THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5000, 3 April 1877, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

ARRIVAL ’ OF THE CITY OF SYDNEY AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, Monday. The City of Sydney arrived at Honolulu onth«l2tU ult. While: in; harbor the low pressure engine was disabled, which-'caused the detention. till the 14th, when,' belnguriable to repair it there, she came bn under high pressure engine, and averaged nine' 'SSe steamer is not’ the same vessel as was sighted yesterday off the Bay of Islands. ' MAIL SUMMARY: ' London," March S, Thirty vessels with entire crews - were lost in a gale on the English coast on the night of the 19th. . The number of people employed on relief works in India has decreased. Small-pox and measles are, prevalent at Hongkong, i arid .pleuro-prieumonia amongst cattlel .By a colliery explosion at Stonehill, Fernward, eighteen people, were killed. A most heartrending ■ scene ensued when,, the bodies were taken out. . ; - . The Pays says the intended marriage of King Alfonso and the Duke' of Moatpenaier’s daughter is announced for the end of April, The Danish deputies from Schleswig-Hoi--stein refused to take the oath to observe the Prussian Constitution, and were consequently debarred v from further participation in the proceedings of the House, The Monitem' saysit has authentic informs* tion that Emperor William recently expressed to the French i Ambassador at- Berlin big sincere satisfaction at the complete accord between the French and German representatives at Constantinople. . : The Dahomey blockade in imperfect, as the British Government rely on the assurance of certain chiefs that they will not, assist theKing of Dahomey. It is feared that a spirited policy would result in the butchery of the European captives. Gelele, the Dahoman ruffian, is protected by Amazons. Full telegrams re Eastern question state that the Russian army south of the Caucasus, on the Asiatic frontier of Turkey, is in readiness for action. It numbers 115,000 men, with ,36 field batteries and 250 heavy siege guns. A letter iu the Cologne Gazette from South Russia, says:—A forced loan will probably soon bo decreed. A further extension of mobilisation has been determined upon, but will

scarcely be carried out until milder weather. The commanders of the Southern army have been ordered to victual their corps up to the middle of March at bait K irl Russell hits given notice in the House of Lords that lie will move that Fngland shall cease all dip'oinatie intercourse with Turkey, on the ground that that nation is still too barbarous, mid unworthy t"> rank among the enlightened peoples of Furope, It is rumoured that the Marquis .f Salisbury is to be made a d ke. The removal of the B'iti-h squadron from Bessioa B ty to Malta, is regard' d as in furtherance of an under-tamliug with other Powers

The Russian army is making enormous preparations to cross r e f’nit.h. Orders from St. Ret' rsburg are rh t. the march should be accomplished without, needlessly encumbering the railways, wli'cli will transport the artillery and ambulances -V Vienna special says the St. Petersburg Viilomidi has been threatened with suspend',n if it continues to agitate for war. The Times’ Berlin correspon lent says;—The leadiug personages of the Rushan Government continue opposed to immediate hostilities. War therefore in all probability will be deferred until Turkey’s financial and military decline is complete. Turkey may request Russia to demobilise her force. A special from St. Petersburg says that the general opinion there is that Russia will not declare war against Turkey. A Stawlard’s despatch from Vieuna reports that the Roumanian representatives have offi dally informed fount Andrassy that Ronmania desires to remain neutral in any case, aud the lioumania militia will be disbanded. The Vienna correspondent of The Times says the general declarations m d by Turkey have now come up in » more precise form, uamel v, the period of the.year.to be gi/en the Porte to carry through by constitutional means the' reforms demanded by the Powers. If the Port does not succeed, it will pledge itself to accept the guarantees suggested by the Conference.. It may be meant only as a feeler, and as a counter project to the suggestion which is attributed to Russia that the Powers grant a certain interval, but pledge themselves to use ? coercion if the reforms are not effected at expiration of the time. Miridizi has taken up arms against Turkey, and is besieging Puka fortress, on the route to Prizenli. Dervish Pasha has sent troops from Scutari to relieve the place, and afterwards to march against Miridizi, Prince Milan has addressed a letter to the Sultan, stating that he has accepted the Turkish conditions except those claiming equality for Jews in Servia and the right of the Porte to be diplomatically represented at Belgrade. The Saltan will grant Prince Milan a new firman determining the future relations of Servia and Turkey. • _ The Prince’s decree dissolving Suptschina has produced a decided sensation among the deputies, but the command was obeyed. The Roman correspondent of The Times state-* that' it has been resolved that any Cardinal may be elected Pope on the death of Pina IX. irrespective of nationality. This decision was not reached without considerable discussion between the Pope and some members of the Sacred College.. At the annual meeting of the Loan Mercantile Agency, on February 2, a dividend of 10 per cent., with 5 per cent, bonus, was declared.

New Zealand hemp, good clean dressed, £25; fair, £22 to £23; common, £l9 to £2l. IS ew Zealand Consolidated Fives, 103 Jto 104);. A leading firm reports that the course of trade in the wool market during the past month has developed some features of weakness both in the home and continental centres, notably in the later pnblie competitions at Havre, Antwerp, and Liverpool, and the decline in quotations established affords unmistakea'ile testimony of a more or less general check to consumption in the chief industrial districts. The decided improvement in value of staple which marked the closing months of 1876 went somewhat ahead of any. correspoxiding rate of consumption, and under the circumstances some irregularity in prices at the approaching sales may be exhibited. In domestic wools the tendency is still downward, and the direction of the movement does no appear as yet to have reached the limit."- We think with a slight increased activity in.,bifdnesa a marked improvement for. better sows would be ea-ily produced. The check to con sumption no doubt is occasioned by ‘ the depressed and unsettled feeling which stiß obtains in consequence of the failure of the Powers to settle the Turkish question upon a satisfactory basis. A few enquiries in this market for parcels of colonial growth have not resulted in any transactions of moment, and prices paid offer no real test as to wbat values artlikely to rule when material is subject tqpublic. competition; sellers, in view of the approaching sales, being inclined to hold aloof. Such wool of the new clip as has come under hofice appear, in‘many instances, as far as .greasy parcels are concerned, of a light condition, but somewhat open in character genet-ally,'- and rather deficient in strength of staple.,; The arrivals to date are—New South Wales-.and Queensland, 30,175 bales ; Victoria,’ 121,962 bales; South Australia, 38,939; Western Australia, nil; Tasmania, 567; New Zealand, 221.3; Cape of Good Hope, 38,668 ; .total, 232,488 bales. Market quiet, with tendency to lower values. ; : ■

Flour, superfine, sdols. to sdols. ,50c. p extra; (idols, to 6dols. 50c. Dried apples, 6dols. 7c.' Downer’s kerosene, 52J0. per gallon ; Dovoo’s, plain cans, 440.; faucet, 45c. ; nonpareil, 50c.; photolite, 39c.; oleophine, 44c. ! - The Vienna correspondent of;the Standard understands that the Porte intends to invite Englaud to consent to the immediate return of her Ambassador to Constantinople, and thus set the' example to other Powers in this respect. Prussia is endeavoring to obtain concessions inConstantinople in return for pecuniary assistance.'

The" whaling ship Spitzbergen was lost near Bergen with all hands, numbering twenty-one persons. The Spanish Ministry is engaged upon ,a draft of a treaty of commerce with the United States. ■

The understanding come to between Turkey and Servia was that the Turks were to evacuate, Servia within twelve days- after signing protocol 'Austria will concentrate army corps 6a the Servian frontier, which will effectually •» guarantee the neutrality of Servia. ->j At Constantinople the Russian Charge d' Affaires is very active. Russian influence is , paramount at the palace. i , . The Porte’s note to Servia will treat of four points—Erection of new fortifications' in Servia; hoisting Ottoman flag side by side, with’ the Servian on existing forts; recognition of equal.rights of the Jews and Christians, and prevention of armed bands from crossing the frontier, “

Several agitators have been shot in Servia.

Prince Veter, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, has, by special commission of the Czar, intimated to the Emperors of Germany • and Anstria the Czar’s desire to meet them again. Bdheim Pasha, Turkish Grand Vizier, has resigned, at the request of the Sultan, in favor of Mahomed Damond, brother-in-law of the Sultan, whose policy alms at the abrogation of the Constitution. The water-logged wreck of the barqhe Maria has been found, having on board onlytwo survivors of a crew of 14 men. They Lad been without water or food for 32 days, and had subsisted on the dead bodies of their comrades. Eight thousand Russian engineers have been engaged In changing the Roumanian railway guago to that of the Russian lines. All the Powers have replied to the Russian note that they would not interfere until the Porte had shown itself Incapable of carrying out promised reforms. Twenty Bulgarians have been sentenced to long imprisonment for participating in the insurrection ; while Shekel Pasha, notorious for his part in the atrocities, has been appointed commander of the Army Corps on the Danube. There is great activity in Turkish war preparations. Troops are being despatched to the Danube constantly.

The British steamer Ethel has been wrecked, and 19 persons drowned. The Russian mobilised army now numbers 800,000. AMERICAN. ■ San Francisco, March 3. Two hundred and twenty-nine Sioux from a hostile camp on Tongue River have surrendered their arms and 300 ponies. Kx-President Grant will take the supreme management of ft leading bank in New York, General Diaz has been sworn in as President *f Mexico. General Oortena has been arrested and his property confiscated. . . ■ The House Committee on Appropriations insisted on the Sundry Civil Appropriations Bill, 360,000 dollars, to pay the claims of .Southern’mail contractors for services rendered bet o'e the war. It is regarded as probable that the proposed sub-idv fc> the Pacific Mail Steamship Company (if 400,000 dollars will not be agreed to. The postmaster will probably give only postages as compensation for services between San Francisco, Japan, and C- iua. Fight bodies of the crew of the oyster schooner Laura, capsized near Annapolis in a gale on December 20, were recovered at Baltimore. The Chinese confined in San Quentin gaol attempted to kill the warders by mixing pounded glass with their food. The plot was discovered. The gas in a Sacramento sewer, which leaked from a gas main, exploded. The streets were strewn with lumber and dirt, and a wide aud deep ditch over half a ■ mile long was visible, bearing the appearance of a chasm created by some terrible convulsion of nature. The Samoan Government has entered into a treaty of friendship with the United States. ; The Pacific mail subsidy will be opposed in the Senate.

; Fox’s American Theatre,' Philadelphia, has been burnt.

: Troubles are expected between the blacks and whites in Louisiana.

I The Hawaiian Gazette of February 14 says :—lt will be noticed that the advertisements of the mail steamers are withdrawn, which is done by order of the Pacific .Mail Company. On inquiry we learn that the company fias determined to withdraw from this route. In their latest letter they say—Should the decision of the Hawaiian Government be unfavorable to our view ;of what is just and liberal to this company, we will immediately and for ever drop the port of Honolulu, and carry out our English-colonial mail contract by running direct from San Francisco to Fiji.