NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2560, 21 March 1877, Page 3

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The following items of news by the mail, which we have not previously published, are from the Australasian : —

The Sultan has officially -informed the Turkish generals tliat, in the event of war, he will himself take the chief command. " L It has been intimated that no facilities will be afforded by the Russian military authorities for war correspondents.

A Boman Catholic priest, the Her. Joseph Daly, has been sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment with bard labour at Chester, for inciting the daughter of a respectable well-to-do tradesman to break open her father's till. She did so, and gave the priest the money. He had previou.ly seduced her. Some months back the same priest was accused of being con* cerned in the poisoning of a young woman in Manchester, but he then proved an' alihil •

The Attorney-General, speaking at Preston on the 7th, anticipated next session an attackoorn r the Government by the extreme Radical party, but he said the consequence would be that the Government would be assisted by many, who though nominally in opposition entertained moderate views.

At the annual dinner of the Oxford Liberal Association on Jan; 9, which was attended by 700 persons, Sir W. Harcourt, M.P., said that everything pointed to a waning confidence in the Administration, and that foreign, affairs had been more mismanaged during the last eighteen months than at any former period^ An action was tried yesterday in the Common Pleas Division.in which Mr and Mrs Arthur Stirling (the latter formerly Mrs Charles Vyner, and who played as Miss Cleveland) sought to recover from Mr Edward Donaldson^, an actor, a sum of £50, lent to him some years ago by Mrs Stirling, when playing in Australia and at places on the way home, via Honolulu and San Francisco. The answer to the action was an agreement for joint theatrical performances at San Francisco, whiph fiad not been carried out. Mr Justice topes suggested an arrangement, hut it was not consented to, and the jury found for, the defendant.

The Eastern, question has been the subject of most of the extra*Pavliamenlary

speeches during the month. Mr Bright, speaking at Eorhdale, on the 2nd, to a body of working men, alluded to the course pursued by Lord Salisbury at Constantinople, and expressed his satisfaction at the policy of the (Government being now in harmony with the feeling of the country. On the 3rd Mr Davies, M.P. for Anglesey, addressing his constituents at Llangefine, said'that Lord; Salisbury's determined attitude was in a great measure caused by the numerous public meetings held in England in disapprobation of the conduct of the Turks. Spoking at Kensington Vestry-hall, on the 9th, Sir Ohas. Diike said, ho' could only partially agree with the criticisms on the Government, and marvelled to see t'e old rule of L'u sian autocracy was favouring her policy. He commented on the inconsistent course pursued by Mr Gladstone and Mr Bright, and charged the latter with "the trueuience characteristic of a quuker in abandoning his principle of non-intervenLion fora crusade against the infidel." Mr Adams, M. P., told his'audience at Alloa on the 13th, that if it had not been for the agitation throughout. England during the recess, VJ'r Disraeli might have carried out his favourite principles, a?id we might now be on the.eve of, if not actually engaged in, a war with Eussia. He thought the thanks of the country were due to Mr Gladstone fur this.

On the 16th Mr Gladstone gave a reading in the Boys' Schoolroom, at Hawarden, the subject being " The Turkish Promises." He said that,, nothwithstanding the pledges of Turkey at the end of the Crimean War, the condition of her subjects was now worse than ever. The Daily News has added another Walter press to its machinery. It was ready eight weeks after the order was given. The News has now seven of these machines in operation, and they each print 12,000 per hour, or 84,000 per hour in all.

Much discussion has taken place in consequence of the frequent arrest by the police of persons suffering from illness who are charged with being; drunk. Lately, several persons have died iii the watchlipuses iWithout medical attendance being secured, under the supposition that they were merely the worse for liquor. The case of a Mrs Francis, the wife of a respectable tradesman at Kaling, created some sensation.

The final report of the Novara Expedition has been presented to the Emperor of Austria. It has taken 17 years to complete the work, which is in 21 volumes. Copies, the cost of which is about £40, are to be presented to various British colonies where the Novara met with a cordial reception. A scandalous incident occurred at a wake at Liverpool on the Bfeh Jan. The coffin was on a table, and the guests were dancing and drinking around it, when the floor gave way, and all were' precipitated into a cellar underneath. JNone of (he company were severely hurt, but the coffin was smashed, and the corpse rolled out.