SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 691, 12 February 1881, Page 2

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL NEWS.

Mrs Cross (George Eliot), the great authoress, died in London on December 22nd- Uer death was almost painless. On the previous Sunday the was seized with a sudden chill, which attacked the larnyz. The attack, however, did not. cause much alarm until the evening, a few hours before she died, when her paqp was found to be hopeless, Her remains were buried in Highgate. Cemetery on Decernber 28.

In Ireland since Jan. 1, the authorities have beeu exerting themselves to maintain order, and enforce tho law; many persons being arrested for boycotting and bull-dozing people iiito joining the Laud League, and other offences.; ;.•. • , • ' .Later intelligence from Governor Sir, Goo, Colley in the Transvaal, announces , that his forse has successfully attaokcd and defeatob a large dody of Boers, wdom it- encountered Newcastle and'-' Ingogoi ; The British loss in the fight - waa 150! killed and iwounded.. . The enemy... • suffered very-heavy loss,but the extent ia not stated. General Colly expects to be able to matain his position m the Transvaal. < until! the arrival of; from Eurow w. .

The Times says it'ia informed that, the Pope lias.written a letter, to the Bishop of Dublin, strongly condemning the method m which agitation in Ireland, is conducted, and that very emphatic instructions have been issued to Catholic prelates, enjoining them to make a stand against the anarcliial and communist doctrines which have been preached and put it practice. Commander Cheyne Royal Navy, proposesto Lieutenant' Schwatka an International polar Expedition, and asking his co-operation. Schwatka will not probably join the movement, na an independent expedition is talked of from the United btates to the North Pole by another route from the the ono followed, command of which expedition will be his if lie wants it, The Post Office department is now ready to establish a telephone service onn°nni 10 t U ® u^an d, and lias ordered <sUO,OOO for use. Gale, the pedestrian, broke down on cember 28) liaving covered 2233 miles € his proposed foat of 2,500 miles in hours. At the begihing ho walked and a quarter every half-hour. The qros3 revenue of the United Kiu«dom for 1880 was £83,210,390. All prisoners for debt in Scotland were released under Act of Parliament on Ist January, , Haiilan and Rosa, on January Ist, issued a challenge to any two oarsmen in r?>-nn W « or a double scull race for £SOO to £IOOO a side. The race to come off early m the season. a railroad accident at Wakefield, in Yorkshire, 011 January 16, seven persons were killed, and thirty to forty wounded. Ihe steamers Garnet, in the North Sea, and the Larrilda, near Lisbon, liavo beon wrecked, with much loss of life. The famed pugilist, the Tipton Slasher, died on Christmas Eve. Disastrous floods have occurred in Deibyshire. Tho strikes of miners cause a scarcity of coal, and distress to the working classes is feared. Tho army estimates on the new budget are £20,000.000. TIIO new Ballot Act, if passed, throws the cost of elections 011 the electors. Blanqui, tho French. Communist, is dead. Students in Berlin, at the New Year, mobbed tho Jews, Feeling still runs lugh on both sides, and the Government have taken strong measures to prevent outrages. The Porte is purchasing arms. War with Greece is deemed inevitable. Great destruction has occurred at North Brabant, Hollaud, through the bursting of dykes, The Russians liavo whipped the Turcomans severely. The Chinese treaty is generally satisfactory, leaving the matter of immigration to the consideration of Congress. Captain Edds has obtained a concession from Mexico, for a ship-railroad via Gulf of Teliuantepec. The interests of the Nicaragua Canal are being pushed at Washington. De Lessep's preparatory expedition has started for Panama, The Chilians, 40.000 strong, are marching 011 Lima, A number of minor actions have occurred, and the Peruvians await . attack in their fortifications, Copious rains have fallen in California, Oregon, and Washington, and the promise of crops of all kinds is particularly good, and of wheat more than good, The Mormons are uneasy at tho attitude of the new President, nnd havo organised a lobby party at Washington to guard their interests. George 0. Cannon, their delegate to Congress, was refused his certificate of election by the Governor of the Territory, 011 the ({round that Cannon was a Polygamist. Mark Twain, the famous humorist, is going crazy. The population of the United States iB unofficially given as 50,152,559. - 'The House Committee 011 pogt offices is preparing a Bill to appropriate £1,500,000 for carrying foreign mails on ocean routes during tllfl coming year, the Australian , line to be included in the subsidy if Congress passes the Bill, Postmaster-Gene-ral Macnard favors tho Bill, Presidentelect Garfield is thought to be also favorably disposed towards it. The new Chinese treaties have been received at Washington, and laid before the Senate. The main features of the two treaties were out-lined in previous monthly reports, The treaty affecting , immigration is not so favorable to the Pacific Coast interests as was anticipated, but. under its provisions Congress can govern the influx of Chinese people hero. The hope is to put a Btop to Coolie imnii-. gration a3 soon as tho treaty is ratified. The new treaty made betiveen tho United States nnd Japan provides for shipwrecked people being assisted. Jay Goub, tho American railroad operator, Jast month, by purchase or lease, obtained control 2487. miles of railroad, employed hundreds of millions of capital. Very cold weather has prevailed in Mississippi River Yalley, and along the Atlantic seaboard, and in the Southern States it has been tho coldest ever known. In some places the thermometer has marked 12 and 15 degrees below zero. Sara Bernhardt is meeting with great Buccess in the western cities. ;• The British ship Luputa has been wrecked on Tillamook Rock, Washington V territory, and all hands perished. It is not known exactly when she struck, but a quantity of wreckage was picked up ■ during the first week in January. V Heavy avalanches of Bnow have fallen in the town of Alta, in Utah, almost des- ■ troying the place, and killing over twenty persons. The stage running between Fort Cummings to Messila, in Mexico, was attacked by Indians 011 the 11th January, and the driver and three passengers murdered , Moody and Sankey are still exhorting in San Francisco, and their services are attended by large crowds, The country poorhouse in Dover, New Hampshire, has been burned, aud thirteen inmates burned to death. The Mexican Government has given tho proposed ship railway across the Isthmus of Teheauntepeo right of way and 100,000 acres of land, Indians raiding in the State of Chilhua- • December 23, killed II persons.