82 evidence against the persons making them. Prisoners may be convicted before two resident magistrates specially appointed to hear cases under the Crimes Act, and in cases where the sentence exceeds a month, convicted persons have a right of appeal to the county chairman at quarter sessions. Territorial Extent of the British Empire. THE UNITED KINGDOM. Population, 1891. 27,499,984 1282 1,501,034 1603 4,033,103 1172 4,706,448 147,870 37,888,439 Conquest... 1704 Treaty cession 1814 25.869 165,662 Conquest... Begun 1757 1,800,258 Transfer from East India Co.. 1858 287,223,431 Ceylon 25,365 Treaty cession. 1801 3,008,239 Cyprus 3,584 Convention with Turkey. 1878 187,000 Aden and Socotra.. 3,070 (Aden) conquest.. 1839 44,000 Straits Settlements. 1,500 Treaty cession.. 1785-1824 506,577 Hong Kong.. 302 Treaty cession.. 1841 221.441 Labuan. 31 Treaty cession. 1846 5,853 British North Borneo.. 31,000 Cession to Company 1877 150,000 Treaty cession. Natal. 21,150 Annexation. 1843 543,913 St. Helena. 47 Conquest.. 1673 Ascension 38 Annexation. 1815 Sierra Leone. 15,000 Settlement 1787 British Guinea, Gold Coast, etc.. 339,900 Treaty cession. 1872 Mauritius, etc. 1,063 Conquest and cession. 1810, 1814 British South and East Africa 1,989,247 Conquest and cession. 1870-1890 4,116 200 300,000 23,455,000 392,500 14,911,000 1759-60 New Brunswick. 28,200 Treaty cession. 1763 Nova Scotia 20,907 Conquest.. 1627 Manitoba... 73,956 Settlement 1813 4,833,239 British Columbia, etc.. 383.300 Transfer to Crown 1858 Northwest Territories.. 3,257,500 Charter to Company 1670 Prince Edward Island.. 2,133 Conquest... 1745 Newfoundland.. 42,200 Treaty cession.. 1713 198,000 British Guiana 76,000 Conquest and cession. 1803-1814 282,000 British Honduras. 7.562 Conquest.. 1798 28,000 Jamaica.. 4.193 Conquest. 1655 581,000 Trinidad and Tobago.. 1,754 Conquest.. 1797 205,000 Barbadoes.. 166 Settlement. 1605 172,000 Bahamas 5,794 Settlement. 1629 48.000 Bermuda. Other Islands.. 41 8,742 Settlement 1612 16,000 255,000 Victoria 87,884 Settlement 1832 1.140.405 South Australia. 903,690 Settlement 1836 320,431 Queensland.. 668.497 Settlement 1824 393,718 Western Australia. 975,876 Settlement 1828 49,782 Tasmania... 26,215 Settlement 1803 146,667 104,032 Purchase. 1845 626,658 1874 125,402 1884 350,000 New Zealand. Fiji.... New Guinea (British). CANADA. 7.423 234,768 Cession from the natives 66 The passed in March, 1867, known as Constitution and Government.-As British North America Act 1867," which originally constituted the Dominion of Canada came into operation on the 1st July, 1867, by was composed of the Provinces of Canada- royal proclamation. The Act provides that Nova Scotia, and New the Constitution of the Dominion shall be "similar in principle to that of the United Upper and LowerBrunswick. They were united under the provisions of an Act of the Imperial Parliament Kingdom"; that the executive authority shall dollars per diem is deducted for every day's absence of a member, unless the same is caused by illness. There is the same allowance for the members of the Senate of the Dominion. be vested in the Sovereign of Great Britain The Speaker of the House of Commons has and Ireland, and carried on in her name by a a salary of 4,000 dollars per annum, and each Governor General and Privy Council; and member an allowance of 10 dollars per diem, that the legislative power shall be exercised by up to the end of 30 days, and for a session a Parliament of two Houses, called the "Sen-lasting longer than this period the sum of ate" and the House of Commons." Pro- 1,000 dollars, with, in every case, 10 cents per vision was made in the Act for the admis- mile for traveling expenses. The sum of 8 sion of British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, the North-West Territories, and Newfoundland into the Dominion; Newfoundland alone has not availed itself of such provision. In 1869 the extensive region known as the North-West Territories was added to the Dominion by purchase from the Hudson's Bay Company; the province of Manitoba was set apart out of a portion of it, and admitted into the confederation on the 15th July, 1870. On 20th July, 1871, the province of British Columbia, and on the 1st July, 1873, the province of Prince Edward Island, respectively entered the confederation. The members of the Senate of the Parliament of the Dominion are nominated for life, by summons of the Governor General under the Great Seal of Canada. By the terms of the Constitution, there are now 81 Senators namely, 24 from the Province of Ontario, 24 from Quebec, 10 from Nova Scotia, 10 from New Brunswick, 4 from Manitoba, 3 from British Columbia, 4 from Prince Edward Island, and two from the Territories. Each senator must be 30 years of age, a born or naturalized subject, and reside in, and be possessed of property, real or personal, of the value of 4,000 dollars within, the province for which he is appointed. The House of Commons of the Dominion is elected by the people, for five years, unless sooner dissolved, at the rate at present of one representative for every 22,688, the arrangement being that the province of Quebec shall always have 65 members, and the other provinces proportionally according to their populations at each decennial census. On the basis of the census of the Dominion taken in April, 1891, and in accordance with a redistribution bill passed in 1892, the House of Commons consists of 213 members 92 for Ontario, 65 for Quebec, 20 for Nova Scotia, 14 for New Brunswick, 7 for Manitoba, 6 for British Columbia, 5 for Prince Edward Island, and 4 for the NorthWest Territories. The members of the House of Commons are elected by constituencies, the electors of which are supplied by franchises under the control of the several provincial assemblies, an Act having been passed to that effect in the session of 1898. The qualifications for voting at provincial elections vary in the several provinces. Voting is by ballot. Dominion Executive Officers.- Premier and President of Privy Council. Minister of Militia and Defense. Minister of Marine and Fisheries. Minister of Railways and Canals. Rulers since 1867. Lord Monck, Governor General. 1867-1868. Earl of Minto, Governor General. Each of the ministers has a salary, fixed by statute, of 7,000 dollars, or 1,400l. a year, with the exception of the recognized Prime Minister, who has 8,000 dollars, or 1,600/. and the Ministers of Customs and Inland Revenue, who have each 5,000 dollars a year. The body of ministers is officially known as the "Queen's Privy Council of Canada." The Governor General has a salary of 10,000l. per annum. Provincial Government.--The seven provinces form ing the Dominion have each a separate Parliament and administration, with a Lieutenant Governor at the head of the executive. They have full powers to regulate their own local affairs and dispose of their revenues, provided only they do not interfere with the action and policy of the central administration. The Lieutenant Governors are appointed by the Governor General. Quebec and Nova Scotia have each two Chambers (a Legislative Council and a Legislative Assembly) and a responsible Ministry. In New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island there is only one Chamber (the Legislative Assembly) and a responsible Ministry. The members of the Legis lative Council of Nova Scotia number 21, and Quebec 24. The membership of the Legislative Assemblies are: Prince Edward Island 30, Nova Scotia 38, New Brunswick 41, Quebec 73, Ontario 94, Manitoba 40, British Columbia 33, and the North-West Territories 26. The North-West Territories are presided over by a Lieutenant Governor and a Legislative Assembly. The Ex-24,788 acres, an increase of 8,899,226 acres since 1881. ecutive Council consists (since October 1, 1897) of the Lieutenant Governor and five members, elected, as such, by the people. Instruction.-All the provinces of the Dominion have one or more universities, and several colleges which prepare for university degrees. There are in all about 16 degree-granting bodies in the Dominion, with about 24 colleges, including denominational, medical, and other special institutions. From special official statistics of these institutions it may be estimated that they are attended by about 13,000 students, and their total annual expenditure is upwards of $700,000, while the estimated value of their endowments, buildings, land, etc., is over $16,000,000. The expenditure for the year on public and high schools, including Government grants, was over $10,000,000. The supervision of education is under the control of the Governments of the several provinces, and the systems in use vary somewhat, but are all based on the principle of free education, the funds being supplied in nearly all the provinces by Government grants and local taxation. In British Columbia and the NorthWest Territories the schools are supported wholly by Government. Education is more or less compulsory in all the provinces, but the law is not very strictly enforced. In Ontario, Quebec, and the North-West Territories there are separate schools for Roman Catholics; in the other provinces the schools are unsectarian. Separate schools in Manitoba were abolished by a Provincial Act passed in 1890. Production and Industry.- Agriculture. Of the total area of Canada in 1891, there were 28,537,242 acres of improved land, out of 60,287,730 acres of occupied land. Of the improved lands, 19,904,826 acres were under crop, being 4,792,542 acres more than were under crop in 1881. The acreage under pasture in 1891 was 15,The acreage under wheat in 1891 was 2,723,861 acres, an increase of 381,506 acres in ten years. The average yield of 1891 per acre was 15.4 bushels, an increase of 1.6 bushels per acre over the yield of 1881. There is a central experimental farm near Ottawa, and others in several of the provinces. In 1895 there were 195 ranches in the N.-W. Territories, covering an area of 904,187 acres. Forestry. The timber wealth of Canada is very large, and timbering one of its most important industries. The forest area is estimated at 1,248,798 square miles. The forest products of 1891 were valued at 80,071,415 dollars, of which 27,207,547 dollars were exported. The census returns show an aggregate of 2,045,073,072 cubic feet as the total cut of the year. The forest products exported to the United Kingdom in 1897 amounted in value to 14,973,292 dollars out of a total of 32,937,976 dollars. The recently introduced wood pulp industry is increasing rapidly, the exportable surplus being 741,960 dollars in 1897, chiefly going to Great Britain and the United States. The Crown forests belong to the Provincial Governments, except in Manitoba, the N.-W. Territories, and the Railway Belt (forty miles wide) in British Columbia, where they belong to the Dominion. Fisheries.-The total value of the produce of the fisheries of Canada in 1896 was 20,407,424 dollars; in 1895, 20,185,298 dollars. The values of the principal catches in 1896 were: cod, 3,610,979 dollars; salmon, 4,009,679 dollars; herring, 2,909,744 dollars; lobsters, 2,205,762 dollars, and mackerel, 727,743 dollars. In 1896, according to provinces, the values were: Nova Scotia, 6,070,895 dollars; British Columbia, 4,183,999; New Brunswick, 4,799,433; Quebec, 2,025,754; Ontario, 1,605,674; Prince Edward Island, 976,126; Manitoba and N.-W. Territories, 745,543. Mining.-Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Quebec, N. and W. Ontario, and part of the N.-W. Territories, are the chief mining districts of Canada. The total value of the mineral produce of Canada was, in 1897, 28,779,173 dollars; in 1896, 22,609,825 dollars. The principal product is coal, of which, in 1896, 3,745,716 tons were raised, valued at 7,226,462 dollars; in 1897, 3,876,201 tons, valued at 7,442.204 dollars. Among the other minerals produced in 1897 were gold, 6,190,000 dollars; nickel, 1,400,000 dollars; asbestos, 324,700 dollars; petroleum, 1,011,546 dollead, 1,396,850 dollars; iron ore, 178,719 dollars. It is estimated that the coal-bearing area of the N.-W. Territories extends over 65,000 square miles. Justice. There is a Supreme Court in Ottawa, having appellate, civil, and criminal jurisdiction in and throughout Canada. There is also an exchequer court, which is also a colonial court of admiralty, with powers as provided in the Imperial" Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890." There is a Superior Court in each province; county courts, with limited jurisdiction, in most of the provinces; all the judges in these courts being appointed by the Governor General. Police magistrates and justices of the peace are appointed by the Provincial Governments. Religion.-There is no State Church in the whole of British North America. The Church of England is governed by twenty bishops, with about 1,000 clergy; the Roman Catholic Church by one cardinal, seven arch-lars; copper, 1,501,660 dollars; silver, 3,322,000 dollars; bishops, twenty-three bishops, and about 1,500 clergy: and the Presbyterian Church in Canada, with about 1,000 ministers-formed in 1875 by the union of two formerly distinct bodies-by presbyteries, synods, and an annual assembly as in the Scotch Church, with 2,358 churches and stations. The Methodists have 1.700 and the Baptists about 500 ministers. All these bodies have one or more divinity schools. The number of members of each religious creed in the Dominion was as follows at the census of April 6, 1891: Roman Catholics..1,992.017 | Congregationalists. 28,157 Presbyterians. 755,326 Miscellaneous creeds..106,739 646,059 No creed stated... *89,355 Total.. Anglicans.. Methodists.. Baptists.. Lutherans. 847,765 303.839 63,982 Including Pagans. .4,833,239 The following shows the numbers of the leading denominations in the several provinces according to the census of 1891: PROVINCE. Ontario.... Roman Catholic. Church of England. terian. Metho dist. Baptist. 358,300 385,999 453,147 654,033 106,047 1,291.709 75,472 52,673 39.544 7,991 Capital. The capital of Canada was transferred in 1841 from Kingston to Montreal, and in 1849 serious riots arose resulting in the burning of the Parliament Houses on the 26th of April, over the question of compensation for those who had suffered losses during the recent rebellion. The riots were in reality caused by the hostility of the British and French inhabitants. One of the results was the establishment of two seats of government, one at Toronto and the other at Ottawa, Parlia ment sitting four years in each city alternately. Ottawa later on was made the capital of Canada and eventually of the Dominion. Naturalization.-No question of naturalization arises in connection with the emigration of British subjects to Canada. Settling in the Dominion makes no more change in this respect than a removal from York, Glasgow, Swansea, or Dublin to London, and a new arrival has all the privileges of a Canadian born fellow subject. For foreigners the Canadian naturalization laws are marked by a spirit of liberality, and such persons can transact any business and hold real estate without being naturalized. By residing three years and taking the oath of allegiance they become naturalized British subjects. The oath is one of simple allegiance and does not require any offensive renunciations. Naturalization confers political and all other rights. Money and Credit.-The Bank Acts of Canada impose stringent conditions as to capital, notes in circula122,452 64,410 108 952 4,195 83,122 tion, limit of dividend, returns to the Dominion 115.961 43,095 40,639 35,504 79,649 Government, and other points in all chartered and 20,571 30.852 39,001 28,437 16,112 incorporated banks. In making payments every bank is 20.843 23,619 15,284 14,298 3,098 compelled if required to pay a certain proportion in 47.837 6,646 33,072 13,596 6,265 Dominion Government notes, and must hold not less 14,344 15,966 12,558 8,158 1,555 than 40 per cent. of its cash reserve in Dominion Government notes. In 1897 there were 37 incorporated banks making returns to the Government, with 575 branches all over the Dominion. Post-office savings banks under charge of the Government have been in operation in Canada since 1868; there are also Government savings banks, under the management of the Finance Department, in the Maritime Provinces, Manitoba, and 'British Columbia. In 1897 there were 779 offices of the former and 28 of the latter. In 1897 the post-office savings banks had 135,737 depositors and 32,380,829 dollars on deposit. Internal Communications. Canada has a system of canal, river, and lake navigation over 2,700 miles in length, and vessels from the lake ports reach the Atlantic without breaking bulk. Up to 1897, 71,750,000 dollars had been spent on canals for construction alone. In 1896, 25,622 vessels, of 4,677,826 tons, passed through the Canadian canals, carrying 151,342 passengers and 3,413,674 tons of freight, chiefly grain, timber, and coal. The Dominion of Canada had a network of railways of a total length of 16,687 miles completed at the end of June, 1897, being an increase of 300 miles over that of 1896. The number of miles in operation was 16,550. The Canadian Pacific Railway main line from Montreal to Vancouver is 2,906 miles in length. By means of this railway and a line of Pacific steamers subsidized by the Imperial and Dominion Governments, Montreal and Yokohama have been brought within 14 days of one another. There is a monthly steam service between Australia and British Columbia, for which the Dominion Government gives 25,000l. a year and the Australian 12,000l. a year. The number of electric railways in Canada in 1897 was 35, with a mileage of 535; the number of passengers carried during the year was 83,811,306; the total paid up capital was 18,727,355 dollars, and the bonded debt, 9,894,452 dollars. On June 30, 1897, there was 9,191 post offices in the Dominion. During the year ended on the foregoing date the number of letters sent through the post office was 123,830,000, of post cards 26,140,000, of newspapers, books, etc. 26,640,000, and of parcels 369,570. Newspapers sent from the office of publication are carried free. Their number in 1897 was estimated at upwards of 74,319,976. The letters and post cards posted amounted to 28.88 per head, and the other articles to 19.54 per head. Revenue, 4,311,243 dollars; expenditure, 4,897,783 dollars. A uniform rate of postage of three cents has been established over the whole Dominion. The number of money order offices in Canada in 1897 was 1,349 and of orders issued 1,162,209, their value having been 13,081,860 dollars. There were 29,318 miles (2,786 being Government) of telegraph lines in Canada in 1897 and 70,761 miles of wire, with 2,572 offices, and the number of messages sent, as nearly as could be ascertained, 4,313,925. There were in 1894, 44,000 miles of telephone wire, and 33.500 sets of instruments; 72,500,000 messages were sent. The returns for 1897 do not vary greatly from those of 1894. Area, Population, and Seats of Government of the Provinces. PROVINCES. Area, Popula- Seats of Government. ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. The Constitution of the Argentine Republic, formerly known by the name of "Provincias Unidas del Rio de la Plata," bears date May 15, 1853, with modifications in 1860, when Buenos Ayres joined the confederacy. By its provisions, the executive power is left to a President, elected for six years by representatives of the fourteen provinces, equal to double the number of senators and deputies combined; while the legislative authority is vested in a National Congress, consisting of a Senate and a House of Deputies, the former numbering 30, two from the capital and from each province, elected by a special body of electors in the capital, and by the legislatures in the provinces; and the latter 133 members elected by the people. By the constitution as ..Regina. ..Regina. revised in 1898, there should be one deputy for ..Regina. every 33,000 inhabitants. A deputy must be Victoria. Winnipeg. 25 years of age, and have been a citizen for Fredericton. four years. The deputies are elected for four .Halifax. ..Toronto. years, but one half of the House must retire 109,088 Charlottetown. every two years. Senators must be 30 years ..Regina. of age, have been citizens for six years, and have an annual income of 12,000 dollars. One third of the Senate is renewed every three years. The two chambers meet annually from May 1 to September 30. The members of both the Senate and the House of Deputies are paid for their services, each receiving 12,000 pesos per annum. A Vice-President, elected in the 100,000 25,278 Alberta... Assiniboia.. Athabaska 251,300 British Columbia.. Manitoba... New Brunswick. 28.200 321,270 2,114,475 1,488,586 Saskatchewan.. ..Quebec. .Regina. same manner and at the same time as the President, fills the office of Chairman of the Senate, but has otherwise no political power. The President is commander-in-chief of the troops, and appoints to all civil, military, and judicial offices, and has the right of presentation to bishoprics; he is responsible with the ministry for the acts of the executive; both President and Vice-President must be Roman Catholics, Argentine by birth, and cannot be re-elected. The Ministry, appointed by and acting under the orders of the President, consists of eight Secretaries of State — namely, of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, War, Justice, Agriculture, Marine, and Public Works. The President has a salary of 36,000 dollars, the Vice-President of 18,000 dollars, and each of the five ministers of 16,800 dollars per annum. Local Government.- The Constitution, with certain small exceptions, is identical with that of the United States. Such matters as affect the Republic as a whole are under the superintendence of the Central Government. The governors of the various provinces are invested with very extensive powers, and in their constitutional functions are independent of the central executive. They are not appointed by the President of the Republic, but elected by the people of each province for a term of three years and four years. The provinces elect their own legislatures, and have complete control over their own affairs; they can contract loans (internal and external) under their sole and exclusive responsibility. Religion and Instruction. Although the Constitution recognizes the Roman Catholic religion as that of the State, all other creeds are tolerated. There are 1 archbishop and five suffragan bishops. For the instruction of the clergy there are 5 seminaries. In 1888 civil marriage was established in the Republic. Primary education is free, secular, and compulsory for children from 6 to 14 years of age. The elementary schools are supported in the capital and each province by the taxes established in their Education Acts, aided by large subsidies from the general Government. There are also 35 normal schools with 10,949 pupils. There are 3 universities, at Cordova, Buenos Ayres, and La Plata, comprising faculties of law, medicine, and engineering, with a total of 2,500 students; a school of mines (39 students), 2 colleges of agriculture, a naval and military school. There is a well-equipped national observatory at Cordova, and another at La Plata, museums at Buenos Ayres and La Plata, and a meteorological bureau. Justice. Justice is exercised by a Supreme Court of five judges and an attorney-general, which is also a court of appeal, and by a number of inferior and local courts, trial by jury being established by the Constitution for criminal cases. Each State has its own judicial sys tem. AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. Austria and Hungary, or, as in international relations they are officially called, the AustroHungarian monarchy, consists of two States, the Austrian Empire and the Hungarian Kingdom. The relation between the two States in its present form was fully regulated by the socalled Compromise of 1867. According to this agreement the two States are perfectly independent of each other, possessing each its own constitution, its legislative power, and its executive departments for most branches of State affairs. There is, however, a close polit ical connection between them through the identity of the Sovereign and the community of certain departments of state affairs. The common head of the monarchy is the Emperor (Kaiser) of Austria and King (Király) of Hungary. The crown is hereditary in the Habsburg - Lothringen dynasty, passing by right of primogeniture and lineal succession to males and (on failure of males) to females. The monarch must be a member of the Roman Catholic Church. He is styled "His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty," being Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, etc., and Apostolic King of Hungary." Affairs common to the two States are: -(1) Foreign affairs; (2) military and naval affairs, but excluding legislation concerning the army; (3) finance relating to common affairs, but each State provides separately for the assessment, collection, and transmission of its contribution. The two States, moreover, form one commercial territory, having the same system of coinage and of weights and measures, a joint bank of issue, and the same commercial (as well as political) representation abroad, while the monopolies and taxes connected with industrial production (salt, tobacco, spirits, beer, sugar, and mineral oil) are the same in both. This commercial union, unlike the political connection, which has a permanent character, depends on a compromise renewable every ten years. Legislative power relating to common affairs is exercised by the Parliaments of both States, but the voting of money to be applied to common purposes, and the control of the official action of the common ministries, belong to the so-called Delegations. Of these there are two, each consisting of 60 members, of whom 20 are chosen from each of the Upper Houses (the Austrian Herrenhaus and the Hungarian Förendiház), and 40 from each of the Lower Houses (the Austrian Abgeordnetenhaus and the Hungarian Képviselőhár). The members are appointed for one year. The Delegations are summoned annually by the Emperor, alternately at Vienna and Budapest. They deliberate independently of each other, their decisions being communicated reciprocally in writing; and if, after three such interchanges, they do not agree, then all the delegates (or an equal number of members from each Delegation) meet together, and, without discussion, settle the matter by vote. The three ministries or executive departments for common affairs are: 1. The Common Ministry of Foreign Affairs and of the Imperial House. 2. The Common Ministry of War. |