EUROPEAN.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 31, 5 January 1884, Page 3

EUROPEAN.

London, December 16.— The Sultan has reappointed Prince Alike to the Government of Roumania. It is reported that H.M.S. Pelican has been ordered to prepare for service on the Australian station. To-day is being generally observed here as a holiday. Numerous amusements Mere provided, and marine excursirns in particular were largely patronised, A fresh discovery of Gold has been made near Temora, and reports from the field are causing great excitement. Permananda party unearthed a nugget weighing seven and a half ozs. Many claims are already pegged out. London, December 24.— Intelligence is to hand from Malata (? Malta) that a fire broke out at a Jewish school there, while the building was occupied by the children. The majority succeeded in escaping, but sixteen were burned to death, and a number were seriously injured. The school itself was totally destroyed. London, December 2/. Best Scotch pig iron has further fallen 6d per ton, and is now quoted f.o.b. in Clyde at 46s v"d ; galvanised iron, 26 gauge, has declined to £11 packed in cases f o.b. in London. London, December 27.— A report is current to-day that the French Government intends to hold the Chinese Government answerable for the expenses France may incur in despatching troops to Tonquin in consequence of the hostile attitude of China oirards that country. Telegrams to hand from < Newfoundland announce that a serious riot occurred at Harbour Grace Port in Conception Bay between the Orangemen and Catholics. The rival parties numbered several hundred, and the fighting was carried on for some time. Three contestants were killed and a number seriously wounded in the affray. London, December 27.— Two oM.he torpedo boats for New Zealand will be shipped by the ship Lyttelton, which leaves early in January. The new gunboat Protector, ordered tor Victoria, has been successfully launched on the Tyne. London, December 28.— 1t is now stated to be probable that the islands of Hainan, Formosa, and Chusan, situate off the Chinese coast, and forming part of the Empire will be seized by France as a guarantee for the payment by China of the French war expenses in Tonquin. The latest intelligence from Newfoundland states that twenty-eight persons were soriously wounded in a riot which occurred at the harbour of Grace between Orangemen and Catholics. As a renewal of disturbances is feared, the authorities have asked the Imperial Government to despatch some ti-oops and gunboats to the scene of rioting. The new issue of 12,000 preference shares in the Trust and Agency Company of Australasia has been subscribed for. The New Zealand Shipping Company's new steamer Ruapehu made 15 knots on her trial trip. The Agents-General intend to request an assurance from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the recent concession made to Spain in respect to the wine duties, will also be extended to wines the growth of the colony. The Australian mails, dated Melbsurne Novsrnber 17, per the Orient s.s. Chimborazo, were delivered, via Naples, yesterday. The death is announced of Thomas Holloway, the proprietor of Holloway's pills and ointment.

London, December 29. Th Homeward mails, via San Francisco, from Anckland, November 8, were delivered here to-day. The report of the Western Pacific Commission was published to-day. The report condemns the supervision of the labour traffic by colonial agents, and urges that agents should be appointed by the Crown. It recommends that the labonr trade should be more closely watched by the naval authorities in Australia, and that llesident Deputy Commissioner should be appointed to the various islands. The report is opposed the control of Polynesian and New Guinea races being vested in colonial Governments.

London, December 30. The "Observer"' thinks it would be wise of English statesmen to in every wayassist the Australian colonies to the attainment of their national aspirations in the Pacific. The garrison of Sonlay suffered a loss of six thousand men, and the French captured two million dollars. It is reported that, acting on the advice of the Powers, the Chinese have retired to Bachinah. lhe session of the French Chambers has ceased. They will re-assemble on January 13. The Orange leaders, in a letter, propose to enroll an armed Orange militia. A pilgrimage is to be made to the Court of Victor Emmannel, on January first, by one hundred thousand Freemasons. London, December 31.— The garrison at Sontay suffered a lo&s of 6,000 man, and the French captured 1,000,000 dollars. It is teported that acting on the advice of the Powers the Chinese have retired to Bacninh. M. Tricon proceeds to Hue to compel the new king to sign a treaty with France. It is stated that the Turkos assaulted Sontay in a most reckless manner, and one company was almost totally destroyed. China appears disposed to make further concessions to France. M. Courdet has returned to Hanoi. London, December 31.— Telegrams to hand from Newfoundland report that the town of Harbour Grace, the scen<} of the recent riots between Orangemen and Catholics, is now quiet, and a recurrence of the disturbance is not anticipated. M. Ferry has promised that an early opportunity shall be taken to revise the French Constitution. The English Government proposes spending £100,000 on defensive works at Aden. The Orange leaders in Ulster propose to enroll an armed Orange milifcia. London/ January I.— Rival meetings of Parnellites and Orangemen having been announced to be held to-day at Dromore, County Down, Ireland, the Executive has despatched a large force of troops numbering a thousand men to the scene with the object of stopping any disturbance. London, January I.— Dr. Alfred Barry yras to-day consecrated to the Metropolitan See of Sydney. The ceremony took place in Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of Durham, London, Lincoln, and Rochester, and Bishop Perry, formerly of Melbourne, assisting. Sir Saul Samuel, AgentGeneral for New South Wales, was present. Canon Westeofct preached the sermon. The Rev. Sydney Linton, recently appointed Bishop of Riverina, sails for Australia towards the end of the year. The Rev, Mr Macconochie resigned the .rica**ge of St. Peter's London Docks •benefice, which was recently sequestered &y the Bishop of London. The races for Taiterßall's Club Cup yesterday was won by Corneliims easily ; Sardonyx, second j Prima Donna, third,

Paris, December 25.— The Parisian and French papers generally, in their leading articles on the Franco-Chinese difficulty, are now averse to further mediation with a view to an understanding with China, and almost unanimous in recommending that rigorous warfare should, if necessary, be prosecuted against the Chinese in Tonquin.

Paßis, December 29. Despatches from Tonquin state that desperate fighting took place, at Sontay, and that there was heavy loss on either side before the fortress was captured. v Tho French lost 26 officers and fully a thousand men. The attack upon Bacninh will not take place until the arrival of the reinforcements recently despatched from France under General Millot.

St. Petersburg, December 28. A bulletin issued to-day states that the Czar is recovering from the accident to his shoulder recently sustained while hunting. St. Petersburg, Decembor 30.— Colonel Suderken, of the Russian Gendarmerie, was murdered to-day by the Nihilists. No trace of the assassins has yet been obtained. Cairo, December 31 —News is to hand from the Soudan that Baker Pasha lias captured one of the followers of El Mahdi and seized letters written by tho rebel leader, which contain statements leading to the belief that an advance against Egypt proper is oontemplated by Mahdi. Cairo. December 1 30.— Despatches have been received from the Soudan, stating that the garrison at Zezirh, near Berbeek, was recently attacked by a large force of rebels and fanatics, but the latter, after several hours' fighting, were repulsed with heavy loss.

New York, December 28. General Grant has met with a painful accident, having slipped in the street and fallen heavily, seriously injuring his hip. Caiko, .December 26.— Rumours are current here to the effect that El Mahdiis advancing upon Khartoum, and is now within ten days' march of the town.