San Francisco Mail News.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1028, 26 January 1882, Page 3

San Francisco Mail News.

THE CITY OF HOME. New Yobk, 15th Dec.—lt was reported yesterday, that the new steamship City of Rome was a failure, aud that the Inman Company had refused to accept her from the builders. The agent for the line in this city said there was no truth in the story. He explained that the vessel’s not coming back here is due to the fact that passenger traffic at this season does not call for so large a steamer, but confessed that some changes were necessary in machinery, cabin, &e., and that the workman would have to take hold of her again. BAILWAT PROJECT IN SPAIN. Madkid, November 21. —The Chamber of Deputies have passed a bill

authorising the construction of the Huesca and La Franco Railway, with the subvention of G 0,009 pesetas per kilometre. The cost of boring a tunnel through the Pyrenees is estimated at 13,000,000 pesetas, which will be borne equally by France and Spain. MONUMENT TO GARFIELD. Cleveland (O.),Dec. 11.—The following statement is made in answer to inquiries : —“ The Garfield Monument Fund Committee desire to raise 250,000 dots, for the purpose of erecting an appropriate monument at the late President’s grave. Of this amount over 51,000 dols. has already been subscribed by citizens of Cleveland. Ohio, including Cleveland, will raise not less than 100,000 dols. iu all, and 25,000 dols. has been raised by small voluntary subscriptions in different parts of the country, and forwarded to the committee. Thus half of the whole amount asked is practically secured, leaving only 125,000 dols. more to be raised outside of Ohio. In order to carry out the plans of the committee, and place over the remains of Garfield one of the finest works of art to be found in the civilised world when sufficient money has been subscribed, it is the purpose of the committee to have the Monument Association incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio. The design of the monument will be determined and its erection controlled by the Association, which will be composed of representative men from different parts ot the country. It is hoped and believed by this committee that the additional amount required for this purpose can be easily raised, so that the association may be incorporated, plans adopted, and all necessary arrangements made for beginning the work early in the coming year. J. 11. Wade, 11. B. Ratine, Joseph Perkins, committee. THE LATEST LONDON SENSATION. Mrs Langtry’s appearance at the Haymarket Theatre as Mrs Hardcastle brought together an audience unprecedented at this season. The house was overflowing with rank and fashion, and celebrates of all kinds. Her friends and the public were equally delighted and surprised by the merits of her performance. Iler beauty, supposed to be too delicate for the stage, stood the test well. Nobody expected, from a debutane almost without introduction, such a knowledge of stage business; so much ease and so accurate in conception of a difficult part ;such skilful use of a delicious voice, or such evidence of marked dramatic apitutde. The press unamimouslv applaused Mrs Langtry. She has still much technical knowledge to acquire, but all agree that she has a brilliant future before her. Bancroft,the manager of the Haymarket, after seeing I lie rehearsal offered her an engagement on liberal terms. She accepted, and begins in January. She says, “ Some day. when she will have conquered some difficulties of the art. she hopes certainly to visit America.” She has a great deal of resolution and perseverance. She has, for some time, been taking courses of lessons, and has greatly improved as an actress, though it is but fair Io say that were it not for her social position and widespread publicity to her name, she might have found it less easy to secure an engagement.” HOW THE THREATENING LETTERS BEACHED THE CZAR. St. Petersburg, Dec. 12th. —The Emperor has found out who has placed the threatening letters and proclamations in his prayer book and pockethandkerchiefs. During the last three weeks he set a watch in his room, and caught a woman who bad been in the service of the Empress for the last eight years. She was in the act of placing the letter in his prayer-book. This letter reminds the Emperor that he has only a few weeks of life before him. The woman wept and declared that she had done this out of gratitude and with the conviction that she was averting a catastrophe to the sovereign whom she loved so well. Nevertheless she refused to give the name of the man who supplied her with the letters and proclamations. WOMEN IN PUBLIC OFFICES. New York, Dec. 12th—A Washington dispatch says : An announcement of considerable interest is authoratively made with regard to the appointment of women to ofiice. Tne President has determined to make no such appointments in future. This rule will apply to such offices as postoffices and. pension agencies, &c., and will not, of course, have any bearing on positions in departments. President Arthur’s reasons, as given by one of his friends are that the Post-office Department has had a great deal of trouble as the result of appointing women to office, and that such appointments have caused a good deal of dissatisfaction in the party. This rule will affect a number of Post-offices, the Pension Agency at Chicago, and other places. London, Dec. 17.—The Times, on Blaine’s dispatch concerning the C’lay-ton-Bulwer treaty, says if international good faith is to count for nothing, with what show r of reason can England be required to allow a highway between the two oceans to be placed under American guns. Blaine must remember that freedom of passage between the oceans can in no possible event become an exclusively American right while the world has in interest in maintaining free use of the great highway.

THE PROPOSED SALE OF FRENCH CROWN JEWELS. Parts, Dec. B.—The committee to report on the sale of the crown jewels, inspected them yesterday. It is proposed to retain an assortment, including certain presents from foreign monarchs and. a sword valued at 250,009 francs, and possessing artistic value. The committee are also disinclined to sell the Regent diamond, fearing it would bo bought by enterprising Americans for exhibition. They are in favor of disposing of diamonds to the value of twelve million fanes, possessing no historical value. RUSSIAN AFFAIRS. —RESIGNATION OF IGNATIEFF. St. Petersbubg, Nov. 30.—1 t appears that the assassin Sampowsky asked first for General Ignatieff at the Bureau of the Ministry, and not finding him, attempted to kill his attendant, Tcheverine, instead. Another secret printing office has been discovered, with a quantity of proclamations, in which the authors ask pardon of the nation for what they arc about to do, as it is for the benefit of all. They announce that they must make a supreme effort in this, which, they say, will be the finishing stroke. General Ignatieff has tendered his resignation to the Emperor. AN ALLEGED POISONER. London, Dec. 16.—Dr. Samson was examined to-day, on a charge of murder in having caused the death of a student at Blenheim House School, Wimbledon, with a view to succeeding to his property. Evidence was produced of the fact that a quantity of poison, probably aconite, had been found in the stomach of the deceased. It is now proposed to exhume the body of the brother of the deceased, who died recently under mysterious circumstances. Dr. Samson appeared in good spirits. ITALIAN BRIGANDAGE.

A few nights ago a band of thirty brigands entered the village of Mara, in Sardinia, and attacked the house of the Syndic, who was awakened by the noise of the shots fired against the door aud windows. Armed with a gun he hastened down to defend the front door, his three children meanwhile taking refuge in the house of the Communal Secretary. Perceiving that three of the band had forced a window and were entering, the Syndic went into the street to give the alarm. In doing so he was shot at by the brigands. The band, on entering, seized the Syndic’s brother-in-law, the rector, and, having first cut off some of his hair to divest him of his sacred character, forced him to give up the keys of the house. Then, while two of their number held pistols to his lie.id, the others rilled the house of money aud gold and silver objects, to the value of 12.090 lire. Next day three of the marauders were captured. One proved to be a local municipal councillor. A sharp encounter with brigands took place last week ar the Castello di Martinelli, the Sicilian sc at of k isc.mut Bridport, Duke of Bronte. The Hon. A. Nelson Hood, at the l ead of a party consisting of three soldiers and some of his servants, surrounded three brigands, and after several shots had been interchanged, succeeded in capturing two of them. The third got away, but is supposed to have been drowned in a stream below some bushes into which he plunged for safety. The men taken belonged to a band whose chief was shot a fortnight ago, and the other members of which have been arrested at Catania, where the new prefect is showing unusual energy in extirpating these last remains of the old plague. The capture at Castello di Maniachi, at which Lord Bridport was also present, is reported to have made an excellent impression iu the province. EXECUTION OF LEFROY. Lefroy was executed at Leaves on Tuesday, 29th November, for the murder of Mr Gold. Many people believed, almost up to the last, that he would be reprieved, partly on the ground of insanity, partly because he had accused himself of being the author of the mysterious death of Lieut. Roper, of the Royal Engineers at Chatham barracks. Lefroy had scarcely made this new confession of homicide when he refracted, it. Had there been enough evidence to give even a prima facie plausibility to the statement, he would no doubt have been reprieved. 'The circumstances of Mr Roper’s death would have been again investigated, aud unless Lefroy had been convicted on the charge of murdering him, he would not have been hanged at all—for the sentence of a prisoner once respited is invariably changed from one of capital punishment into imprisonment for life. There seems every reason to suppose that Lefroy declared ho had murdered Mr Roper on the chance of escaping the gallows. It is likely enough that he may have exhibited many signs of homicidal mauia. But the opinion of the authorities, abundantly borne out by facts, was that Lefroy was acting a part, and that his insanity was simulated. SENTENCE FOR BRIBERY. A very severe sentence has just been passed upon the persons concerned in bribery at the Sandwich and Macclesfield elections. Mr Edwards and Mr Olds, for their share in electoral corruption, have been condemned by the Judges of the Queen’s Bench to six months’ imprisonment; Mr May and Mr Mair, both of them solicitors at

Macclesfield, have been sentenced to nine months each. The six agents whom they employed are to be imprisoned for three months and two months. The severity of the punishment lies not so much in the term of incarceration as in its conditions. The men now sent 1o Holloway Jail are to be treated, not as first-class, but as ordinary misdemeanants, Mr Justice Denman alleging that the judges could see no possible reason for treating bribers in any other way than ordinary misdemeanants of bad character. There is, however, already a reaction in favor of the men on whom justice has now so heavily descended. The offence committed by them has been committed by hundreds of others with impunity. It is a new illustration of the parable of the Tower of Siloam. Memorials are about to be presented to the Home Secretary praying for some mitigation of the sentences. It is doubtful, however, whether the request will be granted. If bribery was to bestopped it was necessary to visit it with an exemplary stigma. Out of 6,000 electors at Macclesfield more than 5,000 were bribed in some way or another; and at Sandwich 1,005. If, however, the present sentence is not supported by public opinion, it will do more harm than good. THE KULD.TA PROVINCE OF CHINA. St. Petersburg, Dec. 15. —The Norat Tremya says: —The Chinese intend to extensively fortify the western frontier of Kuldja when they occupy that district next spring, and transfer 8,000 families from Kashgar: a to replace those who emigrated to Russia. There have been two Mussulman revolts in the last four months against the Chinese garrison at Yau Hussar, and 200 Chinese were massacred. 200 rebels were subsequently beheaded.

Trickett writes to the -iV. T. Clipper that he always rows to win, and when beaten is invariably defeated on his merits, and that if a match be made with Hanlan he will certainly try his best to win. Hero is an extract from his letter: —“ I was not exactly satisfied with my defeat by Hanlan, although sickness prevented me rowing him again last season. 1 determined to come to America in the spring of this year and try to get matches on with some other oarmen before challenging Hanlan. I have been in this country since the middle of June without being able to find aman in the States who would row me a fair up-and-up race for money. I conld have had plenty of matches if I had agreed to please other - people ; but that is not my game. Since I arrived in St. Louis I have found friends to put up 1000 dollars to back me in a match with Hanlan for the championship of the world. This is the only place where 1 can find backers, so I trust, that Hanlan will favour me with a match, and if he defeats me this time 1 will be satisfied. There is a forfeit of 251) dollars in the hands of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and 1 am anxiously awaiting a reply. I have Harry Kelley with me as a trainer, and as you know, his name has never been mixed up in anything wrong.” Trickett had a very stormy interview with Hanlan, during which the latter was accused of cowardice.

For continuation, of notes see iili page

At the farewell banquet given to him in Sydney, Sir Henry Parkes said : —“ I arrived in this country in the year 1830, an entirely unknown young man. I brought no letter of introduction ; 1 was known to no person in the country ; and lived in New South Wales for two years without seeing a human face which I had known during the first twenty - three years of my life. On one occasion ! remember picking up a six-pence in one of the public streets of Sydney ; that bought bread, which, if I had not picked up the sixpence, I should have had to have gone without for the day. I leave this country as Prime Minister, apparently with the confidence of both Houses of Parliament.” He considered this a proof that the highest positions in the country were open to all men without respect to rank or station in life.