SUEZ MAIL ITEMS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5765, 20 September 1879, Page 3

SUEZ MAIL ITEMS.

(From the European Mail.) A meeting was held at the Cannon-street Hotel the other day, for the purpose of memorialising the Government to abolish subsidies in connection with mail steamers. The arguments advanced went to show that the day of subsidies had passed, and that thj mails should be carried at so much per lb. One special objection was that the new mail contract between the P. and O. Company and some of the Australian colonies was for eight years. This term it was thought should be reduced to at least five years. Attention was also drawn to the waste of time and money in running two lines parallel to each other for the China and Indian mail, and it was urged that the steamer for Bombay should carry on the China mails to Calcutta, and that a steamer should take them up at Calcutta and carry them on to China at the poundage rate, the same system to be adopted on the return voyage. Statistics were produced by several of ciie speakers to show the waste of money the country sustained by the existing system, and a memorial to the: Government soliciting reb.nn was unanimously adopted. On July 29 a deputation waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon the subject, when the arguments of the meeting were brought to his notice, and iu reply he stated he was much obliged to the gentlemen for the trouble they and that no doubt the subject to which they had referred would shortly be discus«ed in another place. It may be added that the question of subsidies is occupying considerable attention just now, and those who have the matter in hand ara very earnest in their efforts to obtain tho reforms which they contend are needed. f Henceforward the mails for tho Nav’gators or Samoan Islands will be forwarded via New Zealand, and the correspondence addressed to those islands will be liable to the same rates of postage as that for New Zealand. In the House of Commons Lord John Manners, in answer to Mr. S. Lloyd, stated that when the new contract between the Imperial Government and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company and tlm contract between the Government of Victoria and the same company had been ratified and brought into effect, from February 1 next there would be an acceleration of the mail service between England and Melbourne to the extent of fully five days. Mr. William Cooke, from New Zealand, has purchased from Mr. Wilson, Wescburn, Cambuslang, two splendid one year old bulls at very handsome prices. One of these animals has won not less than seven first prizes and the Challenge Cup, value £25, given by his Grace the Duke of Buccleugh for the best bull of any age at the Glasgow- Agricultural Society’s Show. The other has also distinguished himself by gaining a number of prizes. There is no doubt these animals will uphold the fame of their pedigree in the colonies, as they are come of a stock celebrated both as breeders and prize-takers. Application has been made to the liquidators of the City of Glasgow Bank for sanction to an agreement with the New Zealand and Australian Land Company (Limited). Certain property was purchased from the company for £150,000 by Mr. Glen Walker, and in respect of this agreement the company lodged a claim iu the liquidation, which was at first refused, but which the liquidators ara now prepared to settle by a payment to the company. The inhabitants of Fiji have been informed by the Colonial Office that it has been decided to .allow Sir Arthur Gordon, G.0.M.G., to retain the government of the colony for the full period for which he was appointed, and that no notice can be taken of their recent petition. This will be a grejt disappointment to ihe petitioners. The Army and Navy Gazette reports through an anonymous correspondent that H. M.b. Enryalu-, now stationed off the Australian coast, is very unsuitable for that climate. Having a flag command, and more than 109 supernumeraries, being, moreover, “ lumbered up " with the impedimenta of an admiral and his staff, she is crowded, and so, as a natural consequence, more than seventy officers and men have been on the sick-list with various ailments. It is a great pity that climate and other sanitary considerations do not influence “my lords” in choosing ships for particular stations. Prince Jerome Napoleon has received a deputation who wished to ascertain his intentions towards the Bonapartists, He told them that lie should fulfil all his duties, but they must allow him to choose the time for bringing forward their claims. The Republic, he remarked, was the regular and legal Government of the country, and though they might not sympathise with it, yet it was entitled to their esteem. News from the United States says that the yellow fever is rapidly spreading in Memphis, and the deaths now average five daily. A committee of public safety is being organised, and the militia have been ordered to afford protection to the remaining inhabitants. From South America we learn that the Chilian fleet is still blockading Iquique. Festivities have been held at Valparaiso in honor of the crew of the Chilian vessel Covadonga, as a token of the public approval of their gallant conduct in the action with the Independent. On July 28 it was telegraphed that the Huascar had entered the blockaded port of Iquique. She fought the Chilian squadron for two hours, leaving hors de conibat the Cusino and Abtas. The Huascar sustained no damage. The Sydney International Exhibition formed the groundwork of a set piece of fireworks, which went off with considerable radiance at tho Crystal Palace the other night. Her Majesty has telegraphed her personal congratulations to General Sir Samuel Browne, V.C., K.G.5.1., on the termination of the war with Afghanistan, and has thanked the general and his troops for their devotion and gallantry, by means of which unforeseen results have been obtained.

The residence of the late Charles Dickens, known as Gad’s Hill Place, Higham, near Strood, has been purchased by Captain Austin Budden, of the 12th Kent Artillery. In a thunderstorm in Appenzel, a few days ago, a farmer and ten of his_ cows, one of which he was milking, were killed by lightning. , A bronze statue of the late Cardinal Cullen is to be erected in the immediate vicinity of the Cathedral, Dublin, at a cost of £2OOO. Mrs. Annie Besant has just passed the matriculation examination at London University, at which she intends to graduate in science. Symptoms have become more frequent and more marked of an estrangement between the German Government and that of Kussia, The relations between the two are understood to be cooling perceptibly and progressively. It is stated that the Emperor of Austria will, in the course of tho summer, receive a communication from Madrid ou the subject of the projected alliance between King Alfonso and the Archduchess Marie. There is a rumor that in consequence of the attitude of England and Italy, tho city of Janina may not be secured to Greece, but be left to Turkey. Owing to the delay of the Porte in appointing Commissioners for the delimitation of the frontier, the Greek Chamber has been convoked for an extraordinary session. Austria is making great efforts to hold her own. Great exertions are being made to introduce all the latest improvements into the Austro-Hungarian army, which is far superior to what it used to be, especially as regards the artillery, although opinions differ much on the fighting capacities of the Uchatius guns. Just now numerous trials are being made with repeating rifles—the Kropatschek gun, for instance. The gun-armory factory at Steyr has, by order of the War Office, finished 100 guns on that system, and these are to be distributed to the men of the Rifle Brigade, 26th Battalion, stationed at Linlz. ' Although the trials hitherto made with this gun have thoroughly proved its excellence, the War Office has determined that it shall be used for at least one year by a large body of troops before it shall be generally introduced into the army. The Queen and Princess Beatrice left Windsor Castle on July 19 en route for Osborne. Extraordinary precautions were taken to insure the safety of the Sovereign during her railway journey, information having been received by the Homo Office authorities that some evil-disposed persons intended either to make a rash attempt upon the life of the Queen, or wreck the Eoyal special train during its progress southwards. The authorities of the Great Western and South-Western Railways were, therefore, duly warned of what might possibly happen, and accordingly the chief officials of these lines made such arrangements as would render any design of the kind well-nigh impracticable. Precisely 15 minutes before the_ time fixed for the Queen’s departure a pilot engine was dispatched from the Windsor station. In addition to a trustworthy engineman and fireman it conveyed the divisional superintendent of the London district, the chief inspector of the company’s police, and an assistant. The pilot steamed rapidly away, a strict watch being kept upon the metals over which the Queen’s train was to pass, and the thickets being searched and every bridge and cutting

eagerly scanned by the officials. Her Majesty and Princess Beatrice left Windsor at 10.5 a.m., the Royal train being under the immediate contiol of Mr. Tyrrell, traffic superintendent, Mr. H. Kirtley,''locomotive superintendent, and Messrs. Syagnoletti and Robinson. It followed the route taken by and, as an additional precaution, was handsignalled on its progress by platelayers placed at intervals, while the divisional s-'perinten-dents and statiouinnsters were also on dutv to see ir, pass saWv. Her Majesty arrived safely at her destination. According to present arrangements the Queen is expected to reside for about three weeks in the Isle of Wight, and will then proceed from Osborne direct to Balmoral. The Civil Tribunal has pronounced its judgment in the action for dissolution of marriage brought by Garibaldi and the Marchesa Raimondi, and has decided against tliein. the judgment, however, leaves tn Garibaldi the ri'dit, on his producing certain evidence, to demand the nullity of his marriage by virtue of Article 58 of the Austrian Code, which was in force at the time, and which declares a marriage invalid should the husband discos er tho wife to be already enceinte by another person. It mar not be generally known tbat tbe wool sorters of England and the Continent suffer frequently from a very painful disease which is engendered by badly got-up wool. Dr. Rabaglioti, iu commenting upon the subject says “ The simplest and most effectual, as it would also be found probably to be the most practicable, measure for preventing this disease would be the exercise of greater care and cleanliness in the making up of the bales in foreign parts. Fallen fleece-’, or the fleeces of dead animals, ought to be rigidly excluded ; at least, if they are packed, they ought to be previously washed with soap and water, or some disinfectant. All tne rest of the wool, sound or otherwise, ought also to be subjected to the same process, in order that the scab, parasites, and other filth might be removed before decomposition has rendered them poisonous.” The economical crisis which has weighed so heavily on Europe during the past three or four years will be seriously aggravated by the bad harvest prospects announced from nearly all sides. In France tbe weather has been cold, wet, and stormy, and the utmost alarm is felt throughout the country. However, M. Paul Leroy Beaulieu, the eminent French economist, has been trying to dispel the pessimist feelings that prevail. He admits that tbe crops are in a gloomy condition in most countries. As regards France, the Departments of the Nord and Centre, which produce the most cereals, are in a sorry plight ; the Midi so far has not so much to complain of : but taking tbe country on the whole, it is certain that the French harvest this year, like that of last year, will present a considerable deficit. England appears to be worse off than X 1 ranee. The most disastrous consequences have resulted to the crops throughout tho country, iu consequence of the continuous and heavy downfall of rain. Wheat is poor and thin, barley is in little better condition, the hay which had been cut is all but destroyed, and farming operations have practically been put a stop to. Floods have done a good deal of mischief, not only in England, but also in Ireland, and the general prospect is regarded as exceedingly gloomy. Tho same may be said of Italy, Belgium, Spain, and Germany. From Hungary and Russia the reports are not sanguine. The only exception to this black list is America, where the harvest, in spite of certain interested rumors, promises well. Wheat is going up, and it is expected that it will soon reach a point at which South Australia and Now Zealand may find it profitable to export their surplus to Europe. Parliamentary courtesy seems to be getting out of tune. In the German Parliament, during a recent debate on the tariff, one member called another a liar, and other scandalous incidents occurred.