EUROPEAN

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 119, 12 September 1885, Page 5

EUROPEAN-

I London, August 25. — The directors of tho English and Australian Copper Company having considered the question | of transferring their smelting works at 1 Port Adelaide to Newcastle, where | greater facilities are offered for coal supply, have decided to suspend, and not absolutely close their Port Adelaide works, which will be re-opened directly the value for copper improves. London, August 26. —Colonel Stanley points out that the 17th section of the Federation Enabling Bill empowers the Governor of any colony to decline to give his assent to any of tho aots of the Council which he may consider inimical to the interests of the colony. London, August 27. The German Government have resolved, having obtained the consent of Great Britain, to annex the Marshall Islands. London, September 2. — In connection with the Caroline Islands difficulty, it is rumoured that the German squadron, at present stationed at Zanzibar, has been ordered to proceed to those Islands. Acute excitement is being manifested in Spain over the affair. Mr Parnell, addressing a public meeting in Dublin yesterday, deprecated the outrages vhich have recently taken place as damaging to the Irish cause. Mr Gladstone returned to town to-day from his voyage to Norway. His health seem to be re-established and quite robust. Tke fourth series of colonial wool auctions this year opened yesterday. There was but a small attendance of foreign buyers. 1 1,900 bales were catalogued. The tone of the market was flat Australian merinos ruled about Id lower than last sales. Cross-breds generally are rather weaker. The freedom of the city of Dublin has been conferred upon Dr. K. J. O'Doherty, a member of the Queensland Legislative Council, in recognition of the support given by him to the Irish cause in the colonies. J.onddn September 3. — The sales opened on the Ist instant at an average decline of 5 per cent, on last eales closing rates, except cross- bred — market unchanged. Market weak. The Continental demand is poor. The opening catalogue contained 12,000 bales. The eales comprise about 270.000 bales ; 27,000 bales have been sent to the manufacturing district direct Wheat : Market dull. Quotations -Adelaide, 365; New Zealand average, 32s 6d ; New Zealand, long buried, 33s 6d per 4961b5. ; Adelaide f.a q. is worth c.c f ; off coast, 33s 9d per 4801bs. The crop here is estimated to yield 9.000 OOOqrs. The bulk of the harvest has been eecured in good condition. The cholera has made its appearance at Gibraltar. Prince Bismarck has notified to the British Government his readiness to sub mit the entire Question of the occupation of the Caroline Islands to arbitration. The agitation which is going on with Spain with regard to the infringement by Germany of Spanish claims to the Islands in question is provoking anger in the German press, which has lately displayed considerable acerbity towards Spain. London, September 3.— lt is announced that it is the intention of the Treasury to institute a prosecution against Mr Stead (editor of th© Pall Mall Gazette), and Mr Bramwell Booth (son of " General " Booth), and other persons, for the abduction of a girl named Lilly Armstrong, in connection with tho recent Jeffries scandal. The Governor of Herat has been absolved from the chargos brought against him by Colonel Ridgeway, of tampering with the letters, etc., addressed to the members of the Afghan Boundary Commission. Mr Cheesewright, surveyor, leaves in October to survey the lands concession appliedfor by Mr AfithonyHordernin connection with his projected railway from Albany to York. The capital required for constructing the railway from Guildford to Geraldton, in Western Australia, as proposed by Mr John Waddington.has been subscribed by a syndi cate, and the company will be registered shortly. Mr Richard P. Williams, railway statician, will shortly proceed to Western Australia to report on the railways there. At yesterday's wool pales 12,201 bales were offered to a flat market. The P. and O. Company hare received the usual notice of termination of their mail contract from the Government. A flying sqadron is at present being formed, and H. M. ships Emerald, Volage, and Active have already been selected. London, September 3.— Consols remain at par. Bank of England proportion of reserve to liabilities 44 per cent., 1 per cent, below last week. The total reserve of notes and bullion has fallen from £15,700,000 to £15,100,000. At to day's wool sales, 12,000 bales were catalogued, making a total of 36,100 bales offered so far, of which 5,600 have been withdrawn. The tone of the market is weak, especially so for scoured wools of all descriptions. Arrived, this morning : Shaw, Saville's and Albion Company's ship Dunedin, from Oamaru, June 11th. Her cargo of frozen meat is in good condition. London, September 3rd. — Five thousand men employed in Sir William Armstrong's gun factory at Elswick have struck. The appeal made by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of New South Wales to the English Grand Lodge, requesting the latter to recognise them, has been refused. The Rev. T. Webber, Bishop of Brisbane, sails on Satuiday, via San Francisco. London, September 4. The Bank of Australasia has declared a dividend for the half year at the rate of 15 per cent, per annum, and carries forward and places to reserve a sum of thirty -four thousand founds. Lord Randolph Churchill, Secretary of State for India, in the course of an address delivered at Sheffield last night, stated that the difference between Russia and England with regard to the Afghan frontier question had arrived at a satisfactory settlement. He added that Earl Dufferin, Viceroy of India, and Colonel Ridgway, head of the Frontier Commission, were both of opinion that the frontier, as now defined, would give the Ameer possession of the Zulfikar Pass, and would fulfil the promise made by Her Majesty's Government to the Ameer. London, September 5. — At to-day's local gales, 11,100 bales were catalogued. The market is still dull. London, September s.—The. —The wool market is inanimate. Cross breds maintain July closing rates. Merinos are from 7to 10 per cent, below the prices realised at July sales. The number of bales catalogued was 60,000, and the total number available is 340,000. London, September 6.— The French Government have suppressed the paper "Le Bosphore Egyptieti," published at Cairo. Mr John Fowler, formerly President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and at present consulting engineer to the Egyptian Government, has been created a Knight of the Order of St Michael and St. George. Flushing, a seaport of the Netherlands, has been made a port of call for the Germansteine of amers to Australia. The flying squadron at present in course of formation will comprise seven vessels, and will be under the command of Captain Robert O. Fitzroy, K.C.B. The squadron will sail in October.

Spain has refused to allow the Caroline Islands difficulty to be settled by arbitration. With referenoe to seizure of Yap by Germany, the Spanish Governor of that island desired to offer resistance to the landing of the Germans, but the commander of! the men-of-war there refused to assist him and has since been dismissed from the service. Three men-of-war have "been despatched to Yap, and have been ordered to aotion with energy. The gangway of the Orient Company's steamer Liguria fell, injuring twenty-four persons, arid killing one. The Russians on the 14th of August occupied Cbaman-i-Baid, a town about 40 miles from Penjdeh, in a south-westerly direction. A number of Afghans who were in the vicinity at the time were attacked by the Russian cavalry. Intellegence is to hand stating that on the 22nd of August several Spanish vessel arrived at Yap, one of the Caroline Islands, and made preparations to occupy the place. A German gunboat, however, made her appearance on the 24th of August, and at once proceeded to land a body of troops, by whom the German flag was hoisted, and the island proclaimed German territory, the Spaniards formally protesting against the same. On receipt of the intelligence at Madrid the greatest excitement ensued. The mob proceeded to the Garman Embassy, where they forcibly pulled down tho German flag, and removed the arms of that country. A meeting was subsequently held, under the presidency of Senor Sagasta, when it was resolved that if the Liberal party were recalled to power they would pledge themselves to break off relations with Germany, and reconquer tho Island of Yap. Advices from Spain state that cholera is decreasing in virulence in that country, and the number of deaths is rapidly diminishing. A case of cholera has been reported to the medical authorities at Cardiff, bouth Wales, the patient being a sailor on board a ship which recently arrived from Barcelona London, September 7. At present public feeling in Germany over the difficulty with Spain is quiet. Fifty arrests of rioters have been made in Madrid. In consequence of tho opportunity afforded by the present trouble over the Caroline?, it is feared that a rebellion will bieak out in Spain between the rival factions. The French press are urging, in the event of war between Spain and Germany, that France should maintain an absolute neutrality. London, September B.— Mrs Mary Thornycroft, the well-known sculptor, has been commissioned to execute the National statue of General Gordon. The "Times" applauds the expedition sent from Sydney to New Guinea. At yesterday's wool auction 11,600 bales were catalogued. The market is weak, prices generally ruling from Id to l^d lower, while all descriptions of inferior and faulty wools are fully 2d below last Bales. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company offer to carry a weekly mail service from England to Australia, via Vancouver, for half a million dollars per annum. The Canadian Government are likely to subsidise the Company. Negotiations between the German and Spanish Governments on the question of the Caroline Islands are being conducted in an amicable spirit, Germany having offered to relinquish possession of the island of Yap if it can be proved that th 9 Spaniards previously occupied the island. It is generally expected that a peaceful settlement will be arrived at. A mob at Valencia have burnt the insignia of the German consulate there. Cairo, Sept. 8. The rumour of Osman Digna's death is again rife, and it is re-asserted that he was killed by the Sheiks. Berlin, September 2. — The International Telegraph conference has virtually decided to reduce the press rate for telegrams between Europe and Australia to 2s Sd per word, the South Austi'alian Government having assented to a reduction on the overland section. Berlin, September 7.— Senor Canovaedel Castillo, the Spanish Premier, has forwarded a formal apology to the German Government for the outrage on the German flag, which took place recently at Madrid. Paris, September 7. — Cholera is again spreading in the South of France, and has made its appearance in the department of Herault. Rome, September 3. Cholera is reported to have broken out at Parma, and the disease is also stated to have made its appearance in other parts of Italy.