CONTINENTAL.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3431, 20 December 1879, Page 1

CONTINENTAL.

It is affirmed that a semi-officitl not^ has been sent to the Paris press, stating that the departure of Don Carlo* for England is due to his hating been warned of ihe resolve of the French Qorernnent not to tolerate the political' manifettationt for which his stay in France has recently afforded a pretext. The Bussian Government, on becoming aware of. the British scheme for the government of Afghanistan, resolved to send a large force to that conntrj; b«t it is reported that the proposed expeditioa . has met with a check at the very outot. General Kauffmann represented at headquarters that without money the prepara* tions could not by* proceeded with, and he is said to have received a reply to the effect that it was perhaps better not to proceed with them. The Porte has charged the Imperial Ottoman Bank to form a syndicate of bankers, who would directly administer all the indirect taxes, with the exeepttosi of the Turkish customs, and weald be appointed and irremeable for six years. In the Spanish Senate yesterday, the Minister of the Colonies read the Govern*

ment Bill relating to the abolition of slavery in Cuba. By the provisions of the Bill, slavery is entirely to cease in eight years. ,The Empress Carlotta, widow of Maximilian, is rapidly recovering reason. Gortsehakoff's retirement from the Russian Chancellorship is not unexpected among diplomatists. It is known that he would resign as soon as German intrigues against him ceased. Female influence at the Court of Russia has shelved Count Schouvaloff. The Paris correspondent of the Novoe Vremya held an interview with Lord DufFerin. Ha reports the latter as having ■aid that England could carry out her programme in Turkey independently, and that the maintenance of peace rested with Prince GortscbakofF.