730 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



Cornelius Newton Bliss retired from the Cabi- 

 net, and Ethan Allen Hitchcock, of Missouri, was 

 appointed to succeed him as Secretary of the In- 

 terior on Dec. 21, 1898. 



CHARLES EMORY SMITH, POSTMASTER-GENERAL. 



Ethan Allen Hitchcock was the founder of a 

 large glass-manufacturing company in Crystal City, 

 Mo., and has taken an active part in building up 

 the commerce of St. Louis. President McKinley 

 appointed him minister to Russia on Aug. 6, 1897, 

 and on Feb. 11, 1898, his rank was raised to that of 

 ambassador. 



ETHAN ALLEN HITCHCOCK, SECRETARY OP THE INTERIOR. 



Area and Population. The total area of the 

 United States, including 3 Territories represented 

 by Delegates in Congress and the Indian Territory, 

 is" 3.025,600 square miles, of which 55,600 square 

 mik's are covered by water. Alaska has an esti- 

 mated area of 531,400 square miles. At the census 

 of 1890 the population of the United States was 

 62,831,900, including 179,321 in the Indian Territory 

 and 30,329 in Alaska. The estimated population 

 of all the States and Territories, including Alaska, 

 on Dec. 31, 1898, was 77,803,000. 



By the annexation of Hawaii territory of 6,640 

 square miles, with 109,020 inhabitants in 1S!)6. 

 was added to the dominions of the United States ; 

 by the cession of Puerto Rico in the preliminary 



treaty with Spain a territory of 3,670 square miles, 

 with a population of 798,566 by the census of 

 1887; and by the accession of the Philippine Is- 

 lands, ceded in the final treaty of peace, a terri- 

 tory of 52.650 square miles, with about 7,670,000 

 inhabitants. The Ladrones or Mariana Islands add 

 420 square miles, with 10,172 inhabitants. 



Immigration. The number of immigrants that 

 arrived in the United States during the year end- 

 ing June 30, 1898, was 229,299, a decrease of 1,533 

 as compared with 1897. Of the whole number, ]:>.">,- 

 775 were males and 93,524 females. The number 

 entering the United States through Canada was 

 10,737. During the year 3,050 were debarred, 2,261 

 of these being paupers or persons likely to become 

 a public charge, 417 contract laborers, 258 diseased, 

 79 assisted emigrants, 13 mentally defective, and 2 

 convicts. There were 199 more returned within a 

 year after landing. Of the total number of immi- 

 grants over fourteen years of age, 43,057 could 

 neither read nor write ; of those over twenty years 

 of age, 27,608 had $30 or more, and 96,203 had less. 

 Of the total number arriving, 52,531 were laborers, 

 23,656 servants, 16.243 farmers, 4,492 merchants, 

 3,826 tailors, and 3,229 shoemakers. 



The Army. By the act of Congress approved 

 on March 8, 1898, the artillery force of the regular 

 army was increased by two regiments, and by the 

 act of A pril 26 the whole line was raised to the war 

 strength of 200 men for each battery of heavy ar- 

 tillery, 176 for the light batteries, 100 for a troop 

 of cavalry, and 106 for an infantry company, with 

 an additional major to each regiment of infantry, 

 and an addititional second lieutenant to each bat- 

 tery. The total authorized strength on the war 

 footing was 62,597 officers and men. The effectives 

 on Sept. 1, 1898, were as follow: 



The President on April 23 issued a call for 125,- 

 000 volunteers, and on May 25 for 75,000 more. 



The Navy. The United States navy at the be- 

 ginning of 1898 contained the battle ship " Iowa," 

 of 11,410 tons displacement, 11,000 horse power. 

 knots speed, carrying 4 12-inch, 8 8-inch, and 

 quick-firing 4-inch guns ; the battle ships " Im 

 ana," " Massachusetts," and " Oregon," of 10,2 

 tons displacement, engines of 9,738 horse power for 

 the first, giving a speed of 15.5 knots, 10,403 hoi>e 

 power for the second, making 16.2 knots, and 11.- 

 111 horse power for the third, making 16.7 knots, 

 each having an armament of 4 13-inch, 8 8-ineli. 

 and 4 quick-firing 4-inch guns ; the armored 

 cruiser "Brooklyn," of 9,250 tons displacement. 1*.- 

 769 horse power, a speed of 21.9 knots, and an 

 armament of 8 8-inch guns and 12 5-inch quick 

 firers; the armored cruiser "New York," of S.-JIMI 

 tons displacement, 17,401 horse power, giving a 

 speed of 21 knots, and an armament of 6 8-inch 

 guns and 12 4-inch quick firers; the armored 

 cruiser "Texas," of 6,315 tons displacement, 8,000 

 horse power, giving 21 knots speed, and an arma- 

 ment of 2 12-inch guns and 8 6-inch quick firers; 

 the cruiser "Columbia," of 7,375 tons displacement, 

 engines of 18,509 horse power, making a speed of 

 22.8 knots, armed with 1 8-inch, 2 6-inch, and 

 quick-firing 4-inch guns; the "Minneapolis," <>f 

 tne same size, as the foregoing and carrying the 





