VALUES OF FOREIGN COINS, JULY 1, 1896. Monetary Unit. Value U.S. Coins. $0.965 Gold: Argentine ($4.824) and 1⁄2 Argentine. and divisions. Silver: peso ..... Belgium Bolivia Brazil ..... Crown .203 .193 Silver Boliviano ..... .497 Gold: 20 crowns ($4.052); 10 crowns ($2.026). Gold Milreis.. .546 Br. N. A., except Gold Dollar 1.00 Cent. Amer States-Silver Peso .497 Chili Gold and silver. Peso .912 Gold: 5, 10 and 20 milreis. Silver:, 1 and 2 milreis. Silver: peso and divisions. Gold: escudo ($1.824), doubloon ($4.561), and condor ($9.128). Silver: Peso and divisions. Gold: 10, 20, 50 and 100 piasters. Silver: 1, 2, 10 and 20 Gold: 20 marks ($3.859), 10 marks ($1.93). 4.866% Gold: sovereign (pound sterling) and 1⁄2 sovereign. Gold: 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 drachmas. Silver: 5 drachmas. Gold: mohur ($7.105). Silver: rupee and divisions. Gold: dollar ($0.983), 22, 5, 10 and 20 dollars. Gold: 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs. Silver: 5 francs. Silver: %, 1 and 21⁄2 florins. Newfoundland Gold Dollar 1.014 Gold: 2 dollars ($2.027). ..... Norway...... Gold Crown .268 Gold: 10 and 20 crowns. Peru Portugal Silver Sol .497 Silver: sol and divisions. 1.08 Gold: 1, 2, 5 and 10 milreis. Gold: imperial ($7.72), and 1⁄2 imperial ($3.86). Silver: 4, 1⁄2 and 1 ruble. Spain Tripo Sweden Switzerland Turkey .... Venezuela Gold and silver. Peseta Gold and silver. Franc Gold and silver. Bolivar The silver standard prevailed up to 1892. The law of August 2, 1892, established the gold standard. b The value of the tael of China, and every port has two taels-one the Government, or Haikwan, in which all duties have to be paid, and the other the market tael. .193 Gold: 25 pesetas. Silver: 5 pesetas. .268 Gold: 10 and 20 crowns. Gold: 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs. Silver: 5 francs. .193 Gold: 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 bolivars. Silver: 5 bolivars. The following shows how Africa has been carved up by the various European Powers, i. e., African "possessions": Ohio..... STATES AND TERRITORIES-GENERAL INFORMATION.-Continued. 3,672,316] 41,0601 Oklahoma 39,030 Oregon 96,030 61,834 313,767 Pennsylvania 45,215] 5,258,014 Rhode Island. 1,250 345.506 South Carolina.... 30,570 1,151,149 South Dakota. 77,650 Tennessee 42,050 328,808 1,767,518 Texas 265,780 2,235,523 Utah 84,970 Vermont 9,565 332,422 Virginia 42,450 1,655,980 Washington 69,180 349,3901 West Virginia... 24,780 762,794 Wisconsin 56,040 1,686,880 Wyoming 97.890 60.705 Totals ··· 207,903 13,025,530 c62,748,974 ....No limit. ...No limit. 60 days. Robert L. Taylor, D.... No limit.1 M. Jan., '97. A. S. Bushnell, R.......No limit. Harrisburg.... Dan'l H. Hastings, R... No limit. Wm. C. Renfrow, D... 60 days. Newp't & Prov Chas. W. Lippitt, R... No limit. A. E. Lee, Pop. (Fus.).. 60 days. R. C. A. Culberson, D..... 60 days. Chas. T. O'Ferrall, D... 90 days. Madison....... Edward Scofield, R..... No limit. Columbia..... W. H. Ellerbee, D......No limit. Wm. A. Richards, R.....40 days. Josiah Grout, R.... Olympia...... J. R. Rogers, Pop. (F.)..60 days. Salt Lake City. H. M. Wells, R.. Charleston.... G. W. Atkinson, R. Salem......... Wm. P. Columbus..... Guthrie....... Pierre..... Nashville. Montpelier... Austin...... Richmond. Cheyenne... 6758878878 Z Z Z 45 days. Tu.a.1M.Jan. '97. *2 Tu. Jan., '97. Sessions annual. a Inclusive of land and water. b One delegate in Congress. c For total popu"R.," Republicans; "D.," Democrats; "Pop.," Populists: "F." or lation add District of Columbia, 230,392. d For terms of office, salaries, etc., of Governors, also names of other State officers, see *Annual elections. *Biennial. It is rarely that international complications involving the interests of the United States excite so much interest throughout the world as have those arising out of the long-standing dispute between Venezuela and Great Britain over their respective boundaries in the region of the Orinoco River. The territory in dispute included the Yuruary Valley, in which gold mines of great value have been discovered in recent years, and the possession of which would go far to put Great Britain in control of the navigable waters of the Orinoco and the key to the commerce of one-quarter of the entire South American continent. The United States viewed the progress of the controversy with some anxiety, and frequently made effort to secure settlement by arbitration. February 20, 1895, the United States Congress adopted a joint resolution urging that Great Britain and Venezuela refer their dispute as to boundaries to friendly arbitration. Great Britain declined to act upon this resolution for several reasons: That Great Britain once consented to arbitration, but Venezuela made no reply either accepting or rejecting the suggested basis of arbitration; that in any event there were certain portions of territory to which Venezuela laid claim, which under no circumstances would Great submit to arbitration; and that the subject matter was one between Great Britain and Venezuela, so that the good offices of the United States could not be regarded as essential to a settlement. Not long afterward it appeared that the British "rejection" of the American proposals was rather a non-acceptance of them in their first form, in expectation of arranging a form satisfactory to both parties. Britain corre On December 17, 1895, President Cleveland submitted to Congress the spondence which had passed between the British and United States governments, accompanying it with a special message which asked authority to appoint a commission to determine the merits of the boundary dispute as a preliminary to a final decision by the United States Government as to its course of conduct in the case. A bill was introduced by Representative R. R. Hitt appropriating $100,000 for the expenses of the commission, which was passed by the House on the following day, and by the Senate on December 20. The President then appointed the following as the commission: Justice David J. Brewer, of the U. S. Supreme Court: Richard H. Alvey, Chief Justice of Maryland; Andrew D. White, of NewYork; Frederic R. Coudert, of New-York; Daniel C. Gilman, president of Johns Hopkins University. The Commission organized on January 4, 1896, by electing Judge Brewer president. On January 20, S. Malet Prevost was elected secretary. Regular weekly meetings were held and researches were vigorously prosecuted, much material being gathered from the records of the Venezuelan legations at Rome, Madrid, London and Paris, and also from the Dutch and Spanish archives and elsewhere. On November 12, Sir 1896, an agreement was signed by Julian Pauncefote, the representative of Great Britain, and Richard Olney, Secre tary of the United States Government, which, as published on December 7, 1896, read as follows: "Heads of proposed treaty between Venezuela and Great Britain for settlement of Venezuela boundary question as agreed upon between Great Britain and the United States. First-An Arbitral Tribunal shall be immediately determine appointed to the boundary line between the colony of British Guiana and the Republic of Venezuela. Seccnd-The Tribunal shall consist of two members nominated by the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States and two members nominated by the Judges of the British Supreme Court of Justice, and of a fifth jurist selected by four persons so nominated, or in the event within of their failure to agree three months from the time of their nomination, selected by His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway. "The person so selected shall be president of the Tribunal. "The persons nominated by the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States and of the British Supreme Court of Justice respectively may be judges of either of said courts, "Third-The Tribunal shall investigate and ascertain the extent of the territories belonging to or that might lawfully be claimed by the United Netherlands or by the Kingdom of Spain respectively at the time of the acquisition by Great Britain of the colony of British Guiana, and shall determine the boundary line between the colony of British Guiana and the Republic of Venezuela. "Fourth-In deciding the matters submitted the arbitrators shall ascertain all the facts which they deem necessary to a decision of the controversy, and shall be governed by the following rules agreed upon by the high contracting parties as rules to be taken as applicable to the case, and by such principles of international law not inconsistent therewith as the arbitrators shall determine to be applicable to the case. RULES. "(A.) Adverse holding or prescription during a period of fifty years shall make a good title. The arbitrators may deem exclusive political control of a district as well as actual settlement thereof sufficient to constitute adverse holding, or to make title by prescription. "(B.) The arbitrators may recognize and give effect to rights and claims resting on any other ground whatever, valued according to international and on any principles of international law, which the arbitrators may deem to be applicable to the case, and which are not in contravention of the foregoing rule. "(C.) In determining the boundary line, if territory of one party be found by the Tribunal to have been at the date of this treaty in the occupation of the subjects or citizens of the other party, such effect shall be given to such occupation reason, justice, the principles of international law and the equities of the case shall, in the opinion of the Tribunal, require." as as re The Venezuelan Government, ported at Washington on December 7, accepted of the above terms. Congress: Political Complexion. The political classification of Representatives-elect in the LVth Congress made by Clerk McDowell on the unofficial list probably shows a greater variety of political organizations than ever before found representation in that body. Of straight Republicans there are 204; straight Democrats, 124. The members designated by other titles are as follows, from the districts named: Populists-M. W. Howard, VIIth Alabama; C. A. Barlow, VIth California; G. R. Castle, VIIth California; John C. Bell, IId Colorado; E. R. Ridgely, IIId Kansas; W. D. Vincent, Vth Kansas; H. B. McCormick, VIth Kansas; Jerry Simpson, VIIth Kansas; Harry Skinner, Ist North Carolina; W. F. Stroud, IVth North Carolina; C. H. Martin, VIth North Carolina; Freeman Knowles, South Dakota at large -12. Fusionists Thomas K. Jett, XVIIIth Illinois; Jehu Baker, XXIst Illinois; James M. Robinson, XIIth Indiana; Jeremiah D. Botkin, Kansas at large; Albert M. Todd, IIId Michigan; Samuel Maxwell, IIId Nebraska: W. H. Stark. IVth Nebraska; J. D. Sutherland, Vth Nebraska; W. L. Green, VIth Nebraska; J. L. Brenner, IIId Ohio; G. A. Marshall, IVth Ohio; David Meckison. VIth Ohio; J. A. McDowell, XVIIth Ohio; J. H. Lewis and W. C. Jones, Washington at large-15. Silverites-John F. Shafroth, Ist ColoCharles rado: S. Hartman, Montana; Francis G. Newlands, Nevada-3. Transmississippi Exposition. The Transmississippi and International Exposition is to be held at Omaha, Neb., from June 1 to November 1, 1898. Congress at its last session passed an act recognizing and indorsing the Exposition and providing for an appropriation of $200,000 for a Government building and exhibit. Citizens of Omaha have subscribed $400,000 of the capital stock, and the work of construction and otherwise providing for the Exposition will be taken up early this year. Several of the States and Territories lying west of the Mississippi River have pledged adequate representation, and also appropriations toward the expenses. It was practically assured before the close of 1896 that twenty, at least, of the twenty-four States and Territories will be fittingly an and largely represented. The people living in fifteen of these States and Territories, within a radius of 500 miles of Omaha, number, according to the census | of 1890, 20,485,088. They possess aggregate wealth of $23,576.586.897, an increase in ten years of $10,008.586,897. It is intended to exhibit particularly the products, resources, industries and civilization of the States and Territories west of the Mississippi River, and. Incidentally, the products, resources and industries of the other States of the Union and of foreign countries. The principal officers of the Exposition Board are: President, Gordon W. Wattles; vice-president, Jacob E. Markell; treasurer, Herman Kountze: secretary, John A. Wakefield. Headquarters, Omaha, Neb. |