LATE ENGLISH NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2229, 10 May 1880, Page 2

LATE ENGLISH NEWS.

TOWN EDITION.

(Per s.s. Rotorua at the Bluff.) London, April 28. Mr Gladstone to-day waited on Her Majesty the Queen, at Windsor, and formally intimated that ho had succeeded in forming a Ministry. Subsequently the members of the now Government were presented with the seals of office. April 29. Mr Thomas Bi asscy will be the civil Lord of the Admiralty in the new Ministry. Earl Granville, Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has reassured the Austrian Ambassador in London of the friendly feeling of the Government towards Austria, with a view to more effectually calm the irritation produced by Mr Gladstone’s speech. The Chinese Government, in blockading the Portuguese Port of Macao, is enforcing an old claim. The rupture threatens to be of a serious nature. It is currently expected that Mr Gladstone intends reducing the 3 per cents to 2d per cent, and that he will propose the abolition of the Income Tax. The “Daily Nows” stales that Abderrahman Khan, a cousin of the cx-Amecr, Yakoub Khan, has suffered lo submit to the British Government. He denies that he received Russian aid during his exile from Afghanistan. The following additional appointments have been made in connection with Gladstone’s administration :—Mr Henry Fawcett, M.P., for Hackney, Postmaster-General ; Earl Spenser, Lord President of the Council ; Tho Right Hon. John G- Dodson, M.P., for Chester, Parliamentary Secretary to tho local Government Board; SirH. James, M.P., for Taunton, Attorney-General; Mr Watkin Williams, M.P, for Denbig, Solicitor-General ; Lord Frederick Cavendish, M.P. for Yorkshire (West Biding), Financial Secretary ; Mr Anthony John Mnndcll,M.P. (Sheffield), Vice-President of Council ; Mr George Shaw LcFevrc, M.P. (Beading), Secretary to the Admiralty ; Mr E. Grant Duff, M.P. (Elgin), Undcr-Sccretary of the Colonial Department ; The Bight Hon. William P. Adam, M.P. for Clackmannanshire, Commissioner of Works and Buildings. The Duke of Marlborough, Viceroy of Ireland, lias vacated office in due course owing to the change of Government. His Grace and the Duchess having rendered themselves extremely popular with the Irish people were accorded an enthusiastic ovation on tho occasion of taking their departure from Dublin. They wore presented with addresses by the City Corporation and representatives of the principal public institutions, expressive of the deepest gratitude and esteem, more especially in connection with the steps taken by the Duchess of Marlborough for the relief of the faminestricken peasantry in the western districts of Ireland. April 30. The followingadditional appointments in connection with the new Ministry have been announced :—The Earl of Morley, Under-Secretary for War ; the Marquis of Lansdowne, Under-Secretary for India ; Sir Bobcrt Peel, Undcr-Secrc-lary for the Home Department. May 1. Earl Cowpor, K.G., has been appointed Viceroy of Ireland, and proceeds immediately to Dublin to enter upon bis duties. There has been serious inundations in Arragon, one of tho north-east provinces of Spain. Several important rivers overflowed their banks, causing much destruction of property. Since tho attempted assassination of General Mcllikolf by a baptised Jew, all foreigners of that nation in Russia have been kept under strict police surveillance. The General has issued a proclamation ordering all Foreign Jews forthwith to leave St. Petersburg. May 3. The various European ministers accredited to the Chinese Court at Pekin, have applied to their several Governments, for squadrons, in order to to protect tho subjects of European powers, in view of tho present state of affairs in China. The “ Pall Mall Gazette” has changed ownership, end will henceforth appear as a Liberal paper. MrFrcdk. Greenwood, the editor, and tho whole of tho staff have declined to remain under the altered conditions, and intend starting a new organ. The “Pall Mali Gazette” referring to the deadlocks between the Legislative Chambers in Tasmania and New South Wales say that constitutional arrangements do not work well in the colonics, but it hopes that Mr Service’s expedient will put matters on a sound basis. Wheat is weaker. Adelaide (ex granary), 325. Fur coast cargoes, 495. The March shipments number fortyseven vessels. Wool is less buoyant, and the attendance at the sales is smaller Of 118,000 bales catalogued 1300 halos have been withdrawn. Superfine merino and greasy maintain tlier value, but ordinary qualities and cross-breds arc slightly lower. Foreign buyers have taken two-thirds of the quantity sold. A general meeting of the Orient steam Navagatiou Company, was held to-day, when a satisfactory report was submitted, and the usual dividend declared. The chairman congratulated the shareholders upon the success of the operations of the company. He considered that their trade with the Australian colonies showed every sign

of increasing. It was intended to double the capital o£ the company,' thus raising the amount to £7,000,010, and also to fit up their steamers with the necessary machinery for convejnng from the colony to the Home market, carcases of animals preserved by the refrigerating process. Intelligence has been received of defeat of the hostile Afghans. The British troops,- under command of General Boss, were attacked by a large a large body of Afghans near the village of Jydabad. The fight lasted several hours. The enemy was repulsed, and compelled to retire leaving over 1200 dead on the field, Abdul Rahraau has opened negotations with General Roberts with the view of bringing about amicable relations. He has promised to submit and repudiates having any sympathies with Russia. His overtures have been received with caution, and it is proposed he shall afford some proof of his sincerity before his submission is accepted. General Sir Donald Stewart, acting inaccordance with instructions from the Viceroy, has assumed' the supreme command of the operations in Afghanistan, superseding General Roberts.