National.

The Supreme Court of the United States in the case of the Belden Water Power Company versus the United States, Justice Lurton writing the opinion, decided that the federal government had prior rights over riparian owners in the Sault Ste. Marie river in Michigan. The Sault Ste. Marie is a navigable stream in which the government had begun the erection of a dam, when it was sued for damages by the water power company as the owners of the riparian rights which, it was alleged, were violated by the government construction. The decision is far-reaching, for apparently it settles for good the question of the power of the government over intrastate streams and recognizes the authority of the federal government as superior to that of a state. This power has been questioned in many states and may have a direct bearing upon the Connecticut river improvement project, which has been held up for many years through considerations of local ownership.

The La Crosse Telephone Company and the Wisconsin Telephone Company have been ordered to make a physical connection between their toll lines or systems. This is one of the first contested cases of its kind to be brought before the railroad commission since the passage of the physical connection law two years ago. It is said by telephone men there that the case will be appealed to the state supreme court, and if beaten there, it will go to the United States Supreme Court. The commission gives the companies thirty days to comply with the order.

Immigration to the United States has been heavier this year than during the three previous years, 747,998 immigrant aliens having been admitted to this country during the nine months from July, 1912, to and including March.

The law abolishing the mayoralty form of government for Denver, Col., and establishing the commission form, went into effect June 1. The new commissioners were chosen in a special election on May 20.

International.

The eight-months war between Turkey and the allied Balkan states is ended. "The Peace of London" was signed May 30 in the picture gallery of St. James palace. Sir Edward Grey, the British foreign secretary, presided over the formalities. After informing the ambassadorial conference of the signing of the peace draft, Sir Edward Grey suggested that the conference limit its discussions to three questions: a constitution for Albania; the delimitation of the southern frontier of Albania, and the status of the Ægean islands. The program submitted to and approved by the powers consists of four articles. The first deals with the proportion of the Ottoman public debt to be assumed by the allies. Article two refers to the taking over by the allies of the engagements and rights of Turkey in respect to third parties concerning works and concessions in the conquered provinces. Article three deals with the claims of the allies resulting from expenses and damage incurred by them as a result of the war. The fourth paragraph is concerned with the exchange of prisoners and expenses connected with this and kindred questions. The Bulgarian minister of finance says the Balkan states will ask for a war indemnity of four hundred million dollars, of which Bulgaria's share would be two hundred million dollars.

Senator Berenger, the French reformer, widely known in connection with schemes for the promotion of public decency, virtue, and good morals, is now about to associate his name with a vast scheme for the relief of the out-of-work and destitute, especially those who have large families to support. The building of so-called workmen's dwellings does not meet the case, as such dwellings are really occupied as soon as built by workmen who can afford to pay for a fair amount of comfort. The people, on the other hand, who are evicted, especially when they have large families, have got into trouble because they are totally destitute. Senator Berenger advises that temporary or permanent barracks should be constructed for them. With the buildings there should go large playgrounds for the children, and finally, this sort of workmen's barracks could be supplemented by suitable trade schools, in which the children, when they reach a certain age, could be taught a trade and fitted for self-support.

According to the most reliable information from Peking, the Russo-Chinese-Mongolian negotiations have terminated. The agreement was submitted to closed meetings of the Senate and House of Representatives at Peking, and it has been favorably received and referred to a special committee of both houses for examination. The terms are as follows: China undertakes not to disturb the status quo regarding the previously existing outer Mongolian autonomy and recognizes the Mongolian's rights to preserve peace in outer Mongolia and prevent colonization by foreigners. Russia recognizes outer and inner Mongolia as an integral part of China, undertaking to respect China's rights there. Russia, as before, may maintain consular guards and officials in outer Mongolia, but no other officials, and she is not allowed to colonize there. China accepts Russian mediation between herself and Mongolia and grants Russia commercial privileges there, while China controls international relations.

The returns from the federal elections held last week in Australia, indicate the probable defeat of the Ministerialists. The Liberals scored heavily in the rural districts, while the metropolitan districts polled strongly in favor of the Labor party. The issues involved in the general elections for the commonwealth were the most momentous yet submitted to the people of Australia. The electors were asked by the Fisher ministry to grant vastly increased constitutional powers to the commonwealth Parliament, and to lessen the state's powers correspondingly. These proposals were put to the people in the form of six separate referendum questions, the voting on which was simultaneous with the polling for the election of the new Parliament. This referendum formed the issue between the Liberals and the Labor party.

The Oppenheim excavation and discovery expedition of Berlin, Germany, in central Mesopotamia, has unearthed a number of interesting treasures during the last few months. Among the most remarkable discoveries is a palace of large dimensions. During the course of the work, stone implements, ivory, bronze, and numerous pieces of pottery have come to light. The results of these excavations, from the historical as well as from the architectural point of view, are so important, and they involve so much work, that Baron Oppenheim has engaged five hundred native Arabs, who will be employed under five German architects.

An arrangement has been made under which sovereign rights over an area of eighteen thousand acres of land and water at Jervis bay have been transferred to the commonwealth of Australia by the state of New South Wales. The land will be used for a naval college and other federal purposes. Over two hundred and forty thousand acres have been handed over by New South Wales, free of cost, for capital purposes, while eighty-eight thousand acres have been acquired from private owners.

The two sister dreadnoughts, La Provence and La Bretagne, have just been launched by the French government. The navy department has so improved its construction yards as to be able now to compete successfully with other countries in the building of dreadnoughts, and to complete in less than three years the largest type of battleship afloat.

Over four hundred nightingales and other small birds have just been liberated by the Paris authorities in the Luxembourg gardens.

Industrial and Commercial.

Looking forward to the moving of northwestern crops, four great railway systems are planning to spend sixty-five million dollars on improvements in 1913. The Great Northern, the Northern Pacific, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, and the Chicago & Northwestern are the roads affected. Improvements will include terminal facilities, new trackage and equipment. The Great Northern will expend ten million dollars for fourteen thousand units of rolling stock. Over five hundred miles of new railway lines will be constructed in North Dakota alone, to take care of the development of the country. When these new lines are completed, every one of the forty counties in the state will be touched by a railroad.

Evidence of the growth of cooperative trading in the United Kingdom is furnished by the report of the chief register of the Friendly societies, registered under the industrial and provident societies act. Cooperation, as represented by societies carrying on industries or trades, small societies carrying on businesses, land societies (including small holding associations), enrolled at the end of 1911 a membership of 2,992,590. The total accounts of the societies dealt with in the report aggregated $340,445,235, representing an addition of more than $23,750,000 during the year 1911.

The railway which is being built between Nice and Vievola, and which will unite the French Rivera with the railway system of northern Italy, was begun in 1910, and will not, it is expected, be completed until 1917. The cost of the work when completed is estimated at one hundred and forty million francs. The opening of this line will reduce the distance by rail to Turin from 179½ to 132 miles.

The building of the great transsiberian railway first brought into notice and active operation the coal mines of Siberia, and the announcement is now made that the construction of a railway in the Altai region is to take place this year. This will open up a district extraordinarily rich in ores,—iron, copper, silver, gold, zinc, and coal.

To restore to that part of the midlands of England, known as the Black Country, something of its primitive timbered appearance, is the object of the Midlands Reafforestation Association. Owing to its endeavors the pit mounds and furnace slag heaps of south Staffordshire will be reclaimed and made to grow useful timber.