ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 87, 13 March 1884, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

MR. GLADSTONE ASSAULTED. Mr. Gladstone was the subject of an unpleasant surprise on the afternoon of Feb. 14. He was walking along Bond Street, unattended, on his way to the House of Commons, when suddenly a man seized him by the collar and brought him to a standstill. Mr. Gladstone, with some difficulty, shook off his assailant and continued on foot to his destination. It was asserted later that the man’s action was due to a stupid wager. THE TIMES ON THE BRITISH ARMY. The Times of Feb. 3 says : “ It is decided that Parliament will be asked to grant £2,000,000 for the additional defence of the Clyde, Humber, Mersey and Tyne rivers ; the Bristol Channel ; the ports of Aden, Singapore, Hongkong, Point de Galle and Capetown, and the island of St. Helena, all of which are of vital necessity to the British fleet, which, in case of war, will have to depend on their coaling facilities for their power to defend our possessions.” The Times also states that the British army is never more than adequate for the work it has to do, and the occupation of Egypt is a severe strain on the ordinary military arrangements, and adds “ The importance of improving our defences may be judged from the fact that the property of Liverpool alone, which a hostile fleet may destroy, is estimated at £400,000,000. HEAVY FAILURES. Ho worth and Co., of Liverpool, commission merchants, failed on Jan. 29 for £50,000, and on Feb, 5 Henry Monteith and Co., dyers of Glasgow, failed for £103,000, with assets placed ot £llO,OOO. THE FRENCH AND THE QUEEN’S NEW BOOK. The French journals are tearing Queen Victoria’s new book to pieces. TERRIFIC GALES—GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. A disastrous gale raged throughout Great Britain and Ireland on Jan. 27. Great damage was done in the provinces. Many persons were injured, especially in London. The Westminster Aquarium was demolished during, a performance, and a panic ensued, several of the audience being injured. A breakwater in the Isle of Man, which cost £50,000, was entirely destroyed, and 200,000 trees were blown down. On the estate of the Marquis of Ailso, in Scotland, the storm raged with great violence, and on the Continent, Paris and its suburbs suffered severely. The Pope sent a corner stone and a marble altar slab, on Feb. 7, for a chapel to be erected at Caherkebeen, Newry, in memory of Daniel O’Connell. TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AND LOSS OF LIFE, An explosion in the colliery at Shenda Valley, Wales, on Jan. 27, killed eleven miners. AMERICAN SUMMARY. HEAVY FLOODS AND GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. All the Western American rivers have overflowed, reaching a higher level than the almost unprecedented flood of last year. Multitudes of people are homeless and hopeless, especially in Cincinatti. REFORM IN STOCK JOBBING. An attempt is being made by the New York Legislature to suppress stock gambling, and a Bill has been introduced declaring void all contracts, written or verbal, unless the party contracting to sell or transfer stock has the same in his actual possession,

General Booth, the chief of the Salvation Army, intends to make a tour of the United States in March. ATTEMPTED GIGANTIC SWINDLE. Luke Martin, well known to stockmen in the colonies, is now in New York gaol. At an investigation of the plans of Martin and his associates, it was shown that they intended to flood the Australian Colonies with counterfeit bonds, which Martin declared he had influence enough to float. A WINDFALL. James Hunter, a millionaire lumberman, has died, bequeathing 5,000 dollars to each of the American humorists who have published a book. Queen Pomare, of Tahiti, has sailed for France to interview the Government re the affairs of the island. TERRIBLE EXPLOSION AND LOSS OF LIFE. Through an explosion of gas in the Creswell Bush coal mines near Denver, Colorado, forty to fifty miners perished. The inquest showed that the accident arose through the miners not observing the safety rules.