protectorate having never been placed in executionis obsolete;" a better definition of "the distance from either end of the canal where, in time of war, captures might be made by either belligerent on the high seas." In conclusion, Mr. Blaine wrote:

"In assuming, as a necessity, the political control of whatever canal or canals may be constructed across the Isthmus, the United States will act in entire harmony with the governments within whose territory the canals shall be located. Between the United States and the other American republics there can be no hostility, no jealousy, no rivalry, no distrust. This Government entertains no design in connection with this project for its own advantage, which is not also for the equal or greater advantage of the country to be directly and immediately affected. Nor does the United States seek my exclusive or narrow commercial advantage. It frankly agrees, and will by public proclamation declare, at the proper time, in conjunction with the republic on whose soil the canal may be located, that the same rights and privileges, the same tolls and obligations for the use of the canal, shall apply with absolute impartiality to the merchant marine of every nation on the globe; and equally, in time of peace, the harmless use of the canal shall be freely granted to the war-vessels of other nations. In time of war, aside from the defensive use to be made of it by the country in which it is constructed and by the United States, the canal shall be impartially closed against the war-vessels of all beligerents. It is the desire and determination of the United States that the canal shall be used only for the development and increase of peaceful commerce among all the nations, and

shall not be considered a strategic point in warfare, which may tempt the aggressions of belligerents, or be seized under the compulsions of military necessity by any of the great powers that may have contests in which the United States has no stake, and will take no part. If it be asked why the United States objects to the assent of European governments to the terms of the neutrality for the operation of the canal, my answer is that the right to assent implies the right to dissent, and thus the whole question would be thrown open for contention as an international issue. It is the fixed purpose of the United States to confine it strictly and solely as an American question to be dealt with and decided by American governments."

Position.

Lord Granville, in rebuttal, England's said: "While recognizing to the fullest degree the extent to which the United States must feel interested in any canal which may be constructed across the Isthmus of Panama, Her Majesty's Government would be wanting in regard to their duty if they failed to point out that Great Britain has large colonial possessions, no less than great commercial interests, which render any means of unobstructed and rapid access from the Atlantic to the North and South Pacific Oceans a matter for her also of the greatest importance. The development of these possesisons and interests has steadily continued, possibly with less rapidity, but on a scale which has some relation even to that of the Pacific States. Her Majesty's Government do not wish to ignore the share which other nations have acquired in the commerce of Central and South America, nor to exclude from consideration the interest

of those countries in any canal which may be made across the Isthmus. They are of opinion that such a canal, between two great oceans, and between all Europe and Eastern Asia, is a work which concerns not merely the United States or the American Continent, but the whole civilized world. This is a view which finds expression in the eighth article of the treaty of 1850. Her Majesty's Government are as anxious as that of the United States that while all nations should enjoy their proper share in the benefits to be expected from the undertaking, no single country should acquire a predominating influence or control over such a means of communication, and they will not oppose or decline any discussion for the purpose of securing on a general international basis its universal and unrestricted use. With all deference to the considerations which have prompted the proposals made in Mr. Blaine's dispatch, Her Majesty's Government cannot believe that they would promote the object or be beneficial in themselves. The relations of the United States with the European powers are, fortunately, of a nature to give rise to no feelings of suspicion or alarm. The general tendency of their foreign policy gives good promise that they will so continue. But if provision is to be made on one side for a different state of affairs, it must be expected that the course thus indicated will find its natural and logical counterpart on the other. Her

Majesty's Government believe that the extension of an invitation to all maritime states to participate in an agreement based on the stipulation of the convention of 1850 would obviate any objection that may possibly be raised

against it as not being adequate in its present condition for the purpose for which it was designed. This course formed the basis of Mr. Fish's proposal to Dr. Cardenas, the Nicaraguan Minister in 1877, and Her Majesty's Government would gladly see the United States again take the initiative in an invitation to the powers, and will be prepared either to join in it or to support or indorse it in the way that may be found most fitting and convenient, provided it does not conflict in any way with the Clayton-Bulwer treaty."

The practical failure of the Panama canal was the cause of a temporary loss of interest and a cessation of the diplomatic discussion pertaining to the waterway across the Isthmus. But the Spanish-American war has demonstrated beyond all cavil that if the United States proposes to place herself in position to ably defend each and every part of her coast-line, such a canal is essential. The wonderful voyage of the "Oregon" around Cape Horn not only startled the world, but attracted the attention of all the civilized nations to the apparent inattention to her own interests on the part of the United States to provide for a passageway between her Atlantic and Pacific coasts. It is evident that the feelings of amity between Great Britain and the United States are all that the AngloSaxon could require. While perhaps there is no formal agreement in effect, it has been asserted by leading English statesmen that an understanding of some nature has been reached by the two governments, and doubtlessly all of the past diplomatic complications between Great Britain and the United States over this canal question may be bridged over.

Switzerland's Insanity.

The little Republic of Switzerland is noted for its democracy, for its promotion of the rights of all its people; and yet some of the customs which prevail in this Alpine land are ludicrous to people of other countries, because of the total disregard of liberty. For instance, there are no laws requiring an equitable examination before incarcerating a person for insanity. All that is necessary to rid one's self of disagreeable neighbors to imprison an enemy for life, perhaps - is to secure the written assertion of an ordinary physician that the objectionable person is insane. This certificate of a physician is sufficient to have any person seized and confined in an institution for the insane. Of course, if the accused has money or friends, it is not difficult to secure contradictory medical statements, but it sometimes happens that the innocent unjustly suffer. The following case is reported by Consul Frankenthal, at Berne:

Julius Gerber, born in Switzerland in 1864, emigrated to the United States in 1879. In 1898, having saved enough money to gratify his desire of visiting his birthplace, he took passage from New York. Unfortunately he was robbed of his savings on the steamer and arrived in Switzerland in a destitute condition. The Swiss law proclaims "Once a Swiss citizen, always a Swiss citizen," in spite of the fact of a native's prolonged absence in another country, and of his swearing allegiance to and becoming a citizen thereof, thus making a peculiar duality of citizenship. The knowledge of this law of his

native country induced Gerber to apply for admission to a labor colony, a kind of public workhouse in this city. The work he was put to was hard, while the food, so he told me, was entirely insufficient. His hope of getting back to the United States, and his continous harping thereon, earned for him the name of a homesick melancholiac, and he was sent for mental examination to a hospital. A physician, not an authority on insanity, gave a certificate declaring Gerber insane. While in the hospital, and awaiting transportation to one of the insane asylums, Gerber escaped to the Consulate and asked for protection as an American citizen.

"At my suggestion," says the Consul," he agreed to return to the hospital for further observation, where he was at liberty to go about as he pleased. In his conversation with me, no traces of insanity or hallucinations were discernible-simply a reiteration in a most natural manner of wanting to return to the United States, where he could get work to which he was accustomed. After several interviews with the authorities, I proposed to pay half of his fare to the United States, provided they would pay the other half. This they at last agreed to do. The same physician who so willingly made out a certificate declaring Gerber insane, was equally ready a week later to give me another pronouncing the man's mental and physical condition such that, without danger to himself or others, he could travel in safety. Gerber left, cheerful and contented, on October 29th, for the United States. By the expenditure of a small sum and a little

of Canals.

The Treasury Department Commerce has published interesting statistics pertaining to the great canals of the world now in operation. The Suez Canal shows a net tonnage of 6,576 tons in 1869, its first year, 436,609 in 1870, over a million in 1872, more than two millions in 1875, and a steady increase until 1891, when the figures reached 8,698,777, since which time there has been comparatively little change, the figures for 1897 being slightly below those of 1896, but 33 per cent in excess of those of 1897, and more than three times those of 1877.

The Kaiser Wilhelm Canal at Keil, which has been in operation but three years, shows an increase of 50 per cent in that period in the tonnage passing through it, that of the first year after its opening being 1,505,983, and that for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1898, 2,469,795.

The St. Mary's Falls Canal, connecting Lake Superior with the lower lakes, shows a more rapid gain than the Suez, The freight tonnage passing through St. Mary's Falls Canal in 1881 is given at 1,567,741, reaching more than three million tons in 1885, more than five million in 1887, more than seven million in 1889, more than nine million in 1890, more than eleven million in 1892, more than thirteen million in 1894, and more than eighteen million in 1897. Incidentally the freight tonnage passing through the Detroit River, which connects Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron with Erie and Ontario, is shown to have increased from nine million tons in 1873 to 23,900,520 in 1896, an increase in that time of 200 per cent, while the increase in the registered

The Welland Canal table shows that the quantity of freight passed through that canal in 1880 was 819,934 tons, and in 1896 1,279,987, though comparing 1896 with 1872, 1873 and 1874 no increase is found, the figures of 1872 being 1,333,104, and those of 1873, 1,506,484, while the tons passed from United States ports to United States ports, through the Welland canal, fell from 748,557 in 1874 to 653,213 in 1896.

Charity in Russia.

In the city of Odessa, Russia, a movement has been set on foot by Countess Shuvalov, a philanthropist and promotor of charitable undertakings, which has for its purpose the diverting of the waste of households that usually go to the sewers, to the homes of the poor, Countess Shuvalov has estimated that families of even moderate circumstances throw away that which would be welcome in another family, and a circular has been distributed throughout the city of Odessa which says:

"In every family, unnecessary articles can be found which are frequently thrown out from the dwelling along with rubbish, and it is these entirely useless things which may serve as a new fund for the activity of the society. If every family in Odessa would only give during the year one ruble's worth of these unnecessary things, tens of thousands of rubles would accumulate in the treasury of the society. Addressing such a request to all Odessa people, the society knows that it does not ask for sacrifices exceeding the donor's means. It only addresses to all the modest request, Contribute all that you do not require.' Do not be embarrased either

by the quality or the quantity of the offering. With most earnest gratitude, we accept all old rubbish, torn pieces of paper, clothing, foot gear, leather leggings, old newspapers, unnecessary books and music, old postage stamps, rags, linen, corks, pieces of iron, brass and other metals, bottles, caps of bottles, broken glass, cut-off cigar ends, empty cigar and cigarette boxes, broken play-things, useless furniture, etc. For the collection of these offerings of unnecessary articles, the section will send around collectors, dressed in uniform, with an open letter. In acknowledgment of such offerings, the collector will issue a proper receipt. The collectors are not authorized to accept offerings in the shape of money."

Patriotism of

W Among a great mass of American unsightly sores that the Capital. war investigating commission is exposing, the efforts made to rob the Government by a combination of American shipowners is not the least repulsive. Colonel Hecker, who made the contract on behalf of the United States, with a Spanish steamship company to transport the Spanish troops back to Spain in accordance with the articles of capitulation at Santiago, was roundly denounced at the time by some of the American press for "patronizing the enemy," instead of giving the contract to American companies "even though it did cost the Government a little more." Colonel Hecker testifed before the investigating commission on December 8th, that a combine of New York shipping firms was formed when it became known that it devolved upon the United States to return the captured soldiers to Spain, and that it would have caused an outlay of $1,400,000 had the American shipowners succeeded in their design, but

the Spaniards, our enemies, took the contract for $513,000.

The lowest bid was from a Philadelphia junk dealer, who, however, had no visible means of executing the contract, and admitted his own doubt as to getting sufficient bond. This Philadelphian, Colonel Hecker testifed, protested against not being awarded the contract on the ground that he had "a chance to make some money out of it." The most feasible bidder was the Spanish Trans-Atlantic company. Their bid, unlike the others, relieved the Government of all medical attendance, and, finally, on the Government's representations, the company agreed to reduce its figures about $180,000.

Canadian Reforms.

Canada is to be complimented upon her courage to grapple with iniquity and afford just legislation in the face of protests from those who have profited by such iniquity. It seems that the vast domain of Canada was fast being appropriated by corporations and capitalists for their private gain, these" business men" taking advantage of the liberal laws enacted for the purpose of giving homes to all citizens of the Dominion, greedily grasped vast sections of timbered lands and put the proceeds in their pockets. The new law provides that no lands or timber will be sold or disposed of hereafter by the Government, except under special circumstances. Persons desirous of purchasing lands must apply to the department, showing special reasons why they should be allowed to purchase, before going to any expense in connection with the matter. Under the old law, it was within the discretion of the chief commissioner of lands and works to decide whether he should approve of any application to purchase lands.

It is