EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 424, 9 January 1875, Page 3

EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN NEWS.

. Twenty\one lives were lost during Saturday and Sunday's gale on the Scottish coast. A ship, supposed to be the Pontiac from Sunderland for Bombay, was burned at sea. Twenty six of the crew perished. A despatch from Berlin says it is reported that Great Britain has finally refused to take part in the International Law Conference which Russia proposes to reopen at Petersburg, y, Prince Bismarck, in the coarse of a reply to Herr Windhorst in the Reichstag, said :—: — "lam in possession of conclusive evidence that the (Ecumenical Council was cut short on accounfc*bf the Franco-German war. The councils would have been very different had the French been victorious. I know from the best sources that Napoleon was dragged into war very much against his will by Jesuitical influences. At the eleventh hour he determined on peace and kept his resolution for half an hour, but ultimately he was overpowered by persons representing the Archbishop Manning obtained audience of the Pope, who received him, and expressed the fullest confidence in the progress of Catholicism in England, dispite the present misrepresentation of the policy of church. - jfe The Carlists have laid siege to Berga, fifty miles from Barcelona. The Chamber of Deputies unanimously adopted a motion for the immediate consideration of Garibaldi's pension. News has been received of the illness of the Czar of Russia, who is believed to be insane. The Iris says that Italian unity is irrevocably, accomplished. If Franco wishes to" preserve the friendship of Italy she must recognise this fact, and not adopt a clerical policy towards the country. The Pope has absolutely refused to recommend the bishops imprisoned in Brazil to resign their sees as a measure for the reconciliation of the differences with he Government. The Spanish coasting steamer Thomas Broods, from Santiago de Cuba, bouuel for Guananamo, struck on Morillo, near Guananamo, and sunk immediately ; thirty lives lives were lost,

Five inches of rain fell in as many hours in California on tha 23rd ult., and nuichg damage was done. Important discoveries in steam-power working have been made in New York. The barque Windwai'd, from Australia, is abhore at Port Stephens, Oregon. The Occidental and Oriental Steamship Company's line lias been fully incorporated. It is proposed to place a line on the Australian and New Zealaud route, should sufficient inducement offer, ■ William Westgarth, who is especially despatched by the New South Wales Government to secure specimens of Californiau industry for the Metropolitan Exhibition at Sydney, is engaged at San Francisco, and is endeavouring to open up wine trade relations between California and Sydney. The accounts of the Sharon-Newman wedding occupies 20 columns in the r ' % New York Hertfld." Sharon is the stock king. Major J. D. Lee, the leader of the Mountain Medion massacre, has, after 12 years' search, been arrested, ironed, and closely confined, bail being refused. Twelve years ago this scoundrel headed a band of 130 souls, who left the West to reach California, and their way lay within a few miles of the Mormon settlement. The party, consisting of men, women, and children, had with them large sums of money, having disposed of their farms stock &c. Some 20 miles from the Mormon city they camped for the night, and then were attacked* by what they took for a fierce band of Indians. These, however, turned out to be a parly of Mormon friends, headed by Lee and all dressed as Indians. The immigrants were by these encircled, and we*e hemmed in until thirst compelled them to capitulate. They surrendered on terms that their lives were to be spared,, and that they were only to surrender their arms and ammunition, and were to proceed on their journey under Lee and*his men. After a few hours marching, however, Lee gave the signal, and the whole body, save 12 children were bufcehjered, and these were afterwards murdered at Utah. Lee is a bishop, anda_ great leader among the Mormons, and is said to have i&en the tool with which Brigham did his dirty work. Tllfe Cuban insurgents are operating successfully. In an engagement at- J^an Gregoria sixty soldiers were killed and much booty captured. The village was fired, and the Spanish garrison surrendered after a tight. |f|r Twenty-three bodies have been recovered from the wreck of the steamer Empire at New Orleans, The schooner Augusta we^- ashore at Point Maitland, Ontario,* 1 and fom of the crew were frozen to death. William Blake, a member of the Californian Board of Brokers, suddenly departed with about 10,000 dollars entrusted to him for the purchase of stock. A tornado at Tuehnba (?), Alabama, destroyed one hundred buildings, killing sixty persons. * A telegram from Rio Janievo stales that the religious excitement growing out of the conflict between the Catholic clergy and Civil authoritieß<*has culminated in the province of Pcrnambuco. Riotous • demonstrations areg prevalent, and the cry is " Down with the" Masons." JlasonicJodgcs have been attacked, and the mob bids defiance to the authorities. Troops and ships have been despatched to the affected districts. The Pope, in replying to an address at Rome, on November 10th, and at which audience several English Catholics were admitted, made reference to Gladstone's recently published letters on rifualism, and his attack on the Catholics. His Holiness compared Gladstone to a " vipor assailing the bark of St. Peter." He said he hask not read bis book, and had no desire to read blasphemous books, but, from what he understood, the Minister whom England called "liberal" flatters the Catholics of that nation, and leads them to believe- that he (tbe Pope) wished these subjects to becomeidisloyal to their Sovereign, and the laws of their country." " Puzzled at beholding the vast progress made by that great nation in the^path of true failh, the fallen Minister hopes to avresfc the luminous triumph of tn"e Church by interpreting, after his*" own fashion, the will of this poor Vicar of Christ. Our dogmas, far from being burdens, are light. Those who will walk astray are not Catholics ; they are worse than infidels and Protestants, because, calling themselves Catholics, they daily rebel against God and the laws of the Church." In regard to the Arctic exploration, since fitted out and to sail in May from England, Sir Henry Rawlinson, in & speech before the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain, said : "It is quite possible that, in the course of next year, a thoroughly organised and efficient Arctic expedition may leave our shores, under naval officers for Baffin's Bay and Smith Sound, and for the first time carry the British flag to the Pole." Alfred Markham, R.N., goes in command. Lady Franklin has renewed her offar of 10,000dol. for the recovery of official records of the Frarfllin expedition. The New York wool merchants favour a considerabt|^reduction of the present duties on fine wool, and the establishment of a uniform ad valorem duty of 25 per cent. On November 23, there was a torchlight procession in Manchester, in commemoration of the Fenian martyrs. A report was published that Queen Victoria , was dead. A' conspiracy against the life of the Emperor of Russia has been discovered, and 3,000 persons* arrested. The conspiracy was to overthrow the Government. An earthquake in South America covered 150 miles. Religious riots have occurred in Poland. Bismarckrhas sent ajmution to the Pope in reference to the next ' Sections. Mexico is to elect a congress on the American plan. An annuity of 100,000f. per annum has been granted to Garibaldi. All Dr. Livingstone's papers are said to be safe. *