LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 46, 23 February 1881, Page 2

LATEST ENGLISH NEWS.

London, February 21. News fo band from the West Coast of Africa announces that the Ashantees have collected their army and commenced an advance on Sierra Leone with the view of prosecuting hostilities against the colony. Mr Parnell addressed a meeting at Clare to-day, and exhorted his audience to adhere firmly to the programme of action which

had been laid down by the League. In the House of Commons today Mr Gladstone, replying to a question, made a statement in which he confirmed the pre viously announced fact that negotiations had been opened through the President of the Orange Free State (o bring about if possible a bloodless and honorable understanding with the Boers in Transvaal. Consols remain at 99§ . Adelaide and New Zealand brcadstuffs are unchanged at last quotations. Australian tallow, best beef is quoted at 34s and best mutton at 37s Gd. At the wool sale to-day 7900 hales were catalogued, making a total of 45,800 offered since the opening. The tone of to-day's auction was quiet. The homeward Australian and New Zealand mails via. San Francisco were delivered here to-day, In the Honso ol Commons to-day, the consideration of the Irish Coercion Bill in Committee of the whole was concluded, and the Bill reported to the House. The third reading of the measure is expected to be completed without delay. Athens, February 21. Notwithstanding the more moderate tone of foeh'Dg in Greece in regard to the frontier question, the Greek Government continues active preparations for war, and a further augmentation of available reserves has been called out and is being prepared for service* Constantinoplbj February 21 . In accordance with the understanding come to, the Ambassadors of the Powers in the city have commenced their preparations with a view to bringing about a settlement of the Turko-Greek difficulty. | Capetown, February 21. Telegrams from Natal report that Sir Evelyn Wood left Pretermarit&burg with a large body of reinforcements and made a brilliant reconnaiaance in force through the Ingogo district where encounters with the Boers have lately taken place. News has been received that the Volkoraad or Parliament of the Orange Free State has passed a resolution authorising the passage of British troops through the State from Basutoland into Transvaal, | Special to « Melbourne Age."] London, February 7. The death is announced of Sir Richard Graves McDonnell, who was Governor of South Australia from 1855 to 1861, and who succeeded the Marquis of Normanby as Lieut.-Governorof Nova Scotia in 1864. He was 60 years of age. Much auxiety ia felt concerning one of the steamers of the celebrated Cunard Line rum.ing between New York and Liverpool. The steamer is now ten days overdue, and there is grave reason to* fear that the vessel ha 8 foundered in one of the recent heavy gales. February '9. Under the organised ijyStem of contributions arranged by the Irish Land League, the funds in hand have accumulated to an extent beyond the present requirements, and the leaders of the League are investing large sums in realisable securities, in order to j prepare for future emergencies. The measure introduced by M. Naq.net, for the purpose of legalising divorce in France, baa been rejected by the French Chamber, after a very animated discussion. At the present time the French law does not permit divorce on any grounds, and the proposal to introduce a right of divorce under certain circumstances is steadily resisted by tho clerical party. [Special to " Argus."] London, February 8. The Irish National Land League expect that the Government will apprehend Parnell, and advise him to escape to America. Intelligeece has been received from South Africa representing the situation in Transvaal and Natal alarming. The secret correspondence of the Russian Government with the Ameer of Afghanistan, which was seized by the British on entry into Cabul, has been printed. It shoWB Russia's intrigues in a very bad light. Germany continues to resist the desire of Greece to invade the provinces of Thessaly and Epirus, with the view of acquiring by force the districts which the Berlin Conference recommended Turkey to cede toher. Reinforcements for the Cape will be despatched from regiments stationed in the West Indies. Oxford University haa conferred the degree of D C.L. Honoris Causa, upon General Roberts, in recognition of his brilliant achievements in Afghanistan. The Australian Agricultural Company has adopted a report, in which they have agreed to ask the Imperial Parliament to sanction ao extension of their powers to enable them to enlarge their sphere of pastoral operations. Two Bhips and a quantity of grain, sugar, and tea, have been burned at the Victoria Docks, London. Special to Sydney " Heraia." [Per Arawata afc Auckland.] London, February 15. There is every probability of a match being made for Wallace Ross to row either Trickett or Laycock for £1000 a side on the Thames. Considerable sensation has been created by the announcement that Ayoub Khan has again declared war against Abdul Rhaman, the Ameer of Cabul. Relations between Greece and Turkey are strained to the utmost, and war is regarded as imminent. General Roberts has been entertained at a banquet in the Guildhall in London, when there was a brilliant company present. In responding to the toast of bis health General Roberts spoke at some length npon the organisation of the British army which he said was in many respects defective. Its great fault was that it was absurdly small and a more manly stamp of soldier was required. They wanted men. Boy soldiers drafted into the army were a failure.