pelagic sealing involves indiscriminate killing; and that the catch at sea contains a marked excess of females, many of them immature, or pregnant, or nursing; that owing to this destruction of the females the pelagic sealing has of late fallen off at a greater ratio than the herd has; that the herd is not in danger of actual extermination so long as its haunts on land are protected and the protected zone is maintained; that both land and sea killing now yield an inconsiderable profit either to the lessees of the Pribilof islands or to the pelagic sealers. The experts who signed the agreement were: Charles Sumner Hamlin, David Starr Jordan, D'Arcy Thompson, James Melville Macoun. The diplomatic representatives of the three governments were General J. W. Foster on behalf of the United States; Mr. Adams, taking the place of Sir Julian Pauncefote, on behalf of Great Britain; and Sir Wilfred Laurier and Sir Louis H. Davies on behalf of Canada.

The Canadian cabinet held a meeting November 19 to consider the propositions made by Secretary Sherman, which were:

1. That both nations agree at once to a suspension of all killing of seals during the next season in the Pacific ocean and the Bering sea, the modus to go into operation on the first of next month.

2. That representatives of the governments of the United States and Great Britain, including Canada, be designated to enter with as little delay as possible upon the consideration of all unsettled questions between Canada and the United States, with the view to a settlement by treaty, this to include the sealing question and any other matters which either government may choose to bring forward.

The reply of the Canadian government was that assent could not be given to the project of suspension of pelagic sealing for one year, but that Canada was willing that a joint commission should be appointed by the United States and Great Britain, to which all pending questions should be referred.

The reasons assigned for Canada's refusal to agree to suspension of pelagic sealing were, that while the United States, as owner of the Pribilof islands, has everything to gain by the suspension of sealing for a year, the Canadian sealers have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Then, the Canadian government, whether legislative or executive, has no power to suspend pelagic sealing without imperial legislation.

THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION.

As the time approached for the assembling of congress in regular session and the consummation of Hawaiian annexation was regarded as imminent, the debate on the question throughout the country became more intense. Those who favored annexation cited high authorities in American political history as maintaining their views; they recalled the strategic importance of the situation of Hawaii, the fertility of its soil, the growth of its commerce and the large preponderance of that commerce which America enjoys, the similarity of some of the institutions of the two countries, the superiority of the civilization now prevailing in Hawaii as a result of engrafting American elements and adopting American customs, the sacrifices of American missionaries for the people of these islands during the past seventy-eight years, and the danger of a serious relapse in morals, intelligence, and thrift among them if the promised union, so long and ardently hoped for, should fail at last of being effected.

A Handbook on Annexation.-The Hon. Lorrin A. Thurston, one of the Hawaiian commissioners who signed the pending treaty, has issued a pamphlet in which he gives an exposition of the subject from the annexationist standpoint.

It is Mr. Thurston's opinion that the interests of the govern

ments of the Old World are so diverse, their policies so grasping, and their territorial and strategic needs so great, as to warrant our expecting an attempt to seize Hawaii within a decade unless the United States anticipates such action by peaceable annexation. Unless early action is taken by the United States, he fears that even our present treaty relations cannot protect American interests against the encroachments of the Japanese, who are now awakening to the possibilities of Hawaiian trade. He devotes much space to statistics of trade with Hawaii, and points out the enormous increase of the commerce of the last five years over that of the five previous to the adoption of the present reciprocity treaty. In the year 1896, the domestic exports of the islands amounted to $15,515,000, and their imports to $7,164,000, leaving a balance of trade in favor of Hawaii to the amount of over $8,000,000. The Pacific coast, in particular, profits by this increase, and, in Mr. Thurston's opinion, will multiply its profits in case of annexation. As a proof of this, he shows that Hawaii is the second best foreign wine consumer that San Francisco has, her third best salmon and barley buyer; and even in the staple food product, flour, she stands sixth in the list of San Francisco's customers.

A table of the articles imported by Hawaii from the United States reveals a marvellous diversity. Of course the trade relations which annexation would institute must conduce to a more extensive commerce and greater prosperity for those who find it necessary to import Hawaiian products, and consequently increased profits for those American manufacturers who find a market there.

American merchant vessels are engaged in an extensive carrying trade with these islands. No other country ships nearly so large an amount of produce to us in American bottoms. During the year ended June 30, 1896, the United Kingdom furnished cargo for eighty-eight of these vessels; all the European continent, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Oceanica, 210; and Hawaii 191. According to our coast and trade laws all products of these islands, if they belonged to this country, would have to be carried by American ships.

In Mr. Thurston's opinion the resources of Hawaii are great enough to support a population of 1,000,000. At present the chief product is sugar; but the conditions of soil and climate are so favorable to the growth of other tropical fruits, particularly coffee, that it is probable that it will soon be a rival to sugar in importance.

Many of the institutions of the islands are close copies of American forms. The present form of government-a republican, with president, senate, house, supreme and circuit courts-strongly suggests that our constitution furnished the model. The basis of law is the common law of England.

Of the population, numbering 109,020, 28 per cent are natives, 22 per cent are Japanese, 20 per cent Chinese, 22 per cent English and American, and 8 per cent mixed.

In his arguments in favor of annexation, Mr. Thurston goes on to answer no less than twenty objections which are advanced in some quarters against the project of annexation. These objections may be classified according to their grounds under the