The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-20
THE OLD WORLD.
News by Gable From Different
Countries.

Corruption Disclosed by a House Of Com
mons Com mittee.
LONDON, May 19-The disclosures being
made before the select committee OF the House
of Commons, appointed to investigate the
charges against the transport and commissarist
departments in the Anglo-Egyptian campaign
of 1882, are growing more startling day by
day, and already exhibit condition of affairs
described as "more shameful than anything
ever displayed, even in American politics"
1t has been shown that the hay sent to the
army for forage was not only mouldy, but was
loaded with stones and bricks to make up for
its short weight. Every device conceivable
by rascality was resorted to to "bleed' the
treasury. Cattle intended for food for the
troops were landed from the transports, and
then left INTENDED until hundreds of them
strayed over into the enemy's lines, and more
had to be ordered from home. The troop ships
and transports were in many cases overl oaded
when they left England to such an extent that
the stores had to be thrown overheard while
proceeding to the front in order to save the
vessels. At the Woolwich arsenal, they made
branding irons the size of frying pans for
the live stock, and the result Of the use of
these barbaro1s instruments was that hun
dreds of mules for which treble their value
had been paid, were disabled and
rendered useless after the close of the CAM
psign. Hundreds Of these branding irons are
now piled up among the condemned stores at
Woolwich. Officers of the commissary depart
ment have testified that they received word
from time to time of outlying detachments of
British troops who were literally starving,
but to whom it was impossible to send food
because of the utter inefficiency of the trans
portation service. The officials of the war and
foreign offices are eagerly watching this testi-
mony as 1t is being developed, in the hope of
shifting the blame, which has been literally
bestowed of late, upon other shoulders.
The BIenheim Art Collection.
The London Daily News understands that
the government is debating the question of th g
purchase of the Blenheim art collection for
the nation.
A Protest from Mr.. Bradlaugh.
Mr.. Bradlaugh has written to Mr.. Glad
stone protesting against the excessive amounts
allowed in the Communication of the pensions to
the heirs of the Duke of Marlborough and Will
liam Penn, and requesting permission to argue
the matter before the lords of the treasury as
his mouth was gagged in Parliament.
sale of CypriangA
A portion Of General Di Cesnola's collection
of Cyprian antiquities was sold at auction to-
day in this cityand went at very low prices
Many excellent specimens brought only a few
shillings, and scarcely anything was sold for
more than five guineas.
Death OF Sam Ward.
Mr.. Sam Ward died at Pegil. Italy, today
He passed away peacefully.
COnHagration i'm Turkey-Eleven Persons
Perish in the lanes.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, May ia great confa-
grafton has taken place at Bel Bazaar, a small
city in the province of Augora, Asia Minor
Nearly the entire town was consumed. Nine
hundred and fifty dwellings, 544 warehouses
and shops, II mosques, 10 schools, khans and
LAG other buildings were burned. Eleven per-
sens persisted in the flames.
The Greedy Relief Expedition.
ST. JOHNS, N: f., May 19.-The experience
of the passage Of the Thetis has demonstrated
the unftness of II. B. Neatly, a first class fire.
man, for that service and he will be returned
to the receiving shio Colorado by the first op-
portunity from st. Johns and a more suitable
man enlisted in his place. The stay at St.
Johns will be limited to the time actually re-
quired for slight repairs, taking on board
eighty tons of coal and other supplies The
Thetis will then sail Immediately for Drsco.
Lieutenant Emory, in the Bear, preceded
all the whaling feet from st. Johns except the
Norwhal, a slow vessel which he will most
likely overtake before reaching the north