The Ottawa free trader., 1884-05-03
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
Havana Well Shaken by an Explosion
England's Fruit Crop Damaged-A
Great Strike-IBerber Evacu-
ated - Other Notes.
GREAT HAVOC.


HAVANA, April 30.-Early Tuesday
afternoon the whole city was shaken by a
terrible concussion. The streets were i'm,
mediately filed with frightened people
who believed the city had been visited by
ar earthquake. 1t soon became known,
however, that the powder magazines at
San Jose, on the opposite side of the bay,
had exploded. The first explosion occurred
in the magazine adjacent to the arsenal,
In which was stored large number
of grenades and shells The force of
the explosion drove missiles into
the gas works, and all gas-holders OF the
Havana Gas Light Company, and all but
one Of the old gas company, were broken.
The second shock, which was heavier than
the first, WAS caused by the explosion of
the gas. Ii is impossible as yet to say how
many persons were killed or wounded.
Several bodies LA . already been
lound. 1t is known that there
were in the magazine department
twenty soldiers an an artillery officer who
had been occupied for several days in re-
moving powder. The military hospital,
san AmbrOSio Arsenal, and other buildings
in the nei5hDorhool suffered the most dam
age. In Havana, balconies, windows and
shutters fell to the ground In almost every
street within the custom-houSe wall, while
the hospital at San Lazaro suffered severely.
LONDON, April 30.-The English fruit
growers are in serious trouble, and America
is likely To be called upon for even more
than her usual contributions in this line this
year. \ month ago the fruit-growers and
truck farmers, especially through the south
of England, We're jublant over the splendid
condition of their prospective crops, which
were at the middle of March, owing to the
mild weather that had prevailed, as far
advanced as they usually are at the
middle of April. This very fact, how
ever, has now proved their destruction, Tor
there have been some biting trosts within
the past few nights which have caught the
fruit without the hardy covering with which
it is usually provided at this time of the
year, and the result has been that there is
now general blight in the southern
counties. The general estimate among eX-
perienced men in the trade is that the blight
has affected about fifty per cent of the
growing fruit, and that not more than half
a crop will he gathered.
GLASGOW, April 29.-The greatest strike
of shp-builders on record has been inaugu-
rated here. For some time past the Clyde
ship-builders have been talking of reducing
wages, and the men, one and all, expressed
the determination of going out should
the contemplated cut be attempted
The announcement Of u ten per
cent reduction in wages was made,
and 10000 men quit work. There
is every prospect of long and bitter strug
gle, as business is 50 dull that the employers
say it is impossible to go on at the present
rate of wages and make money, and the
men declare they can live on no less than
they have been receiving.
LONDON, April 30.-Ihe comprom SO
amendment proposed by George }. Todson
rendering that portion of the Cattle bill,
which compes the Privy Council to prohibit
the importation of diseased cattle obligatory
for only two years, was tadopted by
the House of Commons by a vote of 357 to
800.
CAIRO April 29-Iiussein Pasha has
proclaimed the evacuation of Berber The
inhabitants have all fled, ana the troops
marched out Monday to join the rebels.
The whole country is in rebellion, and it is
doubtful if the fugitives will reach here.
The Egyptian officers. of Assouan have re-
ceived letters from FL Mehdi's Lieutenants
ordering them to quit the town within ten
days under pain of annihilation.
LONDON, April 29.-Italy agrees to the
Egyptian conference. Russia is expected
TO announce its assent. Austro-Hungary, II
is expected, will ask that the conference be
limited to the discussion OF the financial
question. The Porte urges that the confer
ence be held at COnstantinople
VIENNA, April 29.-lt is announced that
a new planet has been discovered at the AS
Economical Observatory. 1t appears like a
star of the twelfth magnitude. 1t was first
observed at ten o'clock on Saturday night
in the constellation Virgo.