The Westport Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 709, 10 September 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1870.

The news to hand by the Suez mail is of an exciting but painful nature. Two of the first—perhaps the two first —military powers in Europe have commenced hostilities on a scale unprecedented during the experience of the present generation. The casus belli is not stated in the telegram, but, no doubt,arises out of an old desire on the part of the French nation to extend their eastern frontier to its natural boundary—the llhine. Some few years back the purchase of Luxembourg by Franco from Holland would, if the purchase had been persevered in, have, no doubt, then led to a war between France and Prussia. There were mutual concessions, France foregoing the purchase conditionally that the fortress was dismantled; this condition was accepted, and for a time, at least, war was averted. By the possession of Luxembourg an easy approach to the Khenish Provinces would have been gained, at a point also where Prussia was the weakest. The frustration of Napoleon's design must have been, at the time, a bitter disappointment to him, and, if rumor speak correctly, that is not the only check received by the Emperor at the hands of the Prussian minister, Count Bismarck. It was pretty generally understood in Europe that, in return for her neutrality during the war between Prussia and Austria, France was to receive the Khenish Provinces and the old kingdom of Westphalia as far as the left bank of the lihine, as also the province of Luxembourg. In the expectation that such an arrangement would be completed, Prussia was allowed to firmly establish herself as theforemostpower in Germany; and by the cornpuhory absorption of the kingdoms of Hanover, Saxony, the duchies of Baden, Nassau, and other numerous petty states of North Germany into the kingdom of Prussia, the latter obtained a population and territory nearly France. The bait was, doubtless, a tempting one held out to France to stay her hand while the consolidation was being effected, and the re-

fusal of Prussia to cede the coveted territory is very possibly the cause of the present hostilities. Our last mail news indicated that the Spanish succession and the proposal to place one of the Hohenzollerns upon the throne were likely to jeopardise the peace of Europe. No is, however, has bad an immediate bearing upon the present crisis. Belligerents, however, have little difficulty in finding a plea for hostilities; and, whatever the same may have been, the possession of the western bank of the Rhine, from Strasbourg to Emmerich, is pretty certain to prove the real matter of contention. The period over which hostilities are likely to extend, or the result of those hostilities, must be altogether a matter of speculation, but from the equality of the belligerents in money, men, and materiel, the struggle, unless other nations interfere, is cerla'n to prove a very obstinate one. The short campaigns and conclusive victories, which quickly decided the recent wars between Austria and Prussia, and Austria and France, were due rather, to the superiority of the two victors in materiel than to an overwhelming disparity in numbers. If the Austrian army had been provided with weapons of equal efficiency the results would probably have proved the same, but it is very certain that the struggles would have been more protracted. The news at present to hand is so scant that very little can be gathered beyond the position of the two armies, and that a victory has been already gained by Prussia, but it would scarcely appear that the main body of the two armies were engaged. Nancy, referred to as the headquarters of Napoleon, is a strongly fortified city about; forty miles from Saarbrueke where skirmishes are said to have taken place. The Prussian troops occupy the country between Luxembourg and the Rheinpfalz, having in their rear, and at a distance of some forty or fifty miles, two forts—Mainz and Ehrenbreitstein—admitted to be among the strongest in Europe. Should the French succeed in reaching these forts it will be there, in all probability, that the issue of the campaign will be decided.

The remaining portion of the machinery for the prospectors, Zala and party, Lyell was brought by the Mary, and will be at once forwarded to the scene of operations It is much to be regretted, not only for the easier conveyance of this machinery to its destination, but for the general service of the population at the reefs, that no part of the proposed road up the Lyell Creek has been formed. It was understood that, two months ago, instructions had beon given to Mr Dobson to expend the £3OO voted, but nothing has yet been done, nor is there any knowledge as to when the work will be begun. In fact, it appears, from the system upon which West Coast votes have been passed—namely, to cover chiefly past or current liabibties, of which the Council knew nothing—that numerous votes are already exhausted; and, during the year, for public works the population of tho Coast may " whistle on their thumbs." Dr Giles arrived in Westport from Cobden on Thursday, and will hold a sitting of the VV arden's Court on Tuesday next. We understand that Mr A. Reid lately resigned his seat as Goldfields Representative in the Nelson Executive.

An accident, fortunately not accompanied with very serious consequences, occurred at German Terraco on Thursday. It appears that a miner, named Thomas Dickmar, was engaged driving in a claim 1 and was in the act of undermining a huge boulder, when it gave way unexpectedly, striking Dickman on the breast. Luckily the boulder became jammed in the drive, and, after some little difficulty, Dickman was successful in extricating himself, just in time to avoid the mass of atone a3 it crumbled away the sides of the drive and fell to the ground. Dr Thorpe haopeuo.l to be in the vicinity and attended to the sufferer, whose collar bono was found to be splintered.

Two miners, belonging to Cooney and party, who are engaged in quartz-mining at the Murray reef, Inangab.ua, reached town from tnat locality yesterday. They bring down 12lbs of stone, stated to have been taken promiscuously from the reef, 31bs of which having been tested by the Bank of New South Wales, was found to yield Ggrs of gold, or at the rate of Oiozs to 9Jozs to the ton. The roof is situate about half-a-mile from the cement workings in the district, and one and a-half hours' walk from Fern Flat. There are stated to be about 130 men already on the ground. Cooney and party express themselves very sanguine as to the extent of the reef ; they had only, at the time of the above parties leaving, driven four feet into the reef, and there was every appearance of its being much thicker. They describe the road from tho reef to Westport as easy travelling while the distance is much 1e33 than from the Grey district. The latter road they, not alone, declare to be much more circuitous, but the track is in execrable condition, and the country is much more difficult to get through. Having tried both routes, they are fully satisfied as to which should receive the preference, and are certain that these workings could be more cheaply and satisfactorily supplied from Westport. The sale, advertised by Mr Munro at Caledonia Terrace, to-day, is unavoidably postponed till Monday, at 12 o'clock noon." The members of the Charleston Fire Brigade mustered for the first time since the re-organisation of the corps on Wednesday last. There was an excellent attendance, and the company now promisas to become quickly an efficient and reliable assistance in the hour of need. It appears that the rumors of the death of Dr Livingston are without foundation. A letter has been recently received by Dr Kirk, political agent at Zanzibar, informing him that the doctor was well, and would shortly make his appearance at one of the European settlements. Heifeman's Post Office Hotel, Charleston, was disposed of during the past week for ,£IOO.

An amateur dramatic company has been formed in Charleston. Its members purpose giving a series of entertainments in aid of the local charities and other institutions. The first performance takes place on Monday nest. The shingle bank in the centre of the Hokitika river is reported to be increasing daily, and is gradually but surely approaching the wharf. The basin alongside the wharf where the vessels now lie is also fast filling up with the silt from the various sewers, there being no current on the north side of the river to scour out the channel. Under the existing order of things, the wharves will soon become no longer serviceable. Referring to the Murray reefs, n. correspondent of the Orei/ Valley Times writes :—" Cooney and party, of No. 1 North, have driven along the side of the reef for thirty feet. This is certainly sufficient proof of its being a reof, and not a blow or slip, as at first supposed. I took stone from several parts of the tunnel, crushed it, and found a fair prospect in all of it. Anderson and party are now in 150 feet with a tunnel; they expect to strike the reef at 250. Butler and party are in 30 feet, and fully expect to touch the lode after going in 30 feet more. VVeatfield and party are m a distance of 75 feet, and are at a standstill throutrh being short of powder."

The township of Balclutha, on the Moly neux river, has been proclaimed a muni, cipality.

A gold bearing reef in close proximity to the Duke of Edinburgh quartz claim has been opened out at Macrae's, Otago. A seam oi coal, eight feet thick, has also been discovered near Horse Flat by men prospecting for that mineral in the employ of the company. A Fiji correspondent writes:—Most traders are already represented hero. Carpenters are most in request; they earn readily 14s a day, of eight hours. There is no shoemaker yet, nor a paperhanger and painter. "Snip" is represented by one individual. Washing is done at 4s a dozen. From the Boss paper we learn that a quarrel respecting a fascinating barmaid of that township has been settled'by an appeal to fisticuffs. The matter arose out of an insult that had been offered to the lady in question, and Fortune was propitious to the lady's champion who had the satisfaction of cnastising her traducer.

The machinery and working gear for the sawmill in course of erection on the banks of Orwell Creek arrived at Greymouth in tne bngantine Ceres, and the mill is expected to be in full work about a month hence.

Professor De Loree has been lately performing at HoMtika. A leading feature in ono of the programmes was the announcement of a grand sword match between the professor and Mr George Kirton. Two brothers, named Luthcombe, have beon committed for trial at the Supreme Court, at Wellington, for soiling munitions of war to the Native Chief Topia. A reading-room in connection with the Literary Society is about to be established at Ross.

A little over a quarter million sterling has been paid in dividends during the past three years by the various mining com panies at the Thames. The dividends are not, however, distributed over a large number of claims, no less than £200,016 havinnbeen paid by four claims :—Tho Golden Crown, £100,896 ; the Long Drive, £73 800the Kuranui, £13,000; and the Shotovor) £12,320, miking up the above total. The remaining £52,199 is chiefly furnished by the All Nations, Thames, Una, City of Glasgow, and Eureka gold mining companies, whose aggregate dividends amount to .£34,320. Tho total capital employed is _ Rabbits are stated to have become a pest in some districts of Otago, and stringent measures are suggested to stay their too rapid increase. The publication of tho Bay Star, we notice from a Dunedin paper, has ceased. Thirty-eight ounces of gold have been obtained from about 501bs of specimens out of a long neglected claim in the Moanatari Creek, Thames. Tho claim was once held by the Little and Good Company, and was hastily pronounced non-auriferous.