NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2323, 27 August 1880, Page 2

NEWS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

[By Telegraph.] [Via San Francisco,] EXLOSION OF GAS MAINS IN LONDON. FLOODS AND LOSS OF LIFE. GIGANTIC INSURANCE FRAUDS. ANOTHER COLLIERY CATASTROPHE. GEN. BURROWS DENOUNCED. HEREDITARY RIGHTS MENACED. FRENCH NATIONAL FETE. MISFORTUNES OF AN EXPRESIDENT. FLIGHT OF JESUITS. ARREST OF NIHILISTS. SUICIDE OF A REIGNING BEAUTY. A COSTLY CELEBRATION. PRESIDENT GRANT AND THE PANAMA CANAL. Auckland, August 2G. The s.s. Australia arrived at 9.30 a.m. to-day. Slic left San Francisco on Aug. 2, and Honolulu on the 10th. GREAT BRITAIN. London, Aug. 1. A series of gas explosions in the mains in Tottenham Court road,London, caused large fissures in the street, and wrecked (he fronts of houses. Four hundred bouses were injured, and two persons killed and 30 wounded. Government won a signal victory in the passage of the Game Laws Bill. Several officers and directors of the Northern Counties of England Insurance Company were found guilty at the Manchester Assizes of fraud, conspiracy, and falsifying the Company s accounts. The General Manager was sentenced to 18 months’ hard labor, the Chairman of Directors to 12 months.and four others to G months.

An explosion occurred in the London and South Wales Colliery Company’s new pit at Hi sea, six miles from Newport. One hundred and twenty men were in the pit for the night shift, and but few escaped. It is believed the explosion was caused by lightning striking ing the mining gear at the top of the shaft.

Committees have been formed throughout England to agitate for a repeal of the hereditary powers of the House of Lords.

An Elcmcntaiy Education Bill malting school attendance compulsary through out England, has been passed. Mr Gladstone has remitted fifty per cent of the rents of his Hawarden tenants, owing to the exceptionally bad season, lie previously reduced his rents by a similar amount iu 1860. A Select Committee of the House of Commons on the law of libel recommends that in future no criminal proceeding for libel be allowed to commence without an order from the AttorneyGeneral being first obtained. The weather throughout the west of England is unusually adverse to business and agriculture, and in some parts of the country has been even disastrous. Parts of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, anil Berkshire have been submerged by the overflow of rivers. Railway traflic was impeded, and crops, especially bay, ruined. Some lives were also lost. The weather all over Ireland is most favorable. It is expected the potato crop will be enormous. It promises to exceed anything seen in Ireland since the period anterior to the famine of 1848. Other root crops and cereals are also luxuriant.

Sergeant Warsman, of the Marine Brigade, who marked the target at Wimbledon falsely, will be tried by Court-Martial. The Loudon Board of Trade returns for June show that exports had increased £3,879,344-, as compared with June, 1871). The greatest increase was in iron and steel, and cotton manufactures. The imports have increased by £9,089,913.

A Methodist tecumcntcal conference takes place in London in September.

In consequence of a vote in the House of Commons against a monument to Louis Napoleon in Westminster Abbey, the Queen has ordered space for it in St. George’s Chapel. The cx-Empress Eugenie landed at St. Helena, on July 12, and inspected the house where Napoleon I. died. She then visited the tomb in which the remains of the Emperor were first deposited and afterwards embarked for England. She arrived at Plymouth on July 20, where a faint attempt to get up <t Bonapartist demonstration was made.

The Tay Bridge Commissioners liave presented two reports. The design of the bridge is condemned, ami the company charged with neglecting to keep it repaired. This neglect was, in thenopinion, the cause of the accident. The Government proposal to increase the income tax was rejected by 230 to 94.

Thomas Jones, a merchant at Southport, has hied for £79,000 ; Cliff and Co., Manchester, for £54,000 ; and Baker and Daniel, produce merchants, for £50,000. FBANCE. The National Fete at Paris was a grand success. The people, though full of patriotic excitement, were orderly. The streets were thronged. M. Grcv}’ and Gambctta were loudly cheered. The President delivered new colors to regiments in the presence of 100,000 people. Marshal McMahon was expected, and a place reserved for him but ho did not come to occupy it. Harassed by creditors and by the reproaches of old friends, he has become out of sorts, and secs life in its gloomiest colors. It is said he attempted suicide recently. M. Kochfort, in his new paper, declares war on M. Garabetta and Ids supporters, llochfort was welcomed back to Paris by GO,OOO people, who escorted him to the hotel grounds, singing the Marsellaise. The new paper had a sale of 198,000 copies of the first issue. Now it is unsaleable.

In a duel between the editor of “ La Union” and the editor of “La Justice,” the latter was wounded in the thigh. Disturbances in consequence of the enforcement of the anti-Jesuit decrees are still reported in the provinces of

France. The most serious was at Sevro where the soldiers charged the mob. Immediate action against the Dominicans has been abandoned. The Jesuits are swarming into Spain, and they have founded a colony at Fernando Po. The Jesuit schools in Paris have been bred ecu up. The Count Do TJourville, a member of the French Chamber of Deputies,was charged with obtaining a loan by false pretences, and sentenced to 3 months’ hard labor, The Republicans have been successful for the most part in the recent elections. Mrs Annie Whitmore, well known in London and Paris, where she was a leader in American society, committed suicide at the residence of Lady Albert Pelham Clinton, in the Rue Ballavel, on duly 22, from disappointment in love. The deceased was a very handsome woman, about 35 years of age. Up to a short time since she was said to have been aflianccd to the Marquis of Anglesey, to whom she became engaged soon after her divorce from her husband. In June hist Anglesey met and married Mrs Wederhonse, nee Minnie King, of Georgia. Mrs Whitmore was dreadfully depressed on hearing of his marriage, and at last in despair she put an end to her life. GERMANY. The Emperor’s sanction to the Church Rill has given general satisfaction in Germany, and Catholics arc beginning to recognise the desire id' Government for peace. Wagner’s Theatre at Bayreuth has been burnt.’ RUSSIA. Orders have been issued to prepare as soon as possible four of the best torpedo boats belonging to the Black Sea. Several vessels have been chartered for transport service. The last contingent of Russian war vessels from Cronstadt arc ordered not to hasten to the Pacific, but to cruise in the Mcditeranean until further orders are received.

A carriage containing General Sclirololfe's mother, with money and medical supplies for the hospital at Paupau, was waylaid by a Russian lieutenant named Onslates, who killed the lady and her servant and plundered the vehicle. Onlates was arrested, but shot himself shortly after. Revenge for opposition to his marrying Madame Schroloife’s maid is said to have been his motive. King George of Greece is at St. .Petersburg, visiting the Czar. Greek officers ou leave arc hurrying home. Marquis Tieng, Chinese Ambassador in London, bas gone specially to St. Petersburg, to negotiate ou the Kuldja question. The murderer of Prince Kvapotlda in Russia has disclosed the names of all the principal Nihilists to the Russian Government, who have arrested the ringleaders. TURKEY AND THE EAST. In conversation with Mr Goschcn, Abeddin Pasha, referring to the reform of Asia Minor, said, “ You know what difficulties the Government have had in Ireland, and how long it has taken to overcome them. In Asia Minor we have (iflccii Irelands to deal with.” A violent earthquake at Manilla destroyed the Government Buildings, including the Governor’s residence, and :i convent, and killing several natives. The Imperial troops of Morocea were completely routed hy the rebels, who captured their camp aud Commander-in-chief. The steamer Zanzibar, from New York for (ilasgow, has foundered. A bottle announcing the fact was picked up on the coast of Ireland. AFGHANISTAN. Reports from Qucttah show that Ayoub Khan suffered so much in the engagement with General Burrows, that he had to remain on the field where the battle was fought, and did not pursue the British. General Burrows brought a large body of his force into Candahar. The defeat was caused by bis incompetence, and the demoralisation of bis troops. AMERICA. On the SGth day of Dr Tanner’s fast, he kept to the gallery all day, and was attacked with nausea aud vomiting at different periods, throwing up bile and mucus. He gotupto put on his clothes, but could not. M. Lessops says be has plenty of capital for the Panama Canal, which will be finished in seven years. Constantine Herring, called by Hahnemann “ The Father of Homeopath}’’,” died in New York, aged 80. Miss Adelaide Neilson, the accomplished actress, was suffering from heart disease when in San Francisco, and was advised to leave the stage. She left for England with the intention of retiring from the stage, and died suddenly. No less than thirteen fires, small and large, occured in San Francisco on Monday, July 5, when the anniversary of the ■4th July was celebrated. In one case six tircincn were buried in the ruins of burning buildings, and were rescued witii difficulty, all being injured. Eighteen horses were also burned to death. All these tires were the result of fireworks let off by boys. The Rev. Thomas Jones, of Oxford. England, is gazetted in New York papers as a “ dangerous fraud.” He officiated in several churches and disarmed suspicion. His method was to obtain the endorsement of ministers on cheques for small sums, and then decamp. No tidings have been received of the Arctic Expedition vessel Jeannette, or of the missing American whalers icebound in the Artie.

Small-pox lias made its appearance in San Francisco in a mild form.

Yellow fever has appeared in New Orleans.

Edison has given np his electric light idea, and is now attempting an electric locomotive.

A Mexican mob broke into a gaol, killed the sheriff, and lynched three prisoners.

Three hundred Italian laborers were swept off the platform of some railway cars while the train was in motion, by a low hanging derrick, and were horribly mangled.

Ex-President Grant has declined the presidency of the American branch of the Do Lcsseps Canal Company, at a salary of 25,000 dollars a year, on the ground that the enterprise would not prove a financial success during the lives of those now interested in the scheme, and he could not lend his name to an undertaking in which his friends were likely to embark and receive no returns from, if they do not entirely lose their investments

New mines are being put in the New York market at something like one hundred per day. Hundreds of men are industriously prospecting the great mountain ranges of Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Montana, and Idaho, in search of metal deposits T! le Commissioner of Agriculture is confident that tea raising will soon become a leading American industry. A Cinciualti chestnut, named “ 5,” recently trotted a half mile in Imin. ssecs. the fastest time on record. He trotted a mile in 2min. 13|sec.

Two excursion steamers on the Detroit River came into collision, and 15 persons were drowned. Dennis Kearney has been nearly lynched by his old followers. A preliminary basis for the confederation of Peru and Bolivia has been drawn up. Voiy small quantities of meat arc now shipped to Europe owing to the high price of meat. The refrigerators have been taken out of the ocean steamers in order to make room for thousands of immigrants to the United States.

The harvest in California promises to be more bountiful this season than for any one preceding, A greater breadth of ground has been planted than before. Dr Lefevre, a well known and respected dentist in Oaklands, California, was recently shot and killed by Edward Schooder, a teller in the Bank of London and San Francisco, on a statement made to him by his wife that she had been outraged by the doctor. General opinion seems to be that the lady labored under an hallucination, and that the doctor was innocent.

The Chilians having captured Arica, the Peruvian cause is considered hopeless. The Chilian fleet has arrived off Callao. Scenes at the capture of Arica were frightful, the conquerors assailing women, breaking open wine houses and firing the city in several places. The President of Peru still urges war to the hitler end.

Some Cuban patriot prisoners, captured by the Spanish in a small house, were all massacred.

(Via Suez.) Adbanv, August 18. The Bangalore arrived here this evening. London, July IG.

Parliament is still occupied with the Bill granting compensation to evicted Irish tenants, and progress is very slow.

At the Cobdon Club dinner the chairman said that the Club would not invite Ministers ibis year unless they would carry through Parliament a measure for radical reform of the land laws, comprising abolition of the law of primogeniture and prohibiting entail or long settlements.

The Lord Mayor bas opened a subscription at the Mansion House for the relief of widows and relatives of men killed in the Riska Colliery explosion near Newport. Every soul in the pit (117) perished. The new crisis in the Eastern question is rapidly approaching the culminating point. The Porte adhere’s to the old dilatory tactics. Skirmishing has already commenced between the Montenegrins and Albanians.

Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, and Eastern Rounielia have been arming, and there are many ominous signs of impending strife observable. A strong movement is afloat for the union of Bulgaria and Eastern Roumclia, and is warmly supported by Russia, but it is deemed unacceptable by Austria and Germany. A number of Russian officers and soldiers are arriving in Bulgaria, thus repeating the tactics followed by Russia previously to force the Servian war. The Porte is making large preparations against warlike eventualities in this direction. 80,000 men are being concentrated at Adrianople. Bombay, July 30.

At the moment when peace seemed assured iu Afghanistan, and the British were arranging to evacuate Cabul, on Abdur Rahman accepting the Amccrship, a terrible disaster happened to Burrows’ brigade in Afghanistan. Ayoub Khan, with a large and disciplined armed force, marched from Herat on Candahar. Burrows was ordered out to check his advance. The General had crossed the Ilelmund, but retired within 40 miles of Candahar, where be took up a position and awaited attack. Here a tight took place on the 25tb, and resulted in the almost complete annihilation of the brigade. Latest news says General Burrows and several officers reached Candabar, and four guns were saved. General Burrows bad the following brigades under his command :—E.B. Horse Artillery, 1G8; 3rd Native Light Cavalry, 487 ; GGth Regiment (less two companies) of 12th Native Infantry; 30th Native fantry ; No. 2 Sappers and Miners, 240. The garrison at Candahar under General Primrose was weak, and much anxiety is felt for his safety.