The age-herald., 1898-08-21

have been mined only on tn surfac. There is an excellc.:: opening also for the intro duction of some of the American labor-sav- ing mining devices now employed in Penn sylvania and West Virginia.
 
 Henry W. Gilbert says: "The United States does not figure in the boot and shoe trade of the Philippine islands. Spain, pro- tected by laws that discriminate against all foreign products, has furnished nearly all of the boots and shoes disposed of in the archipelago. The United States being the largest manufacturers of boots and shoes, our manufacturers should prepare for trade with the Philippines"
 The United States is now furnishing one- third as much raw cotton to Japan as is furnished by British India. Last years export of raw cotton from America to Ja- pan was worth nearly S,ooo,o0o yen.
 Russia will wipe out the duties on harv- esting and stacking machines. sheaf bind CTS. steam blows, threshing machines with double drums, tedders, horse rakes, assort- ing machines for grass seeds, asserting machines for potatoes, manure spreaders, pulverizers for sprinkling trees and vines, injectors for sprinklIng sulphurous carbon under the roots of vines In order to destroy the phylloxera, uninterrupted grape press CTS and centrifugal cream separators
 
 The Russian birth rate Is so far in excess of the death rate that the increase of popu- lation has been prodigious. In 1724 there were 16 000,0 900 Russians; there were 2o,00o0N in 1762; in 1796, owing to conquests by Cath erine IT., the population jumped to 37 900; conquests in Finland and Poland account for the gain of 5000 900 shown by the census ffNt- 1..n e.ts. to the excess of births over deaths, began after this date. With no important changes in the frontiers, the inhabitants in 1S47 num- bered 67 0O0, 900, an increase of 21, ,080, 900 in less than forty years. In 1858 Russia had 74OO0 ,0O0 in l8Ss, 10s. 900 900: the census of January, 1897, counted 129,000000 and 1t is estimated tht the present population is more than 130 900 900. The Russian people have more than sextupled since the day when Chappe prophesied It's approaching end.
 The consul at Ghent says that the intro- duction of the round cotton bale Is destined to affect favorably the eKportation of Amer ican cotton. Ghent has 565,e02 spinning spindles, and S4,642 twisting spindles. It de- mands the round bale Tn this bale the lint cotton is pressed into g. thin layer which Is rolled by machinery into a cylindrical bale of the size desired. The bale finally is en- veloped in closely woven Hessian cloth. The covering preserves the cotton. All marks and numbers remain distinct pre- venting the fraudulent substitution of bales en route. Because of regular form, greater density and smaller dimensions the bales are more readily handled and shipped. They are almost entirely fire and water proof Removal of the iron bands reduce the tare to per cent.
 The exportation of plain and plaid cot ton textiles from France increased from ii ,0oo tons in 1890 to 1000 tons in 1S97 The effect upon the international market has been small however, as of this quantity more than 13,OO0 tons have been reserved for colonies and markets exclusively French.