["Age" Specials.]

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

["Age" Specials.]

Ferry a Tool of Bismarok. London, January 7.— General Oarapenon, the French Minister of War, has resigned, because he declares M. Jules Ferry, the Premier, to be merely a tool of Prince Bismarck.

French Intentions in China. Reinforcements, consisting of 12,000 French rroops, are being immediately dospatched to Tonquin. To facilitate the occupation of Tonquin, the occupation of Formosa by the French is intended to be permanent. A French expedition is intended to be shortly despatched to Pekin.

Retirement of Mr Gladstone. London*, January $.— Mr Gladstone, eldest son of the Premier, and member for Bast Worcestershire, in addressing a meeting at Hanvarden yesterday, said that his father would shortly retire from public life. The British Government have forwarded a very indignant protest to the German authorities on the annexation question, in which Prince Bismarck is accused of breach of faith by having directed the annexation of a portion of New Guinea.

Proposed Pacific Annexation Convention. The Foreign Office has despatched the Hon. Robert Mcade, one of the Assistant Under-Secretaries in the Colonial Office, to Berlin, to make arrangements for a meeting of a convention to adjudicate upon the rival claims to islands in the Pacific.

The Heligoland Canard, Earl Derby repudiates the idea that the British Cabinet intends to cede the island i of Heligoland, in the North Sea, to Ger- ! many in consideration that the latter relinquishes all claims to New Guinea. The attitude of New South Wales at the present juncture is most perplexing; but the Colonial Office and Agents-General are confident that Germany will in the outset be compelled to abandon !Ne\v Guinea. Prince Bismarck declines to define the limit of German annexation of New Guinea until he has received particulars and reports from the commander of the German warship at present in the Pacific. Earl Derby will forward despatches to the Governors of the several Australian colonies on the annexatian question tomorrow, January 9. General satisfaction is expressed at the determination of the British Government to extend the British protectorate over the north-east coast of New Guinea to Huon Gulf, the commencement of the German boundary. January 11.

Prince Bismarck's Speech. In the German Reichstag yesterday during a debate arising out of the recent annexation by Germany of Cameroona on the west coast of Africa by Dr. Nachtigal, Prince Bismarck made a speech in which he threatened to abandon his colonising policy if the question were postponed. The annexation project of New Zealand showed the danger of delay, and Englishmen were reported to be fomenting disorder in New Guinea and Cameroons. He further deprecated allusions being made to the possibility or an expressed opinion that all annexation difficulties could be settled by negotiation. January 12. Prince Bismarck has expressed the opinitw that if the Imperial Government J approves of the hostility ehown by tho l Australian colonies to the annexation of ft portion of New Guinea by Germany, it will be necessary for Germany to support the C policy of the Powers opposed to England in ' the Egyptian and other questions. He has also expressed his surprise at the proposal of New Zealand to break the mutual agree- ' ment entered into not to annex the Samoa Islands.

German Steamers For tbe Islands. A German company interested in land in New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland (places recently annexed by Germany) are building two steamers to trade between the various islands.