NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5404, 23 July 1878, Page 2

NEWS BY THE SUEZ MAIL.

(PER ARAWATA AT THE BLUEI’.) London, June 7. The Emperor of Germany consents to the wedding between the Duke of Connaught and the Princess Louise being celebrated in England. Ministers will shortly ask Parliament foi* a marriage portion of £IO,OOO a year, in addition to the £ISOO which the Duke already draws from the State. The Duchess of Edinburgh will spend some months at Coburg, aud will not visit St. Petersburg at present. University College, London, and the University College Hospital claim between them £50,000 by the bequest of Sir Eranois Goldsmid, who was, treasurer to these institutions. The Cleopatra Needle has been moved from Westminster to the Adelphi by river, and preparations are being made for landing and erecting it on the Thames embankment. Sir C. Peed has accepted'* the invitation of the Prince of Wales to act as juror for Great Britain on the education section at the Paris Exhibition. • An influential deputation has had an interview with the Home Secretary, to present a petition, signed by many thousands of persons, praying that all public-houses may, by legislation, be closed on Sundays. The Home Secretary, while sympathising with their object, said.he could not introduce such a Bill. The Prince of Wales was present at a grand concert, given at St. James’s Hall,for the benefit of Siguo Mario, the famous tenor. The whole of the artists gave their services gratis ; aud Mr.-Sims Keeves, who was too unwell to be present, sent £IOO. The hall was crowded, and about £ISOO was realised.

The Treasury is prosecuting a London chemist for having sold extensively some violet powder in which arsenic was the’ principal ingredient, and by the use of which the lives of several children were sacrificed.

Lord Penzance has suspended the Rev. Mr. Mackonochie from his clerical functions for three years, and condemned him to pay the costs of the proceedings against him. The interment of Sari Russell took place last Thursday in the family mausoleum attached to the parish church at Chems, Buckinghamshire. The Government offered the honor of a public funeral in Westminster Abbey, but the Earl’s testamentary instructions did not allow of this arrangement. James Drift Henderson, of Canada, has started to walk a distance equal to the earth's circumference. He proposes to cover forty miles each secular day for two years, travelling in Africa, Great Britain, and on-the Continent. He is to receive 10,000dols. if successful.

• The visit of the Parsee cricketers to England has been postponed till next year. On Monday last the directors of the Eastern Extension Australian and China Telegraph Company invited a large number of gentlemen, including many Australian colonists, to inspect the new repairing ship Sherard Osborne, which is about to start for Singapore, to replace the Edinburgh. Great admiration, was expressed by all at the-excellence of the arrangements on board, and interest was further enhanced by au examination of the company’s extensive works for telegraph construction and manufacture. The inspection was* followed by a dinner at the Ship Hotel, Greenwich, at which 150 gentlemen sat down. Amongst those present were Sir Garnet Wolselcy, the AgeufcsGeneral for the several Australian colonies, Sir Spencer Robinson, and Bishop Perry.. Mr. Pender presided. In proposing the toast of the colonies, the chairman referred to the Completion of arrangements for duplicating the cable, and eulogised colonial enterprise. Sir A. Michie and Mr. Poster responded. The British Consul, while journeying in Crete, was shot at by Turks, but escaped unhurt.

Pour hundred Mormons have lately left Liverpool for America. Gold has been discovered in Patagonia. A railway for the Sandwich Islands is being prepared by an - English contractor. The Indian Government has resolved to limit the strength of the feudatory army to the number actually required for internal protection.

The Shah of Persia has commenced his European tour. After a week's-stay in. St. Petersburg, he left on May 2S for Warsaw, whence ■he proposed to journey to Berlin, Vienna, and Baris. Ho will -subsequently visit England incognito, and inspect the great industrial establishments.

M. Jardon, the celebrated dramatist, has been formally received as a member of the French Academy. Alexandre Dumas is president.

At, Barcelona there has been an extensive strike against a tax imposed by the Town Council. There has also been considerable Republican agitation in the province, requiring military interference. On the 23rd ult. the Pope gave audience to 500 German pilgrims. Ten portraits were taken of his Holiness by a London photographer. The physicians are anxious about his health. •

The Khedive has agreed to a reduction of expenditure to tiie extent of £250,000, as proposed by a committee of inquiry. This, is to he chiefly obtained by military retrenchments; ' ‘ .