LATE ENGLISH NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4786, 12 May 1884, Page 2

LATE ENGLISH NEWS.

(Age Specials.)

[PEE S.S. HATJEOTO, AT WELLINGTON].

London, May 1. Government have received replies to the note inviting the Great Powers to hold a conference re Egyptian financial and other affairs, stating thai; the whole of the Powers have agreed to the proposal with the exception of France. Both Turkey and England have pledged themselves not' to annex Egypt, but confine operations to an expedition for the relifif of Khartoum in autumn.

Owing to the great depression in the shipping trade, an agreement is being made by the large shipowners to lay up a fourth of their tonnage for four months. The agreement comes into operation on the 20th insr. ' ,

, May 2. The County Franchise Bill has been introduced by Government for the extension of County Franchise, and for the assimilation of' the voting qualification in England, Scotland, and Wales. It passed through Committee of the Honse of Commons without opposition last night.

The South Australian new gunboat Protector was, tested for speed on the Tyne.yesterday, the trial provingjsuccessful. . ■ . '

Reports have been received of the appearance of fly in the Kentish hop gardens. •

At an Ac-demy banquet held last night Sir Astley Cooper, K.G., and Lord of the Admiralty, referred in the course of his remarks, to the Australian navy. He spoke in high terms of the torpedo and gunbo-ts recently constructed by England to the order of the Victorian Government and eulogised the patriotic spirit which prompted the Victorian Government to offer those vessels to the Imperial Government for uae in the Ked Sea. He hoped the other Australian colonies would follow the example of Victoria, and assist ia forming one united fleet under the British flag.

A deputation has waited upon the At-torney-General to request that Govern* ment would adopt the Torrens Act for facilitating the transfer of property originally passed in SouthJAustralia. Sir Henrj James promised to give the application his consideration. \ , . Mr Simon Fraser, late of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, and Sir Samuel Wilson are making arrangements for en* tertaining Sir Henry Locli at a banquet prior to his departure for Victoria on the 24th inst.

Mr Henik Heathon, of Sydney, has decided to contest Canterbury at the next election of members for that place foe the House of Commons.