HISTORY THE DUMA. The meetings of the Duma were marked by some disorder early in the year on account of the aggressive tactics of the Reactionaries and in March M. Homiakoff resigned the presidency. M. Gutchkoff the Octobrist leader was elected in his place. The appropriation to the department in charge of Siberian exile was cut down by the budget committee in March. The bill of the Opposition for the abolition of the death penalty was reported on adversely. The new president, M. Gutchkoff, declared that the chief need of the country was for national defense, and that a measure would be introduced for that purpose calling for an expenditure within the next ten years of $650,000,000. Important measures passed were the Agrarian bill, the bill for the reform of the local courts, the bill for the establishment of zemstvos in the southwestern provinces and the Finnish bill (see below). The Duma adjourned at the end of June. M. Gutchkoff resigned the presidency to serve a term of imprisonment for having fought a duel, but after a detention of five days in August was released by order of the Czar. The Duma reassembled on October 28 and re-elected M. Gutchkoff as president. During the interval a special commission was appointed to investigate alleged abuses in the Admiralty, the Duma having made such investigation a condition of further grants for naval construction. Some of the chief measures passed by the Duma were held up by the Imperial Council. The latter withdrew the liberties provisionally accorded to the Old Believers by the Duma bill. The organization of the representatives of the gentry into a party under the title of Nationalists tended to strengthen the position of Premier Stolypin in the Duma. The expenditure of $55,000,000 was authorized by the Duma for the reorganization of the army late in December, 1910. The Duma had not yet succeeded in at tacking successfully the system of court-martial, although it had devoted its sessions to debates on the plan for a habeas corpus measure and trial by jury. The court-martial system, known as "re-enforced protection" had been for nearly four years enforced in most of the Russian cities. In regard to the question of nationality, Premier Stolypin laid down the principle that in regions where Russians happened to be in the minority, they should not be allowed to sink into political inferiority. Thus local administrations of the non-Russian parts of the empire, as, for example, Finland, Poland and the Baltic Provinces, must be approved by the Russians living there. THE LEGISLATIVE ACT FOR FINLAND. The Finnish bill (see FINLAND, History) gave the Russian Duma authority to determine Finland's share in the Imperial expenses and to impose taxes, thus violating the constitutional right claimed by the Finnish people to tax them selves. The Duma also was to settle the rights of Russian subjects in Finland and might make exceptions to the Finnish criminal law and procedure. It could also legislate on popular education and the right of meetings and associations, on the importation of foreign literature, on the customs relations between Russia and Finland, on trademarks, copyrights and the monetary system, means of communication, navigation and the rights of aliens in Finland. The assumption of this great field of legislation by the Russian Parliament was resented by the Finns as a complete subversion of their rights as a constitutionally governed country, and the Finnish Diet unanimously declared against it. On June 7 the Duma decided on the third reading of the bill by a vote of 196 to 105. M. Stolypin had declared the matter to be not one of controversy, but of historical fact. Finland had persistently refused to fulfil her military obligations. The bill only asserted the principle which Alexander I had applied, he said, and it had been repeatedly shown that Finland was subordinate in imperial matters by the acts of every emperor in the 19th century. The critical portions of the bill, namely, those providing that Finnish autonomy should be subject to the Imperial legislature as well as the provisions concerning schools, the press, right of meetings, of associations, taxation, military service, customs and the merchant marine were carried through with great rapidity, the Nationalists having secured the passage of a rule cutting off the debate on these clauses. The entire Opposition, along with some 20 Octobrists, immediately withdrew from the Chamber. The bill passed its third reading on June 10, and was accepted by the Council of the Empire on June 27. While the bill was under discussion remonstrances were received from members of the French, British, German, Italian, and Dutch parliaments. The French memorial of remonstrance was signed by 292 Deputies and 20 Senators and consisted in a historical survey of Finland's relations to Russia and of an appeal to the Imperial Duma "to bestow upon this problem the study that it deserves." It begins with a declaration that the signers "have followed with painful interest the recent development of the projects hostile to the independence" of Finland and feel “justified in drawing the attention of the Imperial Duma to the impression which persistence in such a policy must produce in France." The historical view of Russo-Finnish relations was precisely the opposite of that taken by the Czar, the Duma and the Council of the Empire, and the address amounted to a rather severe lecture on the policy which the Russian government had adopted. FOREIGN RELATIONS. Relations with AustriaHungary which had been strained since the Balkan crisis of 1908 were restored to a friendly footing in March. (See AUSTRIA-HUNGARY, History.) For an account of the Russo-Japanese Convention_guaranteeing the status quo in Manchuria, see JAPAN, History, and for Russia's relation to the railway questions in the Far East, see CHINA, JAPAN, and UNITED STATES, under History Concerning the difficulties occasioned by the retention of Russian troops in Persia, see PERSIA, History. The Czar's visit to the German emperor at Potsdam at the begin ning of November occasioned much comment in the press, but it was declared to offer no menace to the stability of the Triple Entent, but on the contrary to assume its absolute maintenance; and that it had to do with the relations of Russia and Germany on the one hand and Persia and Turkey on the other. It was announced that the German government denied having taken any part in changing the attitude of Turkey toward Russia and that it acknowledged Russia's rights in northern Persia, but had expressed a desire that Russian railways projected in that region might be connected with the Bagdad railway. In the European press, it was regarded as a sign RUSSIA 645 SAGE FOUNDATION Countries United States Austria Spain 1909 1910 Bushels Bushels 32,265,025 33,065,600 1,715,380 1,544,755 447,127,550 414,139,700 114,526,060 109,027,550 6,912,160 11,733,320 19,053,940 18,907,075 34,929,535 27,618,655 55,734,845 47,987,150 Hungary (incl. Croatia and Netherlands that the Entente was drawing to an end. A 610,000,000 bushels, as compared with 1,736,683,meeting between the Czar and the King and 000 bushels in 1909. See following table: Queen of the Bulgarians took place at St. Petersburg in March, at the end of which a note THE WORLD'S RYE PRODUCTION IN 1909 AND 1910 was issued declaring that the ministries of both governments were in accord in their desire to maintain peace in the Balkans. The King of Servia visited St. Petersburg soon afterwards. Canada OTHER EVENTS. Baron Ungern-Steinberg, the Germany correspondent of an Austrian news agency, was arrested by the political police on June 25 and Denmark charged with having obtained possession of a secret document and shown it to some one in the Austrian service. In November he was Slavonia) found guilty of betraying military secrets and Italy sentenced to hard labor for four years. The Luxemburg Asiatic cholera broke out in the Southwestern Norway Province in June and by the first of July it had Rumania spread to St. Petersburg. At the end of July Russia over 65,000 cases were reported in the provinces Switzerland with a mortality at some points of nearly 50 Algeria per cent. and over 1000 cases were reported in St. Petersburg. Later, however, the numbers declined. Statistics published during the year showed that down to midsummer the deaths from cholera numbered 57,000 as against 28,000 in 1909. (See CHOLERA.) M. Nicholas Tchaikovsky and Madame Breschkovskaya who had been arrested in 1907 on the charge of belonging to a secret revolutionary society, but who on October 26, 1908, had been released on bail furnished by friends in England and the United States, were brought to trial in March. M. Tchaikovsky was acquitted, but Madame Breschkovskaya, who was seventy-eight years of age, was sentenced to Siberian exile. The Czar and his family spent two and half months in Germany in the autumn. RUTGERS COLLEGE. An institution of higher learning at New Brunswick, N. J., founded in 1766. There were enrolled in the year 1910 11,350 students in the courses leading to a degree, and about 100 registered on December 1, in the short course in agriculture. The faculty includes 42 members and the entire teaching staff is 52. Among the changes in the teaching staff during the year was the appoint ment of Walter Taylor Marvin, Ph. D., as professor of mental philosophy and logic; the appointment of Lieut. Arthur H. Ahrends, 29th Infantry, United States Army, professor of military science and tactics, and the appointment of Henry Briggs North, Ph. D., as associate professor of chemistry. John Hubbard Logan was appointed acting professor of history. During the year a chemistry building was in course of erection at a cost of $65,000. It was ready for occupancy February 1, 1911. The produc tive funds held by the college amounted to about $800.000 and the income was about $150,000. The President is W. H. S. Demarest, D. D. RUTHENIUM. See ATOMIC WEIGHTS. RYE. The world's crop in 1910 was a little above the average but not quite as large as in 1909. The total production of the rye-exporting countries was larger and that of the rye-importing countries smaller than the year before. The world's rye crop in 1910 amounted to about 1, Sweden The above figures are final for Germany, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Canada and the United States, and preliminary for all other countries. They are taken from the Bulletin of Agricultural Statistics for January, 1911, as published by the International Institute of Agriculture, Rome. acre. In the United States in 1910 rye gave a normal crop. This was largely due to the fact that the crop ripens earlier, the plant is hardier than the other common cereals and therefore the drouth conditions of the season could not exert such an unfavorable influence as they did upon other crops, particularly wheat and barley. Furthermore the most important rye-growing States are not in the section of the country where drouths were most prevalent and severe. The area devoted to rye in the United States this year was 2,028,000 acres and the average yield was 16.3 bushels per The farm price per bushel on December 1 was 72.2 cents and on this basis the total yield represents a value of $23,840,000. The leading rye-growing States and their yields were as follows: Pennsylvania 6,460,000 bushels, Michigan 5,355,000 bushels, Wisconsin 4,880,000 bushels, New York 3,111,000 bushels, Minnesota 1,955,000 bushels, New Jersey 1,530,000 bushels, Illinois 1,218,000 bushels and Nebraska 1,200,000 bushels. In all other States the crop amounted to less than a million bushels. The exports of rye from the United States in 1910 amounted to about 220,000 bushels, as compared with 1,272,500 bushels in 1909. SAGE FOUNDATION. A foundation for social and economic investigation, founded in 1907 by Mrs. Russel Sage, who set apart in that year the sum of $10,000,000 for its professional endowment. The object of the foundation is "the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States." The means by which this result is to be accomplished is not limited. The administration of the foundation is in the hands of eight trustees who are responsible for the expenditure of the income of the endowment fund and who are permitted to invest any part of that fund in plans for social betterment. The work carried on by the foundation dation in 1910 has included important researches in the charity organization department. In the Child-Helping Department a survey was under way of the institutions for the care of children in Virginia for the State Board of Public Charities of that State. The Depart special mission to Bolivia. In 1883 he undertook a special mission to Mexico, and in the following year was appointed British Minister to Mexico. In 1893 he was transferred to Stockholm as Minister to Sweden. He wrote a number of books, including a Life of Sir James Brooke, and he edited a volume of essays on Shakespeare and his works. An ment of Child Hygiene, under the direction of Dr. Luther H. Gulick, conducted researches and promoted activities favorable to the physical, moral and intellectual welfare of children. The committee on the prevention of blindness conducted a national campaign for the prevention of blindness. The most interesting work of the foundation, however, is that carried on by the Sage Foundation Homes Company. This comST. KITTS, OR ST. CHRISTOPHER. pany obtained a large tract of land at Forest island of the British West Indies, forming, with Hills, L. I., and on this it is erecting model Nevis and Anguilla, a presidency of the Leeward buildings, including a railway station and other Islands (q. v.). Area, 150 square miles (St. houses of attractive design and a varying cost. Kitts, 65%; Nevis, 50; Anguilla, 35). PopulaThe general plan of the enterprise is indicated tion (1901), 46,446; estimated, 1909, 50,000. in the illustration on the following page. Forest Births (1908), 1790 (illegitimate, 1118); deaths, Hills Gardens is a business enterprise and is 1269; marriages, 182. Capital, Basseterre, with expected to return moderate interest on the in- 10,000 inhabitants; Charlestown (Nevis), has vestment. It also has a distinct educational 1500. Primary schools (1908-9), 49, with 4649 purpose. If the expectations of the promoters pupils. Government grant, £1633. Secondary are realized, the enterprise will provide more schools, 3, with 113 students. Area under cultihealthful and more attractive homes to many vation (1908-9), 33,359 acres; under sugar cane, people; it will demonstrate that more tasteful 15,539; under cotton, 4000 (1200 as surroundings and open spaces pay in suburban crop preceding sugar cane planting). development and would encourage more economical methods of marketing land. Forest Hills Gardens is a tract of 142 acres which has been laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, the well known landscape architect. Its architectural development is in charge of Grosvenor Atterbury. The general director of the foundation is John M. Glenn. SAHARAN PLORATION. EXPLORATION. a first Production of sugar, 11,744 tons (11,044 exported); cotton, 474,079 pounds. Cattle are exported to neighboring islands. Imports (1908), £186,186 (from Great Britain, £70,900; British colonies, £23,008; other countries, £90,094; internal trade, £2184). Exports, £188,770 (to Great Britain, £40,296; British colonies, £103,259; other countries, £36,984; internal trade £8231). Tonnage See Ex- entered and cleared, 638,941. There are four miles of telegraph line to submarine cable, and 261 miles of telephone line (St. Kitts only). Post-offices, 7. Revenue (year ending March 31, 1909), £47,133; expenditure, £45,722; estimates for 1909-10, £49,249 and £47,962. Public debt March 31, 1909, £76,000. Administrator in 1910, T. Laurence Roxburgh. ST. ANDREW, BROTHERHOOD OF. An or ganization of the Protestant Episcopal Church, established for the spread of religious faith among young men. The Brotherhood is divided into senior and junior departments. The number of active senior departments in 1910 was 864 and the junior departments numbered 525. The Brotherhood is active in the cause of domestic missions and is carrying on an official movement in the advancement of this cause. There were five secretaries in the field in 1910. Conferences were held in the South at Biloxi, Mississippi, July 2-4, and at Portland, Oregon, September 8-11. Two college conferences were held, one at New Haven, Conn., and the other at Ames, Ohio. James L. Houghteling, the founder of the Brotherhood, died July 28, 1910. The President of the Brotherhood is Edward H. Bonsall, Philadelphia. ST. HELENA. A solitary island, of volcanic origin, in the South Atlantic, belonging to Great Britain. Area, 47 square miles; population (1909), 3577. Jamestown (1439 inhabitants), the capital and port, is a British coaling station. Fishing is carried on, and some crops are raised. Imports (1908), £36,216 (£34,175, Great Britain); exports, £6685 (£5537). Revenue, £7432; expenditure, £8104; debt, nil. Governor (1910), Sir H. L. Gallwey. ST. JOHN, Sir SPENCER. An English diplomat, died January 3, 1910. He was born in 1825, and was educated in private schools. In 1848 he accompanied Sir James Brooke to Borneo as private secretary, and in 1850 acted as secretary to Brooke's mission to Siam. In 1851 he was Acting-Commissioner and ConsulGeneral of Siam, and from 1855 to 1861 was Consul-General in the island of Borneo. In the latter year he became Chargé d'Affaires and Consul-General in Haiti, and in 1872 was Minister Resident and Consul-General at Lima, Peru, In the following year he was engaged in a ST. LOUIS. See BRIDGES. ST. LUCIA. An island of the Windward Islands (q. v.); a British colony. Area, 233 square miles; population (estimate, 1908), 55,097. Capital, Castries, with 7757 inhabitants. Schools, 51, with 7018 pupils enrolled. Sugar, cacao, and rum are the principal products. Imports and exports (1908), £289,775 and £152,380, respectively, against £310,309 and £122,020 in 1907. Telephone lines, 111 miles. Revenue and expenditure for the year 1909-10, £65,739 and £64,446 respectively, against £65,694 and £65,037 in 1908-9. Public debt (1908), £151,030. Administrator (1909), E. J. Cameron. a ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON. The largest islands of two small groups off the southern coast of Newfoundland, which constitute French colony. Capital, St. Pierre. Total area, 93 square miles; population (1902), 6482, of whom a number have since emigrated to Canada. Fishing is the chief industry, the islands being mainly barren rocks. The cod fisheries engaged (1907) 1281 men and 71 boats, of 3294 tons. Imports (1908), 5,242,000 francs (France, 2,539,000); exports, 6,594,000 (France, 5,607,000). Vessels entered (1907), 1529, of 109,000 tons. The local budget balanced (1908) at 476,305 francs (French expenditure, budget of 1909, 204,220 francs). Debt, January 1, 1907, 478,000 francs. Administrator (1910), M. Didelot. SAINTSBURY, G. E. See LITERATURE, ENGLISH AND AMERICAN, Essays and Literary Criticism. ST. VINCENT. An island of the Windward Islands (q. v.); a British colony. Area, 140 |