CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Colony of Great Britain. Governor-Sir W. F. Hely-Hutchinson. Area, 276,995 square miles; population in 1904, 2,409,804. Exports in 1905, $162,090,000; imports, $96,167,000. Chief imports are textile fabrics and articles of food; exports, wool, ostrich feathers, hides, hair, copper ore, diamonds and gold.

EGYPT.

Khedive, Abbas Hilmi; heir-apparent, Mohammed Abdul Mouneim. Total area of Egypt, 400,000 square miles; area of the Egyptian Sudan, 950,000 square miles. The population of Egypt proper in 1897 was 9,734,405; of the Egyptian Sudan, 10,000,000. Population of Cairo, 570,062; Alexandria, 319,766. Great Britain controls the state finances and is represented at Cairo by a "financial adviser," who sits in the council of ministers. The present adviser is Sir Eldon Gorst. The total exports in 1905 were valued at $100,641,000 and the imports at $106,591,000. Imports from the United States in 1907, $1,225,077; exports to, $16,615,706. The exports consist chiefly of cereals, raw cotton and provisions; imports, wool, coal, textiles and metal manufactures.

KONGO FREE STATE.

The Kongo Free State is nominally independent but virtually a Belgian colony, its affairs being wholly under the control of King Leopold. The estimated area is 900,000 square miles and the negro population about 30,000,000. Europeans numbered 2,635 in January, 1906. Among the leading articles of export are ivory, rubber, cocoa, palm nuts, palm oil, copal gum and coffee. Total imports in 1905, $9,192,259; exports, $24,314,790. LIBERIA.

President-Arthur Barclay. Legislative power is vested in a senate of nine members and a house of representatives of fourteen members. The total area of the republic is about 45,000 square miles and the population 2.120,000. The exports amount to about $600,000 annually and the imports to $650,000. Imports from the United States in 1907, $64,904; exports to, $106. The chief exports are rubber. palm oil, cocoa, coffee, ivory, ginger and camwood. Imports are cottons, provisions, wood and iron manufactures and gin.

MOROCCO.

Sultan. Mulai-Abd-el-Aziz. Area of Morocco about 219,000 square miles; population. 5,000,000. Imports from the United States in 1907, $12,142; exports to, $686,513. The chief imports are cottons, sugar and tea; exports, eggs, almonds, goatskins, beans, peas, linseed, wool, wax and cattle.

'ORANGE RIVER COLONY.

British colony. Governor-Earl of Selborne. Area, 50,392 square miles; population in 1904, 387,315 (white, 142,679); population of Bloemfontein, the capital, 33.890 (white. 15,421). Imports in 1906, $20,267,070; exports, $15,228.555. The imports are chiefly cloths, articles of food and drink and wood and hardware; exports, wool and diamonds.

TRANSVAAL COLONY.

British colony. Governor-Earl of Selborne. Area, 111,196 square miles; population in 1904, 1,270,023 (white, 297,277). Imports in 1905, $79,249,515; exports, $113,995,675. Chief imports. metals, apparel, provisions and manufactures of wood; exports, gold, wool and coal.

TUNIS.

Bey. Sidi Mohammed; heir-presumptive, Mohammed in Naar. Tunis is under the protectorate of France and that country is represented by a resident-general. Total area, 64,000 square miles; population in 1902. 1,900,000, including 38.889 French. Imports in 1905, $18,190,923; exports, $11,655,316. Chief exports are wheat, barley, olives and palms.

MEXICO.

GOVERNMENT-The republic of Mexico is divided into twenty-seven states, three territories and one federal district, each with a local government, but all subject to the federal constitution. Representa

tives are elected for two years each and are apportioned at the rate of one for each 40,000 inhabitants; the senators, of whom there are fifty-six, are elected by the people in the same manner as representatives. The president holds office four years and may be elected for several consecutive terms. Gen. Porfirio Diaz is serving his seventh term, which expires in November, 1910. Following are the names of his cabinet officers:

Senor Lic. Don Ignacio Mariscal, secretary of state and of the department of foreign affairs. Senor Don Ramon Corral, secretary of the interior and vice-president.

Senor Lic. Don Justino Fernandez, secretary of justice.

Senor Lic. Don Justo Sierra, secretary of public instruction and fine arts.

Senor Gen. Don Manuel Gonzales Cosio, secretary of encouragement.

Senor Ingeniero Don Blas Escontria, secretary of public works and communication.

Senor Lic. Don Jose Ives Limantour, secretary of the treasury and of public credit.

Senor Gen. Don Manuel Gonzales Cosio, secretary of the army and navy.

AREA AND POPULATION-The total area, including islands, is 767,005 square miles. The population, according to the federal census of Oct. 28. 1900, is 13,605,919. The population of leading cities of the republic follows: City of Mexico (capital), 368,777; Guadalajara, 101,413; Puebla, 93.521; Monterey, 62,266; San Luis Potosi, 61,009; Saltillo, 40.441; Pachuca, 37,487; Aguas Calientes, 35,052; Zacatecas, 32,856: Durango, 31,092; Toluca, 20.893; Hermosillo, 17,617.

COMMERCE-The chief exports of Mexico are precious metals, coffee, tobacco, hemp, sisal, sugar, dyewoods and cabinet woods, cattle and hides and skins. In 1905 the total exports amounted to $122,287,000; total imports for the same year were $88.201.000. The trade of Mexico is chiefly with the United States, Great Britain, France. Germany and Spain. During the year ended June 30, 1907. the United States exported to Mexico $66,248,098 worth of manufactures of iron and steel, machinery, unmanufactured cotton, lumber, manufactures of cotton and gunpowder. For the same year the imports from Mexico to the United States amounted to $57,233,416. These consisted mainly of coffee, hides, textile grasses, cattle, lead, copper and tobacco.

SOUTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS.
ARGENTINA.

President, Dr. Jose F. Alcorta; capital, Buenos Aires. Area, 1,135.840 square miles. Population (1905). 5,678,197; Buenos Aires, 1,025,653. Total exports in 1906, $282,024.945; imports, $260,521,553. Exports to the United States in 1907, $16,715,325; imports, $32,163,336. Chief exports, sheep, wool, cattle, hides, frozen meats and wheat; imports, machinery, agricultural imple. ments, railway cars, engines and supplies and manufactures of iron and steel.

President, Senhor Affonso Penna; capital, Rio de Janeiro. Area, 3.218.991 square miles. Population (1900), 17,371,069. Rio de Janeiro (1906), 811,265; Sao Paulo (1902), 332,000; Bahia, 230,000; Pernambuco, 120,000. Exports (1905), $223,285,720; imports, $163,697,920. Exports to the United States in 1907, $97.881,158; imports, $18,697,547. Chief exports, coffee, sugar, tobacco, cotton and rubber; imports, cotton goods, manufactures of iron and steel, furniture, mineral oils, breadstuffs and provisions.

Legislative power is vested in a national assembly composed of deputies elected by the people. The ratio of representation is one deputy for each 10,000 inhabitants. The term of office is four years. The area of the republic is 31,571 square miles and the population about 400,000. The exports to the United States in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1907, amounted to $1,752,314 and the imports to $16,150,953. The chief articles of export are bananas, rubber, coffee and pearls.

SALVADOR.

President, Gen. Figueroa: capital, San Salvador. Area, 7,225 square miles; population (1901), 1,006,848; San Salvador, 59,540. Exports, to the United States in 1907, $1.171.298; imports, $1,603,166. Chief exports, coffee, indigo, sugar, tobacco and balsams; imports. cottons, spirits, flour, iron goods, silk and yarn.

CUBA.

GOVERNMENT-Owing to internal disorders in the island the United States was obliged to intervene and assume charge under the terms of the "Platt amendment" in September, 1906. Since then C. E. Magoon has been acting as governor and order has been maintained by a force of United States troops.

Under the constitution the legislative power in ordinary times is exercised by two elective bodies -the house of representatives and the senate, conjointly called congress. The senate is composed of four senators from each of the six provinces, elected for eight years by the provincial councilmen and by a double number of electors constituting together an electoral board.

The house of representatives is composed of one representative for each 25,000 inhabitants or fraction thereof over 12,500, elected for four years ly direct vote. One-half of the members of the house are to be elected every two years. The salary of members of congress is $3,600 a year.

ORGANIZATION OF THE REPUBLIC-The organization of the republic of Cuba, begun in 1900, was practically completed on the 20th of May, 1902, when the military occupation of the island by the United States came to an end and Gen. Tomas Estrada Palma was inaugurated as the first president.

AREA AND POPULATION-The total area of Cuba is 35,994 square miles. The population in 1899, when the last census was taken, was 1,572,797. Population of principal cities:

Cardenas Cienfuegos Havana

21,940 Matanzas

36,374 30,338 Puerto Principe. 25,102 235,981 Santiago 43,000

About 67 per cent of the population is white. IMPORTS AND EXPORTS-The total imports in 1906 amounted to $98,538,622 and the exports to $106,258,618. The imports from the United States in 1907 were valued at $49,305,274 and the exports at $97,441,690. The principal articles of export are sugar, tobacco and cigars, iron and manganese ore, fruit, coffee, cocoa, molasses and sponges; of import, animals, breadstuffs, coal and coke, iron and steel, wood, liquor, cotton, chemicals and vegetables.

HAITI.

President, Gen. Nord Alexis. The area of Haiti is 10,204 square miles and the population about 1,425,030. Coffee, cocoa and logwood are the leading articles sold. Exports to the United States in 1907, $1,274,678; imports, $2,916,104.

SANTO DOMINGO.

President, Gen. Ramon Caceres. The republic has an area of 18,045 square miles and a population of about 416,000. Santo Domingo, the capital, has 14,150 inhabitants. In 1906 the exports amounted to $6,543,872 and the chief articles shipped were coffee, cocoa and mahogany; imports, $4,251,337. Exports to the United States in 1907, $3,370,899; imports, $2,509,817.

The government of his majesty the emperor of Japan and the government of his majesty the emperor of all the Russias, aesirous of consolidating the peaceful and friendly relations which have been so happily re-established between Japan and Russia, and wishing to avert for the future all cause of misunderstanding in the relations of the two empires, have agreed on the following conditions:

Article I.-Each of the high contracting parties pledges itself to respect the present territorial integrity of the other and all the rights accruing to either party from the treaties, conventions and contracts in force between them and China, copies of which have been exchanged between the contracting parties (in so far as these rights are not incompatible with the principle of equal opportunity) and from the treaty signed at Portsmouth on Sept. 5 (23d of August, old style), 1905, as well

as the special conventions concluded between Japan and Russia.

Article II.-The two high contracting parties recognize the independence and territorial integrity of the empire of Chira and the principle of equal opportunity in that which concerns the commerce and industry of all the nations in that empire, and pledge themselves to sustain and defend the maintenance of the status quo and respect for this principle by all pacific means in their power.

In witness thereof the undersigned, being authorized by their respective governments, have signed this convention and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done at St. Petersburg the 30th day of the seventh month of the 40th year of Meiji, corresponding to the 17th (30th) of July, 1907. (L. S.) I. MOTONO. (L. S.) ISWOLSKY.

May 7, 1907, the liberal government introduced in the house of commons an Irish measure designed, according to its sponsors, to lead to ultimate home rule. The bill provided for the following changes in the administration of Ireland.

1. The head of the administration will be the lord lieutenant, as now, but all religious disability will be removed.

2. The administration will be in the hands of a council of 106 members, 82 elected and 24 nominated by the crown. In the election women and peers will have the right to vote.

3. The council will have control of finances, pub

lic works, education and local government works and agriculture.

4. The imperial government retains full power over the Supreme court, constabulary, land commission and prisons.

5. The lord lieutenant has the veto power over measures passed by the council.

6. The sum of $20,000,000 annually will be paid into the Irish treasury from the imperial treasury to be expended under the direction of the council. 7. The Irish treasury is to be created by the council, with an Irish treasurer at its head. The council has no power to levy taxes.

The following agreement between Japan and Korea was signed by Resident-General Ito and Premier Yi at Seoul July 24, 1907:

The governments of Japan and Korea, animated by the desire to promptly develop the wealth and strength of Korea and increase the welfare of the Korean people, agree as follows:

Article 1. The government of Korea shall follow the guidance of the resident-general in administrative improvements.

Art. 2. Legislative enactment as well as important administrative measures by the government of Korea shall be forthwith approved by the resident-general.

Art. 3. Judicial affairs in Korea shall be distinguished from ordinary administrative affairs. Art. 4. The appointment and dismissal of high Korean officials shall be made subject to the consent of the resident-general.

Art. 5. The government of Korea shall engage as Korean officials Japanese subjects recommended by the resident-general.

Art. 6. The government of Korea shall not engage foreigners without consent of the residentgeneral.

Art. 7. The first clause of the Japan-Korea agreement, signed on Aug. 22, 1904, shall be abrogated.