Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-08-21

fish," The Fish Commission has received
information'sh that this season, up
to recent date, about 4,0O0, 600 pounds
of these fish have been taken. The price
paid to the fishermen is $2.S5 per l00
pounds of fish as they come from the YES
sell The value of the fishery, so far tins
season, would be $114, 900, while the
prospect is that these figures may be
doubled before the fishing is ended.
A CANADIAN journal has published
comparative analysis of the public debts
of the United States and of the Do
minion, from 1867, inclusive, which is
not likely to prove entirely pleasing to
the taxpayers of the latter country
From this statement it appears that when
in the year above named the debt OF the
United States was $2,5OS, ISL, 211, and
the annual interest was $136, 1892, ,451, the
debt of Canada was $75, 728, ,641 and
the annual interest charged thereon 81,
$40, 14S. In 1889 the debt of this coun-
try had been reduced to 1915, 039, 900,
and the interest to $33, 752, 900, while
the debt of that country had been in
creased to $237, $50, 900, and the interest
to about $9,000,000. To state it. in
another form, in 1867 the oebt of the
United States was 33 times, and the in
terest 81 times that of Canada, in 1889
the debt of this country was only four
times that of Canada, and the interest
/ three and one-third times greater. In
the first year named the debt of the
United States was about $62 for each of
the population, and that of Canada
about $22. In 1889 the debt of this
country was reduced to about $16 per
head, while that of the other country
was increased to SAT per head.
"These," says our Canadian con-
temporary, care startling figures"
OPINION is freely expressed among
naval officers in the North Atlantic
squadron at Key West, that the Govern
strongly fortifyiug Key West. 1t is
pointed out that Key West virtually
controls the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits
of Florida and three-fourths of all com
merce with the West Indies, Central
America, and the northern part of South
America. AS a base of supplies, and as
a naval and military point of operations,
perhaps no place in the United States
equals it in Importance. Situated on
the southernmost bay of Florida, dis
tant fifty miles from the mainland
proper, and only ninety miles from
Havana, Key West occupies an almost
central position in the waters opening
into the Gulf of Mexico. Between the
key and the mainland the water is
studded with innumerable small coral
reefs and keys. The channels between
these keys are for the most part so shall
low, that vessels drawing over six feet of
water are debarred from entering The
presence of the Gulf Stream compels
vessels running into the Gulf to pass
close to the Key West side of the
channel. The same is true of the Straits
of Gibraltar, where a strong current
flowing seaward along the Morocco
coast compels vessels to hug the northern
or Gibraltar side of the channel Vessels
in consequence are brought under the
guns of the Crock or within easy
handling of war vessels lying under the
shelter of the fortress. 1t is question
able whether Gibraltar as a commerce
protecting post is of more importance to
England than is Key West to the United
Sfatac