82 [March, 1902.] 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
Vol. VIII. No. 87. 
26th : A National Service League was established under the 
presidency of the Duke of Wellington. The metropolitan water 
companies issned a memorandum denouncing the Government 
Bill as violating the rights of property. Mr. M. D. Chalmers, 
C.S.I., was appointed to succeed Mr. C. P. llbert as First 
Parliamentary Counsel. 
27th : The King visited the Shire Horse Show. The Duke 
of Devonshire presided at a meeting of the Liberal Unionist 
Council. 
COLONIES. 
Australia. — 19th : Mr. Barton suggested that large horse- 
breeding stations should be established in Australia to supply 
the Army. 
New South Wales. — 10th : A patriotic demonstration took 
place at Sydney to support the Government policy with regard 
to the war in South Africa.— 21st : It was proposed to establish 
works on the Parramatta river for the manufacture of steel rails 
from native ore. 
Victoria. — 24th : It was reported that Sir John Forrest 
would leave for England in May, and that he would become 
High Commissioner for the Commonwealth in London. 
South Australia.— 6th : The death of Sir John Colton, a 
former Premier, was announced. 
Queensland..— 4th : The Parliament was dissolved. In his 
election manifesto the Premier condemned the policy of the 
Commonwealth Government. 
New Zealand. — 1st : The 8th contingent left Auckland for 
South Africa. 
British West Africa. — 12th : More fighting with the Aros 
occurred. Major Heneker captured Ikarodaka, near Akweta, a 
stronghold of the Igas. — 21st : The Aros were reported to be 
submitting and surrendering their rifles. 
Canada. — 6th : It was announced that Mr. David Mills, K.C.. 
would resign the Ministry of Justice. It was reported that 
Ontario manufacturers were about to establish sample rooms in 
London, England. — 8th : Mr. G. B, Hunter, of Newcastle-on- 
Tyne, stated that Canada would beat the world in the manu- 
facture of steel ships. — nth: Mr. C. Fitzpatrick, K.C., was 
appointed Minister of Justice in succession to Mr. D. Mills, and 
Mr. H. Carroll became Solicitor-General. — 13th : The Dominion 
Parliament was opened. — 20th : The British Empire League 
of Canada held its annual meeting. — 24th : Sir Charles Tupper 
advocated the principle of a mutual preferential trade policy as a 
means of consolidating the Empire. — 25th : Senator Templeman, 
of British Columbia, became a Minister in the Dominion Cabinet 
without portfolio. 
Cape Colony. — 6th : The weekly mail train service to the 
north was resumed. Sir W. Hely Hutchinson returned to Cape 
Town. — 8th : A meeting was held in Cape Town to protest 
against the slanders on British troops. — 10th : Death of the 
Bishop of Pretoria.— x 8th : Commandant Judge Hugo was cap- 
tured near Hangfontein. 
Malta. — 8th : A proclamation was issued formally with' 
drawing the announcement that English would become the 
official language of the Law Courts. — xoth : The Governor 
announced that a change in the Constitution would have to be 
effected, if the Council persisted in refusing to vote the taxes 
necessary for the Administration.' — 16th : The elected members 
of the Council resigned as a protest against the Governor's 
notification. — 19th : The official members of the Council passed 
the education vote and other necessary estimates. 
Natal. — 26th : The Parliament was opened. 
Newfoundland. — nth : The winter herring fishery was 
reported to be one of the best on record. — 20th: The Legislature 
was opened. — 26th : The Bill for renewing the modus vivendi 
was read a second time. 
Orange River Colony. — 7th : De Wet broke through the 
blockhouse line near Liebenberg Vlei, and escaped with about 
30 followers : 283 Boers were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, 
and 700 horses were captured. 
Transvaal. — 2nd : Colonel Byng routed a Boer force under 
Commandant Wessels. — 4th : Further large captures of Boers 
were reported. — 5th: A number of mines on the Rand were 
permitted to resume working. — xoth: Lord Kitchener reported 
further Boer casualties and captures. The strength of the Boer 
forces in the field was stated to be 12,000. — 15th: Twenty-five 
additional Boer leaders were banished. 3,000 Boer refugees 
were removed from Pietersburg to Colenso. — 17th : The first 
meeting of the new Town Council of Pretoria was held ; it was 
announced that the scat of Government would not be changed. 
— 20th : A Boer force of 164 men was captured on the Botha 
Berg near Middelburg. — 21st : The Transvaal Customs returns 
for 1901 showed a total of ,£500,444, on imports to the value of 
^63,664,149. The Gold Commission concluded its sittings at 
Johannesburg. 
INDIA. 
4th : The number of persons on famine relief was 223,000. 
— 9th: The Afridis raided a village near Jam rud. — nth: The 
number on famine relief was reported to be 280,000. — 15th : The 
number of persons on famine relief increased to 307,000. — 24th : 
The Mahsud Waziris paid their fine and delivered up 60 rifles. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
Afghanistan. — 18th : It was reported that the widow of 
the late Ameer and her younger son, Nasrullah Khan, were 
likely to give trouble to the Ameer Plabibullah. 
Argentine Republic. — 22nd : Sir T. Holdich arrived at 
Buenos Ayres. 
Austria-Hungary. — 15th : Labour riots occurred at 
Trieste. — 17th : A number of anarchists were arrested in 
Trieste. — 21st : Death of Dr. Emil Holub, the African explorer. 
Belgium. — 22nd : The Sugar Conference re-assembled in 
Brussels. 
Bulgaria. — 6th : M, Kantcbeff, Minister of Public Instruc- 
tion, was assassinated in his office. — 23rd : Miss Stone, the 
American missionary, was released by the Bulgarian brigands 
at Strumetza in Macedonia. 
China.— 1st : The Dowager Empress gave audience to the 
ladies of the Legations. — 2nd : Yung Lu was appointed Grand 
Secretary. Edicts were issued legalising marriages between 
Manchus and Chinese, and urging the abandonment of the 
custom of foot-binding among females. — 6th ; The Germans 
acquired exclusive mining rights over a large area in Shan-tung. 
The British and Japanese Ambassadors protested against the 
Manchurian agreement. — 8th: The Government dismissed all 
European professors at the Imperial University. — xoth : It was 
reported that a German mission in Kwantung had been 
destroyed. — 14th : The Anglo- Japanese treaty of alliance was 
cordially welcomed by the Chinese. — 22nd : The Russian 
Government declared that Manchuria would never be closed to 
American trade and commerce. — 24th : The New Year’s 
reception of the Diplomatic Corps by the Dowager Empress 
took place. — 25th : The United States proposed that the 
indemnity total should be kept within the amount of 450,000,000 
taels. 
Cuba. — 1st : The condition of the island was reported to be 
alarming. — 24th: It was announced that the Cuban Electoral 
College had selected Senor Palma and Senor Estevez as 
President and Vice-President respectively, of Cuba. 
Denmark. — 14th : Many protests were made against the 
sale of the Danish West Indies. 
Egypt. — 16th : Lord and Lady Cromer visited the Assiut 
barrage works, and Lady Cromer laid the coping stone of the 
works. 
France. — 1st : President Loubet signed a decree curtailing 
the powers of the head of the Naval General Staff. — 8th : Prince 
Victor Napoleon issued a manifesto to the Imperialists con- 
demning the Parliamentary system. — 14th : The Chamber voted 
the abrogation of the Falloux law, guaranteeing liberty of 
instruction in France. M. Santos Dumont's balloon fell into 
the sea near Monte Carlo.— 21st : The Senate voted 8o,ooof. for 
the celebration of the Victor Hugo centenary. — 26th : The 
Victor Hugo centenary was celebrated at the Pantheon. 
Germany. — 7th : The Navy Estimates were adopted by the 
Reichstag. Steps were taken to suppress faith-healing and 
so-called Christian science in Germany. — 10th: The Agrarian 
League opened its annual congress in Berlin. — nth : Herr von 
Walzdorf, Finance Minister in Saxony, resigned. — 14th : The 
Tariff Bill Committee carried a resolution that the new tariff 
must come into force not later than January x, 1905. — -15th : 
Prince Henry of Prussia left Bremerhaven for New York. — 
20th : The annual congress of the Navy League was held in 
Berlin. 
Holland. — 5th : Conferences were held at Utrecht between 
the Boer delegates, Dr. Leyds, and Mr. Kruger. — 13th : The 
Boer delegates left the Hague for New York. 
Italy. — 20th: Parliament was opened. — 21st: Signor 
Zanardelli’s Cabinet resigned. — 23rd: At the instance of the 
King the Ministry withdrew their resignations. Strikes of gas- 
work artificers and railway workers occurred in Turin, 
Japan. — 12th: An important treaty between Great Britain 
and Japan with regard to China and Korea was announced in 
the Diet. 
Morocco. — 23rd : The Sultan gave his approval to the 
proposed railway line from Duveyrier to Djenan-ed Dar. 
Roumania.' — 23rd : A serious disturbance took place in 
Bukharest. 
Russia. — 1st : Count Tolstoi was reported to be seriously ill. 
— 4th: It was announced that no foreigners would be allowed 
to travel by the Port Arthur- Petersburg route without special 
authority. — 7th : The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria 
arrived in St. Petersburg, and was met by the Tsar and the 
Grand Duke.— 15th : A severe earthquake occurred in the 
Sehemacha district in Transcaucasia. 
Spain. — 7th : The Chamber of Deputies passed a Bill 
proposing that the Customs duties on certain articles should be 
paid in gold, — 17th : Serious labour riots occurred at Barcelona. 
— 2ist : Martial law was proclaimed in Zaragoza and Tarragona. 
United States. — 1st : Mr. Shaw became Secretary to the 
Treasury, in succession to Mr. Gage. — 9th : A great fire 
occurred at Patterson, New Jersey. — 17th : The Senate ratified 
the Treaty with Denmark lor the cession of the Danish West 
Indies. — 21st : The final ratifications of the Hay-Pauncefote 
treaty were exchanged in Washington. — 23rd: Prince Henry of 
Prussia arrived at New York. — 24th : Prince Henry visited 
Washington, and was received by the President at the White 
House.— 25LI1 : The President and Prince Henry travelled to 
Jersey City, where the Emperor’s new yacht Meteor was 
launched. The Senate passed the Philippines Tariff Bill. 
Uruguay. — 14th : Dr. Juan Carlos Blanco was re-elected 
President of the Senate and Vice-President of the Republic. 
Mexican Sugar. — The sugar industry of Mexico (states 
the Board of I'tade Journal) is beginning to be largely 
developed. In all parts capitalists are forming companies for 
the cultivation of the sugar-cane. There is, it is said, a marked 
tendency among Mexican cultivators to abandon the culti- 
vation of maize for the more remunerative one of the sugar- 
cane. It is estimated that the area of sugar-cane planta- 
tions has increased by about 22 per cent, during the past 
season. 
Turkestan Silk Industry. — It is stated in the Journal 
de la Chambre de Commerce de Constantinople that the entire 
supply of silk required in Russia will probably in a few years 
be furnished by Turkestan. In recent years as much as 
400,000 pouds (poud = 36 lb. avoirdupois) of raw cocoons has 
been produced, although the rearing of silkworms is still con- 
ducted on the most primitive principles. The chief sericultural 
centres are Khokand, Andischan, Samarcand, Tashkent, etc. 
Eggs of French origin are chiefly used, mixed with some raised 
in the country itself. The price of cocoons varies at present 
from 8 to 9 roubles per poud. 
Steel Chain Making. — A demonstration of the advan- 
tages claimed for a new steel link belting and the method of 
its manufacture has recently been given. The ingenious 
machine, which at a single process converts a ribbon of steel 
into a connected link chain without any waste of the metal, is 
the invention of Mr. Sylvanus D. Locke, and is said to have 
been for some time successfully worked in the United States. 
It is now intended to erect plant in this country, and to exploit 
the belting on the English and European markets. It is said 
that the invention will bring about the introduction here for the 
first time of link-belting made of high-grade tempered steel 
instead of malleable iron. The difference between the new and 
the old is, indeed, primarily the substitution of steel for iron. 
Russian Trade with Persia. — The Russian Minister of 
Finance has authorised the total remission of the excise duty on 
matches manufactured in Russia and imported into Persia 
through the Russian Customs post at Sarakhs, in South-west 
Turkestan. In the case of sugar exported from Russia into 
Persia through Sarakhs the excise duty will be collected in the 
ordinary way, but refunded to the Russian exporter on verification 
of the bills of consignment by the excise authorities at Astrakhan, 
Petrovsk, or Baku. The match trade with Persia, though a 
comparatively trifling item in Russian exports, is none the less 
instructive, furnishing as it does under these new conditions a 
striking example of the latest prohibitive methods of Russian 
competition in Persia. The total remission of excise on matches 
renders it possible to deliver Russian matches into Persia at the 
cost of less than one farthing per hundred, a figure 20 per cent, 
below their retail price in Odessa, while the average inhabitant 
of Northern Persia can buy 10 lb. of Russian sugar for less than 
a Russian can buy 6 lb. in the town of Kieff, in spite of the fact 
that the latter lives in the leading centre of Russian sugar pro- 
duction, while the former has his sugar delivered to him by rail, 
steamship, and caravan at a distance of over 1,200 miles from 
the Russian sugar manufactory. — Times. 
FORTHCOMING EVENTS. 
UNITED KINGDOM. 
Bristol. — On the 5th inst. the Prince and Princess of 
Wales will visit Bristol and cut the first sod of the new dock 
at Avonmouth. 
Dartmouth.— On the 7th inst. the King and Queen will 
lay the foundation stone of the new Naval Cadet College. 
Devonport.— On the 8th the Queen will launch the battle- 
ship Queen at Devon port. 
London. — On the 4th inst. the annual meeting (three days) 
of the Association of Chambers of Commerce will begin. 
. — On the 7th inst. the London Committee of the Wolver- 
hampton Art and Industrial Exhibition will meet at the 
Mansion House, the Lord Mayor presiding ; in the evening Sir 
George Hayter Chubb will entertain the London Committee 
and the Executive at the Whitehall rooms. — On the nth, at the 
Royal Colonial Institute, Lord Lamington will read “Some 
Notes on Queensland." — On the. 14th the King and Queen 
will hold a Diplomatic and Official Court at Buckingham Palace. 
—On the 19th the Prince of Wales will open the National 
Physical Laboratory at Bushey House. 
An International Exhibition of Motor-Cars, etc., 
will be held at the Royal Agricultural Hall from the 19th to the 
26th April. 
A Colonial Exhibition, consisting of the colonial 
exhibits which were at the Glasgow Exhibition, will be opened 
at the Royal Exchange on the 10th inst., by the Lord Mayor 
in state. Among the colonies represented in the exhibits will 
be Canada, including Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New 
Brunswick, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, 
the North-West Territories, and the Yukon, and also Australia, 
South Africa, and British North Borneo. The exhibition will 
remain open for six weeks. 
Manchester. — On the 12th inst. the Prince and Princess 
of Wales will visit Owens College, Manchester. 
COLONIES. 
Cape Colony. — A Reuter telegram, dated February 21, 
states that a British Colonial and Industrial Exhibition 
will be opened at Cape Town in November, 1903. 
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
France (Aix-en-Provence). — An International and 
Colonial Exhibition will be held at Aix-en-Provence from 
the 27th April to the 28th July next, under the auspices of the 
municipality of that town. The exhibition will comprise com- 
mercial, industrial and agricultural products, and also include 
sections relating to teaching and the arts. An area of about 
25,000 square metres will be utilized. Applications for per- 
mission to exhibit will be received up to the 17th March next 
at the offices of the Administration, Rue de 1 'OpCra 9, Aix-en- 
Provence. 
French Indo-China. — The Acting British Consul for 
Ssumao and Mengtse, in a recent report to the Foreign Office 
(No. 2,741), draws the attention of all British manufacturers 
having dealings with the Far Fast to the exhibition that is to be 
held at Hanoi during 1902. Every facility will be offered by 
the promoters to intending exhibitors, and it is hoped to make 
the exhibition thoroughly representative of the Far East. 
Japan (Osaka). — Intending exhibitors at the Fifth 
Domestic Exhibition, to be held at Osaka from the 1st ot 
March until the 31st July, 1903, should send in' their appli- 
cations to the Vice-President of the Fifth Domestic Exhibition 
Bureau, Osaka, before the 30th June next. 
— ♦» 
NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. 
NAVAL. 
Admiral Sir C. G. Fane has been placed on the retired list, 
to date from January 25. 
Commander W. V. Anson has been placed on the retired 
list with the rank of Captain, to date February 6. 
The Admiralty have ordered blocks to be laid in No. 4 
dock at Sheerness Dockyard for building a new' sloop of the 
Odin class of 1,096 tons displacement. 
The Diadem , cruiser, Captain Henry Leah, of the Eastern 
Division of the Channel Squadron, u'as paid off at Chatham on 
the nth ult. 
The Goldfinch, gunboat, was commissioned at Sheerness 
Dockyard on the 4th ult. by Commander F. C. Learmouth, for 
surveying service abroad. 
The King's yacht has been ordered to be ready to leave 
Portsmouth for Plymouth for His Majesty's use there on 
March 3. 
The new cruiser Hogue, at Devonport, will be ready for 
her gun trials early next month, and can be prepared for com- 
mission by the end of June. 
The Devonport Dockyard officials have informed the 
Admiralty that the refit of the battleship Howe will occupy at 
least a year, owing to the serious defects of her machinery. 
Rear-Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, lately second in 
command of the Mediterranean Squadron, arrived in London 
on the 20th ult 
Vice-Admiral Sir C. E, Domvile has been promoted to be 
Admiral, Rear-Admiral A. D. Fanshawe to be Vice-Admiral, 
and Captain Sir Edward Chichester, C.B., to be Rear-Admiral ; 
to date from January 25. 
Major H. W. L. Holman, R.M.L.I., attached to the 
Naval Intelligence Department at the Admiralty, has been 
appointed A.D.C. to the new Governor of New South Wales, 
Vice-Admiral Sir Harry' Rawson. 
On the occasion of the visit of the King and Queen to 
Dartmouth on March 7, the cruiser Australia will act as guard- 
ship, and several destroyers will line the river from Kingswear 
to Dartmouth. 
Extensive preparations are being made at Chatham Dock- 
yard for the launching of the battleship Prince of Wales, the 
naming ceremony of which vessel is to be performed by Her 
Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, on the 25th inst. 
The cruiser Good Hope, the gift of the Cape Government, 
which is also to figure prominently at the Coronation Review, 
is now to undergo trials which will be of an unusually interest- 
ing character, and more severe than those to which new cruisers 
are generally submitted. 
The new battleship Bulwark will be commissioned at 
Devonport on March 18 for service on the Mediterranean. She 
will probably replace the Ramillies as flagship of the second- 
in-command. The Bulwark will have a complement of 780 
officers and men. 
The Irresistible, battleship, w r as commissioned on the 4th 
ult., at Chatham by Captain G. M. Henderson and 870 officers 
and men for service as port guardship at Gibraltar, in the place 
of the Devastation, battleship, Captain F. G. Kirby, which is to 
return to England to be paid off. 
Rear-Admiral Sydney M. Eardley Wilmot has been ap- 
pointed Superintendent of Ordnance Stores, in the Department 
