SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 14, 16 January 1879, Page 2

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

The Queen's speech in opening Parliament chiefly referred to the Afghan question. Lords Granville and Hartington both criticised with some sharpness Lord Lytton's course toward the Ameer, but both urged that as war had been commenced ample encouragement and support should be given to tbe invading forcea. — The Irish members were loud in their complaint because Ireland was not alluded to in the speech.— The Duke of Cumberland and Princess Thyra were married with great pomp at the Chapel of Christiansborg Castle on the evening of Saturday the 28th November. — The Bishop of Durham has resigned owing to ill health. —It is rumored that Alexandretta, a seaport to the north of Syria, bas been ceded by Turkey to England. — The Derby cotton mills at Bolton have been destroyed by fire. The loss is £25,000. — Isaac Butt has been denounced by John O'Connor t'ower as a traitor to the Home rule and the Irish cause.— Mr John Ruskin declines the Slade Professorship of Oxford. — The steamship Pomerania was run into by a Welsh collier named the Non Ellian of Carnarvon, off Folkestone. Thos Bright, the chief officer, says that the Pomerania was going at half to three quarters speed. They heard no whistle nor fog horn. The lights were all burning. All hands conld have been saved if the sailors had not rushed the boats. 162 passengers were saved, 94 missing.— The British Government have abandoned all intention to grant relief to the Rhodope fugitives.— Tottenham, a Conservative, has been returned for New Ross, defeating Delaney, a Home ruler.— Mr Gladstone intends to come forward as a candidate for Midlothian.— The great Traitorn Colliery Company has closed its mines. — By a collision in the Mersey, fifteen persons were drowned from a ferry boat. — O'Connor, the convicted Fenian, has been released from Spike Island.— A Canadian loan of three millions at four per cent, half guaranteed by he Imperial Government, has been placed on tbe market, and allotted at a minimum price of 96£.— Henry Wells, the founder of Wells, Fargo, and Co.'s Express, died on the 10th December*— Business in silver is at a complete standstill. — Williatn Henry Palmer, known as B. Heller, the magician, leaves £125 a year to Haidee, who assisted him in his performances, £125 a year to his wife, and the balance of his wealth to his brother Angolo, of Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. — Sir F. M'Clure, a Liberal, has been returned for Londonderry, beating Alexander, a Conservative. Obituary : Alfred Wignan, author; Geo. Henry Lever, author • the wife of the Archbishop of Canterbury.— Captain Whyte Melvitle, novelist, broke his neck in the hunting field. HEAVY FAILURES. The failures for the month are • Preston Loan and [Discount Company, liabilities £60,000; Henry Taylor and Sons, grain and flour merchants, Glasgow, £1,300,000; J. J. Fenton and Sons, private bankers, Rochdale; lleywood, Smith, Fleming, and Co.'s liabilities (whose failure was announced on Oct. 3rd) are estimated at £3,000,000 ; James Ramsay, of Dundee, merchant, £80,000 , Gallemot and Weylandlit, bankers ; N. Horglaud, merchant, Stockholm; Caledonian Bank, Glasgow. The West of England and South Wales Bank bas suspended. Tbey prospose to re-construct the Bank by assessing individual stockholders. The Odessa Commercial Bank went into liquidation on the 14th December; Fox Walker aad Co, Atlaa Engine Works, Bristol; Zubina and Co, iron ore importers of Cardiff and Newport Wales; McKean Tibley and Co, merchants, Bridport, £86,000. AMERICAN. San Francisco, December 23. A swindler named William Griffiths has been arrested in San Francisco for extensive forgeries on the Union Bank of London, in

the shape of letters of credit passed on Baldwin the mining millionaire and proprietor of Baldwin's theatre and hotel— A plan is in consideration to consolidate the Union and Central Pacific Railroads under one management.—The Marquis of Lome was sworn in as Governor General of the New Dominion on the 25th ult. There were great festivities on the occasion. The Americau theatrical firm of Shook and Palma have dissolved. The former will become Police Commissioner of New York.— Napoleon Campana of Bridgeport, Conn., has challenged O'Leary to a Bix days walk, and O'Leary has accepted.—William Miller, the champion athlete of New York has published a challenge to wrestle for 500 dollars a side and McMabon of N. J. has accepted.— Western proposes to walk iv Sau Francisco 522 miles in 144 hours.— The Harvard Boat Club are enthusiastic in their determination to challenge the oararaen of the two English Universities for an eight oared race next summer. — Dennis Kearney, the agitator, was received on his return to San Francisco by a procession of nearly 5000 working men with banners and music. — Clara Louise Kellog has quarrelled with her manager because the new prima donna, Litta, eclipsed her in the estimation of the musical public. — Chinamen arc being naturalised in New York.— The steamship New Zealand, from New York to Antwerp, returned on the 27th November with her cargo on fire.-— Virginia refused to observe the thanksgiving day on President Hays' proclamation.— The Andrews Brothers, who went to Europe in the Dora, are coming back next spring in the same boat. They intend to build another iv which to go to San Francisco, and thence across the Pacific to Australia.— Mrs Tilton has been formally expelled from Beecher's Church at Brooklyn. — Orrille Grant, brother of the ex-President, has been releaeed from the Lunatic Asvluru, cured.— A vendetta took place in Breathill County, in which a judge aud several others were killed.— General Grant has concluded to visit Asia aud British India before his return home, which will be by way of Australia, New Zealand, and California.— There have been heavy floods in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, and New Hampshire, washing out the railway beds, and doing much damage otherwise.— The British ship Ttalia, from Glasgow to Honolulu, foundered at sea. Part of the crew reached Valparaiso. — There is a general strike of car drivers in New Xork.— Bayard Taylor, the traveller, and formally United States Minister for Germany >jied from dropsy. Curtis, the editor of Weekly, is spoken of as his successor.— A mutiny occurred on beard the British liarque Anaway on the voyage from New YoVk to Trieste. The mate was killed and others were wounded. The captain shot onejbf the mutineers.— Gold was sold at par id New Ttork ou the 18th inst. for the first time since the suspension of Bpecie paymenUfin 1892.— Gas stock iv Sau Francisco hasyfallen heavily in consequence of the preparations for the introduction of the electric light.— The Pacific Mail Company baa been offered two million dollars for their two China steamers, and three hundred thousand for an Australian steamer. It is believed this will lead to the withdrawal of the Company from the latter route, aud to its passing into English hands.- David Cowine, for many years Pacific mail agent of the Australian 'line, died at Florida on the 26th ult.