ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 113, 13 May 1878, Page 4

ADDITIONAL MAIL NEWS.

In the House of Lords the Earl of Beaconsfield, in a retrospect of the. Government's present policy, criticised tbe treaty of San Stefano, drawing conclusions similar to those contained in the Matqu/s of Salisbury's despatch. He said although every article of the*

Irea'y w a e a deviation from : tbe treaties 1856 and 1871, he would not call them violfttione, because had Ihey been considered at a Coueress, as England desired, tbpy might have been regarded as suggestions. He showed that ibe possession of Bessarabia

wae not « matter of trifling local: interest. Lord Palmerston bad strongly insisted upon its cession to Roumania, Bs it involved the independent navigation of tbe Danube. The Congress could not take place after Russia's refusal to conform to her previous engagements and to tbe Treaty of Paris. . He pointed out various ways in which the existing situation in tbe East imperilled the British Empire^ There was practically no reaeon why the Russiaus might not march to the Sufz canal. He could oot conceive why Powers were arming. The British Empire must be maintained. Lord Granville criticised the details of the Government's past polioy, but declared he would not commit himself or his friends on the preseut question, but woufcl leave Government to their responsibility. Upon a general review of tbe eisuation he drew conclusions favorable to pence. Lord Derby denied that calling out the reserves was the sole or principal cause of hia difference with his late colleagues, Matters at present were, at a deadlock wbere neither side would give way for the fear of loss of dignity. He would not press matters and increase groundleesjrritaticn. He denied tbe existence of aDy emergency justifying the calling out of the reserves, the only conceivable motive (for the haste of which, however, he would not accuse the Government) waß to take -, advantage of the war feeling in the country. Even the Austrian alliance was very doubtful, and all the other powera were certain to stand aloof. Why finder, these circumstances should England not only'be drifting but ruah-.-V ing into a purposeless war. ; He admitted that circumstances might force England ioto war, but at present he could see no ground for it. Lord Cairns said the smajiness of the increase of the army did not justify Lord Derby's interference.

The Times issued a special edition coniaining tbe. full, text of Prince Gortcbakcfi's reply to Lord Salisbury's circular despatch. Russia declares that the arrangements relative to Bulgaria are oply the development of the principles established by the Constantinople Conference. Russia is quite ready to abridge tbe term of occupation of Bulgaria as much as possible. The limits .of. Bulgaria have only, been indicated in general terms, in accordance with the nationality of the population. Details .will be left to. a mixed commission. The only object in assign ing parts to Bulgaria is to assist her commercial developement, by which England and Mediterranean Powers, whose commerce has always been a powerful lever for their political influence, are likely to profit 'far more than Russia. Prince ' Gortschakoff 'cx presses surprise at the objections 4o the stipulations of the treaty relative to Tbessaly and Epirus. The. modest reforms stipulated are intended to avoid the appearance of either establishing Russian supremacy on the one hand, or, utterly neglecting the Greeks on the other, Russia did not lorbid tbe.Potte to coneult the I'u'roptHn.. Powers, us well nsJßussia, on the reforms ior.. Grtek province^ and there is, do longer any pretext ior debarring Kusfeia from the possession of Beeeurabia, as the free'iom of the Danube is seepied hy international commission. \ Prince Gortsehtikofi's tone in rtfgard fo Armenia ie much more energetic. He BBys Batoum is far from being equivalent to lhe pecuniary indemnity, which it represents. Russian acquisitions in Armenia have only a defensive vaiue. Russia wishes to hold them so as not to hsve to besjege them at the beginning[of each war. These territorial cessions are the natural consequence of war. If England wished to avert them sbe had only to joiu Russia io exercising pressure upon... the Porte, which would probably have compelled it to grant reforms without war. England having refused to do so, sbe has now no ground to question the right for which Russia has sbed ber biood, namely, tbe rigbt to establish a state of things which will henceforth render such sacrifices unnecessary, or at least leßs onerous. The assertion that Russia's annexation in Armenia will interfere with European trade with Persia, conflicts with statements previously made by Britisb Ministers. Such assertions push distrust to the extreme. Complaints concerning the indemnity arß equally ill-founded. The sum ib out of all proportion to Russia's sacrifices. In the matter of the payment of tbe indemnity, it is easier to see a design to keep the Porte up to its engagements iri the interests of all than a design to paralyse Turkey; but there is no remedy against suspicion. Prince Gortschakoff says in conclusion :— The situation may. be summed up thus; Existing treaties bave been successively infringed by the Porte in violating its obligations towards Christians, and by the Powers interfering on behalf of Christians. Lord Salisbury . himself recognises that great changes are ceceeesary in treaties hitherto regulating the East. It remains ior Lor 4: Salisbury-' to Bay how he would reconcile; xhesoi treaties, and recognise

the rights of Great Britain and other Powers with benevolent ends, to which tbe united action of Europe bas always been directed, and the attainment of which one learns with pleasure the English Government desires, namely, good government, peace, and liberty for oppressed populations. It is for the Marquis of Salisbury to cay how he could obtain the desired cud outside the preliminaries of San Slefano. and yet at the same time taka dus aeoount of tke rights of Russia, which she j has acquired by sacrifices she has borne alone Lord Salisbury's despatch : contains no reply to these questions; It seems that the entire liberty of appreciation and action would have bean more naturally found by the formulation Bide by side witb the objections contained in that despatch of some practical propositions of a nature to aspure an understanding for the solution of present difficulties.

Tbe following further details of the assassination of the Earl of Leitrim have been gathered: — Having been telegraphed (o from Dublin, tbe Earl left his residence at Milford shortly before eigbt o'clock, accompanied by hie clerk, and was driving on an outside car to Derry to meet his solicitor. He always carried arms. The supposed assassins must have concealed themselves behind a low embankment between the road and a plantation, and, having first shot the Earl, they phot the clerk and diiver, so that there might be no witnesses. ; His Lordship's valet was driving about a mile behind, and, on coming up, found his ; master and clerk lying deed on the road; there was still some lile in the driver. The assassins had meanwhile etcaped in a boat in Milford Bay. The valet drove, back to Milford and alarmed tbe polioe, who, coming to the place found jthe driver still alive, but unconscious, and he died shortly afterwards. There is no doubt that the reorder was the putcome of agrarian disputes between ithe Earl of Leitrim and his tenants. His Lordship is said to have been kind and liberal to the poor, but very particular and exacting in his dealings with the tenantry, visiting with unsparing severity the slightest infringement of the rules of the estate, 'lhe Ribbon Society bave a strong hold upon the county, owing in a great measure to his harshness. He had an iron will, which disregarded alike appeals or menace*, and possessed^ extraordinary courage and perseverance in the pursuit of his purposes. The "Times," in an editorial on the assassination, says it is no exaggeration to say that tbe news of the murder of Earl Leitrim, which caused such a profund sensation in the JHouse, of Commons yesterday, when confirmed by tbe Irish Secretary, has struck this country. with aß.much pain and amazement as an unprovoked, declaration of war. Two men were arrested on board the steamer, going from Ratbmillen to Londonderry, on suspicion of complicity in the murder. The scenes at the funeral in Dublin were very violent and disgraceful. The roobs that gathered in front of the church endeavored to capture the hearse, declaring their intention to drag out tbe corpse. They vituperated the late Earl as Jan old ruffian: and heretic. They also climbed the wall of the churchyard and hustled the mourners, and yelled and hissed during the reading of the service. Several mourners were roughly handled while endeavoring to make their way into, the churchyard. Fifty, constables were present, but were wholly insufficient to cope with the mob, many of whom were drubk.

Detailed advices from Capetown state that tbe outbreak of the tribe of Secoceni, a power lul chief,, which was announced on the 7th instant, surprised ihe Transvaal Government, which was unprepared, and vos only able to aend 100 nmive allies against 500 Kaffirs, who were Burrounding Port Burgbas. Forces of the Transvaal and Natal are concentrating to resist an apprehended outbreak at Cetewayo. Sir Bartle Frere is slill at King Williamstown. 5000 men attacked SaadeHt, chief of the Galekßß, and on tbe day on whioh the steamer sailed it was hoped lhat, if they were successful, Sandelli, and JKJoeii, another ohief, would both surrender. The whole frontier, however, was very restless, and the war feeling was strong abroad. All the Government prudence and firaineas were needed to prevent a general native war.

A Rio Janiero letter cays that the British steamer Astarte stranded ofi Castillos on tbe 31st January. During the uight the storm increased, and at daylight only the tops of her masts were seen above the water, with seven or eight men clinging to them, but no help could be rendered because of the high sea. The sea continued rough until the Stb, when a boat got to an islet near the wreck, but nothing was found except the putrifyiog corpses of Captain Payne and thirty of bis crew. Only two men were saved.

London, April 3. There has been less excitement in Portsmouth Dockyard tbis week, and work is assuming its ordinary routine character. Overtime bas generally been stopped. Very little remains to be done in the way of warlike preparations. On Monday it became known that a letter had been forwarded from the Admiralty to Portsmouth, asking how long it would take to get ready for sea a flotilla of iron gunboats, built fbr service in the Baltic during the last Russian war, and, for tbe most part* since lying on the slips at Haslar. These are formidable little vessels of 254 tons, pro-

vided with displacement twin screws' and carrying each an 18-ton gun in the bow. Preparations had actually begun to fit them with magazines when countermanding orders were received.