, 1876-04-26
M c E L l. A N L 0 U S .
From the SpectQtor.)

Both Houses Of Congress have recently
passed a Bill reducing the salary of the
American President from 100000 to its
old figure of $4,000 a year, the reduction,
of course, not to begin till next term.
AS the increased salary was only given to
General Grant, and as his Administration
has been exceptionally corrupt, the
Houses probably think they may as we'll
save the money, while it is possible that
they also desire to diminish the Presidents
wish to stand again. The vote, however,
cannot be justified by any reason which
will satisfy statesmen. Washington is
one of the dearest places i'll the world,
Americans are habitually careless of
money, and the President, with his lofty
position, his immense patronage, and his
control over the spending departments, is
10 a position Of great temptation. 1t
would be far wiser to allow him 100000
q year, the French allowance, and retain
haIfof it in the Treasury as deferred pay"
He would then 90 out of the White House
after his two terms a moderately rich and
contented man. At present, he is asked
TO quit the position OF o king for that Of q
poor farmer. Cincinnatus did it but
Cincinuotus was a pGrtricjau, whose rank,
in his own eyes, was not affected by his
poverty.
Something not quite Ineligible is
going on in the far East OF Asia. The
Government Of St. Petersburg have an
nounced that the japanese, on the 8th
inst, declared war on the King Of Corea,
the great peninsula between Japan aud
China, opposite Pekin. The British
Government was, however, as Mr.. Bourke
assured Sir G. Dixie on Tuesday, informed
by a telegram from Japan Of the same
date that the two Powers had come to a.
agreement, and that China would not
interfere. The incident is curious, for
two reasons, -hrst, because if Japan
intended seriously TO attack China, she
would previously establish q footing in
Corea and secondly, because japan
might surrender COrea, if she got it, to
the Russians, as she did the KuriIe Islands.
Any civilized Power holding Corea would
hold Pekin very much at its mercy, or at
all events, compel the Chinese Govern
meut to keep a large army constantly
around the capital.
A rather remarkable and interesting
educational experiment is about to be
tried at Baltimore, in Maryland, where a
University of a more advanced kind than
the Colleges and Universities of the
States, and endowed already with a capt.
tai Of 9700, 900 $500, O0Ol, is to be
devoted to the most advanced University
studies. The services of the most eminent
men, whether in America or Europe, are
to be secured for this University in those
departments of knowledge in which Chairs
are to be Immediately established. The
new University was ~inaugurated at Balti-
more on February %, and, as owing it's
origin to the bequest of Mr.. John Hopkins,
is to be called the John Hopkins Univer-
sity /; already, moreover, one of the most
original, if not the most original, of Eng
lish mathematicians, Professor ]. S.
Sylvester; has been secured for the Chair
of pure mathematics. The University
buildings, which are to be in a park in
the n~eighbourhood Of Baltimore, will
only rise slowly as they are needed, the
fund being meantime accumulated for the