billois Commissioner of Agriculture, Hon. L. P. Ferris minister without portfolio.

Finances. Mr. Tweedie's budget speech was delivered Feb. 17, 1897. In the course of it he said: "There have been five issues of bonds altogether. In November the Government sold $40,000 of 4-percent. bonds at a rate of 105·964. The bonds were issued for the construction of permanent bridges under 59th Victoria, chap. iii. They had forty years to run, and had no provision for optional redemption before maturity. A sinking fund was provided. In December $7,000 of redemption bonds were sold at 105-524, with twenty years to run and no optional redemption. In the same month there had been sold $35,000 of Gulf Shore Railway bonds at 103-524, with forty years to run, optional redemption after ten years. On Jan. 1, $2,500 of bonds in account of deep-water wharves and grain elevators, St. John, had been sold, with forty years to run, and no option of redemption, at 106-06. On Feb. 8 there were sold on Parliament-bridge account bonds to the amount of $25,000, under the same conditions as the issue of November, at 106-064. Turning to the estimated expenditures for 1896 it would be seen that while the estimate for administration of justice was $14,400, the actual outlay was $12,705.14. Upon agriculture the estimate was $24,150, while the actual expenditure was $21,888.46. This was owing to the fact that only $2,000 of bonds for importation of horses were retired instead of $4,000, and the sinking fund was now all paid up. These bonds would come due in July, and the money was now in the People's Bank to pay them at maturity. The expenditure was also increased by the fact that no importation of cattle had been made last year as was intended. For the Boys' Industrial Home $1,500 had been paid instead of the $500 estimated. This institution was well worthy of support, and upon the representation of the trustees that the full amount authorized by law was needed, it was paid by the Government. Contingencies had been estimated at $13,000, while the actual outlay was $14,041. This amount varied from year to year somewhat, and was difficult to estimate. It included all the contingencies of the departments and all the expenses of the Legislature except salaries. The estimate of $188,914.48 upon education had been slightly exceeded, the actual figures being $191,638.21. The excess over the estimate had been applied to common schools. The expense for elections had been placed at $6,000; the amount paid was $5,844.87. The estimate for executive government was $28,420, which had been exceeded by $720.08. That increase was fully accounted for by increased salaries paid in the Board of Works. The work of that department was much greater than it had been formerly.

"For fisheries protection $1,200 had been asked, of which $939.66 was expended. The allowance under the free-grants act, $2,000, had been exceeded by $48.50. For game protection $2,000 had been voted, of which $1,971.43 was expended. Interest on the bonded debt had been estimated at $117.000, but $119,375.97 had been expended. The cost of the Legislature was $20,741.79, which was $753.21 less than the amount voted by the House. The expenditure upon the lunatic asylum of $41,872 was slightly within the estimate. Upon mining $500 was estimated, but only $200 was expended. Grants of $125 had been made to the Natural History Society and New Brunswick Historical Society. Public health had cost $1,337.09, which was $762.91 less than estimated, and $4,400 had been expended upon public hospitals. The grant for public printing was $11,000, and the amount actually expended on this service was $11,433.36. Public works had cost $203,150 as compared with the vote of $195,150. Re

funds, Crown lands, came to $179, while the amount voted was $200. For relief of the sufferers by the Chatham fire $500 had been paid. For surveys and railway inspection the expenditure was $1,879.51, while the estimate was $2.000. Stumpage collections had cost $9,250 as compared with the estimate of $9,000. Unforeseen expenses had reached a total of $1,465.55, or $534.45 less than expected, making in all a total expenditure of $701,462.03, while the estimate was $699,879."

Mr. Tweedie said the actual normal revenue of the province last year was $698,437.96, leaving a deficiency of $3,015.07.

Education. The annual report for 1896 of the Chief Superintendent of Education was voluminous. It shows that the total number of day schools was 1,724, with 57,612 pupils five to ten years of age; of Sunday schools, 1,020, with 32,707 pupils five to sixteen years of age.

The average yearly salaries were as follow: Grammar-school teachers, $884.61; superior-school teachers, $563.84; first class, male, $504.59; second class, male, $296.09; third class, male, $227.77; first class, female, $314.31; second class, female, $235.48; third class, female, $188.97.

The expenditure on schools for the year, not including district assessment for school buildings, apparatus, fuel, etc., was: Provincial grants, $158.135.23; schoolhouse grants, $955; county fund, $91,527.88; district assessment (approximate), $211,114.77; total, $461,732.88.

Agriculture. In his annual report, issued in December, 1897, Mr. Chipman, Secretary for Agriculture, gave the following estimate of the production for the year in tons: Hay, 756,384; oats, 1,715,826; wheat, 166,189; barley, 227,530; rye, 23,500; buckwheat, 203,896; beans, 25,193; potatoes, 4,352,898; turnips, etc., 1.491,784.

NEWFOUNDLAND. Legislation.-The Governor is Sir Herbert H. Murray, K. C. B. The legislation of the session of 1897 was not important, being mainly routine. The supply and revenue acts provided for the expenses of the civil government of the colony and for the continuance of the usual duties on imports. A grant of $125,000 was made for construction and repairing of roads and bridges.

The railway act provided for the construction of three branch lines from the present trunk line, to Clarke's Beach, to Carbonear, and to Burnt Bay; also for fencing certain lines and laying heavier rails. The payment for these is to be in debenture bonds bearing interest at 3 per cent. and maturing at the end of fifty years.

The act regarding the French treaties' act continues this act and the modus vivendi till Dec. 31, 1898.

The act amending the education law commemorates her Majesty's jubilee, 1897, by appropriating $600 annually, for three scholarships.

An act respecting the administration of local affairs provides for the establishment of local boards to take charge of roads, etc.

An act to amend the deer-preservation act of 1896 provides that the close season for deer shall be from Feb. 1 to July 15, and from Oct. 7 to Oct. 20 in each year; and that no person is allowed to sell any part of a carcass from Feb. 20 till July 15.

The act for the preservation of beavers makes a close season for beavers from April 1, 1897, to Oct. 1, 1900; breaches of the law to be visited by penalties not exceeding $200, or imprisonment for three months.

The act to amend the law of evidence provides that an entry in a banker's book shall in legal proceedings be received as prima facie evidence of such entry and of matters therein recorded.

The act respecting the summary jurisdiction of magistrates and justices of the peace provides that any person convicted of an offense for which a fine or penalty is provided who is unable to pay the fine may be imprisoned for a term proportioned to the amount of the fine-seven days for $2.50; fourteen days for $5, etc. Any person convicted of being drunk, or of carnally knowing any girl under sixteen years of age, may be fined and imprisoned, or imprisoned for six months with hard labor.

The usual money-appropriation bills for the various services of Government closed the legislation of the session.

The act to amend chapter cxxiv of the Consolidated Statutes (second series), entitled "of the coast fisheries," and an "Act to amend the election act of 1889 and the acts in amendment thereof," were reserved for the consideration of her Majesty's Government, and were not assented to by the GovThe last-named act was finally disallowed by the Imperial Government.

ernor.

Fisheries.-The seal fishery of 1897 was one of the poorest on record, the total catch of seals having been only 126,628, and their weight 2,737 tons. The average number of seals taken annually of late years is about 300,000. There were 20 steamers engaged in this industry, and their crews numbered 4,838 in 1897.

On the Labrador coast and the northeastern bays the cod fishery in 1897 was a failure, but elsewhere it was fairly good. The total catch was about 1,000,000 quintals, being 300,000 below an average. Only 48 vessels engaged in the bank fishery, the crews numbering 616. Their catch reached 54,802 quintals. Along with this falling off came a very serious decline in the price of dried codfish, amounting to $1.50 a quintal. This was caused largely by the glutted condition of European markets and the poverty of the people in those fish-consuming countries. The consequences were disastrous to the fishermen of Newfoundland, of whom many are in a very impoverished condition and suffer privations during the long winter. Prices of fish are now improving. The French are the great rivals of Newfoundland fishermen in European markets, and, being sustained by a large bounty, they are able in many places to undersell the Newfoundland exporters.

The lobster fishery of 1897 was the best on record. The quantity taken was 60,000 cases, each case containing 48 pounds. The value was about $600,000. The price of lobsters is steadily advancing in all countries, owing to increasing scarcity.

The herring fishery of 1897 was excellent. Not fewer than 60.000 barrels of fresh herring were exported in a frozen condition from Placentia Bay alone to the United States. The export of pickled herring was about 80,000 barrels. Were this in dustry carried on in a skillful and intelligent manner, and herring cured and packed in the country instead of being sold fresh to others, at $1 a barrel, it would be worth $3,000,000 annually.

The salmon fishery was a disastrous failure. The once prolific salmon rivers were neglected and ruined by "barring" and overfishing. They are now thoroughly protected and placed under the guardianship of the Department of Fisheries. So depleted had they become that years must elapse before they are restored to their former condition.

In the artificial propagation of lobsters Newfoundland leads the world. The average number of young lobsters hatched and planted annually in the bays is 450,000,000. This is done by means of floating incubators, the invention of A. Nielsen, Superintendent of Fisheries. Twenty-eight men are employed in working these incubators, at an annual cost of $1,650. The work had been going on for

seven years, and the good results are more apparent every year. There are 25 stations along the shores of the large bays where this artificial propagation is carried on.

At the Dildo cod hatchery, Trinity Bay, the number of cod fry hatched ranges from 180,000,000 to 225,000,000. In that bay there is already a marked increase in the number of codfish of various ages, giving promise of success for this experiment.

Finances. The revenue, according to the latest returns, reached $1,564,457. The value of the imports was $5,986,571 of the exports, $6.638,187. The funded public debt at the close of 1896 was $13,096,945. By judicious retrenchments the annual expenditure of the colony for civil services has been reduced by nearly $560,000-an amount which will pay the interest on the public debtwhile the efficiency of the public service is not impaired by the reduction. The finances of the colony are now in a sound condition, and its credit abroad is excellent. The interest on the public debt is about $560,000.

The grant for education in 1895-'96 was $164,888; for the relief of the poor and support of lunatics, $262,552; for the support and extension of telegraph lines, $25,325.

Commerce. In 1895-'96 the colony imported 88,223 tons of coal, value $190,160; 14,515 barrels of beef, value $145.150; 732,800 pounds of butter, value $109,920; 362,923 barrels of flour, value $1,270,230; 1,338,463 gallons of molasses, value $334,165; 945,005 pounds of tea, value $136,919; 2,625,800 pounds of sugar, value $83,615; tobacco. 284.885 pounds, value $28.359; wines and spirits, 52,688 gallons, value $39,125.

On Dec. 31, 1896, the registered shipping was: Sailing vessels, 2,308, of 98,718 tons; 32 steamers, of 5,661 tons.

In 1896 the value of imports was as follows:

From the United Kingdom..

From Canada.

From the British West Indies From the United States

$1,875,754 2,231,641

286,018

1,473,721

Events. The most important event of the year was the completion of the transinsular railway, 550 miles, from St. John's to Port-au-Basque, at the southeastern extremity of the island. This line passes through the great valleys of the Exploits, Humber, St. George's, and Codroy, and opens up the best agricultural, timber, and mineral lands of the colony, thus rendering possible the development of its resources and the settlement of the interior. The cost of the line was about $13,000,000. The contractor received $15,600 a mile for construction in debentures of the colony, bearing interest at 34 per cent. For operating the line for the first ten years he receives a concession of 5,000 acres for each mile of railway, to be selected along the line in blocks of one mile fronting the railway and eight miles in depth, the Government taking alternate blocks. If the land along the line is swampy or useless, the contractor can select his concessions elsewhere. His total land grant is thus 2,500,000 acres. He has built a fine steamer to ply between Port-au-Basque and Sydney, in Cape Breton. She makes the run in five or six hours. Placentia is at present the port of departure, as the wharves,

stores, etc., at Port-au-Basque are not completed. Newfoundland has now a semiweekly mail, instead of a fortnightly one as formerly. The railway is equipped with the finest palace cars. and hotels will be erected at the most desirable places.

A coal field has been discovered at Grand lake. The good lands along the line will be sold to settlers. When all is complete a passenger will be be able to leave St. John's and in fifty hours arrive at Montreal.

Early in 1898 the contractor who built this line entered into a contract with the Government to operate all the railways of the colony which have been consolidated under his management for fifty years. He has also purchased the dry dock at St. John's for $325,000 and contracted to work it on a large scale; also he is to build eight steamers for local service on the bays. He has leased the coal areas, and undertakes to work them and pay a royalty on the output. He is to complete and operate three short branch lines of railway. At the expiration of fifty years the reversion of the railway will belong to him, and for this he pays to the colony now $1,000,000.

The general election was held Oct. 28. The result was, that the political party, led by Sir William Whiteway, who had held the reins of power for eight years, was defeated by a very large majority, and Sir James Winter became Premier, his principal colleagues being the Hon. A. B. Morine. Receiver General, and the Hon. A. Robinson, Colonial Secretary.

The Queen's jubilee day in 1897 was observed with fervid loyalty throughout the island. In the capital an immense procession marched to the summit of Signal Hill, overlooking the harbor and commanding a view of the Atlantic in order to witness the laying of the foundation stone of a tower to be erected in memory of John Cabot, the discoverer of the island in 1499. This memorial tower will be used as a signal station and meteorological observatory. On the same day was laid, as a memorial of the Queen's jubilee, the foundation stone of a new wing to the Public Hospital. to be called the Victoria Wing, and to be set apart for the exclusive use of women and children. The funds were raised by public subscription.

NEW HAMPSHIRE, a New England State, one of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution June 21, 1788; area, 9,305 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census, was 141,885 in 1790; 183,858 in 1800; 214,460 in 1810; 244,022 in 1820; 269,328 in 1830; 284,574 in 1840; 317,916 in 1850; 326,073 in 1860; 318,300 in 1870; 346,991 in 1880; and 376,530 in 1890. Capital, Concord.

Government.-The following were the State officers during the year: Governor, George A. Ramsdell Secretary of State, Ezra S. Stearns; Treasurer, Solon A. Carter; Attorney-General, Edwin J. Eastman; Adjutant General, Augustus D. Ayling-all Republicans; Insurance Commissioner, John C. Linehan; Bank Commissioners, John Hatch, Alpheus W. Baker, and Thomas J. Walker; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Frederic Gowing; Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, N. J. Bachelder; Labor Commissioner, Julian F. Trask State Printer, Arthur E. Clarke; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Alonzo P. Carpenter, Republican; Associate Justices, William M. Chase, Democrat, Frank N. Parsons, Republican, Robert G. Pike, Republican, R. M. Wallace, Republican, Isaac N. Blodgett, Democrat, and Lewis W. Clark, Democrat; Clerk, A. J. Shurtleff, Republican. Finances.-The State is remarkable this year for having a large surplus to apply upon its debt. The Treasurer's report for the year ending June 1

ized by the last Legislature goes into effect, and it will be $425,000 a year. The valuations for taxation in 1897 were: Valuation by inventories, $203,507,734; savings-bank deposits taxable, $50,859,365; insurance capital, $1,375,000; railroads, $21,855,000; telegraphs, $203,100; telephones, $213,600.

Education. The College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, at Durham, held its twenty-seventh commencement exercises June 9, and graduated a class of 17, the largest in its history. The summer school held a three weeks' session in August.

At Dartmouth commencement, June 30, degrees were conferred on 55 candidates for the degree of bachelor of arts, 15 for that of bachelor of letters, and 19 for that of bachelor of science. The college plant will be increased within the next four years by four new buildings, the James B. Richardson dormitory, the Charles T. Wilder physical laboratory, a chemical laboratory and heating plant in connection, and a new alumni memorial hall.

Industrial School.-The report of the State Industrial School, at Manchester, rendered in May, shows that the number in the school Sept. 30, 1896, was 135. The annual appropriation is $6,000. The receipts for the year were $23,605.04, and the payments $21,725.18.

Banks.-The annual report of the Bank Commissioners is summarized as follows: Since the last report made by the commissioners two new savings banks have been organized and opened for business, one at Laconia and one at Keene. The number of savings banks has thus been increased to 77, of which 17 are in liquidation, under the management of their own officers, and 9 by assignees appointed by the court. There are 14 State banks and trust companies, 9 of which have savings departments; and 18 building and loan associations. One build

ing and loan association, the Granite State Provident, is in the hands of an assignee.

Of the 14 trust companies, the New Hampshire Trust Company, of Manchester, and the Security Trust Company, of Nashua, are in the hands of assignees, and the Bank of New England is liquidating its saving department under the management of its own directors.

The condition of the savings banks June 30, 1897, is shown by the following statement of liabilities and premiums, the savings departments of the trust companies not being included:

The number of local building and loan associations has not been increased during the year. Their total assets June 30, 1897, were $1,962,058.53, an increase since Oct. 31, 1896, of $177,943.79.

The assignee of the Granite State Provident Association won a suit in April which was brought in Colorado, and by which it was sought to have the assets of the institution in that State retained for distribution among the shareholders there. The decision is that all the assets must be turned into the general fund to be divided among all the creditors. Similar suits have been brought in other States.

The suit of a shareholder in the wrecked Dover National Bank to compel the books to be opened for inspection of the attorneys of the shareholder was won in November.

Dr. J. C. Moore, whose numerous trials have been mentioned in former issues of the "Annual Cyclopædia," was sentenced in April to four years in the State Prison, having been convicted of a fraudulent issue of 50 shares of stock of the Union Publishing Company, which was issued to himself and deposited in the Laconia National Bank.

Insurance. The summary of the business of fire insurance companies for 1896 gives the following: Thirty-four New Hampshire companies-risks written, $43,593,581.17; premiums received, $571,235.44; losses incurred, $269,381.94. Fifty-nine foreign fire and marine insurance companies-risks written, $48,658,561.62; premiums_received, $669,116.04; losses incurred, $318,104.65.

The commissioner gives a comparison of the ratio of losses paid to premiums in New Hampshire and the other New England and the Middle States. New Hampshire's ratio is the lowest, 439; Vermont's is the highest, 718; although New Hampshire is the only one having a valued policy law.

Railroads. After an inspection of the railroads in September, the commissioners reported that the freshets wrought much more serious damage throughout New Hampshire than was generally understood to be the case. One hundred thousand dollars would hardly cover the losses.

A petition to the commissioners for leave to extend the Pemigewassett Valley Railroad from its present terminus at North Woodstock to a point near the Mount Liberty house was opposed by the Forestry Commission, on the ground that the proposed road would have to depend for its earning almost wholly upon the freight from lumber cut in the Pemigewassett valley; that the topography of that region and its relation to the watershed of the Merrimack river system rendered the removal of

the forest growth there a matter of vital importance to many interests far removed from the scene of the immediate cutting; and that therefore the proposed extension was not for the public good.

An important question was decided by the Supreme Court in March, by which the demurrer of the Manchester and Lawrence Railroad was overruled, so that the suit of the State against the road may be now tried upon its merits. The State seeks to recover $750,000 from the Manchester and Lawrence Railroad, this being the sum which that road received from the Concord and Montreal under the award of the referees to whom the case in equity of the Manchester and Lawrence against the Concord Railroad had been referred.

Under the charter of the Manchester and Lawrence, and as provided by various enactments of the Legislature prior to 1844, and covering the period during which the major railroad systems of the State were constructed, railroad corporations are required to pay into the State treasury all sums received by them in excess of 10 per cent. per annum of net income; and as the Manchester and Lawrence had maintained a 10-per-cent, dividend up to the time it received its $750,000, judgment from the Concord and Montreal, Gov. Busiel attempted to establish a lien in behalf of the State upon that sum of money.

Industries.-The report of the State Board of Agriculture for two years ending Nov. 1, 1896, shows that the agriculture of New Hampshire is represented by 29.151 farms, containing 1,727,387 improved acres, valued at $66,162,160. The number of persons engaged in it is 42,670, and the total value of farm products about $13,000,000 annually.

The Board of Cattle Commissioners reported that in the two years 517 herds of cattle were inspected and 562 animals were killed. The State pays owners half the health value.

The biennial report of the Bureau of Labor shows that there are 64 establishments engaged in the manufacture of shoes, paying for wages $3,469,918 annually, giving employment to 8,069 people. The cost of material used is $6,749.322; annual product, $11,986,008, an increase during the decade of 781 per cent.; in number of establishments of employees, 45-04 per cent.; in amount in paid wages, 43.27 per cent.; in material used, 29-44 per cent.; and in value of product, 29-67 per cent.

An estimate of the stock of logs ready to be manufactured into lumber and pulp April 1 in Coos and Grafton Counties shows a total of 240,000,000 feet.

Legislative Session.-The one hundred and first session of the General Court began Jan. 6 and ended March 26, with 24 Senators and 357 Representatives. Chester B. Jordan was President of the Senate and James F. Briggs Speaker of the House.

George A. Ramsdell was inaugurated, Jan. 7, the fifty-fourth Governor of the State and the fortyfifth person to occupy the office. The following were declared to have been elected councilors: Joseph O. Hobbs, Allen N. Clapp, George W. Cummings, Walter S. Davis, Charles F. Piper.

A successor to United States Senator Jacob H. Gallinger was to be elected. Ex-Gov. Busiel was a candidate, but withdrew his name before the caucus met, and Senator Gallinger was unanimously chosen by the Republicans, and was elected to succeed himself.

The Republican candidates for State officersEzra S. Stearns for Secretary of State, Solon A. Carter for Treasurer, and Arthur E. Clarke for State Printer-were also elected.

In all, 509 measures were introduced, 142 bills and 45 joint resolutions were passed, and only 1 was vetoed.

Many bills were introduced having for their object the improvement of the highways.

An act to go into effect Sept. 1 provides for the appointment of three separate State boards of medical examiners, to be selected by the Governor and Council from lists furnished by the New Hampshire Medical Society, the New Hampshire Homœopathic Medical Society, and the New Hampshire Eclectic Society. Candidates for license are to be examined by these boards. Among those to whom the law does not apply are physicians and surgeons in Government service, those called from other States for consultation or to attend regular patients, and clairvoyants and persons practicing hypnotism, magnetic healing, mind cure, massage, Christian Science, so called, or any other method of healing, if no drugs are employed or surgical operations are performed.

The statutes relating to the manner of conducting caucuses and elections were so amended as to throw greater safeguards around the exercise of the suffrage.

An act to provide for the education and maintenance of dependent children forbids the keeping of such children between three and fifteen years of age at county almshouses for more than sixty days, unless they are physically or mentally incapacitated for education, or are under sentence for crime; county commissioners are to find suitable homes for them or give them into the care of the State Board of Charities to be so provided for at the expense of the counties to which they are chargeable.

It is made the duty of the Board of Charities to inspect all State and county charitable or correctional institutions, except the State Prison and the asylum, for instance, at Concord, and report to the Governor and Council and Legislature biennially the result of their inspection.

The law in reference to the capital per mile of railroads organized under the general law was so amended that the capital stock of a corporation may not be less than $5,000 for each mile if the gauge is to be three feet or less and $10,000 when the gauge is to be more than three feet. It shall be divided into shares of $100 each.

It is made the duty of boards of health to inspect the sources from which ice is taken for domestic use in cities and towns, and to forbid the sale of such as may be taken from unclean sources.

Days of grace were abolished, except where there is an express stipulation for them.

It was enacted that no policy of life or endowment insurance, issued upon the industrial plan, shall become forfeit or void for nonpayment of premium after premiums have been paid thereon for the term of two consecutive years. Every such policy shall have a surrender value after the payment of the premiums for two full years. On policies of prudential or industrial insurance on which the weekly premiums are not more than fifty cents each, the surrender value shall be payable in cash. When the weekly premium is more than fifty cents per week, a paid-up policy may be issued.

Itinerant venders wishing to do business in the State are to deposit $500 with the Secretary of State as a special deposit, and pay $25 as a State license fee, besides a local license tax amounting to 2 per cent. of the value of the goods to be sold, which may not be advertised until after the licenses have been paid. The special deposit is to be returned after the expiration or surrender of the State license, except so much as may be required to satisfy just such claims against it.

Another act relating to hawkers requires them to take out licenses from the Secretary of State, $1 for each city and town where the applicant desires to

sell, and also to pay in each city or town a tax proportioned to its size; but any soldier or sailor disabled in the war for the suppression of the rebellion, or by sickness or disability contracted therein, or since his discharge from the service, shall be exempt from paying license fees.

The issuing of railroad passes was made legal. Bills to limit the use and prevent the sale of cigarettes were defeated; but the House voted to memorialize Congress to place them in the same category with spirituous liquors so far as interstate commerce is concerned.

The State tax was reduced from $500,000 a year to $425,000 for each of the ensuing two years.

The special appropriations amounted to $74,000 less than usual. By a new rule adopted by the previous Legislature, a commitee on appropriations received all bills reported from other committees which carried appropriations, so that this committee could keep track of all such and know what amount of expenditure was to be authorized. Among the special appropriations were $5,000 to Dartmouth College for each of the ensuing two years, and $2,500 each year to the College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, besides $3,105 for purchase of land; also $20,000 to the State Soldiers' Home for the two years, $2.500 for repairs at the Industrial School, and $8,000 for improvements at the State camp ground.

Among other measures passed were: Providing for the appointment of boards of health in the several towns.

Establishing the city of Berlin.
Regulating the use of bicycles.

Raising the age of consent from thirteen to sixteen years.

To promote the planting of nut, shade, and ornamental trees.

Protecting moose, caribou, and deer, and providing for the disposition of fish and game captured or taken from persons who have illegally taken them.

Repealing the law providing for a bounty on hawks.

For the better protection of trout. Prohibiting the killing of beaver until Jan. 1, 1909.

Authorizing the Fish and Game Commissioners to close ponds and lakes against fishing through

the ice.

All bills for important changes in the liquor laws were defeated, as were many applications for special charters for electric roads.

NEW JERSEY, a Middle Atlantic State, one of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution Dec. 18, 1787. Area, 7,815 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census, was 184,139 in 1790; 211,149 in 1800; 245,562 in 1810; 277,426 in 1820; 320.823 in 1830; 373,306 in 1840; 489,555 in 1850; 672,035 in 1860; 906,096 in 1870; 1,131,116 in 1880: and 1,444,933 in 1890; by the State census of 1895, 1,672,942. Capital, Trenton.

Government.-The following were the State officers: Governor, John W. Griggs, Republican; Secretary of State, Henry C. Kelsey, Democrat, until March, then George Wurtz, Republican; Treasurer, George B. Swain, Republican; Comptroller, William S. Hancock, Republican; AttorneyGeneral, John P. Stockton, Democrat, until March, then Samuel H. Grey, Republican; Adjutant General, William S. Stryker, Republican; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Charles J. Baxter, Republican. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Mercer Beasley, Democrat, until March, then William J. Magie, Republican. Associate Justices, William J. Magie, Republican, until March, then Gilbert Collins, Republican; David A. Depue, Republican; Jonathan