FRANCE.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3428, 24 November 1879, Page 3

FRANCE.

There*wore severe frosts in tho French wine districts on October 17.

Snow si^x inches deep full at Vienna on the same day. At Graiz, tho snow was several feet deep. Tho French Government arc determined to prosecute persons issuing addresses or writings calculated to bring lawful authority into coniemp.t. Humbert, the returned Communist, was elected a member of the Paris Municipal Council. Ho defended the Commune in a violent speech. Tho election was considered by the, French Cabinet, ami President Grevy announced that it will modify the Government attitude regarding tho amnesty. Humbert was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, with 2000f. fine, for insulting the Magistracy in defending occurrences which tho law characterises aa crimes.

The Marsellaise has been suspended for the same offence, and the manager sent fo prison for two mon hs, besides a 5000f. fine.

Fourteen French Mayors were dismissed for assisting at a Legitimist banquet. The French wine crop is defective in quantity and quality. A Brussels despatch states that at a largely attended meeting of iron masters at Charleoni, it was stated that orders for iron, and all information from foreign iron markets, justified the . belief that there was a general and lasting revival in the iron trado. SPAIN. Terrible floods occurred in the provinces of Andalusia, Alicante, uiul Mnrcio, Spain. It is believed 2000 lives were lost. The total damage is estimated at sixty million francs. 3500 houses, and 12C0 mills were destroyed. The Cortes will relieve Murcia from direct taxation. As relief measures, the King of Spain subscribed 50,000 francs/and the Princess of Asturias 5000 piastres for tho relief of the sufferers. The Bank of Spain contributes 60,000 francs. GERMANS'. The Prussian elections give Bismarcck a working majority; Count Yon Bulo, the .German Foreign Minister is dead. The death is announced of Gustave Rbenhnrdt, Superintendent of the Dresden Blind Asylum, and author of various ingenious devices for teaching the blind to read and sign. • ._ ,

Priuce Bismarck assured the Russian Ambassador that no design to injure Russia has been discussed in Vienna during.>-the interview with Count Andrassy. The Austro Germanic defensive treaty was signed by the two Jimperors in the middle of October. A iamine is inevetable over the wide area of Hungary. Some deaths from fumine are reported.

The Hungarian Government submitted a statement to the legislature that when the present military systems aro completed, the state will have two millions of soldiers. France in 1882 will have 2,723,000, and now has 1,815,000. Russia possesses 2,389,0'C3, while Austro-Hun-gary has only 194,000. ITALY. The Brigands attacked the station of tho railroad between Rome and Naples for the purpose of capturing the train with the Italian minister of works abroad, but were repulsed after an obstinate fight. The Brigand Caspar, 'formerly the terror of Italy, died recently in a poor house at Abbite, Garsho, Lombardy, aged 90.