The Potteries Examiner : — 1874-02-07 (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1874.  NEWS OF THE WEEK.  An election argument had a tragic ending at Aberdeen on Monday. A commercial traveller, named Gordon, and an innkeeper, named Alexander Donald, were discussing the prospects of the election, and civil dudgeon grew so high, and Scotch temper waxed so warm, that the commercial knocked down the publican by a blow on the breast, and death ensued instantaneously. The most alarming rumours are in circulation in Berlin about the relations between Germany, France, and Italy. There has been a secret council of corps commanders and leading generals, and this, taken in connection with an alleged circular of Printe Bismarck, seemed to justify the gravest apprehensions. It is believed, however, that this excitement being skilfully worked up in order to facilitan• the passage of the new Military Bill which to be laid before the German Parliament. At the same time no confidence, says the correspondent of the Daily News, is felt in the pacific intentions of France, and a fresh war with that country is looked upon in Germany as only a question of time.  A fearful disaster occurred on Monday night, at Bury. Whilst Mr. Philips, the Radical candidate, was addressing a crowded meeting, in a flannel factory, the building gave way and let down nearly the whole of the people. The scene was of a most fearful character. All the medical men in the town were summoned, and a large staff of police were to be seen helping to get the dead and dying out of the ruins. Windows were smashed to extricate Mr. Philips,who, it is feared, it seriously hurt. On clearing away the debris about 40 persons were extricated. One w-.a dead, and seven died immediately afterwards. About 30 persons are more or less injured. The room was the top storey of a building used as a flannel factory, and the adjacent offices have been used as committee rooms. The election aaenta were, it is said, warned last week of the insecure state of the buildings. The dead consist of four women, three men, and a boy, some of whom have not yet been identified. Thousands of people congregated round the building. Mr. Philips, the candidate, was rescued by means of a fire escape.  The French National Assembly has been debating the new taxes, and successfully rejected proposals for laying a tax on income. The Budget Committee, at the request of the Government, has voted 4,000,000 francs to continue the re-building of the Paris monuments. M. Desselligny, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, delivered a speech on Monday at Nevers, in which, alluding to the prolongation of Marshal Macmahon's powers, he expressed his belief that a party truce of several years was necessary in the interest of labour and public tranquillity, and for the future definite solution of pending questions. Twelve French candidates for seats in the German Parliament have been elected in Alsace and Lorraine. The special correspondent of the Deity News, at Versailles, telegraphs that the French Government is changing the Mayors throughout France from purely political considerations and for electoral purposes. M. Rameau, a deputy of .the Left, and Mayor of Versailles, who distinguished himself greatly during the war, and against whom nothing is urged, his been removed, and the Municipal Council of Avignon has been dissolved, though none of its members are men of extreme opinions. The dismissal of N. Rameau created a great sensation on Tuesday in the Assembly, and addresses of sympathy with him were signed there.  There has been a great public meeting held at "Calcutta, to establish a charitable relief fund for the distressed districts. The Viceroy presided, and announced a subscription of one thousand pounds from the Queen. Sir George Campbell, the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, in an able speech, explained in detail the gravity of the present and the future. In Tirhoot alone the officials expect to have nearly a million persons on their hands for several months. Of four millions of the population there, one-third have lost their harvest almost entirely; another third have lost half. Altogether in the Patna division about a million and a half will be on their hands. There are no markets, and distress prevails everywhere. Hundreds of the non-labouring classes are crowding to the relief works. Certainly without GoVernment help great mortality north on the Ganges would occur, and many tracts on the northern border of Patna would almost be depopulated. Already numbers of the people are limiting themselves to one daily meal. They are anxious, but wonderfully patient. The worst tracts of country are the least accessible to carriage. An influential Committee, composed of Europeans and natives, was appointed, and subscriptions announced amounting to £ll,OOO by native notabilities. Rain: has fallen generally in Bengal. The growing crops have been much benefited, and ploughing for the spring crops is greatly facilitated. Intelligence from Cape Coast Castle to January 9th is very satisfactory. Th ) health of Sir Garnet Woleeley's staff was good. The eleven ambassadors who crossed the Prah to endeavour to make peacestated that King Coffee had no wish to make war on the white men, and would have long since sent to stop it, but the General in command of his army had sent back repeated messages saying that he had defeated the white troops, and was only falling back because the small-pox prevailed among the English to such an extent that he feared his army would catch it. The ambassadors were told, through Colonel Graves, that Sir Garnet Wolseley would only negotiate at Coomassie, or at least only with the king personally. The ambassadors were than shown some Gatling gun exercise, which so frightened and astonished them that one of them committed suicide. The great deficiency was want of carriers, which was become very serious, and as the Fantee bearers had all escaped into the bush rather than cross the Prnh, Kroomen from Sierra Leone had to be relied on, and they were very scarce. Captain Glover was , much harassed by natives on his flanks, and assistance had been sent to him. He had, however, beaten the natives in several skirmishes. A telegram from Lisbon, received on Wednesday, announce the news brought by the Enchantress from the Gold Coast up to January 16. The King of Astiastee has released the German missionary and pant film to General Wolseley to treat for peace. Eleven hundred seamen and marines, with 100 white troops of each regiment, within one day's march of Coomassie, are with General Wolseley, except the 23rd Regiment, which are now disembarked. Great trouble has been experienced with the native carriers, who have all run sway; and the stores have been carried to the front by volunteers of the lot and lad West India. Regiments.