(IKK MANY. 



and endeavored to arrive at an understanding. 

 Ku--ia tlnally proposed a provisional treaty until 

 Dec. ::i, ISii::, ami in the meantime to appoint 

 another committee to arrive at some definite un- 

 derstanding. The Russian proposals were not 

 acceptable to Germany, and, as a consequence. 

 Kussia declared her maximum tariff in force 

 against Germany, beginning with Aug. 1. 1 *!::. 

 This maximum tariff raised the duties 15, 20, 

 and 80 per cent, over the ordinary tariff. Ger- 

 many retaliated by raising her tariff 50 per cent, 

 on all Russian imports. Russia, in reply, raised 

 her duties another 50 per cent, ana added 1 

 ruble per ton on the lastage of vessels under the 

 German flag entering Russian ports and harbors. 

 Although in some respects Germany, suffered 

 under this tariff war, yet it had not the effect ex- 

 pected by Russia, inasmuch as the principal im- 

 port from Russia, viz., grain, was procured from 

 other sources, principally the United States. The 

 German industry suffered somewhat, but, on the 

 whole, Russia seemed to be the heaviest loser. In 

 the meantime negotiations were taken up again, 

 and an agreement was finally arrived at between 

 the two governments. Germany grants the same 

 concessions to Russian grain which Austria en- 

 joys, and a reduction of taxes on oats and rye is 

 conceded. Russia reduces her tariff on iron, zinc, 

 and steel 10 per cent., and on agricultural ma- 

 chinery 20 per cent. A reduction of the tariff 

 on coal is also granted ; however, the tariff on 

 sea-borne coal and steel rails is not reduced. 

 The bitter opposition to the Russian treaty in- 

 augurated by the Agrarians and taken up by the 

 Conservatives makes the adoption of this treaty 

 by the Reichstag uncertain, and a union formed 

 between the Conservatives and the Clericals to 

 oppose the treaty, formed on Dec. 30, 1893, 

 might determine its fate adversely. 



Commercial treaties with Spain, Roumania, and 

 Servia were concluded and adopted by the Reichs- 

 tag, Dec. 15, 1893, in spite of the opposition of 

 the Agrarians. 



International Sanitary Conference. An 

 International Sanitary Conference was held in 

 Dresden in March, 1893, and formed the sequel 

 or development of that held in Venice in 1892 

 (see ITALY, "Annual Cyclopaedia" for 1892). 

 The work accomplished may be divided into two 

 sections. The first section contains preventive 

 measures to be taken against cholera as regards 

 passenger and goods traffic. The second section 

 deals with the sanitation at the mouth of the 

 Danube, similar to the regulations adopted at 

 the Venice Conference for Alexandria and the 

 Red Sea. The first section contains provisions 

 for the interchange of official information be- 

 tween the signatory powers as to the appear- 

 ance. progress, and preventive measures adopt- 

 ed by the several states. In future old clothes, 

 bedding, soiled linen, and rags shall alone be- 

 come immediately liable to exclusion ; importa- 

 tion of other articles shall only be prohibited 

 under special regulations. Land quarantine is 

 regarded as futile by the conference, while quar- 

 antine upon arrivals by sea is fixed within cer- 

 tain limits. Ships are to be regarded as infected 

 only if cases have actually occurred on board 

 during the last seven days of the voyage, and as 

 suspect where cases have occurred prior to the 

 last seven days. Other ships, although arriving 



from infected ports, are not to be detained an 

 long as they are free from suspicious cax->, mb- 

 ject to the right of the local authorities to im- 

 pose reasonable measures of disinfect in and a 

 term of medical observation not to exceed five 

 days from the date of Bailing. The term of five 

 days' medical observation from the date of land- 

 ing is fixed for passengers and crews arriving 

 on infected ships or such as are classed as sus- 

 pect. The following countries were represented 

 at the conference : Germany, Russia. France, 

 England, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and 

 Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, 

 Austria-Hungary, Montenegro, Servia, Turkey, 

 Greece, Roumania, Switzerland, and Egypt. 



The Duke of Saxe-Cobnrg-fiotha. The 

 death of Duke Ernest II of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 

 on Aug. 22, 1893, brought to the throne of that 

 duchy an English prince. Duke Ernest was 

 born June 21, 1818, and succeeded to the throne 

 on the death of his father, Jan. 29, 1844. He 

 was a brother of Prince Albert, the husband of 

 the present Queen Victoria of England. Ac- 

 cording to the latter's marriage settlement, their 

 second son was to succeed to the throne of Co- 

 burg in case Duke Ernest should die childless. 

 This event having taken place, Queen Victoria's 

 second son, the Duke of Edinburgh, ascended 

 the throne of Coburg on Aug. 23, 1893. Alfred 

 Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, was born at 

 Windsor Castle, Aug. 6, 1844, studied modern 

 languages at Geneva, entered the naval service 

 in 1858, and after long years of distinguished 

 service was promoted in 1882 to the rank of 

 vice-admiral of the British fleet, which position 

 he resigned on becoming Duke of Saxe-Coburg- 

 Gotha. In 1862 he was offered the throne of 

 Greece, but declined the offer. On Jan. 23, 1874, 

 he married the Grand Duchess Marie Alexan- 

 drovna, only daughter of Czar Alexander II of 

 Russia. Of the marriage there are issue surviv- 

 ing one son, Prince Alfred, and four daughters. 

 The Duke of Edinburgh took the oath of alle- 

 giance to the Constitution on Aug. 23, 1893. in 

 the presence of the whole ministry and Em- 

 peror Wilhelm II of Germany. 



Foreign Dependencies.-^Since the year 1884 

 Germany has extended her territory beyond that 

 of Europe, and although she has not what 

 might be properly called colonies, yet the Ger- 

 man Government has established a* protectorate 

 over areas in Africa and the western Pacific. 

 All told, Germany's foreign dependencies may 

 be estimated at 966.150 square miles, having a 

 population of 5,510.000. Togaland. Little Popo, 

 and Porto Seguro have an estimated area of 16.- 

 000 square miles, being inhabited by about 500,- 

 000 people. The budget of 1892-'3 for Toga- 

 lana places the receipts at 116,000 marks, of 

 which 112,000 marks is derived from customs 

 and other taxes, and 4,000 marks from different 

 administrative sources. The expenses amount to 

 1 16.000 marks, of which 8,700 marks were for the 

 administration i. e., salaries, etc. 48,800 murks 

 for materials, 160.000 marks for extraordinary ex- 

 penses for public works, and 2,500 marks went 

 to the reserve fund. The imports into Togaland 

 in 1891 amounted to 1.374,950 marks, and the 

 exports to 1,946,656 marks. The principal arti- 

 cles of export and their values were: Palm 

 seeds. 1,181,000 marks; palm oil, 493,000 marks ; 



