Late English News.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4971, 15 December 1884, Page 2

Late English News.

[' Age ' Specials, via the Bluff.]

(Peb Peess Association.)

London, December 5

It has now been ascertained that there are 21 survivors from the ship Berengaria, which ran ashore and was wrecked on Monday off the Essex coast, while bound from Melbourne to Sunderland. The captain and 10 of the crew are still missing.

The Franco-Chinese Difficulty.

Twelve Chinese warships have been despatched to relieve the Island of Formosa.

The French have seized and occupied the ports of Kelung and Tamisum.

Several of the Chinese vessels are officered by Germans.

The German Reichstag has repealed the law empowering the authorities to expel priests from the Empire. Bismarck was opposed to the repeal, and on the decision of the Chamber becoming known, denounced the principle of parliamentary government, and declined to reconsider the decisioD arrived at. It is probable that the Emperor will exercise his power of veto in this matter.

The decision arrived at by Justice Chitty last Saturday, relating to trans* ferrors of shares in the Oriental Bank Cor* poration now being liable to a contributors' estate, has occasioned much adverse comment. It is probable that his decision will be reversed. A committee of shareholders is now engaged enquiring into the relations of the Bank with the Ceylon Co. They declare that the charter was violated, and that the directors were responsible.

The Australian squadron is to be strengthened by the addition of other vessels. Commodore Erskine is to be appointed superior in command. Bearadmiral Tryan is to succeed Commodore Erskine.

A number of diamonds recently received in London, the produce of Australian diamond fields, have been examined and tested by experts and pronounced to be of superior quality to Cape diamonds. December 8.

The Spanish authorities have accepted the offer of the British Government, by which Spanish wines containing 30 degrees of proof spirit and under, be admitted into Greatßritain at a duty of Is per gallon. In consideration of this concession, Spain places England on a most favorable footing. The arrangement is to remain io. operation till 1887, after which the duty will probably apply to wines of 36 degrees of proof. The Bill for the extension of the franchise, which passed the House of Lords on Friday, has received the Royal assent.

Mr Uppington, Premier of the Cape Government, has been mobbed at 3£imberiey, the capital of the diamond fields, in consequence of his expressed sympathy with the Dutch party of Boer raiders in Bechuanaland.

The announcement that the cholera had broken out among the sailors with the French fleet at Hong I£ong has so far not been confirmed.

The Suez Canal commission has ap* proved the recommendation made by Sir Andrew Clarke, and has decided upon widening the canal. The report that the Suez Canal commission h&4 determined upon widening the canal is now declared to he pcemature.