Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/401

1899.] over the number for the preceding year of 82,416, or nearly 36 per cent This increase consisted in large part of European immigrants, numbering 79,563, and especially of arrivals from Italy, Austria-Hungary, and the Russian Empire and Finland which contributed thereto, respectively, excesses over the figures reported last year of 18,806 (32 per cent.), 22,694 (57 per cent.), and 31,154 (104 per cent). The total immigration was divided as to sex into 195,277 males and 116,438 females."

The report of the Commissioner of Navigation showed that on June 30, 1899, the merchant marine of the United States, including all kinds of documented shipping, comprised 22,728 vessels, of 4,864,238 gross tons. On June 30, 1898, it comprised 22,705 vessels, of 4,749,738 gross tons.

The Secretary of the Navy in his annual report recommended the construction of three armoured cruisers of 13,000 tons, three protected cruisers of 8,000 tons, and twelve gunboats of 900 tons each. The report of the Secretary of War urged the importance of a cable between San Francisco and Manila to touch at Hawaii, Wake Island and Guam, the new possessions of the United States in the Pacific. He estimated the cost at $8,500,000.

A currency bill embodying the recommendations on that subject in the President's message passed in the House of Representatives in December by 190 votes to 150. Eleven Democrats voted with the Republicans in the affirmative.

II. CANADA.

The Dominion Parliament was opened on March 16 by the Earl of Minto, the Governor-General.

Sir Charles Tupper in the debate on the address made a long speech (March 20), severely arraigning the policy of the Government with regard to the Alaska boundary question. He thought that when the United States declined to accept the reasonable proposal for the appointment of an umpire the Canadian commissioners should have withdrawn.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Premier, said in reply, that such a retirement would have been undignified and unworthy of the representatives of a great nation. He considered that the adjournment of the commission would have a beneficial result, as it would enable the Imperial Government to have a friendly and generous talk on the subject with the United States. Canada had not been a suppliant of the United States, and owing to the development of trade with Great Britain there was less need of reciprocity with them.

Sir Richard Cartwright gave some reasons why the British commissioners had been unsuccessful. He believed that if Canada could have appealed to the whole United States instead of to the individual interests of the forty-five States of the Union, a prompt settlement would have been possible.