National.

The contest over probably the richest coal lands in the world was transferred to the supreme court of the United Sates when the government docketed an appeal from the order of the federal court of Washington quashing the so-called "Stracey group" indictment. Judge Hanford quashed the indictment on the ground that under his interpretation of the coal land laws applicable to Alaska the indictment had not stated an offense. The appeal from the decision will bring before the supreme court the determination of the law under which Alaskan coal land may be entered and sold.

Too much stress laid upon the pride of display in war and too little upon its cost was given as the reason for the continuance of international conflict, in the address by Edwin Ginn of Boston before the third national peace congress which met this year at Baltimore, Md. He proposed that an international army be organized, similar to that which put down the Boxer uprising in China. Such an army, with individual national armies abolished, would result in an enormous saving of property, he declared.

The special inland waterways commission, appointed by the Massachusetts Legislature, turns down the project for a free ship canal to connect Boston harbor with Narragansett bay by way of Higham or Plymouth, but suggests that it may be needed in the fature. This canal was to have been built by the United States government as the northern link of the intracoastal waterways system extending nearly the length of the Atlantic coast. It is believed that the Cape Cod canal now building will amply satisfy needs.

The charge has been brought before the interstate commerce commission that the United States Steel Corporation practically dominates the railroads of the country and that, because of its powerful influence in the railroad directorates, it has enabled its subsidiary, the Universal Portland Cement Company, to obtain freight rates far lower than its chief competitor, the Alpha Portland Cement Company of Manheim, W. Va.

A curb on the leasing at high prices of patented machinery by the manufacturers thereof has been proposed by Senator Gore of Oklahoma in a resolution and a bill introduced in the Senate. The resolution provides for an investigation into the methods of leasing, selling, and controlling patented articles in the United States, and the bill provides for a compulsory leasing of machinery without discrimination.

Owing to the bursting of one section of the completed cofferdam which had been built around the battleship Maine in the harbor of Havana, the pumping out of the water, which had been set for May 25 will have to be postponed about two weeks.

The second international congress on child welfare received with applause at a recent session the declaration that the comic supplement was a "child perverter," uttered by Edith K. Kern, who spoke on "The Purity of the Press."

The $2.50 gold piece, long a favored coin for watch charms and Christmas gifts, but not for circulation, may soon become obsolete, as Secretary MacVeagh contemplates asking Congress for authority to stop its coinage.

The loss of property by the recent fire in Bangor, Me., is estimated by the state insurance commissioner at three million dollars, with insurance covering about half that amount.

Every railroad in the country was notified May 5 by the postoffice department that after July 1 cars used by railway mail clerks must be equipped with steel underframes.

The first Democratic tariff bill, placing on the free list agricultural implements, meats, and many other articles, has passes the House by a vote of 236 to 109.

High school fraternities and sororities in the public schools have been banished by vote of the school board of Chicago.

International.

Sir Eldon Gorst, the British agent and consul-general in Egypt, in his report on Egyptian affairs, acknowledges that the efforts made to develop self-government have been disappointing. The Executive Council and the General Assembly, he says, have become "mere instruments of Nationalist agitation against the occupation." They seek to render the business of the government impossible. "The conclusion to be drawn," says Sir Eldon, "is that the policy of ruling this country in cooperation with native ministers at the present time is incompatible with that of encouraging so-called representative institutions."

In the building of a new bridge across the Thames at London, artists and architects strongly favor a northern terminus that will bring it in line with the dome of St. Paul's and give a splendid view of the cathedral, which would be, to quote Prof. Beresford Pite, "a vision unequaled by the atrium of St. Peter's at Rome, and surpassing even Wren's great imagination." This plan, however, is not favored by the bridge house estate commission, which is "not disposed to build a new bridge simply to get a finer view of St. Paul's."

With the substitution of a cabinet composed of Prince Ching and the heads of the ten executive departments for the old grand council of five persons, a long step toward the establishment of a true constitutional government in China has been taken, it is believed. It is a part of the plan to make cabinet ministers' tenure depend upon the will of a majority in the constituent assembly. This was one of the principal demands of the Liberal element.

The opium agreement between the Chinese and British governments, which was signed May 8, becomes operative immediately. It provides that China shall continue to diminish annually its production of opium proportionately with the Indian export, until its extinction in 1917. Great Britain agrees that the importation of Indian opium into China shall cease earlier, if the native production in that country ceases.

The Institute of International Law is meeting in Madrid, this being the twenty-sixth session since its foundation in 1873. This institute is composed of sixty associates and sixty members, persons who "have rendered services to international law in the domain of theory or practice." It is strictly international in character, no one country being entitled to more than one fifth of the total number of representatives.

Subscriptions to the five-million-dollar loan which Japan has made to the Chinese government, through the Yokohama specie bank, aggregate eight million four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The loan was quietly negotiated and came as a surprise to the representatives of foreign financial interests. The loan will be used to meet a deficit of the railway board, and China gives in security five per cent raiwlay bonds.

Revolutionary disturbances in Kwangtung province, China, consequent upon an interdiction against gambling, have been quieted. Agitation against gambling is wide-spread throughout China, though gambling monopolists supply enormous revenue to the province. It is estimated that there are ten thousand gambling houses in Canton, employing fifty thousand men.

An imperial edict authorizes the conclusion of the Hukwang loan of thirty million dollars for railroad construction in central China. The loan was signed a year ago this month by groups of financiers representing the United States, France, Great Britain, and Germany, and the four groups of bankers will participate.

Industrial and Commercial.

The plans for the new cantilever bridge over the St. Lawrence river at Quebec, which have just been adopted by the Dominion government, and which, it is estimated, will cost twelve million dollars, will make this great structure one of the wonders of the world. The bridge is on the line of the new Transcontinental railway system where it crosses the St. Lawrence river near the city of Quebec, and it will be the largest cantilever bridge in the world, the suspension span being the longest single truss span ever designed. It is expected to be ready for traffic by 1915. The length of the center span is to be 1,800 feet. The total length of the structure is 3,228 feet. The bridge will be 150 feet above high water.

Considerable progress has been made in recent years in the methods of utilizing bituminous slack, anthracite culm, coke breeze, lignite, and peat for fuel purposes by making these otherwise waste products into briquettes. In the year 1908 the world production of briquetted fuel was 28,600,000 short tons, of which Germany produced seventy-three per cent. In the same time the United States produced only 90,358 short tons, valued at the plant at $323,057. In 1909 the United States produced in sixteen plants 139,661 short tons, valued at $452,697.

The New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad is planning to spend over a million dollars in reducing grades, straightening curves, strengthening bridges and eliminating grade crossings on its Air Line division between New Haven and Willimantic, a section of the shortest rail route between New York and Boston.

Three hundred and five thousand seals, valued at four hundred and ninety-three thousand dollars, were secured by the eighteen vessels of the Newfoundland sealing fleet during the season just closed. Last year the fleet reported a catch of three hundred and thirty thousand with a value of six hundred and twelve thousand dollars.

The United States Steel Corporation has come into possession of the Risdom Iron Works at San Francisco, Cal., half a mile of waterfront and fourteen blocks adjoining. The price paid was two million five hundred thousand dollars.

Two thirds of the lumber that is estimated to be cut at Duluth, Minn., this season is sold to go forward. The cut for the year 1911 is estimated to be two hundred and forty million feet.

The Grand Trunk railway has won its contest for a right of way to a tide-water terminal in Providence, R. I., for its subsidiary, the Southern New England railway.