after which he is eligible for promotion to the grade of second assistant engineer, with a compensation of $1,200. Many colleges in the United States obtain a bulletin of the vacancies in this corps prior to commencement day, and post it conspicuously to stimulate the exertions of the students. The chief engineers of the Revenue-cutter Service, who receive a compensation of $1,800 a year, are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, but the lower grades are filled by examinations always. The new office of engineer in chief has recently been created by act of Congress, upon the recommendation of Secretary Carlisle, who proposed the name of John W. Collins (one of the twenty-six chief engineers) to hold this responsible post, on account of his exceptional fitness. Mr. Collins's connection with the service began during the civil war, and as he is acquainted with its every grade by personal experience, he has proved himself very energetic in raising the standard of efficiency throughout the engineer corps, insisting that all applicants be found both practically and theoretically competent by the severest tests. He designs all the machinery for the new vessels.

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The following are the names of the vessels in the service: "Woodbury," "Dallas," "Dexter," "Manhattan," "Hamilton," "Crawford," "Chase," "Winona," "Colfax," "Morrill," "Boutwell." "McLane," Forward," "Seward," "Galveston," "Wolcott," Rush," "Bear," "Corwin," "Grant," Perry," Johnson," Fessenden," Hamlin," 66 Hudson," "Chandler," "Washington," "Guthrie," "Smith," "Hartley," "Calumet," "Tybee," " Penrose," "Sperry." and "Windom."

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RHODE ISLAND, a New England State, one of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution May 29, 1790; area, 1,250 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census, was 68,825 in 1790; 69,122 in 1800; 76,931 in 1810; 83,015 in 1820; 97,199 in 1830; 108,830 in 1840; 147,545 in 1850; 174,620 in 1860; 217,353 in 1870; 276,531 in 1880; and 345,506 in 1890. By the State census of 1895 it was 384,758. Capitals, Providence and Newport.

Government. The following were the State officers during the year: Governor, Charles W. Lippitt, succeeded in May by Elisha Dyer; Lieutenant Governor, Edwin R. Allen, succeeded by Aram J. Pothier; Secretary of State, Charles P. Bennett; Treasurer, Samuel Clark, who died Dec. 27, and was succeeded by Clinton D. Sellew; Attorney-General, Edward C. Dubois, succeeded by W. B. Tanner; Adjutant General, F. M. Sackett; Auditor, A. C. Landers; Superintendent of Education, T. B. Stockwell; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Charles Matteson; Associate Justices, John H. Stiness, Pardon E. Tillinghast, George A. Wilbur, Horatio Rogers, W. W. Douglas, and Benjamin M. Bosworth; Clerk, B. S. Blaisdell. All are Republicans.

Finances. By the Auditor's report in April it was shown that the receipts for the preceding year were $1,453,843.82. Included in this amount is $48,565.98, which represents the proceeds of loans. The receipts of the year showed an increase of nearly $27,000. The expenditures were $2,031.109.28. Included in this amount is $642,060.19, paid on account of the construction of the new Statehouse, which is provided for by the issuing of bonds. The additional sum of $52,500 for interest on these bonds, and $20,000 paid for the sinking fund established for their redemption are also included in the amount expended. Assuming a deficit of nearly $91,000 on the first day of the year, the expenditures of the State were met.

Education. The enrollment in the public schools in 1896 was 59,241; the average number

number of volumes in them was 261,684, and the number of patrons was 45,298.

At the Agricultural College a two years' course in roadmaking has been established, including English literature, geometry, trigonometry, surveying, electrical mechanics, physical geography, mineralogy, geology, and steam engineering, besides a month's work each spring at actual roadmaking, ten hours a day. The college graduated 10 students in June.

The Friends' School held its one hundred and thirteenth commencement in June, with a graduating class of 27.

The registration at Brown University shows 860 names, including the 149 on the roll of the Women's College. About 120 were graduated at the commencement. There were 27 graduates of the Women's College. Pembroke Hall, its new building, was dedicated Nov. 22.

Much interest was shown throughout the country in the resignation of Dr. E. B. Andrews, President of Brown University, on account of the principle involved. Because of his views in regard to the free coinage of silver, which were judged to be injurious to the interests of the university, the corporation appointed a committee to confer with him concerning his public utterances on the subject. The outcome of the conference was his resig nation. The action of the corporation was criticised as an attempt to interfere with the freedom of individual opinion. At length the corporation requested him to withdraw his resignation, and it was withdrawn Sept. 14.

Exercises in connection with the dedication of an historical tablet placed on the First Baptist Church of Warren were held May 25. The tablet

commemorates not only the fact of the erection of the first Baptist meeting-house in Warren, but also that in 1767 was erected the parsonage, which for three years was the home of Rhode Island College, now Brown University. The church and parsonage were burned by British troops May 25, 1778. The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Warren and the fiftieth anniversary of the Warren High School were celebrated.

Military.-There were 151 inmates of the Soldiers' Home at Bristol, in May, 26 of whom were in the hospital.

The hospital corps of the State militia celebrated its first anniversary Oct. 19 with a parade and drill. It was organized in October, 1896, but the service performed on July 4, when more than 50 who had been overcome by the heat of the day were succored by the corps, first brought it prominently before the public. The State camp was held at Quonset Point in July, with a larger attendance and better work than in 1896. A design has been accepted for a new State armory, the estimated cost of which is $286,000.

Charities and Corrections.-The inmates at the State institutions at Cranston, Dec. 21, were classified as follows: House of Correction. 210 men, 112 women, 322; State Hospital for the Insane, 319 men, 354 women, 693: State Almshouse, 154 men, 163 women, 26 boys, 28 girls, 371; State Prison, 177 men, 4 women, 181; Providence County jail, 273 men, 21 women, 294; Sockanosset School for Boys, 304; Oaklawn School for Girls, 41. The number of inmates at the State institutions Dec. 21, 1887, was: Men, 1,117; women, 654; boys, 330; girls, 69. Total, 2,170. There were 181 patients at the Butler Hospital for the Insane, Jan. 1. The State Home for the Care of Dependent and Neglected Children had an enrollment of 125 in April. Several of the institutions are badly overcrowded. The boys at Sockanosset School turned out work valued at $3,915.78. The expenditures were $50,022.22.

The report of the warden of the State Prison shows the receipts to have been $26,455.02, while the expenditures were $49,995.60, or an excess of $23,540.58 of the expenditures over receipts.

The condition of unoccupied convicts was described in February as follows: "A shocking state of affairs exists at the State Prison. There are men confined within those gaunt gray walls who can not be provided with work. These men want to labor during the day so as to take their minds off their miserable situation, but there is nothing for them to do. The contract shops are overcrowded, and every inch of available space is employed. In the prison yard is a little one-story wooden building which they call the 'annex.' In this annex 130 men are confined, owing to the lack of cell room in the prison proper. From morning until night the 130 prisoners, most of whom are short-term men, sit and mope. In other States the prison rules permit the men thus confined to converse one with another, to read, and to play checkers, but at Cranston the regular jail discipline prevails, and the inmates of the annex may do absolutely nothing but think."

The gross expenses of the State institutions were $250,521. The receipts from labor, etc., $42,080.78. Banks.-The condition of the banks, as reported in January, was as follows:

The total resources reported by savings banks, including those in liquidation, amount to $72,591,433.95, which shows a shrinkage since the last report of $49,951.95. Deposits decreased nearly the same amount, but the number of depositors gained 896, and of this gain 610 were of those depositing

under $500. Seventeen savings banks declared annual and 13 semiannual dividends. The savings banks hold, in loans on mortgages of real estate, $26,924,985.19; in bank and other stocks, $3,917,817.91; in United States bonds, $3,040,887.50; in State Bonds, $347,455.56; and in all other bonds, $26,362,085.16. The amount of deposits is $68,683,697.90, and the whole number of depositors is 136,148. Of the real-estate mortgages all but $4,269,344.08 is in Rhode Island property.

The total resources of the trust companies show a shrinkage of $715,706.65. Their deposits on participation account increased $437,788.14, and depositors 635, but deposits on general account decreased $1,235,131.99. The average rate of dividend for the year was 33 per cent. Of the $2.340,430.09 invested by the trust companies in real estate, somewhat more than half is in property in other States.

The Mercantile Trust Company of Providence went into voluntary liquidation in November. The old Union Bank, which went into liquidation in 1889, has paid its debts in full and the shareholders have been paid $45.59 per share. The Phonix Savings Bank suspended payment in March.

The report of the national banks in June shows that the total resources of these banks amount to $55,866,198.21. The average reserve held is 25.54 per cent.

Labor.-A dispatch from Providence, Dec. 1, says: "The voluntary offer of Charles Fletcher to restore the schedule of 1893 to the operatives of the Providence and National worsted mills has been carried out, for to-day the increase of 20 per cent. goes into effect. The other mill owners have fallen into line, and about 25,000 operatives will be drawing the new pay."

The New Capitol.-In order to test the right of the Capitol Commissioners to contract for a Statehouse that will cost at least $3,000,000, while the Legislature had authorized an expenditure of only $1,500,000, the Governor asked the opinion of the Supreme Court. The answer was in favor of the commission. As no limit was mentioned in the act providing for the building, the court held that it was not exceeding its powers. At the same time, the commissioners were warned that, while they have the authority to proceed, they must not contract for work without funds, but if the funds get low must apply to the Assembly.

The Assembly proposed to leave the building without the dome for the present, and to defer the work on the terraces and approaches, as well as on the interior decorations. The commission presented its report in May, giving the following statement:

The price for so much of the building as has been contracted for is $1,576,000. This provides the building ready for occupancy, with the exception of the elevators, the electric wiring and lamps, a boiler house with boilers and conduit to the Statehouse, and the furniture. The estimated expense for these matters is $168,000.

Revision of the Constitution.-The commission to revise the Constitution authorized by the Legislature was appointed by the Governor in March, Four of the 15 members are Democrats. The work was not finished at the close of the year.

Political.-State officers were elected April 7. There were five tickets-the Republican, Democratic, Prohibitionist, Socialist-Labor, and Liberal. The Prohibitionists held a State convention in Providence, Feb. 22.

The Democratic convention in Providence, March 10, adopted resolutions of which the following is a part:

"We charge the Republican Legislature with cowardice, in that they have three times refused to

marines, $13,000; for the Soldiers' Home, $18,000; for the College of Agriculture, $10,000; for the Institute for the Deaf, $19,000; for the interest on Statehouse bonds, $52,500.

A section of the criminal law was amended to read as follows: "Whenever an indictment shall be found against any person for any offense, and the petit jury shall not be satisfied that he is guilty of the whole offense, but shall be satisfied that he is guilty of so much thereof as shall substantially amount to an offense of a lower nature, or that the defendant did not complete the offense charged, but that he was guilty only of an attempt to commit the same, the jury may find him guilty of such lower offense, or guilty of an attempt to commit the same, as the case may be, and the court shall proceed to sentence such convict for the offense of which he shall be so found guilty, notwithstanding that such court had not otherwise jurisdiction of such offense."

An appropriation of $10,000 was made for additions and improvements at the permanent camp grounds, and it was provided that "the first machine-gun battery shall be composed of one battery of not more than 4 guns, and shall consist of 4 commissioned officers and not more than 50 privates." A resolution was adopted calling for the appointment of a commission to revise the Constitution, to consist of 15 members and to be nonpartisan; and another asking that the Rhode Island Congressmen support a bill in Congress for the preservation of the frigate "Constitution."

A matter of historical interest was brought up in the Senate in February. A copy was shown of the log of the British frigate "Rose," which was at anchor in the harbor of Newport during the early part of 1775, giving account of an action between two colonial sloops and a tender of the frigate. The document goes to show that this State had the first conflict in the Revolution between vessels regularly commissioned by this colony and a naval vessel of Great Britain. It was ordered printed. Other acts were: Providing for the testing and labeling of fertilizers.

Amending the game laws.

Empowering Roman Catholic Church corporations to acquire and hold lands for burial purposes and property in trust for the maintenance and improvement of burial grounds.

Prohibiting the selling of cigarettes to boys under sixteen years of age.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. The hope of Leo XIII for the unification of all branches of the Christian Church was further indicated in the year 1897 by an encyclical letter, issued in May and entitled "The Operation of the Holy Spirit in the Church." It is an earnest appeal for the return of all dissident Christians to the original unity of the Church. That the long-continued efforts of the Holy Father toward this end have been partly, at least, crowned with success was shown in 1897 by the return to Catholicism of some thousands of schismatic Copts under the hierarchy established in Egypt. The schismatic Bishop of Diarbekir, in Mesopotamia, early in the year voluntarily surrendered his orders and declared his allegiance to the see of Rome. Leo XIII also lent his aid toward a resolution of the difficulties of the election of a successor to Gregorius Yusef, pontiff of the Arabian Greek Church. The Greek College of the Propaganda at Rome was given over to the instruction of candidates for the Greek rite only, under the government of the Benedictines.

By a new apostolic constitution issued on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Oct. 4) Leo XIII inaugurated a change in the government and constitution of the four religious communities known as the Observantists, Reformed Friars Minor, Dis

calced (barefooted) Franciscans, and Recollects. These orders, which were offshoots from the original institute founded by Francis of Assisi, previously had had autonomy and distinct customs and privileges. Henceforth they are to be united under the same rule and constitution and governed by one minister general. This change was an important one, implying a decided reform in many respects in some of the communities. All hereafter are to be called Friars Minor, to wear the same habit, and surrender all distinctive privileges. The two other Franciscan orders, the Conventuals and Capuchins, remain distinct.

Among the other principal public acts of the Holy See this year was the important document, issued in January, enforcing anew the rules of the Index against prohibited books. In August the Pope issued an encyclical letter to the bishops of Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, on the occasion of the tercentenary of the blessed Peter Canisius, one of the first Jesuit priests, and an apostle of Catholicism in the time of the Reformation. He also delivered several allocutions during the year before the cardinals and to diferent deputations or pilgrimages. The most important of these was the one delivered to the French workmen on the occasion of their pilgrimage to the Vatican. In January he sent an encyclical letter to the bishops of France, on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of their national Vow (the building of the Church of the Sacred Heart at Paris). In August he wrote a similar encyclical to the episcopate of England, which was about to celebrate the thirteenth centenary of the landing in Kent of St. Augustine and the missionaries from Rome,

The most important of the decisions of the Holy Office during the year was that affirming the authenticity of 1 John v, 7: Because there are three who give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." The modern editions of the New Testament omit this verse, since, according to German and English critics, the Greek manuscripts do not give it. Since the verse in question had an important bearing on the Catholic teaching of the distinction of Three Persons together with the unity of their nature in Godhead, its rejection by critics caused Catholics to have recourse to the apostolic see and to submit the question whether this verse was to be rejected or its authenticity doubted. The reply of the Holy Office, given Jan. 13, was "No" in both particulars.

The Pope strongly disappoved of the celebration of the nineteenth centenary of the Redemption, as he had previously disapproved of a similar centenary of the birth of the Blessed Virgin. He demonstrated his usual activity in the matter of ecclesiastical studies by several important reforms in the Vatican seminary, the seminaries of Spain, Mexico, and South America, as well as by a fatherly letter concerning the attendance at Italian universities of members of religious or teaching orders or of the secular priesthood. During the year the King of Siam visited him at the Vatican, as also did the extraordinary ambassador of the Shah of Persia.

Leo XIII has pleased all the lovers of art by the restoration of the Borgia apartments, in which were many masterpieces of the Renaissance. Reproductions of paintings of this epoch were published in a magnificent work, copies of which were sent by the Pope to the sovereigns of Europe and to President McKinley. The long and tedious conflict concerning the new Church of St. Joachim, at Rome, was settled by a decision in favor of the Pope, and the submission of the Abbé Brugidon, formerly pastor of that church.

Two saints were canonized by the Consistory of Cardinals in the year, Anthony M. Zaccaria, founder of the Barnabites, and Peter Fourier, of Mattaincourt, surnamed the Apostle of Lorraine. A consistory held in April created four cardinals: Most Rev. J. M. Martin de Herrera y de la Iglesia, Archbishop of Santiago of Compostella, born Aug. 26, 1835; the Most Rev. P. Ercole Coullié, Archbishop of Lyons, born March 14, 1829; the Most Rev. J. W. Labouré, Archbishop of Rennes, born Oct. 27, 1841; and the Most Rev. W. M. Romano Sourrieu, Archbishop of Rouen, born Feb. 27, 1825.

Statistics. Five cardinals died in the year 1897: William Sanfelice di Acquavella, Archbishop of Naples: Angelo Bianchi, Prodatary, Bishop of Palestrina; Camillo Siciliano di Rende, Archbishop of Benevento; Anatolo Moneschillo y Viso, Archbishop of Toledo, Patriarch of the West Indies; Joseph Guarino, Archbishop of Messina.

The Roman Catholic Church is governed by the Bishop of Rome as its head. He is assisted by a senate, known as the Sacred College of Cardinals. This body when complete numbers 75. The members are ranked by ancient custom in 3 divisions : Cardinal bishops, of whom there are 6; cardinal deacons, of whom there are 16; and cardinal priests, of whom there are 53. Each cardinal has what is called a title-that is, a local church at Rome-of which he is nominally the head or pastor. The episcopate of the Catholic Church is divided into patriarchal, archiepiscopal, and episcopal sees. These again are divided into the Latin rite and Oriental rite. There are 8 Latin patriarchal sees, which have now only an historical importanceConstantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Lisbon, East Indies, West Indies, and Venice. The Oriental patriarchal sees are 6: Antioch, from which are named three patriarchs, of the Melchite rite, the Maronite rite, and the Syriac rite; Cilicia, of the Armenian rite; Babylon, of the Chaldaic rite; and Alexandria, of the Coptic rite.

There are 191 archiepiscopal sees in the Catholic Church, of which 173 belong to the Latin rite. The episcopal sees number 767, of which 714 are of the Latin rite. There are besides certain abbeys, archpresbyteries, priories prelates, and prelatures of an episcopal character, 17 in number, making in all some 1,064 officers of episcopal or quasi-episcopal character or jurisdiction.

The Catholic Population of the World.-In 1897 the number of Catholics was reckoned as follows: Europe, 158,753,710; Asia, 9,320,000; Africa, 2,800,000; America, 51,100,000; Oceanica, 980,000; total, 223,000,000.

The United States.-On Jan. 19 Dr. T. J. Conaty, formerly of Worcester, Mass., was installed as the rector of the Catholic University at Washington. Bishop Keane, his predecessor, having resigned, was called to Rome and was there raised to the dignity of Archbishop of Damascus i. p. i. and made a canon of St. John Lateran and advisor to the congregations of Propaganda and Ecclesiastical Studies. The Sisters of Notre Dame undertook the establishment of a college for the higher education of women by the purchase of 20 acres of land in the immediate proximity of the Catholic University.

The Catholic Summer School met, in July, at Plattsburg, N. Y., for a six weeks' session. A summer school was also held at Madison, Wis., and a winter school was conducted at New Orleans.

The question of members of the Greek Catholic Church living in the United States was settled in May by a pontifical decree permitting them to conform to the Latin rite, provided that no Greek church should be accessible to them. When, however, they should return to their own country, they must adopt again the Oriental rite.

The annual meeting of the archbishops of the United States was held at Washington, Oct. 31. The following episcopal appointments were made during the year: Right Rev. James Trobec, Bishop of St. Cloud; Right Rev. Thomas J. Lenihan, D. D., Bishop of Cheyenne; Right Rev. John J. Monaghan, D. D., Bishop of Wilmington; Right Rev. Edward P. Allen, D. D., Bishop of Mobile; Right Rev. Edward W. O'Day, Bishop of Nesqually; Right Rev. James Quigley, Bishop of Buffalo; Right Rev. John Fitzmaurice, Coadjutor Bishop of Erie; Right Rev. Edmond F. Prendergast, D. D., Titular Bishop of Scillio i. p. i., Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia. The Most Rev. P. L. Chappelle was transferred from the archdiocese of New Mexico to that of New Orleans.

Other appointments: Very Rev. Joseph Eigenmann, appointed provincial of the Congregation of the Fathers of the Holy Ghost in the United States; Rev. Father Fidelis, C. P., elected general consultor of the Passionist Congregation for the United States; Very Rev. Edward J. Purbrick, S. J., appointed provincial of the New York and Maryland provinces of the Jesuit order to succeed Very Rev. William O'B. Pardow; Very Rev. George Deshon, elected superior general of the priests of the Institute of St. Paul the Apostle.

The College of St. Francis Xavier, in the city of New York, on June 21, celebrated its golden jubilee. On Dec. 5 was celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Cathedral of Milwaukee. Most Rev. Patrick J. Ryan, Archbishop of Philadelphia, celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary of episcopal consecration on April 21. The golden jubilee of Very Rev. Augustine F. Hewitt, Superior General of Priests of the Institute of St. Paul the Apostle was celebrated on March 27, and was followed by his death on June 3. Other deaths were: Most Rev. Francis Janssens, D. D., Archbishop of New Orleans, on June 12 Most Rev. Thomas L. Grace, Bishop of St. Paul; Right Rev. J. T. Butler, D. D., Bishop elect of Concordia, Kan.; and Rev. Father Havermans, of Troy, N. Y., the oldest priest in the United States.

Alaska.—The Very Rev. John B. Rene, S. J., was made Prefect Apostolic of Alaska, with residence at Juneau City. There are in Alaska 11 priests, 8 churches, 3 hospitals, 5 schools, and 2 orphanages with 250 pupils.

Canada. The hierarchy of Canada is composed of 8 archbishops and 24 bishops. The clergy number 2,917, of which 2,208 are diocesan, 709 religious. There are 2,555 churches and chapels, and 14 seminaries with 711 students. There are 85 schools or colleges for boys and 275 academies for girls. The charitable institutions are 240. The Catholic population numbers 2,092,936. The most important religious event of the year was the encyclical of the Pope, issued to the Canadian episcopate on Dec. 8, by which he counseled patience under the oppres sive legislation that took from the Catholic people of Manitoba their established rights in the matter of schools. He advised moderation, mildness, and charity, in order thereby to obtain more quickly a thoroughly Christian legislation. Until that time he desired the Catholics to draw from the existing laws all the good possible, and, where it might prove necessary, to found schools themselves, and to provide them with teachers who should not be inferior in learning and training to the teachers of the state schools.

For furthering the adjustment of the Manitoba school question, the Pope appointed Right Rev. Mgr. R. Merry del Val apostolic delegate to Canada. Mgr. Paul Bruchesi was consecrated Archbishop of Montreal, Aug 8. The episcopal see of Vancouver island was made vacant by the death of Right Rev.