extremely defective instrument, and a barrier to many reforms desired by the people. "In its incongruous, repugnant, and heterogeneous provisions, are faithfully reflected the extraordinary character of the Assembly, and the disordered times which produced it. Necessity forced it on the people of Texas, and held it on them until the first meeting of their honorable bodies. Prudence and policy prompted submission to it from then until this time. No reason exists now for longer submitting to it. The causes which one year ago rendered it imprudent to call together a constitutional convention have ceased to exist, and the time and temper of the people are propitious for the work of constructing a new constitution. We no longer fear Federal interference; we are not hampered with financial embarrassment; the popular mind is free from passion or excitement, and views the great questions to be solved through no discolored medium; and last, but not least, for twelve months past the thinking men of the State have been studying and investigating the subjects to be dealt with in framing a constitution, and are now prepared to act."

The Governor, therefore, recommended that the Legislature provide for assembling, at the earliest practicable day, a convention for revising the constitution.

The entire public debt of the State, January 1, 1875, not including about $800,000 due to trust-funds of her own creation, the obligations of which are in the vaults of the Treasury, was $4,012,421. Of this amount there is unbonded $976,988. Deducting the amount of the floating debt from the aggregate debt, the balance, $3,035,433, is the amount of the State's outstanding bonded debt. The increase in the public debt since January, 1874, is represented by bonds and certificates to the revolutionary veterans, amounting to $899,389. The remainder is due to school-teachers for services in 1873. The estimated deficiencies for 1875 amount to $332,574, and to this must be added the cost of the session of the Legislature in that year, and the anticipated constitutional convention.

The number of convicts in the penitentiary is believed to be greater than in any other State. In the prison-buildings at Huntsville, as at present constructed, there are about 278 cells. A new building is in process of construction, which will furnish 125 additional cells. There are 676 convicts at labor within the walls of the prison, being an average of nearly three to each cell, leaving 777 who are employed outside. Of the latter, 255 are employed on the various railroads, and the remainder are engaged in cultivating plantations, making brick, etc.

The report of the Commissioner of the General Land-Office shows that, during the year ending September 1, 1874, there were issued 3,339 patents, of all classes, embracing in the aggregate 1,787,397 acres of land. During the

same time 7,890 new files, of all kinds, covering 6,319,754 acres of land, were made. Of these, 5,349, covering 5,427,675 acres, were made with railroad scrip; 1,608, covering 249,923 acres, were made under the preemp tion laws, and the remainder with miscellaneous certificates of scrip. The estimated number of acres of land in the State is 175,594,560. In accordance with the act of April 10, 1874, a battalion of six companies of seventy-five men each, comprising the usual company officers, was, on the 4th of June last, organized, and, under command of Major John B. Jones, took the field for the defense of the Indian frontier. The threatening and hostile attitude of the various tribes of wild Indians, at that time, in the judgment of the Executive, justified the fear that the entire force would be immediately needed for active defensive operations. The decisive and energetic campaign conducted by the forces of the United States stationed in Texas, together with the presence of this battalion on the frontier, constantly scouting the whole line, from Red River to the head-waters of the Nueces, under the eye and personal supervision of Major Jones, it is believed, saved the outer settlements of Texas from devastation by the Indians. Thus protected, however, the frontier has suffered very little during the past year, and the people are now more hopeful and encouraged, and the prospects for immigration and advancing the settlements are better than for many years. In addition to this, the battalion has cleared the frontier of many desperate and lawless characters, and given valuable aid, when greatly needed, to the local authorities in maintaining law and good order.

The production and movement of cotton in this State during the past two seasons have been as follows:

Total product for year.... 889,045 343,450

Included in the production of 1872-73 are 1,100 bales of sea-island, and in that of 1873-74, 920 bales.

An election for Congressmen was held in November, and resulted in the choice of Democrats in all the districts, as follows: First district, J. H. Reagan; second district, D. B. Culberson; third district, J. W. Throckmorton; fourth district, Roger Q. Mills; fifth district, John Hancock; sixth district, Gustave Schleicher.

The present State government comprises: Richard Coke, Governor; Richard Hubbard,

The second city of Texas (Galveston being the first) in population and importance is Houston, which is situated at the head of tide-water on Buffalo Bayou, 45 miles above its mouth, in Galveston Bay, 46 miles northwest of Galveston, and 150 miles east-southeast of Austin; population in 1860, 4,845; in 1870, 9,382, of whom 3,691 were colored; in 1874, estimated by the local authorities at 20,000. It is built on the left bank of the bayou, which is spanned by several bridges, the principal ones being of iron, and embraces an area of nine square miles. The City-Hall and Market-House, of brick, just finished at a cost of $400,000, is 272 feet long by 146 feet wide, and has two towers, 14 by 21 feet, and

114 feet high. It contains a hall, 70 by 110 feet, fitted up for public entertainments, and capable of seating 1,300 persons. The Masonic Temple is a handsome structure, costing $200,000. The principal hotel, the largest in the State, has accommodations for 500 guests. The city is lighted with gas, and is easily drained. The construction of street-railroads and grading of streets are in progress. Houston is the centre of the railroad system of the State, and attracts the trade of the surrounding country, which is rich in grazing and agricultural products. There are six diverging lines: the Houston & Texas Central; the Houston & Great Northern & International; Houston Tap & Brazoria; Galveston, Houston, & Henderson; New Orleans & Texas; and Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado. The bayou opposite the city has a depth of five feet, but, owing to bars in Galveston Bay, vessels drawing more than four feet cannot reach this point. Improvements are in progress by the United States Government, and an incorporated company, which will render Houston accessible by vessels drawing nine feet. The navigation of the bayou is mainly controlled by the Houston Direct Navigation Company, which has a capital

of $300,000, and owns six steamers, four tugs, and twenty-four barges. The whole number of vessels regularly engaged in the trade of the bayou in 1872 was 71, viz.: steamers, 10; tugs, 6; barges, 30; schooners, mostly employed in the lumber-trade with the Sabine, Louisiana, and Florida coasts, 25. An extensive lumber-trade is also carried on by flat-boats with the bayous emptying into Buffalo Bayou and San Jacinto River. The principal business, however, is manufacturing, in which Houston surpasses all other places in the State. The chief establishments, besides the extensive ma

chine-shops of the railroads, are 2 cotton-factories, 4 iron and brass founderies, 3 car-factories, 4 planing-mills and wood-works, 5 manufactories of furniture, 2 of soap, 1 of cementpipe, 1 of bone-dust, 5 of sheet-iron and tinworks, 5 carriage and wagon works, 1 beefpacking and ice-manufacturing establishment, and 7 brick-yards. There are three nurseries, two fire and marine insurance companies, a cotton-press company, two national banks with a capital of $200,000, and a State bank with $500,000 capital. The valuation of property in 1873 was $7,669,625. The State fair is held

here annually. The city contains 14 public schools, which in 1872 had 26 teachers and 1,228 pupils; two public libraries with about 3,000 volumes; three daily and six weekly newspapers; two monthly periodicals; and 12 churches. Houston was settled in 1836, and in 1837 was temporarily the seat of government. TURKEY, an empire in Eastern Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa. Reigning sovereign, Sultan Abdul-Aziz, born February 9, 1830; succeeded to the throne at the death of his elder brother, Sultan Abdul-Medjid, June 25, 1861. Sons of the Sultan: 1. Yussuf Izzedin Effendi; born October 9, 1857; 2. Mahmoud Djemol Eddin Effendi, born November 20, 1862; 3. Mehemed Selim Effendi, born October 8, 1866; 4. Abdul-Medjid, born June 27, 1868.

The area and population of Turkey are variously estimated. At the beginning of 1874 they were given as follows:

COUNTRIES.

1. Turkey proper in Europe... 2. Vassal states in Europe (Roumania and Servia).

3. Possessions and vassal states in Africa.....

4. Possessions in Asia..

Total.

Sq. Miles. Population.

men), the second reserve, and the sedentary army (corresponding to the German Landsturm). The irregular troops are calculated to consist of-1. Kavas, or gendarmes on foot; seymens, or mounted gendarmes and country militia as soubechis, 30,000; 2. Tartars of Dobrodja and Asia Minor, 5,000; 3. Hungarian or Polish volunteers, 2,000; Moslem volunteers, 50,000; total of irregulars, 87,000. The warvessels, in 1873, consisted of 21 iron-clads (4 frigates, 5 corvettes, 6 monitors, and 6 galleys) and 99 transports. The navy was manned by 30,000 sailors and 4,000 marine troops.

The commercial marine is estimated at about 200,000 tons. The chief port of Turkey is that of Constantinople. The movement of shipping in the Suleina mouth of the Danube was, from 1869 to 1871, as follows:

= 0.62

63,527 5,840,000

1,049,214 11,550,000 944,101 13,186,000

1,996,835 38,973,529 In December, 1874, the annexation of Darfur to Egypt largely added to the area and population of one of the vassal states in Africa. If the incorporation is permanent, the area of the empire will amount to about 2,230,000 square miles, and the population to more than 46,000,000.

Constantinople is believed to have 400,000 to 500,000 inhabitants, of whom 110,000 belong to the Asiatic portion; Adrianople, 100,000 to 150,000; Salonica, 50,000; Gallipoli, 50,000; Philippopolis, 50,000; Serayervo, 46,000; Sofia, 22,000. Of the towns in Asiatic Turkey, Smyrna has 150,000; Damascus, 120,000; Beyroot, 100,000; Broussa, 100,000; Erzeroom, 100,000; Aleppo, 100,000; Bagdad, 40,000; Jerusalem, 25,000.

For the year ending February 28, 1875, the revenues were estimated at 4,961,484 purses, the expenditures at 5,026,916. The debt in 1874 was estimated at 4,325,100,000 francs. In the course of the year 1874 the floating debt was largely increased; but it is now to be wholly consolidated. A law of September 20, 1874, authorizes the Minister of Finance to enter a new debt of 44,000,000 Turkish pounds (1,000,000,000 francs) into the Great Book. Of this sum, 36,300,000 pounds are devoted to the extinction of floating liabilities; the remainder is deposited with the new Imperial Ottoman Bank, to secure advances.

According to a law of June 22, 1869, and later decrees, the reorganization of the army is to be completed in 1878. It is to consist of 700,000 men, divided into the active army (about 150,000 men), the first reserve (70,000

Minor.

The Turkish dependency of Roumania was in 1873 governed by Prince Charles I., son of the late Prince Charles of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. Prince Charles was born April 20, 1839; elected Prince of Roumania, May 10, 1866; married November 15, 1869, to Elizabeth, Princess of Neuwied. The state ministry was in 1874 composed as follows: Presidency and Interior, Catargi (appointed 1871); Finance, Mavrogeni (1871); War, Floresco (1871); Foreign Affairs, Boeresco (1873); Justice, Lahovary (1873); Agriculture, Commerce, and Public Works, Cantacuzene (December, 1873); Public Instruction and Worship, Maioresco (1874). The Senate consists of 78 members, the Chamber of Deputies of 157 members, of whom 82 are for Wallachia and 75 for Moldavia; area, 16,817 square miles; population in 1871, about 4,500,000. About 85.5 per cent. of the total population belong to the Roumania nationality, and about 92.4 per cent. to the Greek Oriental Church. In the budget of the year 1875 the revenue was estimated at 91,441,418 francs, and the expenditures at 97,149,552 francs; the public debt in 1874 amounted to about 210,000,000 francs. The imports, in 1871, were valued at 89,700,000 francs; in 1872, at 84,917,000 francs; the exports, in 1871, at 172,500,000 francs; in 1872, at 158,925,000 francs. In 1874 the length of the railroads in operation was 965 kilometres; that of the telegraph-lines, 3,420; that of wires, 6,089 kilometres.

The military force is divided into four classes: 1. The standing army with its reserves; 2. The territorial army with its reserves; 3. The militia; 4. The national guard in the towns and the people in the rural districts. The territorial army which is subject to be mobilized and concentrated for manœuvres or other

service, consists of eight regiments of infantry called dorobanzi; eight regiments of cavalry, called calarashi; and one battery of artillery for each of the thirty-three districts into which the country is divided. The militia consists of two classes: one embracing the men from twenty-one to twenty-nine years who have not been drawn for the standing or territorial army; the second the men from twenty-nine to thirty-seven years who have completed their service in either of these two armies. The national guard and the masses include the men from thirty-seven to forty-six years of age. According to the budget of 1875, the standing army embraced 1,103 officers, and 18,271 men; the dorobanzi, 411 officers, 31,980 men; the calarashi, 160 officers, 10,706 men; total of standing and territorial armies, 62,631 officers and men, with 14,573 horses.

The present ruler of Servia, the other dependency of Turkey in Europe, Milan Obrenovitch IV., was born 1855, and succeeded to the throne by the election of the Servian National Assembly, after the assassination of his uncle, Prince Michael Obrenovitch, June, 1868; was crowned at Belgrade, and assumed the government, August 22, 1872. The legislative authority is exercised by two bodies, the Senate and the Skuptchina, or House of Representatives. The Senate consists of seventeen members, nominated by the people, and is permanently in session. The Skuptchina is composed of delegates chosen by the people at the rate of one deputy to every 2,000 electors. According to the budget for the years 1874'75, the revenue was 35,035,000 "tax-piasters" (1 piaster 4 cents), and the expenditure at 35,031,983 piasters. The area of Servia is 16,817 square miles; population in 1872, 1,338,505; of whom about 5,000 are Mohammedans, 1,500 Jews, 360 Protestants, 3,500 Roman Catholics, and the remainder members of the Orthodox Greek Church. The capital, Belgrade, had in 1871 a population of 27,589. The army, actually under arms, consists of about 4,000 men; with the exception of 200 cavalry and a small artillery corps, all infantry. The strength of the militia is estimated at about 79,000 men. The imports were valued in 1872 at 32,900,000 francs, the exports at 30,900,000 francs. There were in 1873 not yet any railroads in Servia; but the construction of a road from Belgrade to Alexinatz was begun; the aggregate length of the telegraph-lines was, in 1873, 602 miles.

The Grand-Vizier, Mehemed Rushdi Pasha, had to resign in February, because he had allowed the French embassador, Count Vogué, to address the Sultan directly in behalf of the Papal party in the United Armenian Church. In compliance with the remonstrances of France, the Hassunists (Papal party of the Armenian Church) were allowed to form a separate civil community, and to elect their own representative near the Porte. A com

mittee was appointed by the Government to decide on the property of the Armenian Church, and the majority of the committee declared in favor of the anti-Hassun party.

Several districts in Asia Minor, especially the neighborhood of Angora and Cæsarea, severely suffered in the latter part of the year from a famine. In the town of Angora, 3,000 persons were reported in December as being dependent for their daily bread upon charity. Fourteen villages in the district, whose population previous to the famine was 7,200, lost more than 2,000 by death and 1,400 by emigration. In the city of Cæsarea, 200 families were being assisted, at Talas about 1,130 persons, including Greeks, Moslems, and Armenians. The population of the village of Ahali, which two or three years ago was about 1,100, has been reduced by the famine to 500.

In May, Prince Milan, of Servia, paid a visit to the Sultan, at Constantinople. This act of homage to his suzerain was regarded in Servia, as well as in Constantinople, as an event of considerable political importance. The National Servian party, which subordinates every thing to its desire for the establishment of an independent Servian empire, felt greatly humiliated by this step, in which it saw, on the part of the prince and his advisers, a marked change in policy, not at all favorable to their own special views.

The Skuptchina (National Assembly) of Servia was opened on November 22d. Prince Milan, in his opening address, laid special stress on the honorable reception which he had met with in Constantinople, Vienna, and Paris, and recommended to the Legislature liberal amendments to the state constitution. The Government also announced a bill for the establishment of a National Bank. The Skuptchina met not, as usual, in Krajugevatz, but in Belgrade. In discussing the address, by which the Skuptchina was to answer the speech from the throne, one member used so violent expressions against the head of the state, that he was for one month excluded from the Assembly. The draft of the address which was recommended by the committee was so warlike against Turkey, that the ministry declared the address would not be accepted by the prince. In compliance with the demand of the ministry, the Skuptchina rejected the proposed address, but only by a majority of three. The ministers, therefore, offered their resignation, and a new cabinet was formed by the Minister of the Interior, Zumitsh. The new ministry declared, however, that it would adhere to a peaceable policy, like its predecessors, and the majority of the Assembly deemed it best for the present to express their confidence in the Government.

Roumania has taken another important step toward establishing its complete independence. The autumn manœuvres of the Moldo-Wallachian army, laughed at in 1872, but which attracted some attention a year later, again took

place, in 1874, in the neighborhood of Bucharest, in the presence of the military commissioners of the principal governments of Europe. The Austrian, Russian, and other Governments, informed the Porte that their interests on the Danube are far too important to admit of their being interfered with by exaggerated pretensions of suzerainty on the Bosporus, and that treaties or conventions are about to be negotiated directly with the Roumanian Government. The Porte instructed its embassadors at St. Petersburg, Berlin, and Vienna, that the Treaty of Paris must be maintained, and, if violated in this case, reference to the signatory powers would follow; but, if the Roumanian Government would submit the case to the Porte, a satisfactory compromise might be arrived at to meet the peculiar commercial necessities of the principalities.

The new communal law, adopted by the Roumanian Legislature in February, gives to the Government the right to appoint the mayors.

The session of the Roumanian Chambers was opened on November 27th by Prince Charles. The speech from the throne referred to the good understanding existing between the Government and the representatives of the people, to the friendly relations to foreign countries, the progress of the military organization, the increased revenue from railroads, and the good condition of the finances. Bills were announced on the reorganization of the jury, on the reform of the civil law, on recruitment, on the administration of mines and forests, and on public education. Prince Demeter Ghika was almost unanimously elected President of the Chamber of Deputies. The Government had a majority in each Chamber.

A serious complication between Turkey and Montenegro arose from the massacre of seventeen Montenegrins by the Turkish populace of Podgoritza, a small Turkish town near the frontier, which, on market-days, is visited by many Montenegrins. A wealthy and influential Moohammedan, Jussuf, having been killed on October 19th by a Christian, Ivanov, the report that the murderer was a Montenegrin was sufficient to arouse the populace against the Montenegrins, and to lead to a general attack upon them, during which seventeen lost their lives and many more were wounded. According to the Montenegrins, the murderer was not at all a Montenegrin, but a subject of Turkey. The Prince of Montenegro demanded from the Porte the appointment of a mixed commission to investigate the matter, to which the Turkish Government agreed. On the other hand, Turkey declined to comply with the request of the Russian and German embassadors, that the foreign powers should also be represented in this commission. The matter was not yet fully settled at the close of the year 1874, though thirty-two Turks, who were implicated in the massacre, had been sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment.

A complication between Turkey and Eng

land, which had arisen in 1873, was amicably settled at the beginning of 1874. From the official correspondence on this subject, published by the English Government, it appears that the territory of Yemen having been brought more immediately under Turkish authority, the Porte claimed rights of sovereignty over the Sultan of Lahadj, who immediately appealed to the British Government for protection. Thereupon Lord Granville telegraphed to Sir Henry Elliot, directing him to inform the Porte that any hostile operations against Arab chiefs calculated to disturb the position of England at Aden would create a bad impression both in England and India. Lahadj lies within fifteen miles of Aden, and its chief, or sultan, as he styles himself, receives a monthly salary from the British Government for supplying Aden with food and keeping roads open. Being ally and stipendiary of England, and never having paid tribute to the Porte, he refused submission, even when the Turkish Government, giving weight to Sir Henry Elliot's representation, agreed that it should be purely nominal. This refusal placed the Porte in a delicate position. On the one hand, it wished to avoid all action calculated to give umbrage to England; on the other, immediate abandonment of the claim to exercise sovereignty over Lahadj would be regarded as a sign of weakness by other tribes meditating revolt. This dilemma naturally led to lengthy correspondence be tween the Turkish and English Governments, and it was not until nearly a year after the complication first arose that the matter was finally settled by the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the threatened attack on Lahadj.

In August, two treaties were signed at Constantinople between the Ottoman Government and that of the United States-one having reference to the extradition of criminals, and the other to the naturalization of the subjects of either power in the dominions of the other. In the treaty of naturalization the Ottoman Gorernment has for the first time recognized the principle that Ottoman subjects, naturalized according to American law, become de facto American subjects, and America reciprocates, the whole arrangement being in accordance with "the first principles of international law." The extradition treaty is considered to be of great value to the Ottoman Government, whose extensive transactions with America for the supply of arms render it indispensable for the protection of national interests that the arm of Turkish law should be able to reach across the Atlantic. It is supposed that this is the first instance on record of any treaties with foreign powers in which Turkey has not conceded more than she received. Simultaneously, a protocol was signed on be half of the United States Government relating to the tenure of landed property by foreign subjects, to which that Government has not until now adhered.

The Sultan, after having for a long time en