Late Cable News.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 4998, 19 January 1885, Page 2

Late Cable News.

(Via Wellington, This Day.)

(Pjm Pbess Association.)

I' Age' Specials.]

London, January 7 The French and China.

The occupation of Formosa by the French is intended to be permanent. A French expedition is intended to be shortly despatched to Pekin. January 8. Retirement of the Premier. Mr Gladstone, eldest son of the Premier, and member for East Worcestershire, in addressing a meeting at Hawarden yesterday, said that his father would shortly retire from public life. New Guinea Annexation.

The British Government has for> warded a very indignant protest to the German authorities on the annexation question, in which Prince Bismarck is accused of a breach of faith, in having directed the annexation of a portion of New Guinea. The Foreign Office has despatched the Hon. Robert Meade, one of the Assistant Under-Secre-taries of the Colonial Office, to Berlin, to make arrangements for a meeting of a convention to adjudicate upon rival claims re the islands of the Pacific. The new attitude of tho New South Wales Government, at the present junction, is most perplexing. The Colonial Office and the Agents-General aro confident that Germany will, in the end, be compelled to abandon New Guinea.

Prince Bismarck declines to define the limits of annexation in New Guinea and the Pacific, until he has received particulars and reports from the commander of the German warship at present in the Pacific.

General satisfaction is expressed at the determination of the British Government to extend a British protectorate over the north-east coast of New Guinea to the Huon Gulf, the commencement of the German boundary.

January 11. In the German Beichstag yesterday, during a debate arising out of the recent annexation to Germany of Cameroon's, on the West Coast of Africa, by Nachtigal, Prince Bismarck nia.de asjpeechy in wnich he threatened to abandon the colonizing policy if the question was postponed. The annexation project regarding New Guinea showed danger day by day, and Englishmen were reported to be fomenting disorders both in .New Guinea and at the Cameroons.

January 12. Prince Bismarck has expressed an opinion that if the Imperial Government approves of the hostility shown by the Australian colonies to the annexation by Germany of a portion of New Guinea, it will be necessary for Germany to support the policy of the Powers opposed to England in the Egyptian and other questions. He has also expressed his surprise at the proposal of New Zealand to break a mutual agreement entered into not to annex the Samoau Islands.