NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2314, 4 February 1892, Page 4

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

TME CONGO SLAVE TRADE. At a meeting of the African Society in Cologne on December 16, Canon Keepas from the diaries of African missionaries which told of revolting cruelty in connection with slave hunting in the neighbourhood of Lake Tanganyika. One was to the effect that a notorious slaver, Makatuho, brought, back two thousand two hundred .r.V-ives as the result of his last expedition to Karema. The wretched blacks were chained in batches of a score or more, and they were like living skeletons. While the caravan was traversing the Kirando country, where there was a famine, the marching slaves were obliged through hunger, to dig up and eat roots which animals would not touch. Hundreds died from hunger, fever, or dysentery. Large numbers of women and children, whoso weakness impeded the progress of rest, were drowned. Those who lagged through illness were killed at the rate of ten to fifty per day with cudgels. At night the wretches were sheltered in roofless huts. Eveiy morning the bodies of those who died during the night were dragged out and thrown to the hyenas that followed the camp. Many of the poor creatures were covered with burns and scores as a result of the punishment inflicted. Similar accounts were given of the cruelty practised by other slave hunters. The missionaries ransom the slaves, placing the sick in a hospital whenever possible. A despatch from Paris, December 18, says a blockade of the coast of 4 Morocco is within the probabilities of the near future. Should that fail to secure the ends aimed at, an expedition to the interior of Muley Hassan’s dominions will follow. .According to the reports of the French and Spanish Ministers, the Morocco Sultan has repudiated his non endorsement of the Brussels agreement by authorising the sale of negroes in the empire.

THE OUTRAGE AT DUBLIN CASTLE. A decided sensation was caused in Dublin on December 21 by a rumor that the physical force party had resumed operations, and that their first attempt had been made against Dublin Castle. It transpired that while workmen were making some improvements under the room Tn which the Privy Council holds its meetings, a sudden and tremendous report in that place shook the building. Nobody was hurt, however. The police were immediately notified. The damage to the castle was not heavy, although the ceilings of two floors above the cellars were blown to pieces, the heavy beams in Borne cases being reduced to fragments. The furniture in the office beneath the Privy Council Chamber was completely destroyed. The Irish authorities immediately telegraphed to London for assistance. The castle officials stated on the 21st that the mischief caused by the explosion was loss than at first supposed; the expenditure of a few pounds will repair the damage done. One of the principal clerks in the office of the Chief Secretary for Ireland had a very narrow escape from death hy the explosion, wliicn was caused by a large quantity of guncotton. The theory that the explosion was one of gas was effectually disposed of on Januard 2 by those making an investigation. In examining the bepms supporting the floor directly ..over the cellar where the explosion occurred, a number of small pieces of metal deeply embedded in the timbers were found. This evidence showed beyond question that the explosive, whatever it may have bei&u, was enclosed in a metal case. THE GATESHEAD DISASTER. ■V panic was caused at a theatre in Gateshead, County Durham, England, on Dec. 27, by a small blue, caused by a man in the audience dropping a lighted match on the sawdust-covered floor, A cry of “ Fire ” was raised, and immediately therg, was a wild rush for the doors, which became so blocked that only a few persons succeeded in getting out. The staircase leading from the waJJery was similarly obstructed. A check-taker who attempted to restrain the crowd was trampled to death- When the panic had subsided, the bodies of nine children were found lying on the staircase, among them the little son of a constable who can!<i to assist in the work of rescue. The attraction for the evening was the pantomiue .AiuddlUj the theatre being literally packed. The occasion was made memorable by many acts of heroism. One man, who occupied a gallery seat, jumped from the gallery railings to the balcony below and slid through to the stage, all the time carrying a child by his teeth. Several women were rescued by other meli in a similar manner.

A SALVATION ARMY RIOT. The' trouble between the Salvation Army iWid the authorities at Eastbourne, on the Sussex coast, resulted in a riot of unusual violence on January 3. Fora Img time there has been open war between the Salvationists and the police. The former assert the Eastbourne officials have displayed a feeling «f religious intolerance in their treatment of the army, and, so determined are the members of the Salvation Army to maintain what they deem their judicial rights, that they propose to introduce a Bill in Parliament to repeal of amend the Eastbourne Improvement Ad t by which the town officials prevent the Salvationists from holding meetings on the greets-. On the day in question the East&OJjrno contingency of the Salvation Arwy was divided into four sections and stakhn-iVsd in different parts of the town. The police broke up these meetings with some trouble; but in the afternoon 60 of the army again sallied foom the barracks and proceeded to the beach, followed by an Immense crowd, who annoyed them with pill manner of illtreatment. upon the beach, the Salvationists knelt .dojjrn , upon the sands in prayer. A« they did so they linked arms, the better to repel the assaults of the mob should the latter take it into their heads to charge. The mob hooted and ydtad, and finally made an ugly rush. Some Salvationists _ were t irowu to the ground, bujt Immediately resumed a kneeling position aijd. continued their prayer. Several time? the rushing w is repeated, but the Salvation- 1 ists paid no more attention than was necessary to avoid being seriously hurt. A number of the police were present and the wwb wvilsd thwm for disposing

the Salvationists. As soon as the praying was concluded the Salvationists rose to their feet. This seemed the signal for a preconcerted attack, for the mob immediately swooped down upon the band, scattering them in wild disorder. Many were struck, kicked, and otherwise illtreated. The musical instruments used by the Salvationists seemed specially to excite the ire of the mob, and the persons bearing them were singled out for more than the usual brutal treatment. The mob got possession of the instruments, and after smashing them threw them into the sea. Then a detachment of mounted police charged the crowd. They made no distinction between men and women. They rode down upon the crowd, trampling the mob, male and female alike, under the feet of the horses. Many 6f the crowd were severely hurt. The Salvationists declare that police instead of protecting them deliberately struck them and rode over them. Their clothes were torn and their hats lost. A number of women lost their skirts and jackets in the wild rush following the charge of the police, their garments being torn off in the desperate struggle to escape being trampled on by the horses. Luring the melee the standard of the Salvation Army fell into the hands of the enemy. Some of the Salvationists charged to regain their flag, and a fierce fight resulted finally in the Salvationists regaining their standard, and under a rain of blows succeeding in getting away from the mob with the flag in their possession. After some little time the Salvationists, their clothing bedraggled and their faces showing the marks of ill-treatment, rallied around their standard. They formed in regular lines, and, surrounded by the police,, marched back to the barracks. Despite this protection they were not safe from attack, for the mob,several times charged upon them, and the police _ were almost powerless to prevent injuries being inflicted. Some of the more rabid of the mob got possession of vehicles, and, paying no attention to the police, drove deliberately into the Salvationists’ ranks, with the intention of running over them.

METHODISM IN VIENNA. The magistracy of Vienna, at the instance of the Public Prosecutor, has issued a decree closing the Methodist Church in that city, and inhibiting its pastor, the Rev. Friedrich Roesch, from preaching anywhere in the capital. This dicision (the Times correspondent says) is one that interests all protestant communities, for the magistrates base their inhibition on the fact that the Methodists, in one of the articles of their belief, denounce the sacrifices of masses as “ blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits ” These words are held to constitute “ an insult against one of the religions recognised by the State,” namely the Roman Catholic; but it seems to have escaped the attention of the Public Prosecutor that the incriminating words are derived from the Articles of the Church of England, and may be found in the English Books of Common Prayer, which circulate freely in this country. When in 1743 John and Charles Wesley drew up the Articles and Statutes of Methodism, they adopted 25 out of the 39 Articles of the Church of England, and the article on the “ One Oblation of Christ/’; which is numbered 20 in the Methodist Statute Book, is nothing but Article 31 of the Anglican Liturgy. The argument used against Mr Roesch might, therefore, be enforced to the inhibition of every Anglican clergyman in Austria excepting the chaplain of the British Embassy, who is privileged. The facts have been laid by telegraph before Df, Stevenson, President of the Wesleyan Conference, and an appeal against the decree of the magistracy is to be lodged with the Governor of Lower Austria.