NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5180, 24 August 1885, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Advices up to July 20th report an alarming epidemic \o( yellow fever at Aspinwall and all over the Isthmus of Panama.

A severe battle between Government troops and revolutionists had taken place at Savanilla on July Ist. 1000 men were killed.

A despatch from Moscow, July 31, aays: Sixty criminals, who had been sentenced to exile in Siberia, while en route rose against their guards, and although unarmed, began a desperate fight for liberty. The battle lasted a long time, and the soldiers were absolutely unable to conquer their manacled assailants. Twenty of them were shot dead, and of the other forty, thirty succeeded in escaping. The Danish Conservative journals of July 24 refer to a public scandal, involving a professor in the Copenhagen University, a president of a leading society, a most eminent author of Denmark, several wealthy merchants, and several members of the Magistracy, They are accused of betraying young girls. Ten culprits were arrested, two of whom commited suicide. The exposures resulted from an attempt to extort money, which was refused.

A crisis is imminent at Munich, owing to the freaks of Sling Ludwig, the musicmad monarch of Bavaria. It has just been ascertained that be has squandered the last of the §2,000,000 voted to him expressly to pay his debts, in building palaces and keeping new mistresses. The common people still look upon the king as a sort of demigod, and the solid burghers and the moneyed men of Munich are dis* gusted beyond endurance. The bankers

hare absolutely determined to lead him no more money, and a loan of $1,250,000 was recently refused him by an American insurance company because he could not give satisfactory collaterals. New evidences of bis insanity are cropping oat daily, and it is more than probable that he will soon be deposed. Russia has assented to the Egyptian loan, and the British Government has instructed the Rothschilds to issue it in August. This action on the part of Russia is held to indicate a growth of friendly relations with England, and has caused a riso in all international stocks.

The shooting at Wimbledon in the contest for the Kolapore Cup closed on July 22nd. The English team won with a score of 650. Next best scores were the Guernsey, 69*; Jersey team, 612 j and Canadian team, 597. Adespatch from Dublin to the New York World, July 21, says there has been recently formed in Ireland a political association destined to play an "important part in the immediate future of the country. It is called the " Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union," with headquarters lit Dublin. The object is to unite royaliats of all creeds in .an effort to mould and determine the future Government of the country. The promoters include in their ranks many noblemen with large estates in Ireland, amply supplied with funds. Davitt has written a letter to Chamberlain, in which he says he would be proud to stand with him on any platform daring his proposed visit to Ireland. His letter is taken to mean a final rupture of the two sections of the Irish party. Davitt was lecturing in Dublin ia aid of the benefit fund for James Stephens, the ex-Fenian head centre.

Tha expiration of Michael Davitt's 15 years' term of imprisonment, the last few years of which have been passed in freedom on a ticket-of-leave, was enthu« siastically celebrated on the 19th July by the Irish National League and by several radical clubs in London. The significance of this is that the radicals propose to tike up Davitt as a distinctive Irish leader, in revenge for Parnoll and his following in the House having joined the Conservative party. His plan of reform in Ireland is , entirely different from that proposed by Parnell. | THE AFGHAN SITUATION. The London Observer of July 27th printed news to the effect that the Russians were in occupation of Zulfikar Pass, and that the Marquis of Salisbury knew of the occupation several dayi be* fore. The Paris Gaulois says Prince Bismarck ha? suggested that the Pass be made neutral ground, and that the ques* tion of possession be thereby solved ; but military experts in London declare that to make Zulfikar a "no man's land," to be roamed over ab will by both Cossacks and Afghans, as Bismarck suggests, would be to make collision inevitable. There would also be continual difficulty about the Pass, and enforcing the neutrality provision. If the Pass is to be policed by Itussia, it might as well be surrendered to her. If it be under the, charge-of Afghanistan, the situation would be much the samo as at present, only with greater provocation and prospects of hostilities. The Pan»Slavißt political societies arc stirring up the war feeling all over Bussia by abusing Eng. land in placard and otherwise. A political correspondent, writing from Vienna, July 28th, says the settlement of the Afghan difficulty is unlikely till the end of the year. M. de Giers is going to take six or eight weeks' holiday. A despatch of July 29th says Lord Salisbury has agreed to the I request of Dr Staal to suspend negotiations until M. de Giers obtains the report of the topographical survey, which, has.been ordered at Zulfikar Pass. The report that the Ameer of Afghanistan has assented to the establishment of a British cantonment at Candahar is said by despatch from Simla, July 29, to have no foundation. At the same time in a recent durbar the Ameer spoke of the relation between himself and England, and said he was con* vincsd England desired nothing but good to the Afghans. He advised his people to cultivate the friendship of England, and said it would be a bad day for them if they ever came under " the tyrannical rule of Hussia."

Despatches of July 31st say Major* General MacGregor is going to Quetta to select a site for an entrenched camp in the Pishin Valley.