The age-herald., 1898-12-06

ters in controversy with Turkey for num- Der of years. He is especially charged to press for just settlement of our claims for indemnity by reason of the destruction of the property of American missionaries in that country during the Armenian troubles in 1885, well as for the adjust ment of older claims of equal justness. He Is also instructed to seek an adjustment of the dispute growing out of the refusal of Turkey to recognize the citizenship of Ottoman born persons naturalized in the United States since 1869 without prior im- perial consent; and in the same general relation he is directed to endeavor to bring about a solution of the question which has more or less acutely existed since 1868 con- corning the jurisdictional rights of the Onited States in matters of criminal pro- cedure and punishment under article of the treaty of 1880. This latter difficulty grows out of a verbal difference claimed by Turkey to be essential between the original Turkish text and the promulgated transla- uon. After more than two years fro.a the appointment of consul of this country to Erzeroum he has received his exsouatur.
 The arbitral tribunal appointed under the treaty Of February, 1897, between Great Britain and Venezuela to determine the boundary The between the latter and the colony of British Guinea, Is to convene at Paris during the present month It is a source of much gratihca ton to this poy- ernment to see the friendly resort of arbi- traitor applied to the settlement of this controversy, not alone because of the earn est part we have had in bringing about the result, but also because the two mem- bers named on behalf of Venezuela-Mr Chief Justice Fuller and MT. Justice Brew er-chosen from our highest court appro- priately testify the continuing in the defin- itive adjustment of the question according to the strictest rules of justice. The Brit ish members, Lord Herschell and Sir Rich ard Collins, are jurists of no less exalted repute, while the fifth member and presi- dent of the tr bunal, M. P. DeMartens, has earned a worldwide reputation as an au- thority upon international law.
 The scanda Ia Affair
 The claim of Felipe Scandalla against Venezuela for arbitrary expulsion and in- jury to his business has been adjusted by the revocation of the order of expuls on and by the payment of the sum of $16,000
 have the satisfaction of being able to state that the bureau of American repub- lies, created in 1890 as the organ for pro- noting commercial intercourse and frater- nal relations among the countries of the western hemisphere, has become more ef- ficient instrument of the wise purposes of it's founders and is receiving the cordial support of the contributing membefA of the international union which are actually rep resented in its board of management. A commercial directory in two volumes, con- taining mass of statistical matter descrip- tive of the industrial and commercial inter- ests of the various countries, has been printed in Engls Spanish, Portuguese and French, and monthly bulletin published in these four languages and distributed in the Latin-American countries, as well as in the United States, has proved to be 0 valuable medium for disseminating infor- nation and furthering the varied interests of the international union.
 During the past year the important work of collecting information of practical bene- fit to American industries and trade through the agency of the diplomatic and consular officers has been steadily ad- yanced and in order to lay such data be- fore the public with the least delay the practice was begun in January. lSsS or is- suing the commercial reports from day to day as they are received by the department of state It is believed that for prompti- tude, as well as fullness of information, the service thus supplied to our merchants ana manufacturers will be found to show sensi- ble improvement and to merit the iiperaA support of congress.
 The experiences of last year bring forci- bly home to us a sense of the burdens and the waste of war. We desire In common with most civilized nations to reduce to the lowest possible point the damage susta med in the time of war by peaceable trade ana commerce. It is true we may suffer in such cases less than other communities, but all nations are damaged more or less by the state of uneasiness and apprehension into which an outbreak of hostilties throws the entire commercial world. It should be our object, therefore, to minimize so far as practicable this inevitable loss and dis turbance. This purpose can probably be best accomplished by an international agreement to regard all private property at sea as exempt from capture or destruction by the forces of bellgerent powers The United States government has for many years advocated this humane and bene- ficient principle and Is now in position to recommend it to other powers without the imputation of selfish motives I therefore suggest for your consideration that the exe- cutive be authorized to correspond with the governments of principal marine powers with view of incorporating into the per- manent law of civilized nations the princi- pie of the exemption of all private property , at sea. not contraband of war. from capture or destruction by belligerent powers.
 Receipts of the Government
 The secretary of the treasury reports that the receipts of the government from all sources during the fiscal year ended June %, 1898, including ,225 received from sale of Pacific railroads, amounted to s405, ,321 1885, and its expenditures to $443,36S,- Ss2 There was collected from customs s149, ,575 ,062 and from internal revenue $170,- 9OO641.
 Our dutiable imports amounted to SEA-
 Continued on Seventh Page.)
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