96 GEOGRAPHIC NOTES 



Over 200,000 Rnssian peasants migrated to Siberia in 1896, but some 

 25,000 were forced to tramp back to tbeir miserable homes, owing to the 

 land set apart for colonization being insufficient to meet the demand. 



Syria. A steamer is now making regular trips from Jericho to Tiberias— 

 %. e., from the Dead Sea to the Sea of Galilee— in five hours. Several 

 Jewish families recently settled in Jericho and are preparing to irrigate 

 extensive fruit farms. 



Japan. The Russo-Japanese convention has been published in St Pe- 

 tersburg. It provides that Korea shall retain full liberty of action as 

 regards both domestic and foreign policy. Russia and Japan will each 

 keep a small force of troops in Korea until such time as the government 

 can maintain order. 



India. It is estimated that the present famine in India would have 

 reduced the population of that country by 10,000,000 if it had been allowed 

 to run its course unchecked. Over 3,000,000 persons are employed on 

 government relief works, and hundreds of thousands more are being 

 succored out of the fund (now amounting to the equivalent of nearly 

 18,000,000) contributed in the British Islands. 



AFRICA 



Transvaal. The total output of gold for November was 201,113 ounces, 

 as compared with an output of 195,218 ounces in November, 1895. 



Madagascar. The French Colonial Minister has announced the inten- 

 tion of the government to maintain the equality of all religions in the 

 island of Madagascar. He has forbidden, by telegraph, the proposed 

 confiscation of Protestant churches. 



Algeria. According to the recent census, the city of Algiers contains 

 96,000 inhabitants, 46,000 being French by birth or naturalization, 9,600 

 Jews, 25,000 Arabs or belonging to other native races, 9,800 Spaniards, 

 3,500 Italians, 1,100 Maltese, and 235 English. 



Central Africa. Mr Poulett Weatherley, an Englishman, who recently 

 visited Old Chitambo, w^here Livingstone's heart is buried, calls attention 

 to the decay of the tree that marks the spot, and suggests the necessity of 

 the immediate erection of a more enduring monument. 



Egypt. During the recent Sudan expedition the number of all ranks 

 of the Egyptian army killed in action was 47 ; the wounded numbered 

 122 ; 235 of all ranks died of cholera, and 126 died of other diseases. The 

 Egyptian troops are said to have displayed great powers of endurance and 

 a remarkable capacity for hard and continuous work. 



West Africa. Wlierever British influence predominates, railroad 

 building is in progress. A line is in operation from Dakar, the chief port 

 of Senegal, to St Louis, 175 miles north. Another line runs from Kayes 

 up the valley of the Senegal toward Timbuctu, which it will soon reach. 

 A line from Conakry to the Niger is also in contemplation. Dr Karl 

 Peters recently stated in London that the whole African question was 

 one of communication. 



