Portuguese Major Serpa Pinto, undertaking to assert his authority along the upper course of the Zambesi, came in conflict with natives claimed to be under British protection. Though he easily conquered them, the intervention of the British government forced him to withdraw. [For the diplomatic negotiations, see International Relations.] The region at stake is the great interior territory between the Portuguese coast settlements about Mozambique on the Indian, and those about St. Paul de Loando on the Atlantic Ocean. A British South Africa Company was chartered in December to exploit this region. It is continuous with the territory under British influence north of the Transvaal, and extends to the shores of Lake Nyassa. - The Italians in Abyssinia have made enormous progress. Early in November a protectorate was declared over a considerable length of coast, and about the same time a treaty was made with Menelik, guaranteeing Italy's support against Ras Alula, his rival for the throne and an old enemy of the Italians. A month later Ras Alula was totally defeated, and Menelik, as recognized King, acknowledged the protectorate of King Humbert's government over all Ethiopia. This puts Italy in a very prominent position among the powers in Africa and opens up possibilities of successful attack from the east on the Mahdists at Khartoum. A tendency among the English to resent the great progress of Italy in this region was met by a declaration of Premier Crispi, March 6, that the two governments were in cordial agreement about African affairs. The French in Dahomey were attacked by the native King in the first week in March. The King refused to recognize the French protectorate over the coast. Desultory hostilities have been in progress ever since, the French government not wishing to make any positive conquest of the territory. SOUTH AMERICA. - By far the most important political event on this continent during the last six months has been the revolution in Brazil. There had long been a strong republican sentiment in the empire, but it was generally believed that the existing constitution would last as long as Dom Pedro II lived. The establishment of the republic was a complete surprise and seems to have taken place rather as the development of a military mutiny than as the result of a deliberately planned coup d'état. On the morning of November 15 the imperial ministry undertook to carry out a plan of transferring certain disaffected regiments of the regular army from Rio Janeiro to distant parts of the empire. The troops refused to obey orders and were headed in their mutiny by General Deodoro da Fonseca. The other regular forces in the capital joined with the insurgents, as did also the quasi-military bodies of police and firemen. In a short time the ministers found themselves helpless and sent in their resignations to the Emperor. Dom Pedro, having been summoned in haste from his suburban palace at Petropolis, undertook to form a new ministry, but without success. Meanwhile the insurgents made him a prisoner in his city palace and cut off all intercourse with the outer world. The leaders of the rebels then, in conjunction with the chief republicans of the capital, organized a ministry of their own and proclaimed the republic. On the 16th Dom Pedro was notified that the presence of himself and family in the country was incompatible with the new order, and at three o'clock in the morning of the 17th the whole imperial family was put on board a steamer for Portugal, which immediately left the port under escort of a man of-war. No blood was shed in the affair except in the case of Baron Ladario, the minister of Marine, who was severely wounded in attempting to quell the mutiny. The provisional government was organized as follows: Fonseca, President; Loba, Interior; Bocayuva, Foreign Affairs; Barboza, Finance; Campos Salles, Justice; Constant, War; Vanderholtz, Marine; and Ribero, Agriculture. A decree was issued by this body proclaiming the republic under the name of the United States of Brazil, the former provinces to form the states and to be united by federation. Governors duly appointed for the states were directed to preserve order and to administer local affairs, pending the action of a constituent assembly which should provide finally for the new government. With only a slight disturbance in a single city, the provinces gave in their adhesion to the new régime. Foreign governments were assured that the engagements of the imperial government would be faithfully maintained, and by the end of November the most perfect outward tranquillity prevailed in both the internal and external affairs of the transformed nation. For the elections under the republican system the provisional government, on November 21, decreed that the suffrage should be extended to all citizens able to read and write. Dom Pedro reached Lisbon with his family December 7, and was warmly received by the Portuguese court. He declared his willingness to return to Brazil if summoned, but renounced all intention to favor movements for restoration by force. The cash donation which the republicans offered him he declared he would not accept.-On December 21, a decree was issued by the provisional government fixing the date of the elections for the constituent assembly for September 15, and the meeting of that body for November 15, 1890. The same decree revoked the cash grants to Dom Pedro and also his civil list, and forbade the return of any of his family for two years. In January the separation of the church from the state was decreed. Both federal and state authorities were prohibited to do any acts establishing any religion, and the patronage, resources and prerogatives of all religious institutions were extinguished. — The ex-Empress of Brazil died suddenly at Oporto, December 28th. - Peru concluded in January a settlement with her English bondholders on terms which, if fairly carried out, promise much for the future prosperity of the country. To cancel the bonds, the government turned over to the holders, represented by a New York firm of contractors, all the railways of the state for a term of sixty-six years, and the product of its guano beds up to 3,000,000 tons. Extensive privileges are conceded to favor the development and improvement of the railroads and to facilitate the exploitation of the guano deposits. The government pays in addition £80,000 annually for thirty-three years. The Argentine Republic has been suffering from a trying financial crisis. Depreciated paper currency and wild-cat banking are reported to be the causes of the difficulty. The long-standing Missiones boundary difficulty with Brazil and Uruguay was definitely terminated by treaty in January.—The Panama Canal has been made the subject of a thorough examination by a committee of French engineers, whose conclusions will definitely determine, in all probability, the question of its completion. MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA. - As regards its general social and industrial development, Mexico seems to have entered upon a definite career of progress. A congress of delegates from the different states met at the capital in December on invitation from the President, and spent some days in discussing projects for the improvement of the educational facilities of the nation. Very great activity has been manifested in chartering banks and railways. Foreign capitalists have competed hotly for promising concessions. A contract was signed in November by the government providing a subsidy of $50 per head for every able-bodied negro colonist from the United States settled permanently on public land in certain designated Mexican states. Congress met April 1. The message of President Diaz reported a good state of the finances and general internal prosperity. The plan of Central American Union, formulated by a convention of delegates from the five states at San Salvador in October, was approved in the course of the next two months by Guatemala, Honduras and San Salvador. Costa Rica is confidently expected to give her assent through her congress in June. The plan provides for the preliminary steps toward a permanent federal union, by constituting a common executive for the administration of all the foreign affairs of the five states. The executive consists of a chief, chosen annually from each of the republics in turn, and a council of five, one member from each state. The sovereignty of each republic in domestic affairs is retained, but each is so to modify its laws in reference to commerce and other common interests as to favor ultimate union. It is provided that the plan shall go into effect between those ratifying it on the 15th of September, 1890, and that by 1900, if not before, a constituent assembly shall be summoned to complete the central organization by the addition of a legislature and a judicial body. Nicaragua is inclined to oppose the project on account of the fear that she may have to share with the rest some of the special advantages she expects to gain from the canal. - The Nicaragua Canal is reported to be making good progress, though the work as yet is in the preliminary stages. WM. A. DUNNING. By FRANCIS A. WALKER, President Mass. Institute of Technology. 12mo. $1.25. H. S. Foxwell, St. John's College, Cambridge University, England, says of it: "For two classes of readers, the beginners, and the busy men who have little time to devote to special studies, it is the best general presentation of economic science known to me. I have not seen, and do not expect to see, any treatise which in so simple a manner and so compact a form gives such an adequate and sensible exposition of just those economic truths which for practical purposes, and to practical men, are the most essential and fundamental." WALKER'S POLITICAL ECONOMY. Advanced Course. $2.50. Briefer Course. $1.50. JOHNSTON'S AMERICAN POLITICS. HISTORY OF AMERICAN POLITICS. BY ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, LL.D., Late Professor in Princeton College. Third Edition, Revised and Enlarged by WILLIAM M. SLOANE, Ph.D., Professor of History and Political Science in Princeton College. xvi + 350 pp. 16mo. $1.00. (Ready June 1st.) The Nation says: "It would not be possible to get at the facts which are here accumulated, arranged in the most orderly manner, in a very clear and absolutely colorless narrative, in a small duodecimo, without turning over at least a dozen larger works. We cannot commend Mr. Johnston's little book too highly." FYFFE'S HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE. 3 vols. 8vo. The set, $7.50. The N.Y. Tribune says: "It would be difficult to point out a work better adapted to the use of the general student than this, by reason of its comprehensive view, its exemplary impartiality, the modernity of its spirit, and the trustworthiness of its statements." HENRY HOLT & CO., New York. Simplest and Best. Automatic, Economical and Durable. Mrs. Cady's School for Young Ladies. Institute course of study, and College preparatory course. Admits to either Smith, Vassar, or Wellesley by certificate. CIRCULARS. EARLY APPLICATION NECESSARY. D.C., WASHINGTON, 1407 MASS. AVE. NORWOOD INSTITUTE. A Select Boarding and Day School for Young Ladies and Little Girls. Ninth Session opens Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1890. MR. and MRS. WILLIAM D. CABELL, Principals. WEBSTER'S UNABRIDGED ANCIENT EDITION. A so-called "Webster's Unabridged Dictionary" is being offered to the public at a very low price. The body of the book, from A to Z, is a cheap reprint, page for page, of the edition of 1847, which was in Its day, a valuable book, but in the progress of language for over FORTY YEARS, has been completely superseded. It is now reproduced, broken type, errors and all, by photo-lithograph process, is printed on cheap paper and flimsily bound. A brief comparison, page by page, between the reprint and the latest and enlarged edition, will show the great superiority of the latter. These reprints are as out of date as a last year's almanac. No honorable dealer will allow the buyer of such to suppose that he is getting the Webster which to-day is accepted as the Standard and THE BEST,-every copy of which bears our imprint as given below. If persons who have been induced to purchase the "Ancient Edition" by any misrepresentations will advise us of the facts, we will undertake to see that the seller is punished as he deserves. G. & C. MERRIAM & CO. |