GENERAL SUMMARY (Dates from Europe up to November 11.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 427, 11 December 1889, Page 4

GENERAL SUMMARY (Dates from Europe up to November 11. )

On the 15th, the jury disagreed in the suit of Mrs Annie Besant, who sued the Rev. Mr Ho&lcins for issuing a circular making serious charges againsb her publications while she was a candidate for tho membership oi the London School Board. Father Damien will be succeeded by his brother at fche leper settlement of Molokai, Sandwich Islands. A rapid rise took place in pig-iron in Glasgow on November 12th, and an enormous business was done. A large number of orders were not executod, the brokers fearing to follow the rapid rise. The ac tivity, however, continued till November 15th, when the boom suddenly collapsed. Patti receives £700 for each concert at Albert Hall, London. Over 20,000 persons attended the opening of Barnum's circus in London, on November 10th. Belfast had established a strong branch of the Knights of Labour. The strike of the coal miners at Fifeshire, Scotland, was averted by concessions of tho owners. Sir Henry Isaacs was installed Lord Mayor of London on November 9th. At the banquet in the evening, Premier Salisbury, responding to the customary toast, reviewed the state of foreign affairs. Referring to the success of the Mahdi in Africa, he said his conquests would probably induce him again to invade Egypt ; but he declared England would sustain that country against all its enemies. The British are not ready to evacuate and leave the land to its fate. The only known cause for disturbances in Europe was faction fighting among the Cretans. A most pernicious event would be an increase in the territory of any of the great powers, which would be certain to arouse jealousy, and precipitate a catastrophe. All the indications, however, pointed to peace. Clergymen of the Church of England, who held brewery stock as members of the Clergy Assurance Society, have been directed to sell out. Froude received on November 2nd, all tho materials for the "Life of Beaconsfield" from the literary executor, Lord How ton. Phineas T. Barmim, the famous American showman, wa3 banquettod in London, November Bth, Lord Kilmory presiding. Among those present were Lord Randolph Churchill, Lord Beresford, Lord Rosebery, and Rothschild. Mr Gladstone sent resrrets. Toasts were given and speeches made complimentary to the English and American people. In view of a proposed treaty of commerce between the United States and Hawaii, a move has been made by the British Foreign Office to negotiate a treaty between England and the Islands. The English Consul at Honolulu has been intimated to oppose the American efforts to obtain exclusive concessions of land and cables, and to push tho interests of England. A Tradesmen's League was formed in London, November 2nd, against the landlords. Its purpose is the introduction of a Bill to create a court similar to the Irish Land Court!, to arbitrate between landlords and tenants upon the renewal of leases and to insure fair rent?. Before the Parnell Commission on November sth Sir Henry James accused Parnell of visiting the United States for treasonable purposes, and receiving money from conspirators. A contribution of $25 in one instance was marked " £5 for bread and $20 for lead." The steamehip City of Paris, from New York, arrived at Queenstown, Ireland, on the morning of November sth, in five days twenty-two" hours and fifteen minutes. Sho broke the record for the Eastern-bound passage The English Court has ordered Dion Boucicault to pay the aum of £30 monthly as alimony to bis divorced wife, Agnes Robertson. Mr J. B. Lawos says (October 28th) that the British wheat crop forecasts must be considerably discounted. The area under crop for 1889 is 2,540,720 acres, over 120,000 less than 1888. He puts the quarters required for consumption at 27,000,000, According to this, England's requirements will be higher than last year. Phyllis Broughton'a suit against Lord Dalgan was compromised, October 28th, The actress received £2,500. The latest pugilistic news is to the effect that Peter Jackson doea not take Sullivan's challenge to tight him for $20,000 seriously, neither doea Parson Davies, Jackson's manager. •• When Sullivan puts up the money," said Davies, "we will consider the proposal, but will not change our plans on Sullivan's account, or to accommodate anyone else. We have made engagements two months ahead, and are concluding contracts for on exhibition in Paris. I think

Jackson the besb man that ever stood in a ring in any time." Jackson has issued a challenge to Sullivan, Kilrain or Slavin. The next important battle will be with bare knuckles, between Slavin and Smith for £100 a side. Slavin's backers offer to back him against Sullivan for £1,000 a side. Jackson is beinsr lionised in London. The Pelican Club gave him a reception, and the Engli&h press acknowledges him the greatest pugilist ever seen on English soil. Jem Mace is said to be thoroughly disgusted at the low standard which pugilism has fallen to in England, and offers to box Charlie Mitchell or anybody else, three rounds, to show how fighters handled themselves in the old days.

EXPLORERS MASSACKED. | It was reported at Zanzibar, November j 6th, that the Ma«sais or Somalos had massacred Dr. Peters, the German explorer, and hia whole party except one European and one Sotnale, who were wounded and are now at Ngao. The latest known about Dr Peters at Zanzibar is that he started inland from Yifcu on July 26th, and reached Korkowo, a lon<» distance up the Tumi Riveir. It is not knouu whefchor the second column of the expedition, which left Yifcu in September under the command of Borchest and Rust, has joined the advance party. They may hrvo failed in making the junction, and so escaped massacre. Probably this division is now retreating to the coast. Despatches received at Berlin on the 6th confirm the massacre.

FRANCE. The closing of the Exposition at Paris on November 6th was marked by a brilliant fote at which 40,000 people were present, being the largest attendance since the opening: of the Exposition. There were a few accidents, due to the crush. The weather was beautiful, and the fete a success. The Chairman announced on November 6th thao the new Coinpte d'Escompte had proved a success beyond all expectations. General Boulanger remains in Jersey, and has just had a conference with his friends on his prospects. Ho is now writing his autobiography, for which a Paris publisher offers 250,000 franc?. The exhibition having closed, the Parisians are contemplating the statistics and counting the gains. It is estimated 5,000,000 French people came from the provinces and that their aggregate expenditure was 50,000,000 francs, 1,500,000 foreigners visited Paris and the Exposition, and spent 75,000,000 francs. Englishmen head the toreien list with 380,000, the Belgians come next with 226,000, the Germans third with 160,000, and Americans fourth with nearly 120,000. On Sunday, November 3rd, the elevator of the Eiffel Tower fell about 100 feet, and thirty of the occupants, visitors, were injured. It is said that since the opening of the exposition a dozen men have lost their lives in the Eiffel elevators, and in no instance have such accidents been made public. Many workmen were killed during the construction of the Tower, and this fact has also been carefully kept from the public. The total number of paying visitors to the Exposition, just closed, was 25,000,000 as compared with 12,000,000 in 1878, and 8,000,000 in 1867.

MISCELLANEOUS. The strikers of the Mons district, Belgium, amounted, October 30th, to 8,000. The colliers in the central and Charle* voi coalfields were joining the strikers. The owners of the coal mines refushed to join the miners' demands, and aaeert that since 1887 wages have been in proportion to the price of coal. The Empress of Austria while visiting the Italian shore of the LagodiGarda, early in November, was greeted by the rougher class of the inhabitants with hisses, cat-calls and howls, and when the steamer left the landing a volley of stones fell, upon the deck. The Emperor was enraged beyond all measure when tho matter was reported to him, and tho Italian Embassador at ones called upon the Court Kalnoky and presented tho apologies of his Government. The miners' strike at Mons, Brussels, ended on November 2nd, the workmen's demands having been conceded. Over 8,000 operatives were affected. Turkish soldiers are credited with committing terrible outrages on men, women and children in Crete. The trial of 65 persons charged with swindling a large number of Galiciam peasants by inducing them to to America on false statements, and thus obtaining a commission on the passage money, was progressing on Nm ember 15th at Wadowice. In one year 5,199 deserters were despatched this way ; the swindlers made enormous gains.