LATE ENGLISH ITEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 83, 7 April 1880, Page 2

LATE ENGLISH ITEMS.

(Age special telegrams). London, March 24. Mr Birch, Gorernor of the Bank of England in addressing a meeting of London Livery men or members of Guilds made reference to the approaching general election, and declared that nothing could *te more unsuitable to the best interests of the country than that Mr Gladstone and the Liberals should be returned to power. Alphonso, King of Spain, being reluctant to have the sentence of death carried into effect upon Oterbary, who made an attempt on bis life, the case was submitted to his Ministers who urged the necessity of making an example. Alphonso replied that as King be desired to exercise the prerogative of mercy, but ho left the matter to be finally dealt with by the Council. It is bettered that the capital sentence will be commuted to imprisonment for life. March 25. Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice h»s started for Germany where they will remain for a short time the guests of the Emperor William, The immediate object of the visit of her Majesty to Germany is to attend the ceremony of confirming the three eldest daughters of the late Princess Alice, namely, "Victoria, Elizabeth, and Irene, Princesses of Hesse, at Baden. March 26. Mr Brown, a member of the Senate of Dominian Parliament haa been seriously injured in a personal encounter; bis an* tagonist shot him in tbo thigh iuflicting a v dangerous wound. The wheat market is fiat, heavy, and in*|\<3B» Bank rate of discount is three per <d^i pod. money ia in active demand. £ ;,Th^ • Jrapierial Government .and India 1 fiiithorUitis HAve arrived at a definite underB.tandj(ng(|*tfo the future administration of aSajra at Afghanistan, An official telegram , ha» Weefc forwarded by the yiceory of India from Calcutta to the effect thajb the British " propose immediately to undertake the entire petttteid tag J^wfajstartiye djftw'tf fa

northern and eastern portions of Afghanistan! there being no possibility of any Native Princes being capable of enforcing obedience at the hands of the hostile tribes. March 27. Great excitement has been caused at St. Petersburg owing to the discovery of an extensire system of embezzlement carried on for a considerable time in connection with the Customs. Responsible officials charged with the [frauds have been arrested, and the affairs of the Department are being investigate. Already it has been found that the defalcations amount to some millions of roubles. In connection with the volunteer demonstration the last military improvements were introduced, The signalling corps sent up several baloons for the purpose of observing, with which telephonic communication was maintained. The experiments, as showing their utility in actual warfare, were considered highly satisfactory. March 29. Lord Derby has publicly declared his views and wishes in relation to the pending general election. His secession from the ranks of the Tories is complete, as he has expressed himself as most anxious that the appeal to the constituencies should result in the unequivocal success of the Liberals throughout the country. March 30. Earl Gray, the veteran statesman who for the last half century has been identified with the Liberal party, has published an ! address which appears in the Times. His Lordship takes marked exception to the programme foreshadowing the policy of Mr Gladstone and his friends, and allows it to be inferred that his sympathies are with the - Government, whom he encourages to penevere in the course they have adopted, more : especially in connection with foreign affairs. He expresses « hope that their policy will meet with the approval of the constituencies throughout the country. Tho Tories attach much significance to.thir declaration of hit Lordship's views, and regard it as a favorable omen of their success in the approaching general election. Great public excitement prevails over the general elections in the several large centres of population, and party demonstrations increase the political bitterness, and serious disturbances have occurred in several places. At Chester the mob committed great excesses. In Dundee, where the Liberals are in the ascendant, the authorities, have much difficulty in preventing outrages against life and property. (Argus special telegrams.) London, March 22. There has been no submission on the part of the Ghuznee chiefs, they simply offer to negotiate. General Sir Donald Stewart's force has started for Ghuznee. The friendly Hazaar hare captured four forts to the south of Ghuznee. Mahommed Jan is opposing them, and the Governor of Tnrkestan is advancing towards Koistan, his attitude is uncertain. The new position at Cabul is being rapidly fortified. General Roberts has a force numbering 11 000 men. The Russian irritation against France assimilate in order to improve the RussianGerman alliance. Tipperary and New Boss has made offers to Sir Charles Gavin Duffy to become a candidate. March 24< Sir Arthur Blythe, Agent-General for South Australia, read a paper in the Colonial Institution on South Australia. There was a crowded meeting of members on the occasion. In the course of the discussion which followed, Sir James Fergusson paid a high tribute to, Australian progress. March 25. But for the annoyance caused by the action of the Melbourne International Exhibition Commission in regard to the British Courts, a further grant would have been demanded for the purpose of the British , exhibits, but after the delivery of the Budget Speech by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, there is now no prospect of any additional space being voted for a Royal Commission sending any leading personage to Melbourne. March 26. The Times in noticing the satisfaction felt in the Colonies at the success of the Strathleven experiment, predicts a great extension of the trade between England aud Australia if the meat export can be permanent. The Hon. Thomas Ilwaitb, the Premier of Queensland, leaves London on the 9th April on his return to the colony. Wheat is unchanged ; Adelaide is quoted at 59a ex granary. The whole of the tribes north of the Hindoo Koosh, accompanied by the Sirdar Adul Rhaman, are advancing westward in ' the direction of Herat, The British troops also are moving in the same direction, and reinforcements are being sent to Gandaniak from Jellalabad. An attack on Asmatoda is being feared. General Stewart, with a force of 6000 men, is advancing from Kandahar, and he will be replaced at Kandahar by General Primrose, with 10,000 men. March 27. On the Continent deep interest is being taken in the approaching General Election in Great Britain. The eagerness of the Liberals to obtain the sympathy of the French has been duped by M. Gambetta's organ in the press, which reproaches the Liberals with having permitted the bombardment of Paris, and says that although Lord Beaconsfield's Government has often shown weakness, yet it has roused England from the lethargy in which it was steeped by the Liberals, who would make the arsenals into pottop mills. The leading French, German, and Austrian Jourpalg urge that Lord Beaconsfleld'a Government should xepejre the support of the country at the election. The Vienna papers declare disgust at Mr Gladstone's rancorous attack on Austria, who they assert cannot trust the Liberals. General Chanzey, the French Ambassador, leaves St. Petersburg in the same manner as grippe Orlaff, the Prussian Ambassador, left Paris. Russia refrains from demanding the extra. dition of Harttnann from England, w'hofa .reported confession as being the originator of the plot to blow up the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg is denied. A Russian army corps has reached t Kuldaura frontier.