BRITISH AND FOREIGN. LONDON, 7.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 25

BRITISH AND FOREIGN. LONDON, 7.

January - The Anglo-American Oil Company's steamer Honsatonic, with a cargo of petroleum, struck on the Maiden Rocks (north-east coast of Ireland). The rocket i apparatus set fire to the ship, and the crew took to the boats, and landed safely, with the exception of two, who were drowned. When the boats were well clear of the Steamer a terrific explosion occurred. Reuter repc-Tte that the Hon. R. Lemieux, the Postmaster-general and Minister of Labour in the Laurier Ministry, has j-eturned from his mission to Japan, as cabled on October 21. He ad'anits that no arrangement has been concluded" in regard to the restriction of Japanese emigration to Canada, but believes a solution can be reached by negotiations, which are being conducted in the friendliest spirit. Mr M. W. Lyttelton has announcedthat in respect to the charge against Harry Thaw of shooting Mr Stanford White the plea of "Not guilty" has been ■withdrawn, and it was now intended to plead that Thaw was insane at the time toe deed" was committed. January 8. r '■The City of Wellington has issued *3 47,300 worth of debentures at 4 per cent, at par. " .A rapid thaw has occurred in London. . -Tempests are Taging along the British coasts. •The Berlin streets are a sea of ice. One hundred pedestrians were injured by falls, j many'of them seriously. ' January 9. ! .Mr R. J. Jeffray, the Board of Trade's ..expert who recently visited the colonies, has published his report oh New Zealand *rade. He_ admits that preference has assisted British trade, and anticipates still better results under the new tariff. Sir James Crichton Browne is forming an influential association for the extermination of rats. Several methods will be experimented"\.upon. _i bomb exploded outside the residence of Mrs Chadwick, a land-owner, at Ballmark (Tipperary), after the eviction of a tenant. '» After the example of the newspaper editors and mayors from Britain who visited Germany last year, 100 German pastors purpose visiting London in June. .The Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr Ingram, Bishop of London, are joining .■with others to accord- them "a welcome? ' " ' January 10. Mr J. C. Williamson has engaged Madam© Ada Crossley anitTa'coricert party to' tour Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand in September. ' _, 34r W. A. M'Arthur has-resigned the directorship of the Union. Bank of Australia. - - - ■ ■ ' January 12. Mx Thomas Wilkinson, a -cotton manufacturer, has- presented to the city of BpJton his 'mansion and grounds, with an endowment, as ■a- sanatorium for .consumptives. The srift represents a sum of £100,000. BRUSSELS, January 8. There is a o ctung in Belgium •gainst annexing the Congo. Many tribes are in\ open revolt, and there is intermittent heavy fighting- in many districts. January 9. M. Schollaert, succeeds the late M. De ffrooz as Premier. BERLIN, January 8. Five Jack the Ripper crimes have been perpetrated in the streets here, including attacks upon four children. j January 9. Owing to bad railway returns and I other- causes, the deficit in the Prussian Budget for 1907 amounts to two and a-half millions sterling. The estimated expenditure for 1908 • shows an increase of £80,000,000', part of-which will be met by loan and part by an increase of income duties arid the opening of fresh collieries. ROME, January 9. An explosion set fire to several houses at Comacchio^. in the province of Ferrara. JFen persons were killed. > TEHERAN, January 9. Thirty-foux Turkish battalions are concentrated near the Persian frontier. MOROCCO,"January 7. The French hospital transport Niue was wrecked on the Morocco coast. The use of the Tocket apparatus saved all of^the 240 who were aboard at the time of th© disaster. NEW YORK, January 7. , The rent strike in this city has developed into serious rioting, many persons being "injured. So far 300 tenants have been, evicted. January 8. Senator Beveridge ha 6 introduced hills to the Senate with the authority of President Roosevelt providing for the appoint*n«a of" five commissioners, not Congressmen, to inquire and' report within five years respecting tariff revision. • The United States Supreme Court, by five votes to four, declares that the Employers' "liability Act is unconstitutional. The court explains that Congress exceeded its powers when it imposed liability upon (Common carriers for injury io their employees. The Labour party has resolved tc agitate for the proper protection of* jwrorkers. January 10. Out of 400 jurors only seven have so far been selected for Thaw's second trial.

January 12. The selection of the Thaw jury is completed. January 13. President Roosevelt calculates that the Republican Convention will give Mr Taft 600 votes, thus ensuring a combination in the first ballot. CAPETOWN, January 8. The working cost of 63 mines, representing a large portion of the entire tonnage of the Rand, is *0s peT ton for November, compared with 226 6d, which is the average of previous years. January 10. There were 35,676 Chinese on the Rand at the end of PRETORIA, January 9. The charges against the two officers and an ex-civil servant of desecrating the late 1 Mr Kruger's grave as cabled on November .' 1 have been withdrawn, i . January 13. ] The Randfontein Estates Company has issued a million loan in 6 per cent, profitsharing certificates. BOMBAY, January 9. An Indian loan of £5,000,000 at 3£ per cent, at a minimum of 99 is being issued. VLADIVOBTOCK, oanuary 11. The steamer Hornby Grange lias arrived here. She reports that a fire raged aboard for 13 days, and damaged the meat cargo.