Morning journal and courier., 1884-10-27

na are nVe mline'at cartridges, which were made during the rranco- German war These are now being shipped r.am London Experts say that the powder in thee~ ear tridges would at this late day be unable r, eject the bullet from the muzzle of the rife. The French consuls at various towns in China have been ordered to go to Shanghai owing to the menacing attitude of the Chinese
 Earl Granville, Secretary of State for For eign Affairs, in acknowledging an intimation of the French blockade of the Island of For mosa, has informed Prime Minister Ferry that the British government reserves the right of questioning the validity of the block ade, inasmuch as there has been no formal declaration of war by France. Moreover, the Army and Navy Gazette declares that the French are unable to effect the blockade of the island. One-half of Admiral Courbet's squadron is required to guard Kelung Id Tamsui. Only seven vessels are therefore left with which to attempt to block ade the island. The western coast of For mosa alone contains ten ports which are in constant communication with the continent dispatch from Shanghai announces that the Woosung river will be barred on Mon
 
 feet for the ships of friendly nations.
 The French Cabinet ministers this morn ing listened to General Mi1lot's account of his operations in Tonquin and were entirely satisfied with his course. General Millot ex- pressed the opinion that the reports gard to the present situation in Ton quin were much exaggerated. The French, he said, were strongly fortified and able to repulse any attack. The French gov ernment has decided to reinforce General Briere de PIsle in Tonquin and Admiral Courbet by 15, 900 additional men. Orders have been sent to Toulon to place transpo rts in preparation immediately. It is calculated that the endorsements will arrive in Ton quin about the beginning of January. The transports Canorin, Bienhoa, Sarthe and An -namite are hurriedly loading munitions of war at Toulon for Tonquin. Orders have been sent to the arsenal to prepare great quantities of stores and to equip more trans ports for despatch to Tonquin.
 PARIS Oct. 26.-General Briere De L'Isle's recent dispatches reporting extensive Chinese preparations for hostilities cause no uneasi- ness here as it is believed that the reinforce ments now being forwarded will be sufficient to insure continued French supremacy at Tonquin.
 An Important Insurance Decision.
 BosToN, Mass, Oct. 26.-An interesting decision was rendered yesterday in the case of the Mutual Life Insurance company, of New York, against George Allen ct al, which was a bill of inter-pleader to deter mine to which of the defendants the sum ot $3, 263, the proceeds of a policy upon the life of Israel Fellows, now deceased, should be paid Both Fellows and Allen were resi- dents of Massachusetts and Fellows made an assignment of his policy to Allen to secure loan. The insurance company claimed that the assignment was not valid, as it was against the law of New York, which provides tn at an insurance policy shall be free from . the claims of the representatives of husband or any of his creditors. The case was just heard by Justice Charles Allen, who ruled that the transfer was to be governed by the laws of Massachusetts and reported the case for the consideration of the full court. The rescript is as follows: A decree is to be en- tered in favor of the defendant, George Al len; the validity of the assignment is to be determined by the law of Massachusetts. It is not necessary to the validity of the assign ment that the assignee should have an in surab1e interest in the life insured