pending railway movements toward amalgamation of ownership, and particularly of a titanic struggle that disclosed itself for the control of the Northern Pacific Railroad. For some time past this railway has been operated in harmony with the Great Northern Railway system over which Mr. James J. Hill is the presiding genius, and whose chief financial power centres in the office of Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. These interests, for the further lessening of competition and the improvement of their great traffic schemes, had practically accomplished a purchase of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy system, which it was their intention to lease to the Great Northern and Northern Pacific lines, and to bring into operating union with them. Other interests, however, headed by Mr. Harriman, the banking firm of Kuhn, Loeb and Co., and associated financial interests, had recently purchased the Southern Pacific Railway system on behalf of the Union Pacific; and they apparently desired to checkmate the so-called "Burlington deal." Accordingly they laid their plans to buy up enough of the Northern Pacific stock to wrest away control of that line from the Morgan-Hill interest. When the outlines of the project began to disclose themselves, Northern Pacific stock, which is not very valuable on its own intrinsic merits, and which a few years ago was selling for a song, began to assume a great place in the market and to rise very rapidly. The brokers for the interests seeking control were willing to buy at a large figure all the stock that anybody chose to offer. This tempted the speculators, who sold freely for future delivery at a high price. When the dates for delivery arrived, however, the speculators could neither buy nor borrow the necessary shares of stock at ordinary figures. Northern Pacific on May 9th reached 1,000 dols. a share; and for a few hours many. men were obliged to sacrifice excellent stocks and bonds in order to get money with which to purchase Northern Pacific at fabulous prices. The corner was broken by the agreement of the leading interests to postpone stock deliveries, and also by a restraining order issued by a New York judge. time since census returns were taken the population of Scotland exceeds that of Ireland. If this perpetual shrinkage of population took place anywhere else than under the shadow of the British flag, not an English Tory but would regard it as a self-evident condemnation of the system of government under which populations dwindle. But as it takes place in the one corner of the world's surface in which we have attempted to govern white men without their assent and taxed them beyond their means by the superior might of the predominant partner, they attribute it to any and every cause but their own policy. The Irish race is prolific enough-outside Ireland. But outside Ireland the Irishman is neither taxed without his consent nor subjected to the domination of an alien race. as Public Trust. Lord Grey, I am delighted to see, is The Public-House making satisfactory progress in the conversion of the public-house into a public trust. His discovery that the success of his application for a license for a tavern in a pit village had suddenly endowed him with a property valued at £10,000 led him to devise a scheme for retransferring to the public the value of his license. Hence the Public Trust Company, which has been formed in Northumberland. Similar companies are being formed in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Renfrew, Elgin, Fife, East of Scotland, Northampton, Hants, Kent, Durham and Surrey, for the purpose of vesting the responsible duty of selling intoxicating drink in the hands of public servants who have no personal interest in increasing its consumption, the profits on the sale, after paying interest on capital, being appropriated to public uses. This is the Nor VON RHEINBABEN. (New Finance Minister; formerly Home Secretary.) [From Die Woche, Berlin. follow the recognition of the right to buy liquor freely which our civilised and emancipating rule will confer upon the Kaffirs. It is feared that the evils of this new régime of freedom will be the damnation of the natives, and the more decent members of the British community are casting about for some means to stem the plague. It is proposed that, instead of allowing the horde of Polish Jews to return to establish canteens for selling distilled damnation to the natives, the new Transvaal Government should take a leaf from the book of M. Witte, and make the sale of liquor a State monopoly. It is a well-meant afterthought, and deserves all support. But in all probability it will be vehemently opposed by those zealous friends of temperance who were befooled into believing that the war was to inaugurate an Exeter Hall millennium for the natives in the Transvaal. EVENTS OF THE MONTH. May 1. Some forty-nine meetings of Social Democrats are held in Vienna. May Day is celebrated throughout Europe by workmen and Labourers. The Miners' Federation of Great Britain directs that those districts which have not considered the question of closing down the pits in resistance to the proposed export duty on coal shall do so this werk. The Liberation Society concludes its conference at the Memorial Hall. Canon the Rev. Cos.no G. Lang is consecrated ia St. Paul's as Bishop of Stepney. 2. M. Berthelot, the distinguished chemist, is received by the French Academy, to which he was elected in succession to M. Bertrand. 3. The Japanese Cabinet of the Marquis Ito resigns. The Emperor of Germany closes the present The Montceaux miners' strike terminates, the The election of the Cretan Chamber of Deputies concludes. 9. The Dominion Parliament passes a Bill making 22. May 24 a Bank Holiday, to be known as Victoria Day. 10. The Australian House of Representatives A writ is issued against Mr. Markham, M.P., The Reichstag passes the Bill authorising the M. Jounart resigns the Governor-Generalship 12. The second international conference on the 14. 5. The Ophir, with the Duke and Duchess of 15. Cornwall on board, arrives off Melbourne. 6. President M'Kinley concludes the first week Delegates representing 170,000 colliers meet at Dr. von Miquel is called to the Upper House 16. army The American Government decides to reduce The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall land at A new Prussian Ministry is formed, Baron 'von Rheinbaben succeeding Dr. von Miquel. 7. The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Hungary declares the morganatic character of his marriage and acknowledges the exclusion of his children from the succession to the Throne. In the Reichstag there is a short debate on the 17. The Ambassadors to Turkey protest against 18. the seizure of the foreign mails. 8. There is great unrest and rioting at Barcelona. The Porte, replying to the note of the Am- The National Federation of French Miners In the Reichstag a vote by roll-call of 185 The Women's Liberal Federation opens its 9. The Duke of Cornwall opens the first Parlia- 20. 21. A new Ministry for South Australia is constituted. The French Chamber reassembles; the Chamber decides to placard throughout Franc the Declaration of the Rights of Man of 1791. The state of sige at Barcelona ceases; the Spanish Cabinet agrees to consider the question of Home Rule in Catalonia. The Reichstag adjourns till November 26th. The Radicals and Socialists pre ent the Agrarian amendments in the Budget Comm ttee from passing. The Rev. F. Paget, Dean of Christ Church, is appointed Bishop of Oxford in place of the late Dr. Stubbs. The laying of the Mauritius section of the Cape-Australian cable is successfully completed. There is great unrest among the workmen at St. Petersburg, many thousands employed in the cotton mills going on strike. The first steamer of the Chinese Eastern Railway Company sails from Odessa for Vladivostok. The Imperial dockyards at Danzig are destroyed by fire. The Swedish Parliament passes a Bill making service in the Army compulsory for eight months, instead of twelve months, as proposed by the Government. President McKinley cancels all eng gements owing to the serious illness of his wife. There is a strike among the employés on the tram-cars at Albany, in America, and serious riots, two men, severely wounded, having died. The Bishop of Prevesa, in Turkey, is arrested by the order of the Sultan. The Canadian Parliament pass a resolution for the coinage of gold by the Canadian Mint. As a res lt of recent negotiations, General Moscardo, with 21 officers and 321 riflemen, surrender in the Philippines to the Americans. A commemoration of the anniversary of the opening of the Hague Peace Conference is held in London and also at the Hague. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall leave Melbourne for Brisban›. The Alexandra Palace is reopened as a free pleasure ground. The formal opening and dedication of the Pan-American Exposition takes place at Buffalo, United States. A great strike of machinists, supported by men of allied trades, begins at New York, the strikers demand a nine hours day. A serious riot takes place at the Naval Arsenal at St. Petersburg. The Belgian glassworkers' strike terminates. Further disturbances are reported from Spain. The Pacific Cable Bill passes the Canadian Senate. A scheme for the regulation and supply of native labour is proposed by min ng firms at Pretoria. 24. 25. 27. 28. A very largely atten ed meeting takes place at Breslau, in Germany. A resolution of sym pathy with the Boers is passed. More than a thousand persons beco.e members of the Pro-boer Legue. The Governor of Barc.lona resigns. The question of the British Post-office in Turkey is settled, and the present difficulty closed. Arabi Pacha and Mustapha Fehmy receive permission to return to Egypt after nineteen years' banishment to Ceylon. The yacht Shamrock II, is dismasted in the Solent in a squall, the King being on board at the time. The Swedish Parliament adopts the compromise on the Army Reorganisation Bil of the Government. The prisoner Bresci, who murdered King Humbert, commits suicide in his prison at Santo Stefano. Sir Alfred Milner arrives in London, is received by the King and created a Peer. There is a most serious explosion at the Universal Colliery in the Aber Valley, South Wales, between 70 and 80 men lose their lives. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall leave Brisbine. To-day is observed as a public holiday in Canada, as Victoria Day. A debate begins in the French Chamber on the recent rising in Algeria. There is a debate in the Belgian Senate on the Gambling Bill. Mr. Chamberlain entertains Lord Milner to luncheon at Claridge's Hotel in London. The German battleships in East Asia receive orders from Berlin to return home. The Co-operative Congress opens at Middlesbrough; 1,620,000 Members are represented. The Russian Minister of the Interior forbids the publication of the Novoe Vremya for the period of a week. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall arrive at Sydney on board the Ophir, with attend ng 2. The plague increases in Cape Colony. A suspicious case is reported from Mafeking. 3. Lord Kitchener takes ove: the admini tra.ion of Johannesburg. A small patrol of the Diamond Field Force are captured by the Boers in the vicinity of Cradock. 4. Sir Alfred Milner arrives at Cape Town. The Meyer and Charlton mines are re-started at Johannesburg. 7. Sir Alfred Milner is entertained at luncheon by the Mayor and the Corporation of Cape Town. 8. Generals Botha and Viljoen join commandos and occupy Carolina. Sir Alfred Milner sails for England. 13. Mrs. Louis Botha embarks at Durban for Europe. 15. The Cape University provides a centre at St. Helena for the benefit of those prisoners of war who wish to go in for examination. A patrol of thirty men of the Metropolitan Mounted Rifles lose four killed and six wounded in a skim sh near Maraisburg. Parties of Boers appear near Rosinead, Cape Colony. 16. The transport St. Andrews from South Africa arrives at Southampton, bringing 13 officers and 439 men from various depôts. 18. An armoured train is derailed by a mine south of Ame ica Siding; Major Heath is killed. The operations under various columns continue in the Transvaal. 23. Important co: centration of Boers is reported to be proceeding at Zuurberg, and also in the country round Botha's Pass. 22. Plague breaks out at Port Elizabeth. Five hundred Boer prisoners arrive at Bombay to be sent to Ahmednagar. 25. The Boers attack the convoy of General Two farmers are tried by court-martial at 2). Delarey attacks General Dixon's bigade of the 7th Battalion of Yeomanry near Vlakfontein; the British lose 4 officers killed and 174 inen killed or wounded. The Crisis in China. May 1. The Times correspondent at Pekin furnishes a summary of the report of the Committee of Foreign Ministers on the question of indemnity. 2. The Chinese Government propose to the Powers the opening up of Manchuria to the enterprise of all countries. Japan cordially approves. 5. The first detachment of the American fo:ce leaves Peking. A Russian lieutenant is shot dead by a 6. The Governor of Shang-tung is establishing two colleges at Tsi nan-fu, one military and the other scientific. state 8. The Foreign Ministers decide to address a Collective Note to China, informing her that the amount of the joint i idemnity is fixed at 450,000,000 taels, and asking her to how she proposes to meet the payment. 12. The Chinese reply to the Collective Note on the indemnity does not please the Foreign Ministers. 13. Mr. Rockhill continues his efforts to secure the abatement of the indemnity demands on China. There is an entertainment given at Pekin in honour of M. Pichon, the returning French Minister. 16. The British Military authorities undertake the ex ension of the railway to Tung-ch u, 22. Fighting takes place between German troops and the Chinese. Two cases of smallpox occur among the Indian troops in China. 27. The British indemnity proposals are viewed with increasing favour by the other Powers. 28. The German Emperor issues an order for the return of Count von Waldersee, and the reduction of German troops in China. Plague is serious at Hong Kong, there being 187 deaths in one week. PARLIAMENTARY. House of Lords. May 2. Second reading Marriages Legalisation 3. 10. 14. Bill. The Cockerton judgment; speech by the Duke Coaling stations; speeches by Lord Spencer, 17. Habitual Drunkards Bill; speeches by Lord Belper and others. The Bill passes through Committee. 25. The Bishop of Hereford moves for a Select Committee on the practice of betting; speeches by the Bishop of London, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Salisbury. The motion is agreed to. Situation in China; speech by Lord Lansdowne. 22. House of Commons. May 1. Second reading of Education (Young Children School Attendance) Scotland Bill, and of Steam Engines and Boilers (Persons in Charge) Bill. 2. The Coal Resolution-Speeches by Sir W. Harcourt, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Sir J. Joicey, Mr. J. Redmond, and others. The debate is adjourned on the motion of Sir E. Grey. 3. Mr. T. P. O'Connor calls attention to the practice of Jury packing in Ireland; speeches by the Attorney-General of Irland, Sir R. Reid, Mr. Blake, Mr. T. W. Russell, Mr. Haldane, and Mr. Wyndham. 6. Debate on the report stage of the Coal Tax resolution speeches by Sir E. Grey, Mr. Asquith, Mr. Blfour, and Mr. Gerald Ba four. On a division, the Tax is carried by 333 votes against 227-najority 106. 7. Sir John Gorst introduces the Education Bill; speeches by Dr. Macnamara, Mr. Bryce, and others. Irish Industrial Schools; speeches by Mr. O'Mara and Mr. Wynd ham. 8. Second reading of the Land Tenure Bill rejected by 225 votes against 164. 9. 10. The House goes into Committee on the Civil Mr. Dillon calls attention to the seizure of the 13. Army reorganisation resolution; speeches by Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, Mr. Wyndham, Sir Charles Di ke, Mr. Winston Churchill. 14. Army reorganisation resolution resumed: speeches by Lord Stanley, Mr. Dillon and others. 15. Mr. Healy moves the second reading of the Legil Procedure (Ireland) Bill; speeches by the Attorney-General for Ireland and others. On a division the Bill is negatived by a majority of 124. 16. Army reorganisation; speeches by Mr. Brodrick, Mr. Asquith and Mr. Balfour. On a division the resolution is carried by a majority of 142. 17. 25. Supply; Civil Service Estimates, the Vote is agreed to. Fiance Bill; Sir H. Fowler moves an amendment; speeches by Sir H Campbell-Bannerman, Mr. Lab.uchere, Mr. J. Redmond, and others. 21. Adjourned debate resum d; speeches by Mr. Hanbury, Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman and Mr. Balfour. The resolution is negatived by 300 votes against 123. Celtic langunge in Irish education; speeches by Mr. Doogan, Mr. W. Jones, Mr. Wyndham, Mr. Redmond. Lord Salisbury, in London, on the Unionists, the War. and Home Rule. The Duke of Devonshire, in London, on 15. Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, at Bradford, on the criminal mismanagement of the country by the present Government. 18. Mr. John Foster, at Yale University, on the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. The German Emperor, at Metz, on the return of the troops from China. Mr. Winston Churchill, at Oldham, protests against Militarism and its extravagance. 25. Mr. Chamberlain, in London, on South Africa. Lord Milner, in London, on the future of South Africa. Colonel Maxwell, R E. |