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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 211, 17 September 1879, Page 2

In reference to the much-talked-of telegram from the Hon Colonel Whitmore to Mr Ingles regarding the Cheviot election, as there have been some remarks about the contents of the telegram being made public, as alleged, by Mr Ingles, of Waipawa (Napier), into whose hands it was said to have come by mistake, we have been requested to publish the true facts of the case. It appears that the celebrated telegram never was in the possession of Mr Ingles at all, but was delivered to Mr Ingleton, of Kaikora (Napier), who finding it was not for him, sent it on in an open envelope to Mr Ingles, of Waipawa, who at once suggested that it \ might be for the Mr Ingles of Kaikoura (Marlborough.) The telegram thus went cruising about in an open envelope among all the Ingleses and Ingletous in the country, and it is not surprising that under the circumstance its contents should have become public without any breach of confidence at all.— Post. The Clive polling, compared with the voting power, was probably the closest in the colony. There are only about 1100 names of living voters, and nearly a/thousand Jof them polled.

Prom a telegram to the London Times from Murree, we, Post, learn that the illfated Cabul mission consisted of Major Cavagnari as Envoy and Minister, Mr Jenkyns as secretary and first assistant, Lieutenant Hamilton, V.C., as commandant of the escort and assistant, and Dr Kelly in medical charge. The escort consisted of 26 cavalry and 60 infantry of the Corps of Guides. The Times correspondent adds that t^je Ameer Yakoob Khan would visit India next spring to have an interview with the Viceroy. A Simla telegram says the Ameer is taking vigorous measures for satisfactorily organising the financial administration of Afghanistan, and introducing good government in the Afghan provinces. His Highness is distributing rewards to the chiefs of the Shinwarri, Khogiani, and Zakkakhel tribes in the shape of large revenue grants. Is is also stated that a Russian official native envoy has arrived at Balkh, but that General Hyder Khan has positively refused to allow him to proceed to Cabal. The first shot from one of the 100 ton guns has been fired at Woolwich. The experiment was conducted under the supervision of General Younghusband, R.A. The cartridge consisted of 4401b of cube powder. The projectile, which weighed 20101b, ou being fired, broke up. A velocity of 1598ft per second was registered. Despatches have been received in England, reporting that the commander of the Chilian wooden gun boat Esmeralda, in the recent battle with the Peruvian ironclad, finding his ship disabled fired the magazine and destroyed her rather than surrender. It is thought that the explosion also caused the sinking of the ironclad. Mr Murray, who was re-elected for the constituency of Bruce, in Otago, gives his views in the following concise manner, from which it will be seen that he is a strong opponent of the present Premier : — " It is whether the country is to be governed by the representatives of the people, constitutionally according to the laws, or ruled by the personal will of one or two men, who know well how to utilise Shakespeare's advice, ' assume a virtue if you have it not.' " The great elephant fair of India is annually held at Sonepoor, on the Ganges. Thousands of horses and hundreds of elephants may then be seen, and the bargaindriving and deceit of elephant-sellers seem to be fully as great as the tricks of horsedealers at home. The price of elephants has risen enormously of late years. In 1 835 the price of elephants was £45 per head ; on the Bengal Government requiring seventy of these annhnals in 1875, the sum of £140 each was sanctioned, but not an elephant could be procured at that price. One hundred and fifty pounds is now the lowest rate at which young animals, and then chiefly females, can be bought. Tuskers of any pretensions command from £800 to £1500, bat the Koomeriah, or best strain of elephant — like our blood horses— will fetch almost any price ; £2000 is not an unknown figure. " The season is at hand," says the Boston Cou -ier, "when a whole family will carry their dinner three or four miles to the woods, and sit down among the bugs, and ants, and snakes to eat it. They call it a pic-nic." The San Francisco Post referring to New Zealand, says : — " New Zealand is perhaps the most prosperous section of the British Empire, owing to its enterprise in building railroads and other public works." The American Mail says that the development of the American trade with Australia and New Zealand has risen to most unexpected proportions since the Centennial.