrawn from ] the Concert of the Power3 in regard to Greece and Crete would ba still less favourable. The position in Civtp was a scandal to. Europe. The Government, he said, had not surrendered one iota of treaty rights in China, and did not intend to sur render. It was prepared to strain every effort to prevent the destruction of those rights, and no state ment that had been made Kuggested the slightest intention of infringing treaty rights. China has invited Britain to guarantee the Indemnity Loan. Personally ha was not enthusiastic over the muter, but. China offered vary favourable terrapin return. A forward policy iu, India was b^ng carred out to an in estimable extent, and Britain wagradually diverting pp endid tribe to civilisation. He warned the country that it would be dangerous/ to revert to the old id^a that it Was* England's duty to fight everybody and take everything, as puch a doctrine meant overtaxing her strength. He said that Great Britain h^d grounds for discontent with the French in connection with the enforcement of an adverse tariff in Madagascar. Beferring to the Soudan Campaign, he said tht recovery of Khartoum was necessary and would prove beneficial to Egypt. The Hou*e of Lords adopted the Address in R^ply. Lord Salisbury said the Chinese concessions in connection with the loan wera in the direction of increasing the freedom of trade. He had suggested that Talien Wan be declared a treaty port, but China objected 4o this. Russia spontane oUBly offered that any pout occup^ by her has an outlet for her ct m mercfi should be free to Britain, and Germany made a similar off^r. Mr Balfonr stated that Britain, France sni Bussia agreed to guaran tee the loan to Greece to pay the war indpmnity and secure the evacuation of ThPHsaly. R* said tho diff j renc< of opinion between Britain and France «in regard to Madagascar wa« yr>t uuFolvtri. He admitted the gravity of affairs on the Niger, but was hopeful of an honourable solution. The Italian press states that the Anglo- Abyssinian treaty is an undeniable victory for Britain, and destroys the value of the concessions g anted to France in connection | with the railway at Has Jibutil. The French n wspapera express diaapp ointment at the turn of !3 ff 1 1 18. Work at the Woolwich arsenal i* being pushed on night and day. Tho output of Sea rt ridges has been increased to 2,000,000 weekly.

The construction of quick-firing guns is being hastened. Fifteen thousand hands are employed.