The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1875-04-17 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

FOREIGN. The Berlin Post explains its article of the 9th inst., by declaring that it was merely a dispassionate examination of the present political state of Europe, which must not be regarded as either official or semi-officially inspired. The North German Gazette reverts to the recent exchange of notes between Germany and Belgium, and points out that there was not by any means any question as to the conduct of the Belgium press, but as to the way in which persons holding official positions in Belgium repeatedly interfered in Germany's affairs. This point was brought under discussion in connection with the present state of the law of Belgium—laws which do nqt impose penalties upon attempts by the subjects of one country against the security of the person and internal tranquility of another, are defective, inasmuch as they do not suffice for the fulfilment of international obligations. The 'Montage Revue states that an agreement has already been arrived at between the Austrian and Italian Governments for the junction of the Auitrian and Italian railway systems at Ponteba, and that the Italian Government has expressed itself favourable to the speedy conclusion of the Projected Austro-Italian commercial treaty. The survey. of the route which the Servian rails way is to take has commenced. English, French, and Austrian companies are competing for the construction of the line. The Duke de Broglie (according to the Soir) has accepted the post of Ambassador to the Court of St. James's. Valuable results were obtained by the English observers of the solar eclipse in Siam. Although the sky was hazy, the results by the prismatic camera were good. The spectroscopic cameras failed. Eight good photographs of the corona were taken. At a Diplomatic Conference on the Metrical System, held in Paris, the plenipotentiaries of the foreign Powers, comprising the representatives of the Brazils, the United States, Venezuela, and. the Argentine Republic, agreed to organise an international bureau of weights and measures at Paris, the cost of maintaining which would be divided between the States represented at the Conference.  Under a bill to be immediately introduced by the government all Prussian convents must be closed within six months, those the occupants of which keep schools or attend hospitals being allowed a respite which may be extended to two years. The entire property will be sequestered. Thohe monks and nuns who brought any property to the convents upon entering •holy orders will have their moneys back, while those who are too old or too weak to work for their sustenance will be pensioned. On Wednesday, in the Prussian Diet, Prince Bismark declared he was no enemy to the Catholic Church; he did not wage war against her but against the Papacy. Per Union Company's Royal mail steamer Asiatic, via Maderia.—The publication of Lord Carnarvon's dispatch has caused much excitement. The Governor, Sir Henry Barclay, 'requests a repeal of Act 3 of 1874 confining Lanaalibalele to Robber Island, and suggests a new Act for his detention and surveillance on the mainland The Ministry agree to this, and will submit the new Act to the Legislature. Sir Garnet Wolseley proceeded to Natal, per her Majesty's ship Raleigh. on the 24th inst. The Soir says that an order has been received at Metz, from Berlin, directing the contractors for the new fortifications to take particular care that no French workmen be employed. Thesame order has been in force since the war in all the lowns where fortifications are being erected, and a contractor was recently heavily fined for infringing the rule, at Rastadt.  The French Academy has elected General Sir Edward Sabine, R.A , as corresponding member in its section of geography and navigation, in the place of M. Chazallon,. deceased. It is reported that during the last three months about 270 Christians have been murdered by Turks in Sandshak, Saloniki Bitolia, Rassova, and Orphano. The names Of the victims have been communicated to the Embassies' at Constantinople. An Imperial firman, ordering the execution of the sentence of death passed upon the Podgoritza criminals, has been despatched from Constantinople to the Governor of Scutari.  ' Cholera has broken out in Oude, in India, and Is causing some mortality among railway passengers. •  •