LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 33, 8 February 1881, Page 2

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

London, February 5. The death is announced to-day, after a lingering illuess, of Thomas Carlyle, the eminent author, aged 80. The news to hand from Ireland during the past few weeks shows that agrarian outrages have now almost entirely ceased. This is attributed mainly to the prompt measures which have been taken by the Government for the suppression of disorder\ Further news from Sierra Leone confirms the telegram to hand yesterday regarding the probability of an outbreak of war in the colony. It is now announced that the King of Asbantee demands that a refugee chief who has placed himself under British protection in the colony should be surrendered. Sir Samuel Rowe, the Governor of Sierra Leone, has refused the demand and hence the threatened attack on the colony by the Ashantees. The total reserve of notes and bullion in the Bank of England is £14,125,000. The next series of wool sales opens on the 15th instant. The arrivals to date for the auctions amount to 190,000 bale 3. The total probable quantity to be offered is 300,000 bales. The total quantity of wheat afloat for Great Britain is 2,490,000 quarters! Australian tallow* beat beef 34s 6d; best mutton 395. Four and a half per cent New Zealand loan is to-day quoted at 96J ex dividend.

["Akgus" Specials.] (Per Ringarooma at the Bluff.) London, January 29. The Greek Government regard the proposals of the Porte to hold a Conference of the Powers at Constantinople for the settlement of the frontier dispute with suspicion, and have asked Germany to interfere oo their behalf. The Basutos, having been hard pressed by the colonial troops and most of their cattle captured, are now reported to be starving. A riotous meeting of sympathisers with the Irish Land Leaguers has been held at Chicago. Turkey now holds out some prospects of granting the concession with a view to the settlement of the Greek claims to additional territory. The long sitting of the House of Commons, induced by the determination of the Government to obtain precedence for the Irish measures, caused a good deal of public excitement. The Times, in referring to the recent pro ceedings, says that Parliamentary Government has been reduced to an absurdity. A sharp shock of earthquake has been felt in Berne, but no serious damage was done. Mr Laboucbere, the member for Northampton, and editor of Truth, is opposing Mr Forster's Irish Coercion Bill. ; During the debate in the House of Commons on the Coercion Bill, Mr Bright made a great speech in support of the measure. He denounced the Land League, and said its proceedings degraded Ireland. He touched upon the proposed land legislation, and hinted that the measure it was intended to introduce would be efficacious. The revenue returns of the Dominion of Canada shows splendid results. Sir George Colley, with the force at his command, advanced from Ingoe to Langsack. He sent forward the artillery and shelled the heights to the right of the position. The 58th regiment, under Colonel Bond, then attempted to storm the heights held by the enemy in force. The Boerß seeing this manoeuvre on the part of the British rapidly brought up reinforcements and enfiladed the regiment, inflicting severe loss. The British colors, which had fallen into the hands of the enemy, were recaptured at the point of the bayonet. Colonel B. M. Dene (?) Deputy- Adjutant and Quarter-Master General of the staff, and Captain Inram (?) were amongst the killed. The Boers butchered the wounded who fell into their hands. Sir George Colley is now entrenched in a safer position pending the arrival of reinforcements. The meeting held at the Mansion House, presided over by the Lord Mayor, in order to stimulate the proposed exhibition of foreign and colonial wools to be held at the Crystal Palace was very successsf ul. January 31. Sir George Colley reports hopefully of the state of affairs. Those who were the worst wounded are well, but the loss of officers in the recent engagement was serious.