THE SUEZ MAIL

Southland Times, Issue 1578, 14 May 1872, Page 3

THE SUEZ MAIL

■■ ■ » (From files per Omeo.) GENERAL SUMMAEY. Eesponsible government has been offered fco the Cape of Good Hope and declined. The proposal was Btrongly disapproved of in the House of Lords on the ground of the heterogeneous population. A great meeting has taken place at Oxford to honor the memory of Bishop Patteson, and the assembly exchanged pledges to carry on the Melanesian mission with increased earnestness. In answer to a question in Parliament, Ministers denied all knowledge of the outrage by the Eosario. « Mrs Firebrace's efforts to obtain alimony and custody of her children have been unsuccessful. ...In the House of Commons, last Friday, Mr Baillie Cochrane advocated the necessity of an increased postal communication with, the Australian Colonies, and, advocating the Cape route, dwelt on the importance of rapid intercourse as a means, of cementing the colonies to the mother country. Mr Monsell admitted the -importance- of -the question, and discussing different routes, decided in favp^ 1 of the' Suez as the more rapid. He said he should be glad if the Treasury would sanction a fortnightly mail, and expressed regret that Victoria had)

discontinued Government aid to immigration. The whole matter, however was still under consideration. The youth who presented a pistol at the Queen is a nephew of Feargus O'Connor. He expresses regret at the failure o? his design. The mad act is vehemently reprobated by the Irish nationality. The Queen suffered no ill effects, leaving next day for Windsor. Upwards of 1000 gentlemen from the clubs formed a volunteer guard of honor in two ranks from the palace doors to the carriage. Her Majesty was deeply touched by this spontaneous devotion. She has conferred an annuity of £25 on John Brown, and presented him with a watch for bis active devotion in seizing ' O'Connor. The Queen's beautiful letter, fresh from the heart, tells how affected she has been by the immense enthusiasm displayed on } the Thanksgiving Day. i At the Diplomatic Court on February 29, Sir George and Lady Verdon, Sir Charles Cowper, Mr and Miss Dutton, and Mr and Miss Featherstone, were presented to Her Majesty. The Queen returns from Germany about the 15th April. A pension of £100 a year has been granted to the widow of Mark Lemon. _ Prince Arthur has delivered an admirable lecture at Dover on the German game of Kriegspiel, demonstrating the principles of the art of war. Eleven thousand hands engaged in the flax mills at Leeds are out on strike. Four thousand silk weavers are locked out The protracted dispute in the binding trade has been settled. The South Staffordshire Colliery proprietors have conceded shorter hours. The printers have obtained the nine hours system. The demands of the railway employes are extending. A painful trial has scandalised London. Chaffers, an attorney, by statutory declarations, published infamous details of the early life of Sir Travers and Lady Twiss. He was prosecuted for libel. With intent to extort money, Chaffers tortured Lady Twiss by filthy questions. Numerous witnesses disproved the libellous statements, but Lady Twiss suddenly left London, and the case collapsed. Chaffers was dismissed with withering indignation and disgust by the magistrate. Sir Travers has since resigned his position aa Queen's Advocate. The Eupert, the most powerful iron ram in existence, has been launched at Chatham. Prince Alamayne, the late King Theodore's son, has been sent for education to Cheltenham College. The Washington treaty cost England £18,000. The total contributions from the United Kingdom in aid of the Chicago relief fund amounted to £162,000. The prosecutions of the Eev. Mr Voysey cost the Archbishop of York £2,300. The Scotch Education Bill has passed its second reading, and a few amendments will be accepted by the Scotch Liberals. Mr Dixon's motion condemning the Education Act as unsatisfactory, and as falling to establish a national system, has been defeated. Mr Forster's amendment, that sufficient trial had not been given, obtained 323 votes against 98. The Crown has resolved on making further recognition of the Earl of Mayo's services. The laborers in Warwickshire have struck, and formed a union. Dr Deane succeeds Sir Travers Twiss as vicar-general. Eleven officers of the Carabineers have declared their conviction that Eoger Tichborne never returned from abroad. Earl Granville's second note to America declines arbitration on the basis of the inadmießibility of the indirect claims. Damaging shocks of earthquake have occurred in California. Instructions have been sent to M. Fournier, the French Minister at the Italian Court, to intimate that the French Government wish to continue relations of traditional friendship with Italy. There is an entire disagreement between M. Thiers and the Budget Commission, who oppose the tax on raw materials or textile fabrics. A majority of the Italian Chamber has voted for a Cabinet Conference. The Emperor William of Prussia is indisposed, and will not hold a reception on his anniversary birthday this year. All the foreign Ministers have insisted on the existing commercial treaties of France being strictly carried out. The proposal to tax raw materials has been abandoned by the French Assembly for 1872. The Assembly has adjourned till the 22nd April. A permanent Commission has been formed for the discussion of the new taxes. M. Thiers declared that the discussion in the Assembly of the Roman Catholic petitions would be attended by serious political drawbacks without advancing the interests of the Pope. M. Dupanloup, consequently, did not persist with his interpellation. Earl Granville's reply to America's letter on the Alabama case is under consideration by the Washington Cabinet. The American position is unchanged. The agricultural laborers' combination is extending. The trades unions are furnishing funds. Farmers and landlords are alarmed. The movement is assuming national importance. The publicity given to the attempt of the commissioners of sewers to seize 2000 condemned cans of Australian meat haß seriously prejudiced the sales, and prices are considerably lower. One thousand bales of New Zealand hemp have been sold at full rates. The abolition of the tea and coffee duties has been agreed to in the American Senate. The Government has accepted Mr

Maguire's home rule motion, and Mr Miall's for the appointment of a Eoyal Commission to enquire into the revenues and property of the Church of England. Sir Charles Dilke's motion on the civil list occasioned scenes of tumult never before witnessed in the House of Commons. His dull speech was listened to patiently. Mr Gladstone replied with sarcastic force and contagious warmth. The Hon. Auberon Herbert, lin supporting the resolutions, declared himself a Republican, which was the signal for a tremendous uproar. There was a prolonged scene. The House was cleared of strangers. The Ballot Bill is under consideration in committee in the House of Commons. It is expected that the measure will be passed by the Lords. WOOL MAEKET. I The sales terminated on the Ist. They i were characterised by almost unexampled ! animation. The article attained a higher value than known during the present generation. The prospects of the next sales are excellent. MONEY MAEKET. Money is abundant, and discount moderate at Bank rate. Consols 921. There has been a general rise in the stock markets. Joint-stock undertakings are very numerous. Dividends. — English and Australian Copper Company, 2s 6d per share ; Van ! Dieman's Land Company, 4s per share ; Bank of Australasia, 10 per cent. PRODUCE MABKET. Tallow sold freely at firm prices. Mutton, good, 42s 6d to 43s 3d ; beef, 41s 6d to 42s 3d ; mixed, 42s to 42s 6d ; Sydney oil, 34s to 38s ; sperm cleared at £98 ; hides sold freely at an advance of a farthing per lb. In leather there is less activity. Upwards of 13,000 sides were sold. Mimosa bark has advanced again, owing to limited arrivals. Horns without transactions. Queensland cotton, 750 bales, fetched lOfd to ll^d. New Zealand Hemp — 1000 bales were sold at auction at full prices. Petroleum is inactive at Is 5d to Is s|d. Copper is in excited demand, prices having touched £99. Present quotation is £98. Australian wheat, 48s to 61s. Preserved meats are considerably lower. SHIPPING. Arrived. — From New Zealand — Bethshan, Countess of Kintore, Alcyon, Mercop, Otago. Sailed. — For New Zealand—Agamemnon, Bulwer, Ironsides, Wave Queen. Loading. — For Melbourne, 16 ; for Sydney, 9 ; for South Australia, 10 ; for Brisbane, 5 ; Swan Eiver, 1 ; New Zealand, 10. FRANCE. The aspect of public affairs is less threatening. The Chambord agitation has subsided. Btfnapartist conspiracies cease to create alarm. The military expenditure has been reduced by 28,000,000 f. The new press law excites violent controversy. It is declared to be not a Cabinet measure, and the severity of its provisions has been modified. M. Pouyer Quertior's resignation as Minister of Finance has caused great agitation. M. Goulard has been appointed temporary Minister of Finance. Strong measures are being directed to the s uppression of the International. The patriotic subscriptions amount to 23,000 ,000 f. SPAIN. The whole country is excited about the coming elections. A Ministerial circular orders the reservation of a portion of all cemeteries for non- Catholics. Senor Orlega has been authorised to lay a cable between England and Spain. ITALY. Germany having espoused the cause of Protestantism, France has adopted the role of protector of the Papacy. The protracted visit of Prince Frederick Charles and Von Moltke to Italy alarms and irritates France. Mazzini died suddenly at Pisa, and was buried at Geneva. The funeral was attended by 80,000 persons. There were demonstrations in his honor at Eome. GEEMANY. Bismarck carried his School Inspection Bill through the Upper House by large majorities, contrary to expectation. The revelations of the designs of the Ultramontanea are damaging to the clergy. Several German professors opposed to the infallibility dogma have been excommunicatedThe Government has discovered that the Archbishop of Posen has been secretly appointed Primate of Poland by the Pope. The Bohemian Diet, refusing to send delegates to the Eeichsrath, has been dissolved, and new elections are ordered. EUSSIA. The Government has resolved to ro-open Sebaßtopol as a military and commercial harbor. AMEEICA. The principal event is the fall of the Erie clique. An important treaty has been concluded between Brazil and Paraguay. On the motion of Messrs Sumner and Schurg, a special committee was appointed to investigate the sale of Government arms to France during the late war.