Lord Roberts followed up this success by marching on Bloemfontein, and after several engagements he entered the capital without opposition on March 13, President Steyn and the main Boer forces fleeing to the north.

Overtures for peace were received from the Presidents of the South African Republic and of the Orange Free State on March 6 by Lord Salisbury, based on the independence of the Republics, to which a reply was given to the effect that Her Majesty's Government was not prepared to assent to the independence of either of the Republics.

In the north of Cape Colony the Boer commandos which were in possession of Colesberg, Dordrecht, Lady Grey, and Barkly East, all fell back, and crossed the Orange River, before Generals Clements, Brabant, and Gatacre, and dispersed in the direction of Basutoland.

General Pole-Carew with a Brigade of Guards went by train from Bloemfontein as far as Springfontein, the railway being intact to Norvals Pont. They have now returned to Bloemfontein. Regular train service with the Cape was opened on March 19 viâ Bethulie.

MAFEKING is still besieged.

CAPE COLONY.-The imports in 1899 amounted to £19,207,549, against £16,682,438 in the previous year. The exports were £23,333,600, as compared with £25,318,701 in 1898.

NIGERIA. On taking over the administration at Lokoja on January 4, the Queen's proclamation was read by the High Commissioner, BrigadierGeneral Lugard, who took oath of office and administered the same to Mr. W. Wallace, the Senior Resident; Mr. Mark Kerr, Colonial Secretary; and Mr. Alistair Davidson, Attorney-General. The proclamation was interpreted to the assembled natives.

The new territories will be divided, for administrative purposes, into districts with Residents, and subdivisions with Assistant-Residents. Borgu will be under a Military Governor.

Captain Lang, C. M.G., and other British Commissioners have been selected to meet French Commissioners at Chaouron for the purpose of settling the boundary from the 9th parallel of longitude and the river Ocpara up to the Niger, besides fixing the position of two enclaves on the Niger to be leased to France.

Captain Carroll, of the Norfolk Regiment, and 150 men of the West African Frontier Force, while escorting the telegraph construction staff north-east of Lokoja, were attacked on January 9 by 2,000 Mitchi and Bassa tribesmen. Captain Eaton, of the East Kent Regiment, was severely wounded. The tribesmen left eighty dead on the field. A punitory expedition, composed of 500 men with guns, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lowry Cole, has defeated the tribesmen, inflicting heavy loss.

LAGOS.-Frederick G. Osborne, Esquire, has been appointed by Her Majesty to be an unofficial member of the Legislative Council of the colony.

The prospects of the colony are bright. By the arrangement made with France, by which certain territory between Lagos and the Niger is recog

nised as within the British sphere, while British rights over Sokoto are admitted, the pacification of a large tract of country is secured, and a large increase is expected in the cultivation of economic products. In 1889 the total export and import trade was £839,504; in 1898 it was £1,775,192, while the revenue rose from £57,633 to £196,444.

CANADA. The grain yield of the North-West Territories during the past year amounted to 12,000,000 bushels.

The main estimates for the public service of the Dominion during the fiscal year beginning July 1 have been laid on the table of the House of Commons at Ottawa. They amount to $49,068,391, of which $20,475,350 is authorized by statute and $28,593,641 is to be voted. This total is $2,781,841 greater than the main estimate of last year, and $2,048,482 less than the total estimates of 1900, which included two large supplementary

votes.

The British Columbian Government has been defeated on the second reading of the Redistribution Bill by a vote of 19 to 18. The Government was dismissed by the Lieutenant-Governor, who invited Mr. J. Martin to form a Government.

A large part of the

business section of Dawson City, Klondyke, was
The loss is estimated at $500,000.

burned on January 10.
At Ottawa on March 16 the Senate adopted a resolution proposed by
Sir Mackenzie Bowell setting forth that "serious delays having occurred in
the prosecution of the Pacific cable undertaking through the hostility of
the Eastern Extension Company, which is now demanding concessions
from Australia that if granted will imperil its success, this House is of
opinion that any further delay in proceeding with the construction of the
cable will be inimical to the interests of the Empire, and strongly depre-
cates granting further concessions to the Eastern Extension or any other
companies."

NEWFOUNDLAND.-The Bill re-enacting the modus vivendi was passed unanimously on February 20 and the Legislature prorogued. The Bond and Morris factions were unable to unite in forming a Ministry, and the lack of suitable men prevented the formation of a Cabinet from the Bond party alone. The Governor therefore desired Sir James Winter to continue in office temporarily until a solution should be arrived at. The Premier promised to do so, but on March 8 the Bond and Morris factions effected a union and secured a majority in the Legislature, and on March 15 the Cabinet was formed as follows: Mr. Bond, Premier; Mr. Cowan, Finance Portfolio; Mr. Lorwood, Justice; Mr. Murphy, Fisheries; Mr. Harvey, Colonial Secretary; Mr. Dawe, Mines; Mr. Woodford, Public Works. Mr. Knowling, the Leader of the Upper House, Mr. Morris, and Mr. Furlong are Ministers without portfolios.

AUSTRALASIA.—The gold yield of the seven Australasian colonies in 1899 has been estimated at 4,462,488 oz.

NEW SOUTH WALES.-The gold yield for December last amounted to 50,058 oz. Exclusive of 10,719 oz. sent to the Victorian Mint, the yield

for last year was 509,418 oz., valued at £1,936,985.

A conference of Premiers, convened by Mr. Lyne in January, decided

to send a delegate from each federating colony to England to explain the Commonwealth Bill to the Imperial Government. The delegates are now in London. See our article on the Bill.

The Hon. Henry Copeland has been appointed Agent-General for the colony in London.

VICTORIA. The Victorian and New South Wales Governments have agreed to accept the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company's proposals to lay a direct cable between the Cape and Australia, and considerably to reduce the present charges, on condition that the company is allowed to open its own offices in the principal cities for the receipt and despatch of messages.

Mr. Chamberlain has endorsed a protest from the Pacific Cable Board against the above concessions, and the Premiers of Victoria and New South Wales are considering the subject.

The value of the Victorian butter exported last year was £1,404,364, or double the value of that exported in the previous year. The yield of gold last year was 862,411 oz.

QUEENSLAND.-The revenue for the first eight months of last year amounted to £3,043,500, as compared with £2,708,500 for the same period of 1898. The expenditure was £2,605,300, as compared with £2,310,400 during the same period of 1898. The revenue exceeded the expenditure by £438,300. The yield of gold for 1899 was 947,626 oz.

WEST AUSTRALIA.-The total revenue for the year 1899 amounted to £2,633,081, against £2,604,942 during 1898. The yield of gold for 1899 was 1,643,871 oz.

NEW ZEALAND.-Statistical returns show that the population on December 31, 1899, was 796,389, including 39,854 Maoris. The value of the imports for 1899 is £8,739,633, and that of exports £11,938,335, including dairy produce £701,742, and gold £1,513,173.

SAMOA. After the United States Senate had ratified the new Samoan treaty, the German flag was hoisted at Apia on March 1, the ceremony being attended by the officials of the treaty Powers and by Mataafa and Tamasese. A public reconciliation subsequently took place between the two chiefs. Dr. Solf, President of the Municipality, is Governor, and Herr Knipping acts as Chief Judge and Vice-Governor. The Supreme Court, the Municipal Council and Magistracy, and the Consular Courts have been abolished. Existing laws remain in force. The natives are awaiting news from Germany regarding the future form of Government.

Obituary. The deaths have been recorded during this quarter of:The Hon. Naoroji N. Wadia, c.I.E., a prominent citizen of Bombay ;-ViceAdmiral S. S. Lowther Crofton (China 1841);-Major-General Sir F. R. Pollock, K.C.S.I. (Panjāb 1848, Frontier expeditions, Seistan Mission, etc.); -General H. Hopkinson, c.s.I., Bengal Staff Corps (Koladyne Hill expedition 1847-48, Panjab campaign 1848-49, Burma 1852, Bhutan 1865); -Major S. M. Mason, 4th Lancers (Burma 1888-89);-Major-General A. H. King, C.B. (Crimea);-Major-General W. K. Fooks (Sutlej 1846, Multan and Gujerat 1848-49, Kohat Pass 1850, Mutiny) ;-The Rt. Hon.

Harry Escombe, ex-Premier of Natal;-Colonel R. O. F. Steward (Crimea);
-Colonel F. V. G. Bird, R.M.L.I. (Zulu war 1879);-Major-General G.
Hutchinson, C. B., C.S.1 (Sutlej 1846, Mutiny);—Captain C. F. Newland,
R.N. (Borneo expedition 1846);—Major-General E. A. Saunders, formerly
Madras Staff Corps (Central India 1858-59);-Colonel W. H. Watson,
R.A. (Crimea);-Major-General A. R. McMahon (second Burmese war) ;-
Colonel E. de Laval Tarleton, late R.A. (Mutiny); - Lieutenant-Colonel
W. Handyside, late R.A. (Crimea);-Sir Gregory Paul, Advocate-General,
Calcutta ;-Mr. E. L. Layard, formerly Ceylon Civil Service ;-Lieutenant-
Colonel T. N. Young, formerly Cheshire Regiment (Peshawar Frontier
1853); Surgeon-Major A. Grant, Bengal Army, retired ;-Commander
G. K. Moore, R.N. (Zulu war 1877-79);-Captain H. G. Leigh (Egypt
1882, Nile expedition 1884-85);-Colonel H. O. Selby, R.E. (Afghan war
1879-80); Major-General H. E. T. Williams (Burma 1852, Mutiny cam-
paign); Deputy Surgeon-General D. Cullen (Crimea, Mutiny);-Captain
G. O'Brien Theodore Carew, c.I.E., late Indian Navy (Mutiny);-Captain
P. H. Price-Dent, Devonshire Regiment (Chitral relief and Tirah expe-
ditions);-Vice-Admiral R. Duckworth-King (Black Sea, China);-Rear-
Admiral S. C. Darwin (Malay Peninsula, Abyssinia) ;-General Boyd,
Bombay Staff Corps ;-Major-General H. T. Duncan, C.S.I., late I.S.c. ;—
Mr. Thomas Shelford, C.M.G., member of the Legislative Council, Straits
Settlements;-Dr. R. Collum, the late Hon. East India Company's Service
(Sind);-Colonel Sir Trevor Wheler, late Indian Staff Corps (Sutlej 1846,
Burma 1852-53, Mutiny campaign, Central India, Eusofzai expedition 1863,
Bhutan 1865-66);-General J. E. Thackwell, C.B. (Sind, Crimea) ;-
Colonel T. T. Carter-Campbell, R.E. (Sikkim, Umbeyla, Abyssinia) ;-Sir
A. C. Weldon, for some years in the Madras Army;-Colonel M. F.
Stokes (Burma 1886-89);- The Marquis of Lothian; - Vice-Admiral
W. H. Haswell (St. Jean d'Acre, West Coast of Africa, etc.);—Captain
A. S. Wingate, killed in South Africa (Chitral Relief Force, Tochi Field
Force and Tirah campaign);—Lord Ava, of wounds in South Africa ;—
Lieutenant-Colonel R. F. Darvall (Afghan war 1879-80); Mr. F. C.
Crump, c.s., Haiderabad Residency ;-Lieutenant-General W. H. Whit-
lock (Burmese war 1852-53, Mutiny campaign) ;-Baron von Ernsthausen ;
-Lieutenant-Colonel A. Boulger, v.c. (Mutiny, Egypt, 1882);-Major-
General A. H. Heath, late R.A. (Panjab 1848-49, Delhi 1857); Mr.
N. R. Ranina, author and journalist ;- The Rev. Dr. Chalmers, of
Chemulpo, Korea, a learned authority on China ;-General J. M. Perceval,
C.B. (Kaffir war 1852-53);-Major A. O. White (Zulu war 1879);-Major-
General Sir C. Louis, R.M. (Syria, Baltic);-Lieutenant W. St. Aubyn
Wake, D.S.O. (Benin and Siama expeditions);-Mr. C. Paget Carmichael,
C.S.I., late Bengal Civil Service ;-Major-General G. G. Cunliffe, late
Bengal Staff Corps (Mutiny); - Colonel J. G. Cockburn, late Royal
Worcester Regiment (Hazara, Black Mountain, and Lushai expeditions) ;—
Colonel E. W Cuming (Crimea);-Major A. W. Cockburn, late R.E.
(Burma 1886-87);-Admiral E. H. Somerset, F.R.G.S. (Baltic 1854-55);—
General G. C. Clarke, C.B. (Crimea) ;—Captain R. E. Foley (Hazara and
Manipur expeditions); Lieutenant-Colonel Ambrose H. Bircham, late

King's Royal Rifle Corps (Zulu campaign 1879); Captain H. J. Wallack (Sutlej campaign 1845-46); Vice-Admiral George Wodehouse (Navarino, Baltic);—Lieutenant-Colonel G. B. Paton (Perak expedition 1875-76) ;— Major-General C. M. Cotton;-Admiral T. H. Mason (China) ;-Rev. W. H. Green, head of the Theological Department of Princetown University, U.S.A., and a Professor of Biblical and Oriental literature ;— General H. A. Carleton, R.A. (Indian Mutiny campaign) ;-Major-General A. R. Fraser, late 3rd Madras Light Infantry;-Major-General E. N. Norton, Madras Staff Corps (Goomsoor campaign 1847);-Captain H. G. Majendie, Rifle Brigade, in South Africa (Burma 1888-89, Sudan 1898);— Captain R. J. Vernon, King's Royal Rifle Corps, in South Africa (Manipūr expedition 1891);-Captain H. M. Blair, Seaforth Highlanders, in South Africa (Chitral Relief expedition);-Lieutenant-Colonel W. Aldworth, D.S.O., in South Africa (Burma 1885, Isazai expedition 1892, Chitral Relief Force 1895, Tirah 1897-98);-Captain E. J. Dewar, King's Royal Rifle Corps (Manipur expedition);-Major-General G. W. C. Plowden, late 1.s.c. (Indian Mutiny campaigns);-Lieutenant-Colonel M. E. H. O. Welch, 1.c.s.;-Lieutenant-Colonel T. A. Freeman, late East Surrey Regiment (Sudan 1885);-Mr. A. B. Sutherland, political officer to the Burmo-Chinese Boundary Commission (killed near the Salween);— Major C. R. Day, Oxford Light Infantry, in South Africa (Malabar 1885); -Captain T. H. Berney, West Yorkshire Regiment, in South Africa (Ashanti expedition 1895-96);-General E. J. Lawder, late Madras Staff Corps (Indian Mutiny campaign 1858-59);-Major E. L. Guilding, Essex Regiment (Sudan 1884);-Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel C. G. H. Sitwell, D.S.O., in South Africa (Afghanistan, Egypt 1882, Uganda Protectorate);— Captain the Hon. R. H. L. J. de Montmorency, 21st Empress of India's Lancers, in South Africa (Sudan 1898);-Captain R. H. E. Holt, R.A.M.C., in South Africa (North-West Frontier 1897-98);-Captain S. L. V. Crealock, Somerset Regiment, in South Africa (Burma 1885-87) ;— Lieutenant V. F. A. Keith-Falconer, Somerset Regiment, in South Africa (North-West Frontier 1897-98);-Lieutenant H. N. Field, Devon Regiment, in South Africa (North-West Frontier 1897-98);-General Bukshi Gunda Singh, c.s.I., Commander-in-Chief of the Patiala Army (Afghan campaign 1878-80) ;-Lady Seshadri Iyer, wife of the Dewan of Mysore ;-Colonel O. C. Hannay, late Argyll Highlanders, in South Africa (Zulu campaign 1879);-Colonel W. H. Davis, late Inniskilling Fusiliers (Eusofzai expedition, Mutiny);-Captain C. W. C. Cass, 1st Shropshire Regiment (Sudan expedition 1885);-General Sir William Lockhart, Commander-in-Chief in India (Bhutan 1864-66, Abyssinia 1867-68, North-West Frontier 1868, Sumatra 1875-77, Afghanistan 1879-80, Burma 1885-87, Miranzai 1891, Isazai 1892, Waziristan 1894-95, and Tirah 1897;-Sir Edmund Fane, British Minister to Denmark;-Admiral Sir Henry Fairfax (Africa, Australia); Captain John Wilson, North Staffordshire Regiment (Dongola expedition 1886).

March 23rd, 1900.