The Portland daily press., 1885-07-20
Measures to Settle the Munster
Bank Trouble.
Serious Loss of Life by Earthquakes
in Bengal.
No Decrease in the Loss of Life by
Cholera in Spain.

met was naSGlly summoned tnlS morning ana
the ministers are now in session. 1t is stated
that the government has received advices
from the English officials on the iAfghan
frontier, of a very serious nature and that
the Cabinet is. now engaged In discussing
them. 1t is further stated that the purp0rt
of the dispatches is such that the govern
ment will be forced to take some action for
the protection of the Afghan frontier and
to prevent the seizure of any further strategic
points by the Russians.
1t is rumored that the Russian commander
has decided to seize Herat by a coup de
main. All sorts of reports are In circulation,
among them one from Paris to the effect that
the French foreign Office has received des-
patch stating that the Russians have massed
a large force at the entrance to the Zulflkar
Pass, and that the seizure of Herat is
certain.
the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord lddesleigh,
(Sir Stafford Northcote) and Sir Michael
Hicks-Beach, Chancellor of the Exchequer,
held a consultation at the Foreign Office
with Baron De Staal, the Russian ambassa-
dor to London. 1t is understood that the
conference was on the Afghan question, and
it is stated negotiations between the English
and Russian governments for an amicable
adjustment of the entire dispute are pro-
ceeding in friendly and satisfactory man
ner. Mr.. Condie Stephens, the special courier
who was sent by Sir Peter Lumsden, the
from Penjdeh at the time Of the difficulty
there to London to give the Gladstone min
istry special information concerning the
Penjdeh battle, was at the Foreign Office
during the state conference there, and III
fact all day, helping to elucidate the problem
raised by the increase of the Russian force
near Zulfikar Pass.
The French ambassador at st. Petersburg,
who was about to leave the Russian capital
on a furlough, has been ordered to remain at
his post on account of the gravity of the
Afghan difficulty.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 19.-It is semi
officially denied that Zulikar Pass has been
occupied by Russian troops.
LONDON, July 19.-Grand Duke Nicholas
of Russia has arrived in London.
Ireland's Affairs.
DUBLIN, July 19.-The Freeman's Journal,
commenting on the announcement made in
the House of Commons yesterday by Sir
Michael Hicks Beach, Chancellor of the Ex-
promised to personally investigate the Maan-
trasna, Barbavilla and Castle Island murder
cases, in accordance with the spirit of Mr..
Parnelps motion, says that this must be con-
sidered as a substantial concession made by
the British government to the demands of
justice, as Earl Spencer, while he was Irish
Viceroy, steadily refused to make such in
quiry
The Dublin Express, commenting on the
same subject says that Sir Michael Hicks
quiry in manner which commended itself
to the honest Judgment of the country, and
which was consonant with the highest die
tates of both policy and justice.
The Munster Bank.
A large meeting of shareholders in the
Munster Bank was held here today to con-
slider means to settle the affairs of the con-
Germ and enable it to resume business. All
the directors of the bank were present. The
meeting appointed a committee to ascertain
the exact financial condition of the bank,
and the directors were authorized to oppose
liquidation proceedings. A resolution was
adopted amid prolonged and unanimous ap-
plause heartily thanking the Earl of Car
narvOn, the new VicerOy, for his expressions
of sympathy with the owners and depositors
of the bank and his promise of assistance.
1t was then announced that the proceedings
undertaken to secure a compulsory liquida-
tion of the bank had been withdrawn. The
managers of the bank and of its city and
country branches during the meeting assert
ed their belief that the old customers of the
institution would return to it if it resumed
business. The Mayor of Limerick promised
the meeting that he would undertake that
the bank would not lose single customer in
Limerick. The meeting was great success
and adjourned until Monday.
DUBLIN, July 19.-The Munster Bank
committee have conferred with the directors.
They proposed to double the capital of the
bank by new issue of shares and make an
immediate call of 80 shillings per share,
thereby raising e225,0OO
Cost of the Tonquin Campaign.
PARIS, July 19.-The cost of the Tonquin
campaign, according to the budget commit
tee, will be 470,000,000 francs, of which only
270,000,00 have been voted.
Earthquakes in Bengal.
CALCUTTA, July 19.-Recent earthquake
shocks in Bengal have resulted in a serious
loss of life. Fifty deaths are reported.
There was also much damage to property.
Cholera in Spain.
MADRID, July 19-In all Spain Saturday
there were $3.50 new cases of cholera and 71S
deaths reported
A Vale of Woe.
BOMBAY, July 19.->More than so persons
were killed during the recent earthquake
shocks in the vale of Cashmere. The same
district has also been visited with disastrous
floods which have seriously damaged the
crops
Foreign Notes.
A madman has been arrested at San Dona,
near Venice, on charge of kipnapping. He
confesses he has stolen and eaten number
of children because he was starving.
Michael Davitt speaking at Lismore, Ire
land, Sunday, condemned the land purchase
bill as a relief bill for the benefit of the
bankrupt landlords.
Two hundred persons were poisoned by
lee cream at Riposo, Sicily.