posed unusual service in protecting American and foreign interests along the extended Pacific coast of Mexico. Practically all the cruisers and gunboats were kept in this service. In June an expeditionary force of 300 marines were embarked at San Diego, Cal., and taken to the vicinity of Guaymas to meet the serious conditions in the Yaqui Valley. Settlers in these valleys were threatened by the natives. The necessity for landing did not develop, and the expeditionary force finally returned to the United States. In August a division of destroyers of the Pacific flotilla made a cruise in Alaskan waters.

In the Atlantic the fleet had an exceptionally active year. In addition to the regular programme of drills, target practice, etc., there were special duties in the maintenance of the neutrality of the ports of New York, Boston, and Norfolk. Conditions in Mexico required the constant presence of a number of cruisers in several important Mexican ports. For an account of the difficulties in Haiti, see Foreign Relations, infra. The gunnery of the fleet showed most gratifying progress in 1915. The entire Atlantic fleet was reviewed by the President in New York harbor on May 17th and 18th in the presence of a vast crowd. In January the vessels of the fleet were able to relieve famine sufferers in Samoa.

The Secretary of the Navy, in a general report, gave a large amount of space to the proposed building programme. He suggested an expenditure for five years of between $95,000,000 and $110,000,000 annually for the construction of new vessels. These would include, by 1921, 27 battleships, 6 battle cruisers, 25 battleships of the second class, 10 armored cruisers, 13 scout cruisers, 5 first class and 3 second class cruisers, 10 third class cruisers, 108 destroyers, 18 fleet submarines, 157 coast submarines, and 6 monitors. In addition he recommended the building of a large number of vessels of special class for supplying fuel, transport, etc.

He recommended also an increase of 7500 men, 2500 aprenticeship seamen, and 1500 marines. The total number of enlisted men in the navy as seamen and apprentices was 62,991, and in the marine corps 11,479, making a total of 74,460. To this number should be added 4121 officers and 907 midshipmen at Annapolis, making a grand total of 79,488.

The vessels built and building, or contracted for in 1915, included 9 of the dreadnought type: Oklahoma, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Mississippi, Idaho, California, and Numbers 43 and 44. The Oklahoma and Nevada were nearly completed at the end of the year, and the Pennsylvania and the Arizona were to be finished in 1916. Progress also was made with the Mississippi, Idaho, and California. In addition to these, there was authorization to build 17 torpedo boat destroyers, 3 fleet submarines, 35 submarines, 2 fuel ships, 2 tenders to torpedo vessels, 1 transport, and 1 supply ship.

The Secretary of the Navy recommended the establishment of a government armor-plate plant, and also the establishment of factories for making all munitions for the navy.

The most serious disaster in the history of the navy during the year was the sinking of the submarine F4 at Honolulu Harbor on March 25th. This was the first submarine disaster in the American navy. After operations which re

quired months, the submarine was raised on August 29th. It was thought that the cause of the disaster was due to the corroded condition of the lead lining.

On June 24, Secretary Daniels abolished the positions of naval aides, which had previously existed, and substituted a council, known as the secretary's advisory council. This was composed of the assistant secretary of the navy, the chief of naval operations, the chiefs of the various bureaus, and the commandant of the marine corps.

The naval appropriation act passed by the Sixty-third Congress authorized the appointment of an advisory committee on aëronautics, and on April 2nd President Wilson appointed 12 members to act on this committee. There was also formed during the year an advisory board of civilian inventors, scientists, and engineers, to consider methods of improving the efficiency of the navy. Sixteen representative American scientists were selected by the leading scientific societies of the country, and Thomas A. Edison was made chairman. On September 12th, the membership of the board was filled out. It consisted of 23 members: Thomas A. Edison; W. R. Whitney and L. H. Backeland, elected by the American Chemical Society; Frank J. Sprague and B. J. Lamme, elected by the American Institute of Electrical Engineers; Robert S. Woodward, elected by the American Mathematical Society; Andrew Murray Hunt and Alfred Craven, elected by the American Society of Civil Engineers; Matthew Bacon Sellers and Hudson Maxim, elected by the American Aëronautical Society; Peter C. Hewitt and Thomas Robbins, elected by the Inventors' Guild; Andrew L. Riker and Howard E. Coffin, elected by the American Society of Automobile Engineers; William L. Saunders and Benjamin B. Thayer, elected by the American Institute of Mining Engineers; Joseph W. Richards and Lawrence Addicks, elected by the American Electro-Chemical Society; William L. Emmet and Spencer Miller, elected by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; and Henry A. Wise Wood and Elmer A. Sperry, elected by the American Society of Aeronautic Engineers. Mr. Wood later resigned from the committee, alleging lack of sympathy with President Wilson's plans for preparedness. This board, on October 7th, unanimously approved the plan for the establishment of a great research and experimental laboratory for the navy. The cost for the building of such a laboratory would be $5,000,000 for grounds, building, and equipment; the annual expenditure for operation about $3,000,000. See also NAVAL PROGRESS, and PREPARED

NESS.

POST OFFICE. The year 1915 was an abnormal one in the financial life of the country, and this condition was reflected in the post office. While in 1913-14 there were surpluses of $3,800,000, and $3,500,000 respectively, there was in the fiscal year 1915 a deficit of $11,333,308. In August, 1914, coincident with the actual beginning of the hostilities in Europe, not only were the previous increases in revenues lost, but a decrease of 1.2 per cent was shown. The decline continued for several months, reaching its lowest point on November 1st, when a decrease of 5.7 per cent was shown. Then a gradual improvement began and continued until the report in June, 1915, showed a gain over the preceding year. In September,

1915, the increase continued, and in October the increase over October, 1914, was 7.5.

Parcel Post. The parcel post service is now carried on with 52 foreign countries and colonies. Notwithstanding a decrease in the trans-Atlantic station schedule caused by the war, frequent mail service to each of the European countries was maintained throughout the year. The mails for belligerent countries were so routed as not to require transit through any country with which such countries were at war. The only mails for trans-Atlantic countries which were lost, were those dispatched by the steamship Lusitania, which was sunk off the coast of Ireland on May 7th.

At the commencement of the war the parcel post service with Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, and France was suspended owing to the inability of those countries to conduct that service on their side. Service with France was resumed on Nov. 3, 1914, and with Germany and Austria-Hungary on the 30th of the same month. At the end of the year Belgium was the only country with which the service was not resumed.

The domestic parcel post continued to grow in proportions during the year. A comprehensive review and investigation into the rural delivery service was undertaken during 1915. New service established provided rural delivery for fully 2,000,000 additional patrons. Motor vehicle service was authorized under a joint resolution passed in Congress.

POSTAL SAVINGS SYSTEM. There was an increase during the year both in the number of deposits and in the amount deposited in the postal savings banks. Conditions brought about by the European war contributed largely to the gain. On June 30, 1915, the number of depositors was 525,414, a gain of over 35 per cent during the year. The amount of deposits was $65,684,708, a gain for the year of $22,240,437, or 51 per cent. The largest increase was in New York City, which was 199.4 per

cent.

PENSIONS. There were on the pension rolls at the end of the fiscal year 748,147 names, a net loss of 37,092 during the year. The percentage of deaths of Civil War soldiers from 1909-15 increased gradually from 5.2 to 7.7 per cent, but the actual number of deaths does not always show an increase year by year. The number of deaths of Civil War soldiers who were pensioners was 33,255, as against 33,369 in the fiscal year 1914. The number of deaths of widows on the roll during the year 1915 was 17,915. The amount appropriated for the payment of pensions was $169,000,000. There was unexpended at the end of the year about $3,700,000. The appropriations for 1916 were $164,000,000. The total amount of disbursements for pensions from July 1, 1790, to July 1, 1915, was $4,895,475,637, of which amount $4,614,643,267 is charged to allowances made on the basis of service rendered during the Civil War. It is estimated that the total number of Civil War soldiers at the end of the year was 396,370, out of a total number enlisted of 2,213,365. Outside of the Civil War veterans, there were 24,370 pensioners of the war with Spain, on the rolls, and 15,242 pensioners of the regular army. There were 134 widows of the War of 1812, and 680 survivors, and 4253 widows of the war with Mexico. There were 786 survivors and 2046 widows drawing

pensions on account of service in the Indian

wars.

BUREAU OF MINES. Joseph A. Holmes (q.v.), director of the bureau, died during the year. Investigations carried on by Dr. Walter Rittman, resulted in the perfection of the process whereby refiners may obtain from crude oils 20 per cent more gasoline than was obtained by old methods. Dr. Rittman also devised a second process whereby benzol and tuluol, used in the manufacture of synthetic dyes and high explosives, could be made from petroleum. The bureau also devised methods for the production of radium from carnotite ores of Colorado and Utah, at an average cost of $36,500 a gram, twothirds less than the price asked by foreign producers.

The bureau continues its additional work among the miners, instructing them in safety, rescue, and first aid needs. The result of this work is shown by the fact that during the year there was a decrease of 458 deaths from accidents in mines.

DIPLOMATIC SERVICE. The chief interest in American diplomatic circles in 1915 centred about the activities of the German and Austrian diplomats and diplomatic agents in the United States. An account of their activities, which resulted in the recall of Dr. Dumba, Austrian ambassador, and several officials of the German Embassy, will be found in the article UNITED STATES AND THE WAR.

The representatives of the United States in the warring countries, to whom were entrusted the interests of the belligerents, had in many cases arduous tasks to perform. This was notably true of Ambassador Gerard in Berlin, and Minister Whitlock in Belgium. Ambassador Page, in London, too, had many matters of difficulty and importance to manage. There were no important changes among ambassadors and ministers of the United States in Europe. All the ambassadors and ministers retained their posts.

During 1915 United States embassies, legations, or consulates, representing the interests of foreign governments, were as follows:

In Serbia, German and Austrian; in Austria, French, British, and Japanese; in Russia, Austrian and German; in Germany, French, British, Japanese, and Serbian; in France, Austrian, German, Turkish, Guatemalan, and Nicaraguan; in Belgium, Austrian, German, British, Serbian, Japanese, Danish, and Turkish; in Great Britain, Austrian, German, and Turkish; in Japan, Austrian and German; in Egypt, German, Brazilian, and Swiss; in Turkey, French, Serbian, British, Belgian, and Swiss.

One of the most important and interesting appointments of representatives to the United States was that of V. K. W. Koo, as minister from China, to succeed K. A. J. Fu Shah. Mr. Koo was educated in Columbia College, where he made a brilliant record. He is known to have a good understanding of American political life and problems. He had previously served as minister to Mexico, Peru, and Cuba. His appointment was announced on October 25th, and Mr. Koo sailed for the United States at once, arriving on October 28th.

The diplomatic representatives of the United States in 1915, and the representatives of foreign countries in the United States are given in the accompanying table:

Mr. Bryan resigned the portfolio of Secretary of State on June 8, and Mr. Lansing, previously counsellor of the State Department, was appointed on June 23, 1915

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. The Chief Justice of the United States was Edward D. White (born 1845, appointed 1910) of Louisiana. The associate justices were: Joseph McKenna (Cal.), Oliver W. Holmes (Mass.), William R. Day (Ohio), Charles E. Hughes (N. Y.), W. Van Devanter (Wyo.), Joseph R. Lamar (Ga.), Mahlon Pitney (N. J.), James C. McReynolds (Tenn.). Clerk, James D. Maher. Marshal, Frank Key Green. Reporter, C. H. Butler. CABINET. The only change in the President's cabinet in 1915 was the withdrawal of Mr. Bryan, Secretary of State. His action came at a critical period in diplomatic affairs-on June 9th. Mr. Bryan's ostensible reason for resigning was the fact that he was unable to agree with President Wilson as to the course to be pursued toward compelling Germany to cease her submarine method of warfare on the high seas. He declared that he had devoted his energies toward the prevention of war, and because of this was unable to agree to the sending of the note of June 8th to Germany in regard to the Lusitania disaster. In a personal statement issued on June 9th, Mr. Bryan contended that the difficulties between Germany and the United States should be investigated by an international commission, and that Americans should be warned to keep off belligerent ships or those carrying munitions through the danger zone. On June 11th a speech of his, "addressed to the GermanAmericans," appealed to those citizens to exert their influence to convince the German government of the President's desire for peace, and to

persuade that government to take no step that would lead in the direction of war. In recommending his course Mr. Bryan disclaimed any intention of minimizing the earnestness of President Wilson's note to the German government, and declared that the United States should send a note to Great Britain insisting upon her observance of the principles of international law. Mr. Bryan was severely criticised for resigning at a time when the affairs of the Department of State were at such a critical point. Further criticism was directed against him when it developed that he had assured the Austrian ambassador privately that certain communications were not to be taken too seriously. Following his resignation, Mr. Bryan made a number of addresses defending his course, and urging the importance of the United States remaining at peace.

On June 23rd Robert Lansing was appointed Secretary of State to succeed Mr. Bryan, and on August 28th Frank L. Polk, at that time corporation counsel of the city of New York, was appointed Counselor of the Department of State to succeed Mr. Lansing.

CONGRESS. The Sixty-third Congress, after nearly two years of continuous sessions, came to an end on March 4, 1915. The most important measures enacted were new tariff and currency laws, amendments to the anti-trust laws, an income-tax law, and the constitutional amendment for the popular election of Senators. Among other important measures was the so-called Stone Bill for the improvement of the foreign