514 



NEWFOUNDLAND. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



an average. In 1895 the export of dried codfish 

 was 1,312,608 quintals : value, $3,876,964. The 

 total value of fishery products in 1895-'96 was 

 $5,853,132. The value of the imports in 1895-'96 

 was $5,986,571 : of the exports, $6,638,187. A com- 

 pany with a capital of $100,000 has been formed to 

 prosecute the whale fishery around the shores of 

 the island. The whales met with here are not the 

 right or Greenland whale, now becoming extinct, 

 but the humpback, sulphur bottom or blue whale, 

 and the finback. These are in myriads around the 

 shores in summer. In Norway a similar fishery 

 has been prosecuted for years with profitable re- 

 sults. 



Events. The year 1896 was one of steady prog- 

 ress, industrially and financially, and was unmarked 

 by any very striking events. The wonderful recu- 

 perative energy of the country after the great fire 

 of 1892, and the far more serious financial crash of 

 December, 1894, has been displayed continuously, 

 so. that at the close of 1896 the colony was in a 

 sounder economic condition than before these dis- 

 asters occurred. The credit system has been great- 

 ly curtailed. The result has been a marked im- 

 provement in the mode of conducting the fisheries, 

 a better cure of fish, and greater energy in prose- 

 cuting the work, while the feeling of confidence has 

 been completely restored. 



The revenue is derived almost entirely from du- 

 ties on imported goods, so that an increase of rev- 

 enue indicates increased purchasing power on the 

 part of the people, and consequently an improve- 

 ment in the returns derived from their industries. 

 The fiscal year has been changed, and now termi- 

 nates on June 30. The revenue for the year ending 

 June 30, 1896, amounted to $1.564,303, an advance 

 of $206,493 on the revenue of the preceding year. 

 The total expenditure for the year ending June 30, 

 1896, was $1,357.810, so that the surplus for the year 

 was $206,493. This prosperous condition of the rev- 

 enue continued till the close of 1896, the amount 

 of revenue collected during those six months being 

 $800,000 a sum considerably over the estimates and 

 also over the anticipated expenditure. 



There is now placed at interest to the credit of 

 the colony $360,000, being the unexpended balance 

 of the late loan, and also $200.000, being surplus 

 revenue in all $560,000 at 3 per cent, to meet any 

 emergency. 



On Sept. 30, 1896, the savings-banks deposits 

 amounted to $1,291,686, the increase during the year 

 being $51.839. 



On Dec. 31, 1896, the public debt was about 

 $14,659,715. The interest on this is over $570,000. 

 As a set-otf, there is the saving effected by the re- 

 trenchment policy of the Government, amounting 

 to $564,000; so that the interest on the public debt 

 has been almost covered by this saving. This 

 economy was accomplished by the reduction of 

 official salaries, and of the grants to the public 

 services, without impairing the efficiency of either. 



Very striking developments in mining industries 

 have been made during the year. A new outcrop 

 of coal, the largest seam yet found, was discovered 

 in Codroy valley, late in the autumn. It is on the 

 new line of railway. Borings for petroleum have 

 been successful on the west coast, north of Cow 

 Head. Two companies have been operating here, 

 and both have struck oil. The Canada Petroleum 

 Company, at a depth of 1,030 feet, have reached a 

 large well, the supply being abundant and the 

 quality excellent. The other found oil in abun- 

 dance at a less depth. 



Besides the immense deposit of iron ore on Belle 

 Isle, Conception Bay, which has been vigorously 

 worked during the year, several other deposits of 

 the same kind of ore (red hematite) are reported to 



have been discovered on the north shore of the 

 same bay. A new and extensive deposit of lead 

 and silver ore has been found on Placentia Bay, 

 not far from Silver Cliff Mine. 



A few months ago a still more important dis- 

 covery was made at Cape Broyle, 40 miles south of 

 St. John's. Here operations were begun on a large 

 quartz reef, and samples were found to contain 

 three ounces of gold to the ton. As soon as tin- 

 news was published a gold fever was developed, 

 and in a short time 45 square miles were covered 

 with mining licenses. Preparations are being made 

 to work these reefs. 



From the iron pyrites mine, Pilley's island, Ex- 

 ploits Bay, 36,496 tons were exported during the 

 year; value, $182,480. The value of copper ore 

 exported in ingots, regulus, and green ore was 

 $483,814. Asbestos has been found over a large 

 area. 



The new coal field near Grand lake, close to the 

 railway, is of great extent. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE, a New England State, one 

 of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution 

 June 21, 1788 ; area, 9,305 square miles. The popu- 

 lation, according to each decennial census, was 141,- 

 885 in 1790; 183,858 in 1800; 214.460 in 1810; 244,- 

 022 in 1820: 269,328 in 1830; 284.574 in 1840; 

 317,916 in 1850; 326.073 in 1860; 318.300 in 1870; 

 346,991 in 1880; and 376,530 in 1890. Capital, 

 Concord. 



Government. The following were the State of- 

 ficers during the year : Governor, Charles A. Bu- 

 sicl : Secretary of State, Ezra S. Stearns ; Treas- 

 urer, Solon A. Carter ; Attorney-General. Edwin J. 

 Eastman ; Adjutant General, Augustus D. Ayling 

 all Republicans; Insurance Commissioner, John 

 C. Linehan ; Bank Commissioners, Alpheus W. 

 Baker, K. P. Hatch, John Platch, Thomas J. Walk- 

 er ; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Frederic 

 Gowing ; Labor Commissioner, John W. Bourlet, 

 succeeded by Julian F. Trask ; Bank Examiner, F. 

 E. Timberlake ; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, 

 Charles Doe, who died March 9, and was succeeded 

 by Alonzo P. Carpenter, Republican ; Associate 

 Justices, William M. Chase, Democrat, Frank N. 

 Parsons and R. M. Wallace, Republicans, and Isaac 

 N. Blodgett and Lewis W. Clark, Democrats, and 

 Robert G. Pike, Republican, succeeding A. P. Car- 

 penter. 



Finances. The annual statement of the Treas- 

 urer for the year ending May 31 gave the following 

 summaries: Cash on hand June 1, 1895, $143,192.- 

 81 ; receipts during the year, $1,528,863.36 ; total 

 $1,672,056.17; disbursements, $1,460,547.30 ; cash on 

 hand June 1. 1896, $211,508.87: net debt June 1, 1896, 

 $1.827.741.37; reduction of debt during the year, 

 $198,559.28. The principal sources of revenue were : 

 State tax, $500.000 ; railroad tax, $127,822.12; in- 

 surance tax, $22,526.36 ; telegraph tax, $3,000 40 ; 

 telephone tax, $2,699.53 : income from the Benja- 

 min Thompson estate, $13,694.22; fees, insurance 

 department, $8,127.40; license fees, $2,075. 



The valuation by counties for 1896 is $200,957.- 

 600. The taxable savings deposits amount to $56.- 

 884,200, the insurance capital is $1,275,000, and the 

 valuation of railroads is $21,222,500. From this 

 deduction is made of all sums assessed in towns 

 and paid by the companies upon property not re- 

 quired for general use in operating the roads. 

 Upon the remainder the tax is the same as the 

 average taxation of property $1.60 upon the $100. 



Education. Dartmouth College graduated a 

 class of 53 in June. The class of 1900 numbers 

 160, the largest ever entered. The enrollment in 

 the academic department in September was about 

 450, and in all the departments about 600. An 

 Alumni Memorial Hall is to be built on a lot north 



