Nicaraguan soldiers was stationed on the bluffs where the British troops had been, and a few days later 180 more arrived and were quartered in the town. The American consul, who was invited to participate in the institution of a provisional government, but refused, had his exequatur withdrawn by the Nicaraguan Government for interference in politics, as was that of the British consul, H. F. Bingham, which, however, was restored at the demand of the British minister, after which Consul S. C. Braida was again accepted. The Government was organized under the direction of Gen. Lacayo. Chief Clarence was brought back from the Mosquito settlement at Pearl lagoon by a British war vessel on May 21, and placed under the protection of the Spanish commissioner. The Nicaraguan soldiers were withdrawn, as the excitement and apprehension seemed to subside, until only 50 were left as a garrison. In the conflict 30 persons were killed and 100 wounded.

A fight took place on Corn island, where the Nicaraguan governor and his guards were beaten by Jamaicans, who hoisted the British flag. Procuring re-enforcements, the troops returned and evicted the Jamaicans from the government house and reinstated the governor.

Toward the end of July, Gen. Ortiz, the VicePresident of Nicaragua, advanced upon Bluefields, and on Aug. 5 he drove the Indians from the bluffs and occupied the place. Gen. Cabezas marched down simultaneously from Rama. The combined force was 1,100 men. American and British marines had landed to protect foreign interests. The cruiser "Columbia," the "Marblehead," and the British cruiser "Mohawk" were in the harbor. On Aug. 8 the Nicaraguans entered Bluefields. The Mosquito flag was hauled down and the town reoccupied in the name of the Nicaraguan Government. The British war vessel and a passenger steamer gave refuge to 600 Jamaicans and others who were stricken with panic. The Americans who had a hand in the political intrigues made their escape. Martial law was proclaimed throughout the reservation. Several Americans and British subjects, among them Vice-Consul Hatch, were placed under arrest by Señor Madriz, special commissioner, and ordered to be sent to Managua for trial. Eventually they were banished. Chief Clarence and 54 of his adherents were conveyed on a British vessel to Jamaica. The country was organized under the laws of Nicaragua to the satisfaction of most of the inhabitants after martial law was abolished in September. Municipalities were formed in Bluefields, Pearl lagoon, and Corn island, and elections were held on Sept. 18, the right to vote being restricted to men owning property or possessing $500. Andrew Hendy, a full-blooded Mosquito Indian, was elected hereditary chief in the place of Clarence in November. The actual authority continued to be exercised by Gen. Cabezas, the Nicaraguan commissioner. Elections for chief justice and other officers were held on Dec. 15. Modesto Barrios went to England in August as special envoy to endeavor to get a modification of the treaty of Managua. Pourparlers also took place between the British and the United States governments, which led to the final acceptance of the fait accompli, since the Mosquito tribe for whose sole use and benefit

the territory was reserved, to be governed according to their ancient customs, had dwindled to a small remnant and had fallen under the domination of negroes who oppressed them. The rights of the American planters and of the Moravian missionaries were protected, except that the Nicaraguans refused to ratify sales of land or leases for longer periods than eight years, on the ground that they were contrary to the law under which the reserve was constituted.

NICHOLAS II, Emperor of Russia, born May 6 (old style), 1868. He is the eldest son of Alexander III (see page 6) and his wife, who was the Princess Dagmar of Denmark, sister of the Princess of Wales. Under the title of Grand

Duke Nicholas he spent his boyhood largely in travel, visiting India, China, Japan, and various parts of Europe. Much of the time he was accompanied by his cousin Prince George of Greece. While they were going from Otson to Kioto, in Japan, in jinrikishas, a Japanese policeman of the escort, unable to restrain his hatred of foreigners, drew his sword and attacked Nicholas, who would have been killed had not Prince George (who is a powerful man) pushed aside the blade and knocked down the assassin. With the assistance of a Japanese soldier the miscreant was secured, and Nicholas escaped with a slight wound in the head. Further journeying in that country was then given up, and the princes reembarked on the Russian man-of-war that had brought them. They ascended the Amoor river, went through a portion of Liberia in a carriage. and then by rail to St. Petersburg. Every pains was taken to educate him for the high place to which he was heir. Gen. Danilovitch was his instructor in the sciences, and other tutors perfected him in several modern languages, while he was required also to study mathematics and geography very thoroughly. He entered the army at the age of eighteen, and went through

the usual training of a young officer. With all this, he is said to take very little interest either in military affairs or in politics. He is not well built and powerful physically as his father was, and is of a retiring disposition. He was betrothed to Princess Alix of Hesse, who is a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, her mother having been the Princess Alice, who died in 1878. The marriage was celebrated in the Winter Palace at St. Petersburg, Nov. 26, 1894, one week after the funeral of Alexander III. The symbolic rite was performed by the metropolitan archbishop and his assistant priests. Two jew eled crowns, bearing figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary, were held above the heads of the pair during the ceremony, several Russian grand dukes relieving one another in the task, while the high priest, standing before the couple, joined their hands under his stole. At the close of the ceremony the bride and bridegroom kissed the portraits on the crowns, which were then removed. The princess was obliged to adopt the religion of the Greek Church, and received the name of Alexandra Feodorovna.

NORTH CAROLINA, a Southern State, one of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution Nov. 21, 1789; area, 52,250 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census, was 393,751 in 1790; 478,103 in 1800; 555,500 in 1810; 638,829 in 1820; 737,987 in 1830; 753,419 in 1840; 869,039 in 1850; 992,622 in 1860; 1,071,361 in 1870; 1,399,750 in 1880; and 1,617,947 in 1890. Capital, Raleigh.

Government.-The following were the State officers during the year: Governor, Elias Carr; Lieutenant-Governor, Richard A. Doughton; Secretary of State, Octavius Coke; Treasurer, Samuel McD. Tate; Auditor, Robert M. Furman; Attorney-General, Frank I. Osborne; Superintendent of Public Instruction, John C. Scarborough Commissioner of Labor Statistics, B. R. Lacy Commissioner of Agriculture, John Robinson Railroad Commissioners, J.W.Wilson, J. W. Mason, and E. C. Biddingfield; Adjutant General, F. H. Cameron; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, James S. Shepherd; Associate Justices, A. C. Avery, Walter Clark, James C. McRae, and Armistead Burwell-all Democrats.

Finances. The following is from the report of the committee appointed by the General Assembly of 1893 to examine the accounts of the Treasurer and Auditor for 1893 and 1894:

Receipts for fiscal year 1893: Public fund, $1,491,467.27; educational fund, $59,656.02. Disbursements for fiscal year 1893: Public fund, $1,284,024.41; educational fund, $26,909.77. Balance, Dec. 1, 1893: Public fund, $207,442.86; educational fund, $32,746.25.

Receipts for fiscal year 1894: Public fund, $1,446,988.71; educational fund, $51,822.25. Disbursements for fiscal year 1894: Public fund, $1,143,749.33; educational fund, $43,734.53. Balance, Dec. 1, 1894: Public fund, $303,239.38; educational fund, $8,087.72.

There is a balance in the treasury of $311,327.10, of which amount $8,087.72 belongs to the educational fund. The remainder is the public fund.

The aggregate balance of book funds remaining in the treasury on Nov. 30, 1892, was $338,969.74, showing a difference against this year

of $27,642.66. In the meantime there has been apportioned from the educational fund to the various counties of the State for the benefit of the common schools $36,084.30, the greater part of which has been paid, making an actual increase of the surplus during the two years of $8,441.64. The cash balance in the treasury Dec. 1 was $114,531.15. Under the funding act 1879, $3,322,800 in 4-per-cent. bonds have been issued in exchange for the old recognized debt of the State. There are still some old bonds outstanding, which when funded will require a further issue of $292,970 new 4-per-cent, bonds. The State owns, as an investment, $156,750 of these bonds, and the Board of Education owns $143,250.

The total amount spent for pensions this year was $105,132, an increase of $5,818. On the roll there are 4,886 pensioners, a net increase of 36. The rate of taxation was reduced in 1893 from 25 to 22 cents.

A majority of the counties have no debt. The aggregate public indebtedness, the Auditor says, will not exceed one twenty-fifth of the aggregate value of the taxpaying property of the State. The taxable property is $262,927,119.87. The per capita State and county taxation in 1893 was $1.44.

Of the funds returned by the United States Government for distribution among citizens who paid the direct land tax there remains $24,000 in North Carolina 4-per-cent. bonds, worth $24,480; cash in bank, $3,508.39; loaned to the State by act of Assembly, World's Fair, $25,000; balance principal. $52,988.39.

Farm and Home Ownership.-The census statistics show that 41.72 per cent. of the farm families in the State hire, and 52-28 per cent. own the farms cultivated by them; that 4:88 per cent, of the farm-owning families own subject to incumbrance, and 95.12 per cent, own free of incumbrance.

The corresponding facts for homes are that 74-23 per cent. of the home families hire, and 25-77 per cent. own their homes; that of the home-owning families 95.1 per cent. own free, and 49 per cent. with incumbrance.

There are 5 cities in the State in the class of those having a population of 8,000 to 100,000, and in these cities 737 per cent. of the home families hire, and 26.3 per cent. own their homes, and of the home-owning families 63 per cent. with incumbrance, and 93-7 per cent. own free of incumbrance.

Education. The school population numbers 601,900 white and 359,385 colored. The school fund, derived from the sale of swamp lands and apportioned to the counties, amounted to $43,267. At present the State provides for only thirteen weeks of school. In the cities the school year is nine months. The number of schools for whites is 4,603; for colored, 2.376. The sum of $775,449 was expended for schools during the year. The average salary for white male teachers is $26.33; colored, $24.69; for white female teachers, $22.72; colored, $20.14 & month.

The Normal and Industrial School for Girls at Greensboro had 391 students in November. It has been established only two years, and receives but a small appropriation from the State.