MAIL NEWS.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1063, 23 July 1883, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

The latest news from the Foreign Office in regard to the Tonquin difficulty is that China has resolved to prepare for the eventuality of war, while carrying on negotiations with France to gain time. The tribes in revolt near Bagdad had a battle with the Turkish troops on June 28, in which 260 men were killed. Lynch, alias Norman, the informer wha . testified against the dynamite was released from custody because of his services to the Government. The Duke of Connaught opened the Irish Hall Exhibition in the Mansion House. Mr Labouchere recently challenged Irving Bishop, the “ thought-reader,” to tell the number of a bank note known only to the challenger and Mr Firth, M.P., the latter to hold the note. Labby put up £IOOO against £IOO, the winner to devote the money to charities. Bishop guessed the number of the note at once, and demanded the money. With the money won at the Ascot races the Prince of Wales paid off several of his old debts. He is in consequence quite popular just now. He is said to have won £20,000. A despatch from London, June 17, says Her Majest3 T ’s health continues to cause grave anxiety. Since she has been at Balmoral she has done little but make excursions to John Brown’s grave. She has put all her servants in deep mourning, and spends most of her time in a state of the deepest depression. The loss of her faithful servant has been a more serious blow to her than was supposed to be possible. At Dublin, on June 22nd, Bernard Machugh was arrested on a charge of complicity in the murder of Justice Young, who was shot some five years ago. ' Correspondents of the London press in Switzerland report that serious riots against the Jews had occurred at St. Gall. On June 23, a number of Jewish shops had been pillaged, and the police were stoned while endeavouring to stop the excesses. The soldiers were called out to ■ quell the disturbance. The Rev. B. Jenkins, of Louisiana, having reason to believe that the Rev. Dane Booden, President of the Mansfield College, had seduced a young lady friend of his, shot Booden on the night of June 16, putting six bullets in his body. Both were ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Queen of Madagascar gave strict orders not to return the fire of the.French. She lecalled most of her troops to the capital, and only 200 remained at Tainatave to maintain order. Tamatave is defended by merely one mud fort mounting four old muzzle-loading guns. The Queen is now shut off from Foreign Powers. It will take the French at least five months to march to the capital, and there is sufficient food then for a siege of several months. Hovas have at the capital 6000 disciplined troops, most of whom are armed with Remington rifles, and the nation will fight to the bitter end. In ■ the meantime it is to be hoped the Powers will interview the Envo3 r sin regard to the bombardment.

The agricultural prospects are bright. Crops are making rapid progress, and everything looks very encouraging. The Irishmen in the House of Commons had a little scene among themselves, resulting in Mr McCoan seceding from the Parnellite party. Suliman Sami, who was proved responsible for the burning of Alexandria, was hanged on June 10th. He died a thorough coward, though it came out in evidence that ho looked on, smoking a pipe while the city was in flames. The interest taken in the passage of the Deceased Wife’s Sister Bill has led to a general expectation that the final passage would be followed by an announceement of the betrothal of the Princess Beatrice to her brother-in-law, Prince of Hesse. At the last meeting of the Colonial Institute, the following New Zealand Fellows were elected :—James Allan, George McLean, and John Eeid. The marriage of Mary Shensa, daughter of the Eev Mr Finse, Principal of Cuddesdch College, to the Rev Mr Abraham, only son of Bishop Abraham, of Wellington, was a very brilliant affair. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the Shaw. Saville, and Albion Company will be held shortly, A proposal to authorise a second issue of shares to - the extent of 20,000, increasing the capital by £200,000, to enable the Company to acquire steamers for the New Zealand trade will be made. Probably, in the first instance, only two steamers will be built. ' The Quakers feel a certain umbrage from th© recent marriage at a Chuicli of England altar of the illustrious John Bright’s son. Both bride and bridegroom were members of the Society of Friends, and there was a regular meeting house close by. , . . _ Napoleon -worship no more m France. General Thibaudin this spring, for the first, time since Napoleon’s dust was deposited there, forty-three j r ears ago—“ Orestes to Elcctra, in an urn ” —stopped the _ saying of mass in the Chapel of the Invalides.