Connecticut western news., 1879-04-16

The latest news direct from South Africa says that Cham, King Cetewayo's brother, and supposed to be an aspirant to his throne, has, with his eldest son and three hundred warriors un- conditionally surrendered. Cetewayo is reported to be raising large force. Ekowe, where Colonel Pearson with 1,2OO men has been so long shut up by a vsstly greater force of Zulus, had not been relieved. The garrison is reported ln good condition but provisions were running short. The relieving force has been largely reinforced and news of the release of the imprisoned army may be soon received.
 The thirty-fifth annual eight-oared race on the Thames between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge was rowed over the usual four-mile course from Putney to Mortlake, and resulted in an easy victory for Cam bridge in 21 m., IS s.
 WASHINGTON NOTES.
 The Secretary of the Interior has decided that at least one years residence on homestead land is necessary to obtain patent.
 Representative Kenna, of West Vir- ginia, prepared and put in circulation 8 petition requesting MT. John F. House, of Tennessee, chairman of the demo- cratic caucus, to call caucus, in the language of the petition, "with a view of providing by legislation at the present session for the free coinage of silver, the issue of bullion certificates based on either silver or gold, the substitution of greenbacks for the national bank circu- lation, and the prohibition of any fur | ther increase of the bonded debt of the | government.
 Representative Murch, of Maine, has prepared and will introduce in the House at the present session, if the op- | portunity offers, 8 bill providing that the construction placed upon the act of June 26, 1868 Constituting eight hours days work for all laborers, workmen and mechanics employed by or on be- half of the government, should be care- fully and impartially applied by this Congress to the case of all laborers, workmen, mechanics, teamsters and watchmen and shipkeepers employed by or in behalf of the United States since the 25th day of June, 1868, and to all such as may be employed hereafter. | every officer and agent of the United States to so construe and administer the act, and that any officer or agent of the reduction in the wages of any of the per sons named, in consequence of the hours of labor in the neighborhood being more than eight in the establishments of 8 private or corporate character, shall be | ,<l of SoJn l ISo ble to be prosecuted under indictment Court of the United States having juris- diction of the place where such service or labor is performed, and on conviction $500, or imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both, at the discretion of the Court.
 A Washington dispatch says "A bill for the relief of Gen. Fitz John Porter is in course of preparation by the friends of that gentleman, and when ready it will be introduced in the Sen. ate, probably by MT. Randolph of New Jersey, chairman of the Military Com. mittee. The delay in its preparation is due to indecision as to what shape the Legislation for redress ought to take. When Gen. Porter was dismissed he was a Major General of volunteers and g Lieutenant Colonel of artillery in the regular army. Had not his misfortune happened he would in all likelihood be now Brigadier in the regulars. The question is, therefore, how justly he may claim appointment to this rank in the army, and to what extent he is enti- tied to pay for services which he was unfairly prevented from rendering, how. ever willing he might have been to give them. Possibly nothing more definite, however, will be done in the matter un til Congress meets again next winter.
 The bill introduced into the Senate by Senator Ingalls, for the relief of the Central Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad proposes to release that com pany from all obligations of every knt to the Government under the acts O. 1862 and 1864, upon condition that i shall, within six months, execute ani file with the Secretary of the Interior full release and discharge to the Govern
 ment from all further claims under tn, said act.
 The Secretary of the Interior ha decided that at least one years residence on homestead land is necessary to obtail