London, Oct 21. News has been received that a cyclone has devastated the island of Leyte, one of the Philippine Group, causing immense loss of life and property. Ernest Cavill has swum a quarter of a mile in 30 seconds faster than in the recent match against Nuttall, and on the strength of this performance he expects to defeat MeCusteer, the American champion, in a series of matches arranged between them, the first of which eventuates on October 26. Charles G. Dickens has been appointed captain and Richard P. Fitzgerald com mander of the warship Royal Arthur, recently commissioned to replace the Or lando as flagship on the Australian station. The London County Council has decided to give Australian brandy a three months' trial in the asylums under its jurisdiction. The typhoid patients at Maidstone number 1700. Over 100 deaths are reported since the outbreak. Sydney, Oct. 21. The authorities of the Lucknow mine intend to apply for a suspension of labor conditions on the ground that the mine is not workable owing to the strike. The case will probably come before the warden to-morrow. In the meantime the Minister of Mines, after consulting the Crown solicitor, has written a minute, which states that the Act does not recognise such a case as one of unworkableness. Oct. 22. — Sommerville, one of the men i arrested in connection with the thefts of ore ' at the Lucknow mine, was found guilty of receiving ore and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. The Lucknow management has engaged 60 Bendigo miners to replace the strikers. Adelaide, Oct. 21. The Premier lias declined to accede to the request of the American Consul with regard to commuting the sentence passed on Martin, the cyclist. Oct. 22. — The American Consul denies, having instructed a solicitor to appeal to the Premier to remit the sentenced passed on Marten, the cyclist. Hobart, Oct. 22. Mr Clark, Attorney -General, has resigned. The Premier has adjourned the Legislative Assembly until Wednesday in order to give the Government time to consider the posi tion: Brisbane, Oct. 22. A deputation of sugar growers asked the Premier to take action to assist the sugar industry, which is in a serious condition owing to the competition of foreign bounty fed sugar growers. They desired him to ask the southern colonies to impose countervail ing duties in favor of Queensland sugar. 