ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN NEWS PER ALBION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5091, 18 July 1877, Page 2

ADDITIONAL EUROPEAN NEWS PER ALBION.

Hokitika, Tuesday.

The polling for Tipperary resulted in the return of Cray, son of the late Sir John Gray, Home Ruler. For Montgomery the Hon. Frederick Hanbury Tracey, Liberal, was returned.

At an anti-Russian demonstration in Hyde Park about 15,000 were present. A resolution was passed denouncing Russia, condemning the atrocity of agitat ors, and demanding fulfilment of the Tripartite Treaty of 1856. Pierrepont, American Minister in England, who has become exceedingly popular during his short stay, is announced as about to leave. The inquest on the five persons who lost their lives by the inundation in the Tyne Wydd pit, resulted in a verdict against the manager, Mr. Thomas, for culpable negligence. The Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot died suddenly from disease of the heart. The Queen has granted a pension of £75 each per annum to three old maiden ladies, descendants of Daniel Defoe, who were in greatly reduced circumstances.

It is stated that the Khedive intends to send in aid of Turkey a further contingent of 10,000 men. The entrance of European volunteers into the Turkish army is meeting with great opposition.

People are distrustful of everythingßuropean, and the war is taking more and more a religious character, in which all Islam wishes to take part. The gifts of money which are arriving from all quarters, and particularly from the Mussulmans of India, reach a very considerable amount.

The want of cavalry prevents the Turks from taking advantage of their successes. A Turkish gunboat endeavored to pass Kalafat, but was driven back by the fire of the Roumanian batteries. She contrived to slip past on Sunday morning, however, whereupon the commanding officer at Kalafat telegraphed to the next military station, a small place not marked on the maps, and on the gunboat arriving there she was received by so heavy a fire that she was compelled to surrender, and was taken possession of by the Roumanian authorities. She is stated to have been built for the Turkish Government either at Vienna or Pesth, and had not received her armament when captured.

The explosion on board the Turkish monitor Lufti Djbil was entirely accidental. It appears as some of the men were arranging cartridges in the magazine a cartridge caught fire, and instantly a terrific explosion took place. Almost the entire crew were killed, and the splendid vessel was destroyed. The monitor was of English build, and cost £160,000.

Works for the defence of Constantinople are being constructed by the inhabitants. The Turks are said to have captured 200 Russian vessels since the war commenced. The Russian Government, to prevent an insurrection in Poland, is calling out all Poles capable of bearing arms.

The war correspondent of the Daily Telegraph writes about three weeks ago, that five leading Circassian chiefs started from Constantinople for Batnm. Their names were Hadji Hassein Bey, Mandkombekat Bey, Mouemin Bey, Hadji Ali Bey, and Mehemet Bey. They had arranged a carefully considered plan of action with the Ottoman authorities and their own countrymen. When they arrived at Batum, they went on board the squadron of Hassan Pasha, who forthwith sailed with five ironclads for the Russian port and fortress of Sukhum Kaleh The Turkish men-of-war made their destination in the darkness of early morning, and came to anchor a little after 3 o’clock. They at once landed the Circassian chieftains with a party of men, carrying 600 muskets and ammunition, which were speedily distributed among the expectant and willing people. The neighboring country was so thoroughly and quickly roused, that by daylight the Beys had got together as many as 3000 Circassians. Hassan Pasha then landed an additional force, composed, as I learn, of other Circassians, Kurds, and Turks, and while the ironclads opened a vigorous cannonade upon the fortress, the Beys with their volunteers and auxiliaries attacked the place with desperate resolution. The Russians offered a 'determined but vain opposition, losing terribly. After this the insurrection is described as having spread like wildfire. The inhabitants of the surrounding districts gathered by thousands, with weapons of all sorts, to the Turkish standard. They drove the Muscovite garrison and guards all over the district, chasing them to Gogra, which they also destroyed. When these successes were reported, Hassan Pasha lauded a new supply of rifles and cartridges to equip the Circassians, and a formidable local force was organised to march upon the railway line to Tiflis, aiming at the direction of Kutais. Another large band was despatched to raise the country in the rear of the Russian columns which are attacking Batum. Great importance is attached to the rising in Circassia. A large force of Circassian emigrants with Government stores of arms and ammunition, have been shipped from the Bosphorus, for a point on the Black Sea.