ITEMS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1573, 3 August 1882, Page 3

ITEMS BY THE ENGLISH MAIL.

In the Cape Legislative Council a resolution has been adopted by 14 votes to 6' advocating the abandonment of Basutoland by the Cape Government, and calling upon the Imperial Government to resume the responsibility of the administration of the country. All the members of the late Canadian Government have been elected. The cities and town in the various provinces have returned supporters of the national policy. Among the prominent members of the Opposition defeated are Sir Richard Cartwright, Sir Albert Smith, and Mr Anglin. Indications are that Sir John McDonalds Government will be sustained by a larger majority than prevailed in the last Parliament. British Bubmah is making rapid progress in its population. Ten years ago the country had only 2,747,148 persons within its borders ; now it has 3,736,771, which shows an increase oi 36 per cent., only 12^ per cent being due to immigration. More than 22 per cent was due to the exce&s of births over deaths. Of these 3.736,771 persons, 87 cent, are Buddhists and only 2 \ per cent. Christians. Marriages are entered into much earlier in Burmah than in European countries. Between fifteen and twentyone years of age 31 women in every 100 are married there, as against 3in every 100 in England. Michael Davitt arrived in New York by the steamship Germaine, on the ]9th ult. He said the object of his visit was two-fold. First, to contradict the rumours of a split in the Land League movement ; and second, to explain the work done by the Ladies' Land League. The real object is the collection of additional funds for running expenses of the agitation. He denied there was any disagieement between Parnell and himself on the policy to be pursued, and said his " new departure speech" in Liverpool, before sailing, where he advocated the nationalisation of land in li eland, was simply in answer to a Tory challenge. Most of the officers, and all of the crew, of the United States exploring ship Rodgers, burned recently in St. Lawrence Bay, arrived at Sitka, June 3. They were brought to that point by the United states revenue cutter Corwin, dispatched from San Francisco for their relief when the disaster became known. The Rodgers, it will be remembered, was sent in search of the ill-fated Jeannette. Lieutenant Berry, of the burned ship, remained behind, and, accompanied by Ensign H. J. Hunt, continued his search along the Siberian coast for the Jeannette 's survivors. When the Rodgers' crew landed, they;? took refuge for the winter in a native village, known to whalemen as North Head, where they adapted themselves for the time to the customs of savage life. Their release in the first place was effected by the steam whaler North Star, of New Bedford, the captain of which, hearing of the disaster while at Plover Bay, forced his vessel through the ice to St. Lawrence Bay, and took the men off, afterwards transferring them to the Corwin, which brought them to Alaska. One sad incident of the time was terrible fate of Master C. F. Putnam, x young San Franciscan, who joined the Rodgers at that port. He got parted from a native escort in a storm, and was sarried out to sea on an ice floe, all efforts to save him being in vain.