The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-12-21
EUROPE.
The Downfall Of the English Min
istry Predicted.
THE SITUATION ACCORDING TO THE
TIMES BECOMING WORSE.

LONDON, Dec 20.-David R. Plunkett, men,
Der of Commons for Dublin University, speak
ing at a Conservative meeting at Chesterfield
yesterday, said the Government was bound to
fall. While deploring the outrages in Ireland,
ne asked his hearers to take into account the
influences brought to bear on his countrymen
by agitators seeking to serve their own pur-
poses.
James Stansfeld, Radical member of Com
mons for Halifax, speaking at Sowerby Bridge
mission of Agriculture, he had spent some
time in Ireland studying the Irish question.
They had now, he said, to face great crisis,
and he believed remedy for the present state
of things would be found.
The Correspondent of the Times at Dublin
says:-The country is drifting nearer to the
rocks and nothing is done to save her. The
wave OF agitation sweeps with greater force
through the provinces, and, although it has
met with a check in Ulster, nobody can tell
In Ulster impose, will be able to Withstand the
repeated shocks of Parnell's hands. Coercion
has triumphed, while the Government shrinks
from any attempt to counterfeit it.
The Times says:.,Law. abiding citizens have
to submit to terrorism which not only defies
but supplants law, and after looking long and
anxiously for help from the Government, they
have begun to resign all hope, and no longer
venture to resist the dictation of the Land
League. The cases in which the police are
seem to become daily rarer, and even when
trial is secured witnesses fear to speak and
jurors are afraid to convict. 1t is to deliver
the peasantry themselves as we'll as the upper
and middle classes that the vindication of the
law has become imperative.
Justin Mccarthy, Home Ruler, member of
the House OF Commons for Longford county,
speaking before the Bermondsey Radical Club
last night, SAID he had reason to know that
Mr.. Forster himself is as we'll convinced that
G&Akn ~ 81
were any Of his audience.
sion is expected to report on Thursday. It is
rumored that a majority of the commission
have agreed on the outlines of a scheme, the
principal features of which are the extension
of the Ulster tenant-right to the whole of Ire
land with the alternative of compulsory pur-
chase with view to the creation of class of
peasant proprietors in the event of the owners
Directing to the extension of the tenant-right
and revolution. 1t is understood that Messrs
Kavanaugh and OConnor Don dissent from
the proposal and will make separate report.
LONDON, Dec, Ca demonstration was
made by five thousand Irishmen in Manches-
ter last night to express sympathy with the
Land League and raise money for the Parnell
defence fund.
DUBLIN, Dec. 20.-The traversers intend, if
allowed, to examine nearly thousand wit
nesses at the trial including tenants and
ONlCtcu poIbOuo w bAOW tudG tuon Language
and conduct was justified. A circular has
been issued to the constabulary to use the ut
most vigilance to protect bailiffs.
The British Attorney General Decides
that q Telephone is a Telegraph.
LONDON, Dec. 20.-Judgment was delivered
to-day in the case brought in the exchequer
division by the Attorney General against the
Edison Telephone Company, to compel the de-
PENDANTS to take out license to use the tele-
phone, on the ground that it is an infringe
ment of the Governments monopoly in regard
to telegraph lines Justice Stephen cited the
wording of the acts of Parliament under
which the Government had acquired telegraph
monopoly, and said that the definition Of tele-
graph contained therein, it seemed, included
any apparatus used for transmitting messages
by means of wire. The Court. he said, fully
admitted the novelty and value of the tele-
phone. Though it might be necessary for
scientific purposes to distinguish between it
and the telegraph, it seemed to him that the
definition of the latter in the acts of Parlia-
ment was wide enough to cover every instru-
ment that might be invented which en-
ployed electricity transmitted by wire as
PENDANTS are, therefore, liable, on information
for infringing the privileges of the Postmaster
General. Judgment accordingly was for the
Crown, with costs. The counsel for the de-
PENDANTS asked that judgment be stayed pend
ing an appeal. It w. was eventually arranged
tuat tH6 OTu0E VI tu0 NOuEG ollOuM Coutdiu
terms allowing the telephone company to con-
tinue operations.
The Panama Canal subscription.
A dispatch from Paris to the Times says:-It
is officially announced that the allotment of
Panama canal shares will be as follows:-Ap-
plications for from one to five shares will be
accepted in toto. Subscribers for from six to
twenty shares will receive six, and those for
from twenty shares and upward will receive
twenty-five per cent of their demands. In
stalments of 100 francs per share must be paid
before the Goth instant