EUROPEAN.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 86, 24 January 1885, Page 3

EUROPEAN.

London, January 15.-— ln its issue today, the " Daily Telegraph " announces that the English and German Governments have arrived at a definite understanding regarding Satioa, and have mutually agreed to abstain from annexing the Islands. At a conference of working men of Gi*eat Britain, now being held here, the question of Imperial federation was brought up for discussion, end resolutions were adopted declaring ttiat the fiscal and political federation of the mother country and the colonies was necessary, and urging its adoption. Many of the speakers declared themselves strongly in favour of the abolition of the Colonial Office. London, January 15.— 1t is understood that the agreement come to between England and Germany regarding Samoa and Tonga has now been finally settled, and that no attempt will be made to annex either island. London, January 16. — In the course of an address at a meeting of the Empire Club last night, Sir Saul Samuel, Agent General in London for New South Wales, expressed the opinion that federation was a delusion. He deprecated the formation of fleets of war vessels by individual colonies, and, declared that the Imperial Government ought to undertake the inarinedefencesof the colonies, the latter paying the cost of their naval pro- j tection. London, January 16.— The homeward mails, via San Francisco, dated Auckland, December 9thj were delivered yesterday. London, January IG.— Consols remain at 99*. New Zealand securities are quoted as follow : — The 5 per cent. 1040 loan, 103^ ; 5 per cent. 1889 loan, 103 ; 4i per cent. 15791904 loan, 102J ; 4 per cent.inscribed stock, 99J. The total reserve in the Bank of England is £12,100,000, an increase during the week of £800,000. The bank rate of discount remains 5 per cent., and the market rate at 3£. London, January 17.— M. Waddington, the French Minister in London, has presented a counter proposal by the French Government foi the settling of the Egyp : tian finances to Earl Granville. The proposal comprises a loan of £9,000,000 sterling, issued under the guarantee of the great Powers, a tax on all coupons and onds, and the appointment of a commission of inquiry into the resources of Egypt. Austria, Germany, and Russia support the proposal. London, January ISfch.— The Court of Appeal has confirmed the sentence of four months imprisonment passed in April last upon Edmund Yates, proprietor of the 11 World " newspaper, for libel on the Earl of Lonsdale. London, January IS.— Mr H. O. Forbes, the explorer, sails ior New Guinea early in February. Mr John Currie has been admitted as a partner in the firm of Akins and Co., Australian merchants. A good deal of ill-feeling is at present manifested by the native populace of Alexandria Against the European residents, and it is feared that rioting will occur. A Press Association message aays : The test case argued before Judge Chitty, with the view of deciding the liability of transferrors of shares in the Oriental Bank Corporation, has been decided in favour of Victoria being allowed to rank as a preferential creditor. It is not 1 " considered probable that Mr Wellton, the Official Assignee, will appeal. " La Franca " suggests that three-fourths of the New Hebrides should be annexed by France, and urges that a naval station should be established there. London, January 18.— The shipment of frozen meat ex the s s. Orient, from Melbourne, has been placed on the market, and realised 5d per lb. It is expected that an Adelaide loan will be placed on the market. Barnum, the American showman, has refused the offer made him respecting " The Claimant," who has recently been discharged from gaol. London, January 18 — The heads of the Kubbabich tribes have joined Lord Wolseley. A sharp fight has taken place with the rebels of Omderman, during which the latter sank a steamer. A Dubliu and Holy head packet came into collision with another vessel, sinking almost immediately. Twenty-two lives were lost. London, January 19.— The Orient steamer Lusitania's mails have been snowod up in Italy. The postal officials have conferred with the Australian Agents-General relative to England obtaining a larger share of the colonial postages. The former have agreed to formulate their proposals. London, January 19. — It has transpired that, in their replie? to the proposals of the French Government for a settlement of the Egyptian financial difficulty, Austria, Russia, and Germany formally expressed appro\ al of the scheme, and their willingness to endorse the view of the French Ministry, They suggested also that the British Government should eventually convene a further conference of the Great Powers with a view to making some arrangement whereby the absolute freedom of the Suez Canal may be established and guaranteed on a basis satisfactory to the Powers. Mustapha Pasha Fehnu, the Egyptian Minister of Finance, arrived here yesterday. London, January 19.— 1t is reported that Russia intends to convert Quelpart, an island in the Yellow Sea, off the north-east coast of China, into a naval station. The Second Battalion (Royal Sussex Regiment) has been ordered to Egypt, and the First Battalion (Berkshire Regiment) to Souakim. London, January 19.— The English, Scottish, and Australian Chartered Bank has declared a dividend for the past halfyear at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum, and carries forward and places to the reserve £20,000. Lord Blachfovd considers Earl Grey's sug gestion that all matters pertaining to annexation should be referred to a council of the Agents-General is unworkable. Sir Stafford Northcote states that the Government have sacrificed the colonies to the unreasonable demands of foreigners. London, January 20.— 1n connection with the proposals of the French Government for the settlement of Egyptian finance, it is believed that a Commission of Inquiry will be appointed to consider only the necessary monetary recompense. Paris, January 17. — The death is announced of M. Edmund About, the wellknown French author and journalist, aged 57. Beiilin, January 14. —The question of granting subsidies to steamship companies is still under discussion in the Reichstag. At to-day's sitting of the sub- committee appointed to consider and report upon the details of the scheme, the Government supporters strongly advocated the establishment, with Government aid. of a lino of mail steamers to Samoa and Tonga, via the Australian colonies, as a means of increasing the prestige of the Empire.

Berlin, January 19. — An official White Book issued here shows that Lard Granville twice refused, but finally agroed to the appointment of a mixed commission to adjudicate upon the claims of German subjects in Fiji. Berlin, January 19.-- The Emperor William is seriously indisposed, and confined to bed. His Majesty's condition is causing great uneasiness at Court. Berne, January 20. — Mount Cenis railway line is blocked by snow, and the triffio is suspended. Constantinople, January 18. The Sultan has ordered the d spatch to Souakim of a force of 6,000 men to hold the town and maintain order in the surrounding country, Cairo, January 18. Telegrams from the Soudan report; the arrival at Gakdul of Colonel Stewarts entire force. Telegrams from Korti state that Colonel Stewart left Gakdul with his troops on Wednesday, and will arrive on Sunday at Metemmeh. The Naval Brigade, who were among the first detachment sent forward to Metemmeh, have already proceeded to Khartoum in the steamer Grovaded, sent by General Gordon. The cavalry corps, under the command of Sir H. Stewart, arrived unopposed at Howeyat on Saturday last. Cairo, January 19.— The Italian Government, which recently decided to garrison its j station at Assat, is now endeavouring to obtain increased interest in the Red Sea, and has demanded from Egypt the cession to the Italian Crown of the island and port I of Massowah, and has received the support of Earl Granville in the matter. The Egyptian Government, however, has refused to consider the demand, as being contrary to the Ottoman firman, under which the Egyptian Constitution was established. Cairo, January 20.— The troops now at and being despatched to Souakim are to be employed opening a road between that place and Berbor. An agreement has been concluded between the French Government and the International Association with regard to the rights of the latter in West Africa.