The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-28
FOREIGN BUSINESS ITEMS.

The ship. canal on the Canadian side Of
the Sault Ste. Marie was to be opened
June 13, materially increasing facilities
for transportation between Lake Super
ior and the lower lakes. The canal has
cost over $2S2s, 900, "and when completed
will probably have cost si,OOOOOO. II has
lock 800 feet long and gives a channel
twenty feet deep from lake TO lake"
The Russian minister Of agriculture re-
ports that In the greater part Of the
black soil country, except where covered
with snow, the winter crops especially
rye, have passed well through the win
ter, the damage sustained being rela-
lively .unimportant. The growth however
had been retarded by the frosts IN April.
In the south the general condition Is
good, resolving being very limited. In
Little Russia rye Is better than wheat,
but In the southwest the late sown rye
has suffered rather seriously, resolving to
the extent of 10 to Is per cent. being
necessary. In the center and in the
Volga governments the condition OF the
winter sown crops is generally satisfac-
tory.
British comment on statement In one
Of the London dailies a few days ago Is
Calculated to alarm those who look to
railway dividends for their incomes"
American engineers seem to be all
agreed that steam railways are doomed
within quarter of century. SO far. r.
America is concerned" The comment Is:
'If this is true of the United States, It IL
difficult to see why It should not be
equally true of Great Britain"
A report prepared by Peruvian COM
missioner shows that, by the guano con-
tract, the government has been defraud-
ed to the extent of more than f1S0,000. In
twenty cargoes 1t lost $4,000 tons"
The Siberian railway committee, II Is
stated at st. Petersburg, us considering
the advisab.lity Of more southerly route
line for the eastern end of the line. The
Russian press advocates route through
Manchurit by arrangement with the Chi
nese emperor"
A telegram from st. Petersburg says:
'The National Millers' congress now sit
ting here has decided to establish an
agency In London for the sale OF Russian
-four"
President Dlaz of Mexico has appointed
Edward Page Castor Of Washington the
representative of the Department OF
FomentQ.n ito act for the Mexican gov
ernment in the encouragement OF coloniz-
alton, industries and the general promo
tion of commercial interests In Mexico
and ITS advantages abroad"
Official advices have been received by
this government that Japan is about to
greatly increase her navy, and that pro-
posals for bids for war vessels will short
ly be thrown open to all the great ship
building countries Of the world, includ-
ing the United States.
Dispatches from Cairo report cotton
worms have caused havoc in the prov
inces OF the Egyptian delta. Many fields
have been stripped, and 1t Is feared that
the yield of cotton In Egypt will be SER
iously affected.
A Sydney, N. 8. W., cable says the
assembly has passed. on Its second read
Ing, the customs bill which abolishes
the duties imposed In 1891. and virtually
establishes free trade.
The Frankfort Zeitung says that Rus
sia Is negotiating with Denmark for the
cession OF the Islands Of Estholm, Chris
tiansholm and Fredricksholm and the
northern part of the island OF Bornholm,
which Russia wants as a coaling station
for her warships.
An Ottawa dispatch says that the seal
ing catch off the coast Of British Colum-
bia Is, according to returns Just received
there, far below that Of last year. OF
thirty-two vessels which cleared from
Victoria only one win pay expenses. The
total number OF skins taken In the coast
catch is $685. as against 11,709 for the
same period last year. Twenty-three
Canadian vessels are hunting in Japanese
waters and have been unlucky, bad
weather having seriously hampered their
operations.