Items of Interest September 25, 1902 Issue

Items of Interest

A cipher despatch has been received from Lieutenant Peary, U.S.N., dated at Chateau Bay, Labrador, announcing his safe arrival at that place on his return from the North. This is the lieutenant's fifth trip to the North. The first was in 1886; the others in 1891, 1893, 1896. He started on the present trip in July, 1898, having been granted a five year's leave of absence from the Navy by Secretary Long in 1897. Four years have passed since Mr. Peary started on his perilous quest. The work which he has already reported, and recorded upon maps, includes extensive explorations in western Grinnell Land, the discovery of new land masses to the northwest of Greely Fjord, high peaks on the western, and noble glaciers on the eastern slope of the divide, and a complete revision of the map of the Hayes Sound-Buchanan Bay country. His still greater achievement was the rounding of the northern end of the Greenland Archipelago in the spring of 1900, completely delimiting the outlines of that coast so long shrouded in mystery.

The hearing of the claim of the United States against Mexico growing out of the "pious fund" of California, commenced at The Hague, September 15, before the International Court of Arbiration. This international tribunal consists of eighty judges, appointed by the twenty-four nations—two, three, four, or five, as the case may be. From these eighty the United States selected two judges to determine this case. The United States named Sir Edward Fry, formerly chief justice of the English Court of Appeals and Dr. F. Martens of Russia. Mexico named Signor Chelli, a distinguished Italian judge, and Dr. Lohman, a Dutch magistrate of high rank. These four judges will select a fifth. Neither nation may select one of its own citizens or a subject of its own sovereign.

Postmaster-General Payne will ask Congress for an appropriation of twelve million dollars for rural free rural free deliveries. Nine million of this is for the maintenance of the fourteen thousand routes already established and three million for further extension of the system.

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Extracts from a Lecture by Judge Hanna