, 1908-02-19

closure in the House of Commons, being
carele S regarding details, anticipating their
rejection again by the Lords. Meanwhile
the Lords may possibly anticipate the Com
mons by passing bills before the bills from
the Commons are received.
A Berlin despatch says the German For
eign Office regards Austria's railway designs
as wholly economic, therefore it is sympa-
thetic with, although not actively supporting,
them. Germany continues to take but @
secondary position regarding Macedonian
Affairs, leaving them to be dealt with
by the powers primarily interes ed, her
chief desire being the preservation of
the Russo-Austrian entente under the
Meurztsteg agreement. Germany also be-
lieves that the construction of both the Aus
trian and Russian railway projects would be
strongly promotive of civilization IN the Ball
kans.
A st. Petersburg telegram says Russia
regards the agreement between the En-
perors of Russia and Austria at Meurztsteg
in 1903 to b. abrogated by recent events.
Sir Edward Grey will outline the British
policy on the twenty fifth instant. Austria's
move to connect the Austrian and Turkish
railways via Now Bazaar is regarded as mop
perfume and Russia's retort to build a rail-
way connecting the Danube with the Adria-
tic is regarded as only natural, bnt Macedo-
MAN reforms are now postponed indefinitely.
A despatch from Tangier reports that the
Morocco State Bank has advanced Abdul
Aziz one hundred Thousand pounds for mill
tary purposes. France regards this as an
important aid to the tranqullization of Mo-
rocco.
General Won Boeckman has been appoint
ed Governor General Of Finland vice NJ.
Gerhard. The change is associated with
plans for the division of Finland and annex
alton of Viborg to Russia, it being regarded
as necessary to overawe the people.
Mr.. Bryce the British Ambassador at Wash
ington has started for Ottawa.
The Standard interprets the intimations
of smooth progress towards an agreement
to meqn the further surrender of British in
terests. Mr., Root, it says, plays with
Mr.. Bryce, as a cat with q mouse, and the
astute and audacious American diplomatists
presume increasingly upon the British sense
of kinship. The ''Standard' hopes that Sir
Wilfred Laurier may stiffen Mr.. Bryce.
New York, Feb. 17th.-Robert Caldwell,
the witness for the prosecution in the bruce
case, has been committed to an insane asy-
lum, thus avoiding his extradition to Eng
land for per ury.
Three samples from the Culebra Cut of
the Panama Canal have been assoyed and
reveal gold, silver and copper. Larger sam
pies ore to be assayed to ascertain an exact
value in large quantities.
Ottowa, Feb. 17th.-Sir Wilfred Laurier
has received q delegation OF athletes desi-
rous of obtaining a grant in aid of their
competitions at the forthcoming Olympic
games in LONDON
H. M, S.. E~uryalus left Teneriffe for the
West Indies on the fifteenth instant.
ST. Vincent, 15th.-H.M.S. "Scylla" ar
rived $50 pm.
Trinidad, 16th.-No case of yellow fever
having occurred for IS days clean bills OF
health are now being issued.
Jamaica, J7th.-H. NJ. S. "Indefatigable"
ana brilliant" arrived from Port-au-Prlnce
on Saturday at Port Royal; the ''BrilIant"
left for Bermuda, and the '1udefati8able
came into Kingston harbour yesterday.