Weekly News. — 1892-06-09 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE STRIFE IN UGANDA.  A Blue-Book relating to th 3 Mombasa Railwa) Survey and Uganda has just been issued. It deal' almost exclusively with affairs in Uganda and the British sphere of influence, and includes copies of treaties concluded between various chiefs and the Agents of the British East Africa Company. Notable among these is that signed by Captain Lugard and Mwanga, King of Uganda, on December 26th, 1890. Among other provisions of this instrument is one to the effect that strict impartiality should be shewn to missionaries of whatever creed who may settle in the country, and another relating to the formation of a standing army to be organised and drilled on the lines observed in respect of native States in India. Lengthy reports from Captain Lugard, giving in detail accounts of the march of hia expedition to Uganda and the state of the country upon and subsequent to his arrival, are ronlisinoi among the papers. The first is dated from Menge on December 24th, 1890, two days prior to the sign. ing of the treaty, and shews that the jealousy and bad feeling, which ultimately resulted in the recent bloodshed, existed actively even at that date. The value of Uganda per se, Captain Lugard thinks, has been over-estimated. As a road to the territories lying beyond and towards the Albert Nyanza, however, it must always remain a valuable acquisition. As to the person 4 character of Mwanga, he was from the first "undoubtedly antagonistic to the British," and did everything in his power to thwart the Company's agent. The idea that it was the object of the Company to rid the country of Catholics and Catholic influence was the cause all along of suspicion and hostility between the two parties. The suspicion also had its effect in various acts of injustice on the part of one party towards the other, and the chiefs of one party often ousted petty landowners of the other from their estates. "Especially," says Captain Lugard, "I think the Catholics are turning out the Protestants." Nothing direct from Captain Lugard respecting recent events in the country is contained among the papers published. The news was first received at the Foreign Office in a telegram from Mr. Portal, dated Zanzibar, April 18th, in which the burning of the Catholic missions and the imprisonment of a number of the priests is reported. A week later a further despatch confirmed the news, and added a report that Messrs. Ashe and De Winton were killed, this however being afterwards denied in a telegram of the 29th of the same month. On that date also Mr. Portal telegraphed the contents of • letter from Mr. Muxwor by, a British trader, say. ing that the German Lieutenant Langheld had arrived at Mnanza, at the south of the Victoria Lake and that he attributed the cause of the outbreak to Captain Lugard'a having distributed 600 Snider rifles among the Protestants, who attacked the Catholics at night. On the 4th ult. a telegram was received from the British East Africa Company's agent at Mombasa reporting that Captain Lugard was at Kampala on the 31st of December last, and that the Nile route was blocked. Mr. Martin, who brought the information to the coast, also stated that Mwangs subsequently to the conflict at Menge had established himself at one day's march from the right bank of the Nile. Captain Lugard was still at Mengo, and had attempted in vain to force the age of the river. Mr. Martin also states that passage Lugard must soon be without ammunition, an that being unable to communicate with Usm there is a danger of a scarcity of food. British East Africa Company, however,in communicating the above to the Foreign Office,point out that as Mr. Martin left Uganda considerably before the outbreak of the war,they do not understand how he became possessed of the news. Mr. Gibson, a geologist,who arrived at the coast in company with Mr. Martin, claims to be able to state positively that Captain Lugard has collected Emin Pacha's people, whom Mr. Stanley left at Havalli, numbering several thousand, and possessing 1,000 rifles. They remain in Uganda upon an agreement under which they join ths merino sif the British East Africa Company.  A somewhat unusual scene was witnessed on Tuesday afternoon at about 3 o'clock in Brixton. A goods van with a load of furniture from Walthamstow to Selhurst was proceeding along the Brixton-road, when the driver noticed some smoke issuing from the van. Instantly dismounting, be unharnessed the horses and proceeded to remove the goods. But the fire, fanned by the wind, soma spread, and the goods became a mass of fiame. Several fire engines and an escape were soon on the spot, and a plentiful supply of water soon cooled the van. Not an article of furniture was saved. Whether the goods were insured or nOt did not transpire.  ATTEMPTED MURDER AND BUXOM& At Stockport, on Thursday, a married wow named Swan waa prooeediag to het employment at a factory in town when she was shot by Joseph Blood, who is supposed to have had some former acquaintance with her. The man atterwszds attempted to commit suicide, but be was observed and ran away. He was, however, soon caught, and a revolver, still loaded in one chamber, was found in his possession. Blood said he would have finished it on Wednesday, only it was Derby Day. and he wanted to see which horse won. Both the man and the woman, who were removed to the infirmary, aro expected to recover. The former is suffering from a wound on the head, and the latter ea injury to the temple.