Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1887 — FOREIGN. [ARTICLE]

FOREIGN.

Isabella Begg, tbe niece of Robert Burns, lias just died in Scotland. A workman’s congress in Brussels decided to form a fund to drill and equip mea A proposal to affiliate with tlu American Knights of Labor was disfavored. The Chancellorship of the British Exchequer has been accepted by Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, to fill tho vacancy created by the resignation of Lord Kandolph Churchill. Just outside the harbor of St. John, N. 8., the steamer Sir John was burned to the water’s edge. Ono, man was drowned while attempting to swim ashore, and five others were fatally burned. The financial loss is about #70,000. Baron Theodore von Oppelseir, the Austrian astronomer, is dead: There is a growing belief in Vienna that Russia is determined on war. Reports of increased Russian armaments are continually coming to hand from various sources. The latest intelligence of this kind is to the effect that 300,000 Russian troops have been ordered to mass at Kieff, and the occupants of 10,000 houses have received official notification that soldiers will soon be billeted in them Mr. Gladstone celebrated his 77th birthday Dec. 29. He attended early, service at tho Hawarden church, and received presents and congratulations from all parts of the world. Lord Colin Campbell has applied for a new trial of the divorce suit brought by his wife against him, and, if ho fails, will take the matter before the House of Lords for final ad judication. A fire at Lisbon, Portugal, which destroyed a large block of buildings, caused the death of five persons. John Dillon has deposited in a Dublin court £l, 00 required as bail, and Messrs. Kenney and Biggar signed a bond for twice that amount

A Paris correspondent affirms that lie lias reliable information that Germany and Russia signed a direct alliance a fortnight ago. Emperor William on New Year’s celebrated the eightieth anniversary of. his entrance into the Prussian army. The report of the Scotch crofters’ commission shows the existence of a system of rack rents in the Highlands as deplorable as any known in Ireland, and recommends a reduction in rents of from 15 to cent. The scheme for mobilization of the troops of Great Britain is perfected, and by April 1 tho Government will be able to get 68,000 troops on shipboard at twenty-four hours’ notice. Overtures for a re anion of the Liberal party have been made to Mr. Gladstone by Mr. Joseph Chamberlain. The former makes the approval of his Irish government bi?l, upon which the last Liberal ministry were defeated, a condition precedent to such reunion. By the burning of an inclosure at the People’s Park, in Madras, 275 natives lost their lives. .