ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2458, 31 January 1893, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL.

Auckland, Jan. 30

Arrived Alameda, from San Francisco, Honolulu, and Samoa, Passengers Misses Daniels (2), Mesdames Reed, Sinclair, Healey, Reed, Bilsbarrow, Latham, Duervz, Grevsmith, and four steerage. Her dates of deparature were;—Sau Francisco 9th, Honolulu on 16th, and Samoa on 23rd. Strong gales were experienced for the first three days; thence fine weather. Mr McDowell, chief officer, is doing as well as can be expected at Honolulu.

GENERAL SUMMARY. (European dates to January Bth), There is extreme depression in the shipping industry. The total number of vessels laidup in English and Scotch ports is 479, of a total tonnage of 853,000. Besides these there are laid up in Continental ports 99 steamers, with a total tonnage of 100,000. As a result of lay-ing-up so many vessels there are 500,000 (sic) men idle, which means a gigantic loss in wages monthly. A manifesto received with many expressions of sympathy among unemployed sets forth that in London alone 100,000 men, with 300,000 women and children dependent upon them, are out of employment at the present time, chiefly owing to continued strikes.

On January 4th the cold was severe and increasing on the Continent. Heavy snow fell in the Hartz mountains. Several railways were suspended. All lakes in France, Germany, and Austria were frozen, and ice fetes were organised in several cities. In Vienna the snowfall was so great that thousands of poor people were kept many hours clearing the streets. The h arbor of Trieste presented an Arctic scene. A family was drowned near Rifhorn while crossing the ARior on the ice. In Franco many persons were frozen to death. The town of Dijon was snowbound. In Italy the weather was very severe. Rome was snowed under. Several soldiers were frozen to death off Cronstadt. The inhabitants Oahlonbprg and hundreds of other villages In Austria found it impossible to get out of their houses on account of the snow blockade. All kinds of domestic and wild animals perished wholesale, and hundreds of deer sought the houses for shelter and protection.