ARRIVAL OF THE SUEZ MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5381, 26 June 1878, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SUEZ MAIL.

(per abawata at the bluff.) London, May 10. The Prince of Wales, on visiting the colonial courts of the Paris Exhibition, is said to have greatly delighted the colonials by holding out to them a prospect of a not distant visit to the Antipodes. The Queen is at Windsor in excellent health. It has been finally arranged that the Duke of Edinburgh will continue in the Mediterranean, and he has been transferred from the command of the Sultan to the Black Prince, the crews of the tw*> ships being changer!. The Black Prince is at Malta, and remains part of Lord John Hay’s squadron. The Duchess returns to Russia on a visit to hei parents, the Duke acc Mtipanying her a portion of the journey. She will, however, spend some time iu Coburg. The Bishop Selwyn - memorial committee have resolved to erect a monument in Lichfield Cathedral, and to found a Selwyn College at Cambridge, to include provision for the education of mission students. Liberal subscriptions are flowing in. A movement is afloat for the creation of a bishopric for Liverpool. The fund needed for the endowment is eighty thousand ; half is already promised. Sir J. Pergusson has recently been entertained at a banquet by the Greenock Conservatives, who failed to return him to Parliament in the late election contest.

An impression generally prevails that the Ministry will appeal to the country at the close of the present session, the duration of which will be abridged whether there be peace or war. In anticipation of this event candidates are everywhere working the constituencies, and many old representatives have signified their intention to retire.

There is an agitation among the Metropolitan police for increase of pay. It originated with the sergeants, and extended through every grade of the service.

Obituary.—Admiral Sir F. W. Grey ; Mr. G. S. Crawford, M.P. for County Down ; Alderman Carter; Mr. W. Mitchell, proprietor of the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette ; Viscount Southwell.

By the terrible squalls which passed along the Biscayan coast on the 20 th ult., eighty boats were destroyed, and 320 men and boys perished. By a boiler explosion at a Dublin foundry on 27th April, about twenty lives were lo*t and the premises reduced to ruins. The unfortunate Eurydioe is still at the bottom of the sea. All attempts to raise her have proved unsuccessful. There is much grumbling at the want of skill displayed. The number of persons dependent on those that perished is estimated at about 300, to relieve whom £20,000 will be required, and nearly that amount has already been raised. Advices from the Cape continue to be disquieting. Fighting from day to day is reported from one quarter and another, with indecisive results in each encounter. Fifty or sixty Kaffirs have been killed, and sheep and cattle captured, but the enemy retires into his fastnesses, and so prolongs the contest. General Thesiger has rendered himself extremely popular with the volunteers. A writ of habeas, for the production of thRev. Mr. Dodwell from Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, with a view to his discharge, was refused by the Judges. A remarkable will case has been proceeding for the last three weeks in the Irish Probate Court. Mrs. Bagot, granddaughter of the late Sir W. Verner, challenges the will of her husband, Mr. E. A. Bagot, who had large estates in the west of Ireland, and has amassed an immense fortune in Australia. She contests the will on the ground of unsoundness of mind on the part of testator, and of undue influence. A son born shortly after the marriage was repudiated by the husband. Some disgraceful disclosures have been made regarding the Verner family. It has required £19,000 a week to afford a moderate amount of relief to the distressed people on account of the strike in Lancashire. The Chancellor of the Exchequer informed the House of Gommous that the cost of the Indian expedition would be borne by the Imperial Exchequer, and that the troops while in Europe would remain under the provisions of the Indian Mutiny Act. The Czar lately signed a decree calling out 240,000 men of the reserves. Contracts have been made for the supply of a million yards of cloth for militia uniforms. 14,000 spades have been sent to the Russian head quarters in Roumania ; 20,000 cartridge chests have been ordered in Holland and at Cronstadt; and Whitehead torpedoes are being steadily manufactured ; one large factory was recently blown up. Humor has fixed upon the stipulations respecting the delineation of the New Bulgaria and the cessions demanded in Asia Minor as those forming the chief subject of contention between the two Governments.

It is said that England, supported by France, objects to the extension of Bulgaria to the zEgean seaboard, while in Armenia she is determined to tolerate no changes calculated to compromise her communication with India. The military situation as regards Russia and Turkey appears to be improving. The attitude of the Russian army in the neighborhood of Constantinople is less menacing, while the Turks have been diligently employed luring the past few days in multiplying and strengthening the defences around their capital, so that any attempt on the part of the Russians to besiege the city would certainly provoke a stubborn resistance.

Intelligence comes from Armenia to the effect that the Russians are moving in considerable force into the districts adjoining Batoum, with the apparent intention of attacking the place if it should not be yielded peaceably. The Christian population, we are told, are hostile to Russian rule ; they flee from their homes and abandon their fields, and have sent formal complaints to the Porte of the cruelties of the invaders.

Baker Pasha’s appointment to the command of the division occupying part of the defensive lines of the capital is regarded with satisfaction at Constantinople. The lines are occupied by 90,000 men, and forces are constantly arriving from Asia. The Sultan inspected his troops last week.