The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-05-06
seditious Talk in the German Reichstag.

SIMLA, May 1.-The Indian government
have sent dispatch to the Marquis of Hart
ington. secretary of state for India, showing
the cost OF the Afghanistan war will probably
exceed the estimates by 94OC0,0Co. Military
department is solely blameable for the mis-
take.
LONDON, May 5.-The Standard in a edi-
torial commenting on the deficit in the Afghan
finances says: "There seems to be unfortunate
ly no room for doubt that the recent glowing
financial calculations of the Indian govern
ment have proved, to usesa gentle expression,
Enthusiastically. The Indian budget was lai d
before the legislative council at Calcutta
February 2!th, and it showed in gross and
detail the improvement which Sir Stafford
Northcote, chancellor of the exchequer, had
led parliament to expect. Some time
after the budget was produced the govern
ment at Calcutta discovered there would be
glaring discrepancy between the financial
by the Viceroy's chancellor of exchequer. The
discrepancy is variously stated at from three
to five million pounds Either sum would un-
fortunately be large enough to throw all the
finances OF the empire into confusion at least
for the present, and if the deficiency exists
the whole of the special argument by which
Northcote and Stanhope justified the policy of
the late government falls to the ground. OF
details nothing is known at present and moth
ing will be known until parliament again as
sembles. The most favorable view which can
be taken of the case, if the discrepancy is as
great as has been asserted, is that there was
extreme recklessness or gross negligence on
the part of the financial authorities in India.
There is another aspect of the matter upon
which we are most unwilling to touch but
which it would be sheer folly to blink. Party
spirit will not be slow to assert that the errors
which now have been discovered were not
altogether accidental. 1t has in truth been
limited that the opportune character of favor
able estimates conjures up not unreasonable
suspicion.
Bank Directors Acquitted.
LONDON, May 5.-The directors of the West
OF England and South Wales bank, suspended
December, 1878, charged with classifying &C.
counts, etc., have been acquitted.
A Sensation in the Reichstag.
BERLIN. May 5.-In the debate on the anti
Socialist bill in the Reichstag, Yesterday, Has,
selmann made declaration of his political
creed, which caused commotion. He said in
Russia the anarchists had risen against des-
potism. In France the Commune had done
SO, and he hoped the German workingmen
would follow their example. He said he
identified himself with the energetic revolu-
tionary feeling of the people, and regretted
on the part of the Socialists that they had any
connection with the Russian anarchists. He
declared that he accepted this connection, but
he spoke, of course, only for himself, not
knowing now lar his colleagues agreed with
him. He was convinced that the belief was
gaining ground among the people that the
days of parliamentary palavering were over.
For these utterances Hasselmann was called
to order.
Foreign Notes.
Michael Davitt will sail for America Sun
day to assist Dillon in the organization of Land
leagues.
Bismarck gave parliamentary soiree Mon
day, at which 1000 deputies were present.
The phylloxera has appeared in the zine
part of the Gulf of Naples, at Puzzuoli and
Panama. There is much alarm, and precau-
lions are being taken. In Sicily phylloxera is
reported near Messina.
The reports that Gen. Vinoy, Grand Chan
cellor of the Legion of Honor, had committed
suicide, is denied.
La Temps denies that the French govern
ment has been interviewed en relation to the
sale of the Tunis & Tallett railway.