the United States. At the census of 1880 there were 86,132 Protestant and 5,975 Roman Catholic churches; 70,864 Protestant ministers, and 6,366 Roman Catholic clergy. The Protestants returned 8,976,260 'members,' or communicants; adding to this an estimate of the families of members, and of adherents, the total attached to Protestantism would probably be about 30,000,000. The Roman Catholics claim a total of 6,832,954 adherents in 1883. In 1870 there were in all 63,082 churches, of which 3,806 were Roman Catholic; and in the same year the number of 'sittings' returned was 21,665,052, of which 1,990,514 were in Roman Catholic churches. There were in all 45 separate religious bodies returned in 1880.

In 1887 the membership of the most important Protestant bodies was as follows:-Methodists of various sects, 4,524,188; Baptists of various sects, 3,587,863; Presbyterians, 1,118,761; Lutherans, 987,600; Congregational, 436,379; Episcopal, 431,323; Reformed Church (German and Dutch), 259,974; Friends, 105,000. In 1880 the Mormons had 110,377 members, and the Jews 13,683.

Instruction.

Education is general in the United States, every effort being made to aid in its progress. Nevertheless, owing partly to the former existence of slavery, and partly to the constant influx of numbers of uneducated immigrants, there exists a large mass still totally ignorant of the first elements of education. According to the census of 1880, in the whole country, out of a total population above ten years of age of 36,761,607, 4,923,431 were returned as unable to read, and 6,239,958 as unable to write. The former is 13.4 per cent., the latter 17 per cent., which, contrasted with 16 and 20 per cent. (the proportions of the corresponding classes in 1870), shows a very decided gain in the direction of rudimentary education. Of the whites above ten years of age, the 'cannot writes' formed 9.4 per cent. The native whites, however, show a proportion of but 87 per cent., while foreign whites show 12 per cent. A very large proportion of the illiteracy of the country, and especially of the South, is seen to be among the coloured population, where the 'cannot writes' form 70 per cent. of all above ten years of age. Most of the illiteracy of the country exists south of Mason and Dixon's lines, the Ohio, and the south boundary of Missouri.

During the school year of 1887-88 the population 6 to 14 years of age was estimated to be 11,547,575. There were 11,952,204 pupils enrolled, and an average of 7,852,607 in daily

attendance in the common schools. In the United States the general Government makes no direct appropriation of moneys for the support of the common schools, but it has set aside for each of the newer States, upon its admission into the Union, a certain part of the public domain, the proceeds of the sale of which, according to the Constitutions of most of the States, form a part of the permanent school fund, the income from which is used for the support of the common schools. This income, however, is supplemented by the amounts derived from direct taxation by each State, or from local taxation, or both, so that in these States it forms only about six per cent. of the total school revenue. In 1887-88 the total amount expended for common school purposes was $122,455,252. The private middle-class schools (or, as they are usually called in the United States, seminaries and academies) in 1886-87 numbered 1,521, with an enrolment of 157,826 students under 8,533 instructors.

The number of institutions classed as universities and colleges, but in many of which courses of study are pursued which would hardly entitle them to so high a rank, is reported as 357, with 4,834 instructors, an enrolment of 75,333 students, and an income of $3,478,384 from productive funds, exclusive of State appropriations. These, which are the chief or sole sources of support for State Universities, amounted to $1,225,590, and $2,528,216 from tuition fees. In addition to these there are many schools of agriculture, technology, law, theology, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, &c., not included in the foregoing statements.

The following table refers to the year 1886-87. The expenses here given are in some cases estimates, and in some are for years earlier than 1886-87.

Besides these 361 colleges for liberal arts, there were in the States (1887) the following:-

There were also 231 Indian schools, with an average attendance of 10,245, costing the United States $1,095,379.

The Education Report for 1884-85, issued in 1887 by the United States Bureau of Education, contains statistics specially collected in 1885-86 of 5,338 libraries' other than private,' containing 300 or more volumes each, and 20,622,076 volumes in the aggregate; 2,357 of these libraries contain less than 1,000 volumes each; 2,139 between 1,000 and 5,000 each; 440

between 5,000 and 10,000; 355 between 10,000 and 50,000; and 47 more than 50,000 volumes.

In 1880 there were in the United States 980 daily newspapers, with a total circulation of 3,637,424; 8,718 weeklies, with a total circulation of 19,459,107; 1,167 monthlies, with a circulation of 8,081,393; and 538 other periodicals. The total number of periodicals was then 11,403; in 1888 the total number was 15,392.

Justice.

The Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Associate Judges have precedence according to the dates of their commissions, or, when the commissions of two or more of them bear the same date, according to their ages. In case of a vacancy in the office of Chief Justice, or of his inability to perform the duties and powers of his office, they shall devolve upon the Associate Justice who is first in precedence, until such disability is removed or another Chief Justice is appointed and duly qualified. The salary of the Chief Justice is $10,500 per annum, and the Associate Justices $10,000 each.

The Justices, besides their duties in annual sessions of the Supreme Court at Washington, have assigned to them each his own judicial circuit, these circuits having, in addition, their own circuit judges. Other courts are the United States Court of Claims, the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia, and the United States District Courts, many of the States being for judicial purposes divided into two or more districts.

Each separate State has also its own judicial system with a Chief Justice and Associate Justices, who are appointed usually for terms of years, but in some States practically for life, or during good behaviour. Most frequently they are elected by the people, though sometimes appointed by the Governor, with or without the Senate or Council. Their salaries vary from 2,500 dollars to 7,500 dollars per annum.

In 1880 there were 59,255 criminals in the prisons, only 5,069 of whom

were women.

Pauperism.

Although there are poor-laws in the States the statistics of pauperism, except for indoor paupers, are not recorded. The total number of indoor paupers in the census year (1880) was 67,067, in addition to whom 21,598 outdoor paupers were reported, but the latter figure is probably far below the truth.

Finance.
I. CENTRAL.

The revenue of the United States is mainly derived from two sources—namely, duties on imports, and internal revenue taxes upon distilled spirits, fermented liquors, tobacco, banks, and bankers. The national expenditure is mainly on account of the war and navy departments, pensions, payment of interest of the public debt incurred by the civil war of 1861-66, and the civil service.

The following table exhibits the total net revenue and the total ordinary expenditure of the United States in each of the ten fiscal years, ending June 30, from 1880 to 1889 :

These figures are exclusive of loans in the revenue and expenditure, other than interest, and premiums in connection with the public debt.

The following tables give the actual sources of revenue and branches of expenditure for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, and the estimated revenue and expenditure for 1890 :

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