NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1539, 13 January 1887, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Two young . Englishmen committed suicide in San Francisco on November 17th—John Buzz®, a native of Cornwall, and Arthur Francis Glowerells. The latter was a man of good connections and some means. Both left notes stating the act was the result of a despondent state of mind. i ' Another ex-Alderman of New York was consigned to Sing Sing on December 17th convicted of bribery and corruption in connection with the Broadway street railroad franchise, A bogus Patti agent made his way before the arrival of the prima donna into the city of Mexico, and managed to rake in 30,000 dollars in subscriptions before he was discovered. He got off with the money. He assumed the name of Marcus Mayer, Abbey and Patti’s legitimate agent. He was afterwards captured by Mexican detectives, and proved co bo one Charles Bourton, an alleged journalist. STANLEY’S MISSION. Henry M. Stanley, the African explorer, who has been lionising in New York for some weeks past, received a despatch from King Leopold, of Belgium, on December 33th, summoning him to return to Europe at once. It appears that a baud of Arabs under Ben Mahomed, emboldened by Stanley’s absence have entered the free Congo State and massacred the garrison at Stanley Palls, and at every village where they found families the men were killed and the women and children cairied away. The A rabs numbered 1500 men. Attempts had been made to check their marauding but without success, and Stanley’s influence was required. Ben Mahomed was formerly a good friend with Stanley, and in 1876

accompanied “ m a'lth a force of men io Ira 'XiVorat'! i- for fifty days, in ' r contract, in < l* , -<iibiice to the summons, Stanley s .Med for Belgium on the 15th. His relief expedition will start in February. The Egyptian Gnvprnment contribute £IO,OOO towards the expenses. THE SITUATION IN EUROPE. A telegram dated from Constantinople, December 11th, on the alleged negotiation between Russia and turkey, affirms the statement that the Sultan is discussing a secret convention with the Czar for the withdrawal of the Turkish suzerainty over Bulgaria in favor of Russia, Russia has resumed action on the candidature) of Nicholas of Mingrelia, and has made further statements to the Powers, asking for more definite statements of their respective views. Gadban Pasha, the special delegate of the Sultan at Sofia, is resorting to tbe same methods as Kaulbars to intimidate the Bulgarian Government, and has assumed an intolerable tone of arrogance. The situation is approaching a’climax, and the Porte will not be permitted to harass the Bulgarian Government as it is doing now. Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, after a long talk with Count Kolnoky, received the Bulgarian deputation on December 14th. The Prince told the deputation that he was willing to accept the Bulgarian throne if the Sobranje elected him and the Powers confirmed his election. It is reported that negotiations have been opened in St. Petersburg, and the deputation awaits the Czar’s reply. The candidacy is generally favorably considered in Europe. The Prince of Wales and Duke of Edinburgh vigorously support it, and are using all their influence at Berlin and St. Petersburg. The Prince of Hesse is also warmly in support. It is rumored the Emperor William has written to tbe Czar advising him to accept Prince Ferdinand. The Russian Ambassador at Vienna, however, informed the Bulgarian deputation on the 16th that Russia is unable to recognise the Prince as a candidate, or to notice any proposals on that matter emanating from the Regency. MARINE DISASTERS. The steam whaler Mary and Helen caught fire in San Francisco harbor on December 17th, and burned to the watei’s edge. Captain Thomas Miller, of the lug vVaterwitch, had just made fast to the whaler when her year’s store of powder exploded. He was knocked overboard by the concussion and drowned. A terrible marine disaster occurred at the San Francisco Heads, a short distance south-west of Cliff House, about three o’clock on the morning of December 17tli. At that hour the articling barqe Atlantic, which sailed the day before on a cruise to the South Pacific, drifted on shore and became a total wreck. She had on board a crew of forty men, about thirty of whom were drowned, although there is a life-saving station in (he vicinity. The disaster is due to several causes. The steam tug that towed the vessel to sea dropped her before she had given her sufficient offing, and just as she let go her tow rope the wind fell, and a heavy fog covered everything like a pall. The captain had no bearing, but knew he was being carried in shore by the current, and let go two anchors to prevent it. The anchors dragged, and meanwhile the waves tore the vessel to pieces and drowned the hapless sailors. Some of the timbers picked up on the shore were found to be so rotten that they could be crumbled in the hand.