NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2611, 22 May 1877, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

BREVITIES

In the House of Commons on March 12, on the motion of Captain Price, a scheme was agreed to for raising funds to provide pensions for the widows of seamen of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

In the House of Commons, on March 13, a motion declaring it expedient to empower the town councils of boroughs (after the Gqthenburgh system) to acquire the existing interests in the retail sale of intoxicating drinks within their respective districts, and, if they think fit 3 to carry on the trade for the benefit of the inhabitants, was uegatived. Several members took pori in the discussion. • •

On March 16, Mr Whalley brought before the House of Commons the case of the Tichborne Claimant, touching on the numerous grievances which he has accumulated from time to time against different departments of the Government, and concluded by assuring the House that nothing but an assurance that the Claimant is the real Sir Hoger would have enabled him to intrude so often upon the House at the cost of so much obloquy and ridicule. Mr Cross replied that no documents had been brought before him which had induced him to doubt the fairness of the trial or the justice of the sentencj. ,

Lord Charles Beresford having drawn attention to the importance of the torpedo in naval warfare, the House of Commons was assured, by Mr Ward Hani;, that the Admiralty was fully alive to the vital importance of this arm, and had recently established a torpedo school entirely separate from the gunnery school.

In committee on supply' on the navy estimates £2,684,048 was voted for wages to seamen and marines, and £1,178,610 for victuals and clothing for the same, in the House of Commons on March 19.

A Eoyal Commission has been instituted to enquire into the constitution, customs, &c, of the Stock Exchange, the mode of transacting business, and the alterations which "may be desirable in its usages and rules.

The Cologne Gazette, referring to the visit of General Ignatieff to London, says that British statesmen so far misunderstood the Eussian Government as to attribute to it a sincere desire for peace, while it is evident that the Eussian Government never entertained pacific desires, but was only anxious to gain time and to put the responsibility'for war upon England: General-Ignatieff has said:" Should there be war, the heaviest share of responsibility would rest with England." The Itford says : "In whatever way the question of pea,ce or war may have been put by Russia, the responsibility of future complications must fall on J'ng--ImA."

. The Pope's health is said to be " fairly satisfactory,"/ but it is added that he has lost the use of his legs,, and has to be carried in a chair.

On account of the pilgrimages announced for the Episcopal Jubilee of Pius IX.i the Holy See :is concerting measures with those" powers with which it has diplomatic relations, in order to prevent a,ny circumstances arising which may create misunderstanding with the Italian Government, and give it grounds for attributing a political character to the pilgrimages which it is not convenient they should possess. Hobart Pasha writes to the Times denying various rumours relating to Turkish affairs. He says the Sultan is in perfect health, and works day and night for the welfare of his country. Also that Turkey, although passing through a fearful crisis/; and while; the passions: and aspirations ot five or sis different religious communities and- nationalities are roused, ia perfectly quiejb, and life and; property as safe as in Europe. The Turks admit the truth of the accusation of bad administration, and are desirous of making radical changes;- but things cannot be chabged in a day, and the Turks ask'for' help from without (in the way of administration) and a little kindly, generous feeling ironrEurope. .^ Captain McLeod,, for fifteen years in the 42nd Highlanders, and now Official Protector of Immigrants at the Cape of Good Hope, has been acquitted of^ the charge of murder preferred against him. The loan of 50,000,000 roubles, understood to have been offered to Russia by German bankers, has been declined. Proceedings haye tieen instituted in the Criminal Court of Hamburg against Captain Keyn, late of the Franconia, on account of the collision of that vessel with the Strathclyde immigrant vessel, off Deal.

A demonstration at Berne, to celebrate the anniversary of the outbreak of the Communistic insurrection in Paris, led to a riot. The crowd resisted the police, and several persons were wounded .x A proposal said to have been made by an English Association to the Servian Government for the construction of a railway line through Servia, j with a view of completing the railway communication between Vienna and Constantinople, has been, favorably entertained. The Pope's allocution of March 32 has brought the Italian Government into antagonism, and a circular has been issued by the Minister of Public Worship which accuses the allocution of appealing to the bishops to incite foreign governments" against Italy, and says that no Government can tolerate -such an offence and provocation. The Minister adds that even without failing in the respect due to the inviolability of the Pope the procurators might be authorised to take proceedings against the journals which print the allocution, but wishes to give ihe World a solemn proof of its sentiments of forbearance and tolerance, of the strength of the Government, and the unbounded liberty left to tho Pope, and calls upon the officials not to take proceedings against newspapers for the simple reproduction of the allocution. At a consistory held by the Pope he is said to have repeated in still more severe and violent terms all the assertions made in the allocution of March 12, and that he would protest, in the face of the whole world, against the manner in which the Italian Government would limit even the liberty of his word and his Apostolate.