The Portland daily press., 1884-12-04
THE OLD WORLD.
News by Cable from Different
Countries.
Several Defeats of the French in
China Reported.
THE FRENCH FLEET AT FORMOsA
STRICKEN WITH CHOLERA.
The Success of GsIndstone's Redistribution
Scheme Assured,

The Success of Giadstone's Redistribution
Scheme Assured.
LONDON, Dec. 3.-Mr. Parnell having consulted
his colleagues and carefully studied the govern
ment's new redistribution bill, has decided to
vigorously support that measure He is especially
delighted with the plan By which the larger cities
will be divided up into Parliamentary districts
single members be elected from individual
wards instead of all the members to which the city
is entitled being voted for ON general ticket for
the city at large at present Mr. Parnell says this
is quite in liue with the Home Rule principles for
which he has always contended, and that it will
work very adyantageously for his party. The
Irish voters in the large cities to considerable
extent concentrated In certain districts of those
cities. The tiome rulers afford, Mr.. Parnell
ss TO canvass these districts while they could
afford to canvass whole cities, They will also have
excellent prospects of success in districts which
largely peopled by the Irish although the Irish
vote would be wholly sgamped in an election
which was general throughout the city.
Mr. farnell hopes to carry at least eight seats for
his party ia the cities of England and Scotland at
the next general election in consequence Of the
division Of those cities into voting dis sIicts. He
also expresses himself as satisfied with the number
OF representatives allowed TO Ireland. because al
though the number of representatives is not in
creased. ms party expects 10 be able to elect
larger proportion of them through the division of
the vote in the cities and the extension of the
Franchise bill TO laboriug men. The passage of the
redistribution bill almost without opposition is now
a joTegoiie soncluslon. The Libelas are loud in
praises of Mr. Gladst"ne's tack, by which he has
only forced the Lords to agree to his pet scheme.
proposition until he was fully ready TO make the
announcement.
The Recent Capture OF Monks and Mans.
DoNGOLA, Dec. 3.-The Capuchin monk, Father
Vincentini, has started for the Mahdis camp to
solicit the release Of several monks and nuns. He
bears dispatch from the Austrian consul general
at Cairo, addressed TO "His Mighty Highness the
Mahai. expressing the solicitude OF the emperor of
Austria for the of the captiYes and off ering
to largely reimburse the expenses attendant upon
hH1f In fhn r..,r.lrC arrA
nuns the Mahd Is requested to give Father YinceD-
TIM safe conduct through his lines and to allow
the captves. The dispatch promises that the
emissaries will concern themselves neither in poll
tics nor the war.
The Adams Coleridge Scandal
LONDON, Dec. 3.-Mr. Adams has appeared from
Justice Manistys ruling in the formers action for
libel against bernard Coeridge, and the latter in
tends to move for reversal of the verdict.
A French Fleet Cholera stricken.
1t is stated that the French feet is cholera
stricken at Formosa. Quarantine has been estab-
lished at Saigon. No quarantine has yet been estab
lished at Hong Kong.
French Defeats in China Reported.
LONDON, Dec. "a Tiensiu dispatch states that
the Chinese claim the following success: Oct. I'd
captured the forts and city of Lohg Nau Hsian in
Tonquin and sunk a French gunboat. After the
engagement the elders OF 20 Christian villages
rendered submission to the Chinese comm Ander
Oct. 9th the French were defeated sat Hoo Wi
IN lOnquln. Inc FRENCH commander Sh0t himself,
and the troops were demeralized and fed. Nov
18th the Black Flags repulsed three French attacks
upon Seunkwan and the same day the French were
defeated at Iamsui. Nov 18th the French includ-
ing Turcos forced to take refuge in the woods
near Seunkwan.
At tormosa the fighting continued for six hours
ami the French losses were very heavy, including
two superior officers. They lost several guns and
were pursued to the waters edge where four
French launches were sunk November 7th the
Chinese in Kamgsi, province of Totquin, sue
cseded in defeating the French. the latter losing
seven officers and their general being severely
wounded. The same day the French made an un-
successful attack upon the Chinese position at
Kwanyu
Travel Stepped by Snow.
VIENNA, Dec. 3.-A heavy snow fall has entirely
stopped railway communication between East Prus-
s:a and Russia.