SUMMARY OF NEWS BY THE MAIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5488, 29 October 1878, Page 2

SUMMARY OF NEWS BY THE MAIL.

We extract the following items of news from our latest English files:—The prorogation of Parliament took place *>n August IS. The Royal Message is chiefly retrospective of the events of the last six mouths, speaks of the Treaty of Berlin as being the pledge of a peace "which X am thankful to believe is satisfactory, and likely to bo durable,” and calls the AngloTurkish Convention a more distinct expression of the engagement whiohin principle England, together with other Powers, accepted in 1856, but of which the form has not been found practically effectual. The number of measures passed into law were remarkably few, the stirring events on the Continent having absorbed -the attention of the English Parliament. Afghanistan appears to form the great topic ol conversation at the present time, and the Ministerial papers take up a bold position in the matter, as according to the Home Newt, they say that “ it is the deliberate opinion of the English Government that Russia’s advance in Central Ada must be stopped by an act of bold and even startling policy and inasmuch as Disraeli's policy is nothing it it is not grand, they may have some ground for their assertion. The firs-fruits of the Treaty of Berlin have hitherto been unsatisfactory, the rising of the Beys against the Austrian advance his transformed itself into a regular and formidable war, and even yet, our telegraphic news shows that things are not as peaceful as they might bo. The Porte has declined, iu a very plausibly written circular, to adopt the recommendations of the Congress as regards the extension of territory to Greece. It professes to consider that when the Groat Powers are further enlightened on the arguments for and consequences of the demand put forward by the Hellenic Government, they will modify their original opinion.: The circular also asserts that the rebelliousagainst the Ottoman authority are due to the action of foreign intriguers, not to any misrule within the dominions of. the Porte On the‘whole it appears as if England would lose credit by the action she h is taken in the matter, because she first helped to raise the Hellenic aspirations, and does not now appear likely to insist, upon having them gratified. It is not improbable teat the European Powers may yet come to some definite resolution as to the manner in which the Turkish refusal is to be met. The last news on the subject of the Angler Turkish coaventiou is that the Sultau and his Ministers have expressed their fullest approbation of the English projects_of reform but, unfortunately, they do not quite see their way to carrying them out, because they involve the expenditure of money. In point of fact this is understood to mean that the Turks are in hopes that" their acquiescence may be purchased by a new loan. The Khedive of Egypt has accepted, without modification or delay, all the recommendations of the European Committee of Inquiry into the Egyptian revenues. There are three great measures to wjiich the Khedive has pledged, himself which, if carried oat, will go far to make Egypt one of the richest and most prosperous countries in the globe. In the first place, he surrenders his own vast estates and those of his family to his European advisers. Secondly, he abolishes the system of forced labor, which was an insurmountable obstacle to native industry. Thirdly, he has consented to certain principles of taxation, such as that no taxes shall be gathered without a law au-_ thoriaing them being promulgated, and that there shall bo an efficient control over tax collectors.,, , ’ The mishaps by road and water have been so. fully dwelt upon both in tho telegrams and in tho Press generally that a bare mention of them is only necessary to remind our readers

of the fearful amount of misery occasioned to many families by the disasters. The podded situation in France is upon the whole reassuring*, the impending election of the Senate having’directed attention to the state of the parties. Upon the whole it may be said that the Republic has proved its moderation, and upon the occasion of the festivals and anniversaries that have been held in Paris everything has been so orderly that the stability and. popularity of the (Republic seems to be assured. The Anti-Socialist Bill is the great bone of contention in the German Parliament, not in regard to the penalties imposed, but on the question whether the Bill shall bo administered * by the central authority in Berlin, or by tho local governments of the districts within which *an offence has been committed. Prince Bismarck will do his best in favor of central authority. The only item of social news at all out of the common is tho fact that Mr. Fowler, an American has succeeded in walking in a sort of twin canoe from Boulogne to Sandgato. Ho did the distance in 12 hours.