The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-12-01
THE OLD WORLD.
The Congo Conference Committee Decide
in Favor OF Free Trade.
Thirtsen Persons Killed by the Ex-
plosion of Gunboat's
Boiler.
INHABITANTS OF A SWISS vIL-
LAGE EMBRACE MORMON
ISM EN- mAssE.

BERLIN, Nov. 29.--A joint French and German
declaration will be presented at the next session Of
the Congo conference proposing to place the Niger
and the country adjacent under the same regime as
that adopted for the Congo country but limiting
the scope Of the international commission to those
regions of the Niger where some form Of govern
mont has been established. The Eoglish delegates
have prepared a counter project, which affrms an
English guarantee for free trade and protected navi
cation Of tho Niger. which. they claim, should be
sufficient The English delegates also state that the
international commiseion have no power or author
ity In any part of the Niger country which is under
English protection.
BERLIN, Nov. 30.--Sir Edward Malet, Britsh am
bssssdor, will maintain his opposition to the ap.
pointment to the commission on the Niger question
unless the English members OF the commission com
pose majority.
committee lasted four and half hours. The COM
mittee unanimously decided in favor OF freedom of
trade within the limits of the newly defined Congo
basin. The English, French and Belgian delegates
were the principal speakers at the meeting. The
English delegates upheld universal free trade both
in exports and imports. The Belgian delegate fav-
cred that free trade be restricted TO imports The
French delegate urged that the plan adopted should
be limited to 20 years as an experiment. The re-
port Of the committee will be presented to the con-
ference Monday and its adoption is certain probably
without discussion. After adoption of the report
the Niger question will be discussed.
Tribate 10 the Marquis of Ripon.
BOMBAY, Nov. 3O.-Two monster moetiugs of ma
tives were hela today, attended by 10000 persons
at which resolutions were adopted to present ad.
dress to the Marquis Of Ripon the retiring Govern
or General of India, and 5000 rupees $3.50, ,Oo0)
were subscribed on the spot to found Industrial
institution as memorial to the Marquis.
The Bartholdi Statue.
PARIS, Nov. 30.-VIctor Hugo to-day inspected
NJ. Bartholdi's statue of Liberty Enlghtening the
World'' in the presence of Mr.. Brulatoire, First
Secretary of the American legation, and large num-
Der of the American residents. NJ. Hugo expressed
admiration for the statue and added: 1T is beau
nf nfadG wickp
will constitute pledge Of lasting peace between
France and AMERICA The statue was decorated
with French and American flags.
The Cholera.
MADRID, Nov. 30.-Durins the past 4S hours
there have been reported eight new OF cholera
and Ave deaths at Toledo and three new cases and
two deaths at Beniopa
Explssisa of the Boiler of a French Mnn-
of-War off Fsraesn.
Hong HoNG, Nov. 29.-It is reported that the
OFF the coast OF Formosa, has burst, killing 13 per-
sons.
Disaffccii0n in IRELAND.
DUBLIN, Nov. 29-The English executive depart
ment OF Dublin continues to report the spread Of
disatfection among the people Of the city, and the
great activity of secret societies in recruiting their
increase, and the Young Ireland societies are multi
plying rapidly. Numerous public meetings are be-
ing held BY the Young Ireland societies in the prov
incos, at which considerable display is made of Irish
American, French and Boer flags.
News from, Gen. sserdon.
DoTGoLA, Nov. 3o--Advices from Khartoum
state that the Mahdi continues to summon General
Gordon to surrender and that the latter replies by
firing into tho enemy. On one occasion Gordon
told the Mahdi to dry mp the Nile and come across
II he be real prophet and that he (GordouJ would
then surrender. The rebels are entrenched at
Wady Gamar. Gen. Woseley has offered prize of
ei00 to the regiment which would make the quick
est passage in whale boats from Sara to Debbeh
A message from Gen. Gordon, dated August 28,
says 1t is imperative to property aud the tranquility
Of Egypt that the retain possession of the whole
course OF the Nile He attributes present evils to
the use of the word "abandonment'' by General
Wolseley in telegraphing to the Khedive.
1t is reported the Mahdi is short of provisions,
Five hundred of the Mahdi's regulars are said to
have Joined Gen. Gordon's army.
The Dundee Fire.
DUNDEE, Nov. 29.-The fire which broke out last
night in Stevens Arctic tannery subdued today
after strenuous efforts. The loss will amount to
e36,000.
The Inhabitants of Swiss Village KIM.
brace Mormonism Eu Massc.
BERNE, Nov. 29.-The punishment inflicted on
the Swiss Mormons, so far from having diminished
have stimulated the zeal Of the converts. IL vii
lage near the Rhone the people have embraced the
teneis of Mormonism en- masse. They propose to
form Utah in miniature; to put aside their ancient
faith and to adopt the new gospel Meanwhile tho
police watching the chief apostles at Berne The
police are especially vgisnt in their surveillance
over an American named Cannon and native
named Siase. 1t is probable that these two men
will soon be arrested and expelled
Gable Nstss.
The attack of Herr Bebel the Socialist leader in
the German Reichstag, Friday, on the military nd
ministration of the government, is causing great
stir in diplomatic circles Herr Bebe asserted that
fourteen times more suicides occurred in the army
than among the civil population, and the Socialist
papers publish official statistics to show that this Is
true.
United States Minister Morton has resumed his
official duties in Paris
London despatch says Sir Alexander Grant,
Baronet, Lii. D., is dead.