PREFACE. 



THE year 1893, a history of which is presented in this volume, was chiefly 

 memorable in the United States for the wonderful exposition at Chicago, by 

 far the finest world's fair that has ever been held since Prince Albert invented 

 world's fairs in 1851. Our volumes for 1891 and 1892 contained current and 

 partial accounts, which are supplemented in this volume by the closing article 

 of the series, which is chiefly devoted to the results of the exposition, and, like 

 the others, is freely illustrated. Another incident of the year, sadly memorable, 

 was the financial panic. This suggests the general subject, and the veteran 

 financial writer, James P. Carey, has furnished an account of all the panics in 

 the United States during the present century, explaining their causes, and 

 sketching their course and extent. On our western border, the two topics of 

 interest were Hawaii and the Bering Sea controversy. Both of these are 

 treated fully and illustrated, the latter with a colored map. With the new 

 administration of President Cleveland came in a new Cabinet, and a brief 

 sketch of each member of it, with a portrait, will be found in the article on 

 the United States. 



Beyond our own country, the most exciting incidents were those of the 

 revolt in Brazil, the story of which is told in the article on that country, and 

 we give also a new colored map of Brazil. 



The Canadian articles this year are unusually full, and that on the Dominion 

 of Canada is illustrated with a portrait of the new Governor-General, the Earl 

 of Aberdeen. 



Among the special articles, that on the Ramie plant, which is rapidly coming 

 into use as a substitute for cotton in the production of textile fabrics, is un- 

 usually interesting. Another is on the extent and condition of the " Tin-Plate 

 Industry in the United States." Another is on " Precious Stones," by a gem 

 expert. Another is on " Yachting," with diagrams showing the varied forms of 

 ^yacht that have been devised in the endeavor to attain the greatest possible 

 speed. Another describes the game of " Golf." Another deals with the " Prog- 

 ress of Library Economy," a rapidly growing subject, by the Superintendent 

 of the Free Circulating Libraries of New York. Another explains the " Rule 

 of the Road." Another sketches rapidly the recent growth in the science of 

 " Surgery and Medicine." Another deals with the curious subject of " Telepa- 

 thy." And perhaps the most interesting of all is that entitled " Gifts and Be- 

 quests," which records all such of the value of five thousand dollars or more 

 that were made or became operative in the United States in 1893. It is the 



