National.

The Merchant Marine Com nission, whose establishment was authorized by Congress as a substitute for the passage of a subsidy act, will probably present a bill to Congress the first day of the December session embodying its recommendations. It will probably propose an increase in the tonnage taxes to be levied on the ships of all nations. American and foreign. In this way several million dollars of additional revenue can be seeured for use in the payment of subsidies. It is also proposed to revise the ocean mail act of 1891. Postal subsidies will be recommended to encourage the establishment of regular American lines to trade points not now directly reached. These vessels, it is proposed, should be equipped to act as cruisers in ease of war. The Commission will probably recommend that the United States Government turn its Philippine transport business over to commercial lines under special conditions for the encouragement of the Pacifie trade.

The next Congress of the Universal Postal Union, to be held in April, at Rome, will consider two matters of preeminent importance: the reduction of the five-cent rate of international postage, and perhaps the issue of a universal stamp for the international mails. The lack of uniformity of monetary standards is the chief obstacle to the issuing of a universal stamp. The franc is the recognized standard of the Postal Union. We commonly compute this as equivalent to 20 cents of our money. Speaking accurately, however, the franc is only 19.3 cents of our money. Therefore, 25 centimes, the nearest practicable approach in value to our fivecent piece, would actually be worth $.04825, or nearly a fifth of a cent less. It would. then, be possible with our money to buy a stamp in France for $.04825 and sell it in the United States for five cents, netting a profit of a little less than four per eent on the investment.

Miss Annie S. Peck, the American mountain climber, has ascended Huascan Mountain in South America to a height of 21,000 feet. She was prevented from reaching the summit by crevices and snow. Huascan is 22,050 feet high. On this hemisphere only two persons have excelled her, S. Vines, who ascended Mount Aconcagua, 22,860 feet, in 1897, and W. M. Conway, who ascended Mount Illimani, 21,030 feet, in 1898. W. W. Graham, who reached a point on Mount Kabru in the Himalayas, 24,015 feet above sea level, in 1883, reached the highest point known to man. Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Workman reached a height of 21,010 feet on Koser Gunge in 1898, and Dr. Workman and his guides reached an elevation of 23,400 on the Lungma Mountain.

President D. R. Francis and Director of Exhibits Frederick J. V. Skiff of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, have been made grand officers of the Order of the Crown of Italy. The decorations were conferred upon them by the King of Italy, and the presentation of the insignia was made by Baron Mayor des Planches, Italian Ambassador to the United States.

Foreign.

Copies have been received of the report to his Government of General Rafael Reyes, know President of Colombia). who was sent to this country on a special diplomatic mission in an attempt to modify the action of the American Government in regard to Colombian interests in Panama. The report, which is of considerable length, severely arraigns the shorts ghtedness of the Colombian representatives that to the misfortunes which befel Colombia after the negotiations for the Hay-Herran treaty fell through. In conclusion the report says,—

"We must admit that the United States Government has granted to us by way of compensation in the Hay-Herran treaty much more than we had asked in the memorandum of our Minister in Washington, which served as a basis for that treaty. Comparing these two documents, the Government of the United States might well point to the generosity of its dealings with Colombia and obtain the public opinion of the civilized world. and especially that of the United States and France, in considering as an indisputable fact that the obstinacy of our Government was the only real obstacle to the construction of the eaual by the United States, which was the only agency capable of bringing to a completion so colossal and gigantic a work."

A mass meeting of Filipinos was held last Sunday at the National Theatre, Manila, for the purpose of taking "some definite action upon the popular desire; to wit, the giving of our sincere support and sympathy to the American Committee on Philippine Independence in its efforts to attain the end we desire. It would be inexplicable, and even improper," the call continues, "for Filipinos to fold their arms and remain passive at a time when the very best elements of American society are working ardently in order that our native land may attain its ambition." The mass meeting is reported to have proved a flasco, most of the theatre owners, some of whom are Tagalogs, the natives who are alleged by some to be strongly in favor of the movement, having refused to rent their buildings for the purposes of the meeting.

The Foreign Office expects the signing of the treaty between France and Spain relative to Morocco to take place within a few days, Only the details remain to be adjusted. The agreement will supplement the Anglo-French treaty whereby France secured paramount authority in Morocco. It is understood that Spain retains certain of her territorial and commercial rights in northern Morocco which do not interfere with the general plan for French development of the country.

Despatches from the Lhassa expedition state that the Chinese amban signed the Anglo Tibetan treaty without having received the necessary permission from the Chinese Government. The expedit" on. these advices say, is undergoing great hardships in its narch towards India.

The Institute of Social Reforms decided last week at Madrid, by thirteen votes to eight to ratify the absolute prohibition of Sunday bull fighting. This is considered to be the death blow to bull fighting in Spain.

Mont Pelee, the volcano on the island of Martinique which caused such disastrous results there two years ago, is again in eruption. Dense clouds of black smoke and stones are emitted from the mountain.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who has been visiting the United States, returned home last week. He expressed himself on the eve of his departure as much pleased and profited by his visit.

The Paris restaurant and cafe waiters held a meeting and passed a resolution demanding the suppression of tips and a weekly day of rest.

Industrial and Commercial.

The growing demand of the people of the United States for tropical and sub-tropical products is pointed out in the annual report of the chief of the Bureau of Statisties, just issued by the Department of Commerce and Labor. It shows that the total value of tropical and sub-tropical products brought into the United States during the fiscal year 1904 amounted to $430,556,775, including those brought from the Hawaiian Islands, Porto Rico and the Philippines, In nearly all the tropical and sub-tropical products the importations of the fiscal year 1904 are materially larger than in earlier years, while in quantity the increase is even greater than that in value, because of the deelining prices of many of these articles.

The International Engineering Congress was in session during the past week in the various halls on the Exposition grounds at St. Louis. "Within two years the great ships now being built in Great Britain will be crossing the Atlantic and making an aver age speed of twenty-nine miles an hour for the trip," was the remark made by Sir William H. White, President of the British Institute of Civil Engineers, in his farewell address.

The final papers for the transfer of Popocatepetl were signed last week by New York parties for the acquisition of the voleano and its immense sulphur deposits. General Gaspar Sanchez Ochoa, a veteran Mexican officer. one of the principal owners of the property, received $300,000 gold and will be given 200,000 shares in an American company which is to be organized with a capital of $5,000,000.

A party of four American engineers has been selected for the purpose of making a reconnaissance for the preliminary survey for a proposed system of railways in Bolivia. The system of railways proposed is intended to unite those of Peru and the Argentine Republic, and will extend through a region rich in minerals and agricultural resources.

The New York Rapid Transit Commission has formally authorized the opening of the main line of the subway to the general public on Thursday, October 27. The opening will be the occasion of a simple celebration.

The October report of the Department of Agriculture indicates a yield of corn of 2,463,724,000 bushels, very nearly a bumper crop.

Two million kegs containing 160,000,000 horseshoes are sold annually in the United States and Canada.

General.

It is stated that the cost of a first-class battleship ($6,500,000) is more than valuation of all the land and the ninety-four buildings of Harvard University plus all the land and buildings of both the Hampton and Tuskegee Institutes.

Of the 670 members of the British House of Commons 129 are lawyers. Of the 584 members of the French Chamber of Deputies 139 are lawyers. Of the 357 members of our American House of Representatives 236 are lawyers.