St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-07-03
LIVE FOREIGN NEWS.

According to the reports on Lon
don's Geological Garden, the profits
for 1889 were $4,000. About
1000 animals were kept. The total
expenses of the institution were
$125. 900.
Steps have been taken to establish
in St. Petersburg society for the IN
surance of crops against climatic
nishaps. The Agricultural society
of the metropolis has initiated the
movement.
In New Zealand a Mormon conven-
ton has just closed its sittings, at
which it was officially reported that
there are 5000 Mormons in that
colony, and that 500 converts were
made during the past year.
The Berlin Boersen Courier esti-
mates that there are 13, 900 different
kinds of postage stampsin the world:
Last January the Imperial Postal
Museum possessed $500 sorts, and
is now supposed to have at least
1000 more.
The marriage of Mr. Stanley and
Miss Dorothy Tenant is fixed def
nitely for the 10Th of July. Wedding
presents flow in from all parts of
England, often from people of whom
neither Miss Tenant nor Mr.. Stan
ley has ever heard.
Queen Victoria, having completed
the fifty-third year of her reign. has
now reigned longer than any English
monarch, excepting Henry III;
George HIS sixty years on the throne
being left unconsidered, as it was so
interrupted with regencies.
The new crown of King Menelek of
Abyssinia has just been completed,
in Milan. 1t is of solid gold, weighs
four and half pounds, and resembles
somewhat in appearance the tiara of
the Pope. 1t is adorned with 100
precious stones and is valued at
$1,000.
NJ. Peschkoff, the Cossack officer
who left Vladivostock in November
last on horseback to ride across ST.
IBERIA to st. Petersburg, q distance OF
nearly five thousand miles, reached
the Russian capital on May 81. He
received tremendous ovations
throughout the day.
Satisfactory progress is being
made on the Congo railroad. The
principal difficulties to be encounter
ed are confined to the first ten miles
(starting from Matadi,) and two OF
these miles of track were completed
on the 10Th of April last. Over 1000
workmen are employed, under the
supervision of % Europeans.
According to the latest reports of
the minister of education, there are
10000 primary schools in Russia.
Twenty-Five thousand are public
schools under the authority of the
minister of education, and 1870
are parish schools under the manage
ment ofthe Holy Synod" Religious
instruction is given in the secular
schools by clergymen, who have to
render all account of their dOingS to
the government.
The latest comparison between the
armies of France and Germany places
the former ahead numerically, while
the latter is preparing to close the
gap with the aid of the recent law.
France on peace footing has $780,
o4S men, ana the law or nVe years
service recently enacted permits her
to add 600, 900 men to her territorial
army Other reforms increase the
annual contingent by 10000 men.
BY counting the twenty-five con-
tingents under the law with their
total losses, which are estimated at
one-quarter, the effective force for
mobilization amounts to 4, 1875, 900.
In Germany the annual contingent
is 164, 900 recruits, 5000 yearly vol
unteers, and II, 45O reserves, giving
q total for this contingent of 19O,-
$50. For the twenty-four contin-
gents, and taking into account the
losses, we arrive at a grand total on
a war footing of 3,35O,OOO men.
Consequently, France could mobilize
at the present time IT'S, 900 trained
soldiers more than Germany