The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-08

nartv of American merchants and manu- facturers to central and eastern Europe, where they were entertained by proml- nent officials and organizations or the large cities, and new bonds or lrlehd ship and understanding were established which can not but lead to closer anu greater commercial interchange.
 Coronation of King George
 The 22d of June of the present year p,arleed the coronation of His Britannia Majesty King George V. In honor or this auspicious occasion l sent speclal embassy to London. The courteous ana cordial welcome extended to this govern ment's representatives by his majesty, and the people of Great Britain, mas Iur- ther emphasized the strong bonds or friendship happily existing between the two nations.
 Settlement of Differences
 As a result of determined effort on the part of both Great Britain ana the Tinted States to settle all Of their outstanding differences a number or treaties have been entered Into De- tween the two countries in recent years by which nearly all of the unsettled questions between them of any nm portance have either been adjusted py agreement or arrangements made TOT their settlement by arbitration. A num-
  to consist of pecuniary claims presented hv each country against the other, and in order that as many of these claims as possible should be settled by arpl- traitor a special agreement Tor that purpose was entered into between the two governments on August Is, 19lO, Tn l accordance with article of the general l arbitration treaty with Great Brltaiil | of April 4, 1908. Pursuant to the pro- .f l,i schedule of claims has already been agreed upon, and the special agree | ment. together with this schedule, re- ceixed the approval of the Senate when submitted to .t for that purpose at the | last session of Congress. Negotiations between the two governments for the preparation of an additional schedule | of claims are already well advanced, and it is my intention to submit each schedule as soon as 1t is agreed upon to the Senate for it's approval, in order | that the arbitration proceedings may | be undertaken at an early date. In | this connection the attention of Con- | gress is particularly called to the neces-
 sity for an appropriation to cover the | expense incurred in submitting these
 claims to arbitration.
 Presentation of Statue
 In pursuance of the act of Congress approved June 23, 1910, the Secretary of State and the joint committee on the library entered into contract with the sculptor, Albert Jaegers, TOT the execution of bronze replica ol the state of General yon Steuben erected in Washington, for presentation
 to his majesty the German Emperor and the German nation in recognition oi the gift of the statue of Frederick the Great made by the Emperor to the peo-
 ple of the United States.
 The presentation was made on Sep
 tember 2 last by representatives whom
 l commissioned as the special mission
 of this government for the purpose.
 The German Emperor has conveyed
 to me by telegraph, on his own behalf and that of the German people, an ex. pression of appreciative thanks for thi:
 action Of Congress.
 Negotiations for the 9melioration oi conditions found to exist in Liberia by the American commission, undertaken
 through the department of state, have been concluded and 1t is only neces
 sary for certain formalites to be ar ranged in securing the loan which 1t il r hoped will place that republic on {
 practical financial and economic foot 2 ing.
 The national constituent assembly . regularly elected by the vote of th r Portuguese people, having on June l last unanimously prSNlaimed repub lican form of government, the officia recognition of the government of tn United States was given to the new re
 public in the afternoon of the sam f day.
 ,l Negotiations for the betterment o , conditions existing in the Spitzbergcl islands and the adjustment of con I nicting claims of American citizens an , Norwegian subjects to lands in tha o archipelago are still in progress. i Conventions and Conferences = The supplementary protocol to Tn = Hague convention for the establish e ment of an international prize cour @ mentioned in my last annual messag,