The National tribune., 1883-12-27
The Closing Year.

Inc most important military operation Oh the
year was the rebellion of Arab Pasha in
Egypt, and the ultimate interference by the Brit
ish government in the interest of the holders of
Egyptian bondsand for the protection of the Suez
Canal, which resulted in the conquest of the
Egyptian r:ibble and the restoration of the Khe-
dives power. This campaign occurred in July,
and the British forces still occupy the country
for the support of the Khedive. Last week
the False Prophet Ell Mahdi, who has been in
stigating religious rebellion for the last two
years in the valley of the Upper Nile attacked
and utterly routed the forces of Hicks Pasha,
embracing about ten thousand men. The cam
paign is still in progress.
In the far East the French have continued
their operations in Tonquin until actual war
with China seems TO have begun. The French
also, during the past summer, have practically
subdued the great island of Madagascar. Eng
land has been constantly in trouble with her
Irish citizens, and the trial and execution of
the Phoenix Park murderers, the killing of
Carey by O'Donnell, and the execution of the
latter, have kept that country in a state of po-
ltical excitement during the year.
Our own peace has been interrupted but
once by Indian wars, in General Crooks cam
paign after the Apaches in Mexico last May.
Business in our own country has prospered
fairly well. There has been gradual check
ing of speculation, which has brought us hap
PLY back to solid basis. We have gone
through a panic without a CONFUSION. The
commercial failures, while they have been
large, have not been of character to cause
uau 1Jcactnr md havo Iualyi1v ,ad
troubles which, during the early fall, gave
business men some concern.
Our crops were fairly good. We raised, it is
estimated by the Agricultural Department,
1857, 100000 bushels of corn and 417,000,000
bushels of wheat. This is doing well, consid-
ering the reports from the various parts of the
country, which during the summer BODIED i'll,
being only about 100000 bushels less corn
than last year. and over 300 1000, 900 more than
in 1881. Our wheat crop is only about 3d.
100000 bushels under that of 1882 and is
nearly 100000 greater than that of 1881.
Our minor crops of barley, rye, oats and pota-
toes have been large. Our cotton crop in the
Southern States has done well.
We have suffered from no great labor troubles
during the year, with the single exception of
the strike by the telegraph operators, which
lasted twenty -nine days in July and August.
We have, in fact, suffered less than usual from
this source, considering the fact that we were
passing through year Of steady contraction
in all the great industries of the country. No
suffering has come to our workingmen.
We have built $500 miles of railroad during
the year.
Our foreign exports have shown an increase
over last year. and we have been selling more
than we bought abroad. Our exports of fresh
beef for the first eleven months of the year
amounted to sl0,5o0, 600 against 81, SOC, 900 for
the same period in 1882. OF bacon we sold
abroad nearly $34 DOC, 600 worth against S2s,-
100000 worth in 1882. In spite of the obstruc-
ton on the part of the German and French
governments we. have sold nearly $4,000, 600
worth of hams in foreign markets in the place
of s., 100000 last year. We sold $25, 500, 900
worth of lard against S24.500000 worth last
year. Our exports of pork remained about the
same, while those of tallow increased 81 900, 0o0
We have exported nearly 81. 600 600 worth of
butter against 81, 100000 WIN last year, and
over S11 100000 worth of cheese
The following statistics show the condition
of our exports of breadstufHs for the first eleven
months of the year-for " hich all the figures
are giyen-the official reports for December
not being yet made up. For this period of 1858
we sold abroad s246, 900 worth of barley against
$4,000 worth last year; s37, 10000 worth of
Indian corn against $685. 600 worth for last
year; S835,00o worth of corn-meal against
$4,000 last year; $1ss,000 worth of oats
against $155,0o0 worth last year; ~Ss33 ,O0o, 600
worth Of rye rgainst 81, 00o, 600 worth last year
and $46,e00000 worth of wheat -four against
s39,0e0,0 600 worth last year. Our only falling
off has been in the export of wheat, which has
been considerable, owing TO the fact that there
was large crop in Russia and Australia. For
the first eleven months of 1883 we have ex-
ported but $72000,0 600 wortl against SI14,o00.
600 worth for the same period last year.
There have come to our shores during the
year 6s7, 600 immigrants.
Our national finances havs prospered I'M
mensely In spite of the radical changes made
in the tariff laws last March The national
debt, from January 1, 1883 to December 1, has
been reduced in the enormous sum of $97,-
75s, 61579, and there is left surplus in the
Treasury SO large that the Secretary has been
seriously embarrassed to know what TO do with
its constantly increasing volume.
N The pension payments during the year have,
mp to December l, amounted to sos, 451, 800. 80,
falling very far below what the Commissioner
OF Pensions promised to disburse, and what
Congress appropriated for his use In this
matter the year has been fraught with disap-
pointrnent to the old soldier.
The year has been remarkable in the United
States, as well as abroad, for local calamities.
In May, and later in the summer, there were
severe cyclones, through which many lives
were lost, and the towns of Wesson, Miss. !;
Liberty, Mo-, and Rochester, Mimi. destroyed.
Abroad, the earthquakes at Ischia and in
Java resulted in loss of life to probably not less
than 10000 people
The most serious devastation from the ele-
ments in the United States resulted from the
great foods in the Ohio and Mississippi Val
leys, which began the middle of February, and
lasted along down the Mississippi until June.
The business portion of Cincinnati was drowned
in over sixty feet Of water. @ The lower Ohio
and Mississippi the suffering among the farmers
along the rivers was very considerable.
Among other notable disasters of the year
was the great fire at the Newhall House,
in Milwaukee, by which fifty people
lost their lives the loss of the cymbria in the
North SEES, on January 21st, when $40 persons