ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5004, 7 April 1877, Page 3

ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

The Prussian Diet was opened on January 15 by the King in person. His Majesty, in the Speech from the Throne, said nothing whatever about European affairs. He expressed his hope that the endeavors of the Government to supply the wants of the country would meet with firm support in the Diet; and added that the public revenue for 1877, estimated on the whole to equal that of last year, offered the means of satisfying any new and permanent requirements of the State. The King then returned thanks for the proofs of affection and fidelity which he had received from his people on the celebration of his seventy years’ military jubilee, and said that he regarded the sentiments then manifested towards him as a sure guarantee that Prussia would continue to fulfil her political mission in the German Empire by faithfully carrying out truly monarchical, and at the same time, liberal institutions.

The approaching session of the Norwegian Storthing is, according to information received from Christiana, expected to be very stormy, on account of a proposed alteration of the Constitution, by which, in certain circumstances, the veto of the King would be set aside.

A committee has been formed at Vienna to promote the erection of a monument to Beethoven. Signor Verdi is one of the earliest subscribers ; he has sent 500 f. The French Chamber of Deputies has unanimously voted the grant of 100,000 f. asked for by the Colonial Minister for the relief of the sufferers from the famine in the French Indies.

Baron Barth, the geologist, committed suicide under an attack of fever at Loanda on the 7th December. Dr. Mohr died at Malanye on the 26th November.

The Russianßudgetforlß77 shows the public revenue for the past year to have amounted to 570.778.000 roubles, and the expenditure to 568.770.000 roubles. In the estimates for the present year the revenue from the sugar duty is calculated to yield 1,000,000 roubles, and the revenue from the post office and telegraphs 2,000,000 roubles more than in 1876. The Customs duties, however, are estimated to produce 3,000,000 roubles less than last year. The ordinary expenditure for 1877 shows an increase of 3,500,000 roubles. M. Brix, the Danish Socialist leader, has been found guilty of political misdemeanor by the_ criminal court of Copenhagen, and sentenced to four years’ penal servitude.

On all hands it is affirmed that a brisk correspondence is going on between Russia and Germany, and some assert that Russia wants to know whether, in case of war and of victory —which in her case are still believed to be the same thing—she could enjoy the fruits of victory. To this question Germany alone can reply, and Russia troubles herself with her alone. It would be a large field of speculation to consider in what sense Germany will reply, and such speculations are less tempting now than ever. It may, however, be safely said that Turkey quite comprehends the danger of the prolongation of the status quo, which is ruining her finances and hampering her reforms. A direct satisfaction which might be offered to Russia is, therefore, being sincerely sought, such as would allay public excitement and justify simultaneous disarmament by Russia and Turkey. That satisfaction must be found before the armistice expires, if a fresh explosion is to be warded off.

It is reported from Eome that the young Prince Louis Napoleon has been initiated by Prince Humbert into the mysteries of Italian freemasonry. The Pope is very dissatisfied with the conduct of the ex-Empress Eugenie and' of her son. Pius IX. had advised the young Prince to quit Italy aa soon as possible. This judicious advice, however, has not been followed ; on the contrary, the Empress has been very assiduous in her visits to the Quirinal, and is in constant intercourse with those of the noble families in Eome who are partisans of King Victor Emmanuel. For these reasons the Pope refused to dispense with his own hands the Holy Communion both to the Empress and the Prince. As the Empress Eugenie’s request was made to him the Pope said, “ Anche, I’altro prese la Santa Comunione a Sant Anna dorata.” By the “ other ” the Pope meant Napoleon 111. The Pope held up as an example to the Empress and the Prince the conduct of Don Carlos, who, on his recent visit to Eome, sought the Apostolic blessing, and on advice at once took his departure from Italy.

The Times correspondent, writing from St. Petersburg on January 10, says:—“ In one of my recent letters I referred to the illness of the Grand Duke Nicholas and to his reported recovery. I am now, however, obliged to state that his Imperial Highness has had several relapses, and that great fears are entertained with respect to him. It is said that FieldMarshal Kotzebue, Governor-General of Poland, has been applied to and has declined to succeed the Grand Duke as commander-in-chief of the Southern army, and I believe there is every probability of that important post being occupied by General Nepokoitchinsky, who is at present acting as chief of the staff of his Imperial Highness. This appears to be the best arrangement that could be made, us General Nepokoitchinsky is a man of known abilities, and is well acquainted with the country in which he may have to act. The change, however, is much to be regretted, and they say that the severe illness of the Grand Duke has already been looked upon by the mobilised troops as a bad omen on the eve of a probable war. This, considering the superstitious nature of Russians in general, and particularly of those classes which furnish the army with recruits, is not to be wondered at.

The Prussian Budget was presented to the Chamber by Horr Camphausen, the Minister of Finance. The Minister in his speech dwelt

upon the difficult conditions of last year, and said that the fact of their being no deficit ought to be considered satisfactory. The receipts of the Treasury in 1876 showed a reduction of 3,000,000 marks ; ' on the other hand, the administration of the forests showed a surplus of 3,000,000 marks over the estimates. The receipts from the direct taxes were in excess of, and those of the indirect taxes below, the estimates. The receipts for 1877-78 are estimated at 651,413,934 marks, being 15,466 marks less than last year. The ordinary expenditure is set down at 631,075,487 marks, being an increase of 11,915,369 upon last year. The extraordinary expenditure is estimated at 20,368,338, being 11,938,135 marks less than those for the preceding year.