censured his minister.

Another mission to Fez is on the

point of starting. 'Hmam has been captured. The Angerites demand the removal of the present Basha. There were contradictory reports of fighting in Wazan, the Shereef of which was said to have appealed to France, and on visiting the Sultan to have been censured for so doing. Troops are being concentrated at Wazan.

Returns from the Oil Rivers' Protectorate give Imports at £748,423 (of which £580,177 were British, Dutch and German, each £80,000), and Exports at £780,139, being chiefly Palm oil, India rubber, ebony and ivory, which are said to be only "a little out of the inexhaustible products of the locality." The customs returns, however, show a strange state of advancing civilization. Rum and gin from Germany and Holland were £57,907; guns and powder, from England and Holland, were £10,000. Thus out of £87,696, fully £67,907 were for direct instruments of destruction. Add £17,440 for tobacco; and there are left, for all the rest, only £2,329. Belgium, Belgium, England, France, Germany and Portugal seem to be the only countries responsible for the great quantities of arms and ammunition entering Africa, and steps should be taken to suppress this particular trade, without which that of the slaves cannot be maintained. The Egbas, at one time refusing both treaty and a resident, have concluded a treaty in January; the governor is to judge all disputes.

The French have found Dahomey a hard nut to crack. The 9,000,000 frcs. already spent have had to be supplemented with other 5 millions. In the expedition itself, out of 75 officers, 24 were killed and 17 wounded. Many desertions are reported among the French troops. Behanzin however is at large, and in force, northward. The expedition is said to have violated the graves of several Dahomey Kings, in the hope of finding treasures. Some Germans were arrested for the sale of arms; but as they seemed to have deserved their fate, the incident was amicably closed between France and Germany.

The CONGO State has begun to import Chinese labour to its west coast. One of its officers has penetrated to Wadalai and Lado, which are said to be out of the Congo State range and in that of British influence: he was expected to be attacked by the Mahdi. Captain Ponthier who had commanded his vanguard, after staying 3 months at Brussels has returned, it is said, with important instructions. Commandant Dhanis, on the Lomani, had inflicted a severe defeat on the Arabs commanded by Tippu Tib's son. Mr. Jacques had been reinforced, viâ the Zambezi and Shere, and combined action with Arab chiefs was expected to be taken against Rumaliza to avenge the late massacres. A delimitation had been agreed with France, the boundary being fixed by the Mbomu and its tributary the Schink which comes from the Behr and Ghazal territory and falls into the Mbomu near Bungassa. Telegraphic communication has been opened between Germany and the CAMEROONS.

The CAPE COLONY returns for the half year show a revenue of nearly 2 millions, being an increase of £125,000. There has been a marked increase all last year in fruit exportations to England. The imports for the whole year were £9,500,000, and the exports, including gold, nearly £12,000,000. £1,225,000 were rebated for transit customs, chiefly for the Transvaal. The South African Mint Conference closed its sittings, but its results are still secret. Railway communication was opened with Praetoria with the new year. The NATAL report for '91, '92 gives the revenue at £1,392,455, an increase of £73,686; the expenditure was £1,280,965,-a decrease of 112,931. The Responsible Government party had secured a majority of two; but the closeness of the contest and the manner of its close show that the parties for and against it are equally balanced. The Governor is in London arranging details at the Colonial Office. The future of Swaziland has been the subject of questions in the House, but nothing seems yet decided regarding it.

In the TRANSVAAL, President Kruger was re-elected by a large majority, but owing to some irregularities in the voting, the matter is not yet settled. The country had suffered much from floods. The Anglo-Portuguese delimitation in Manicaland, having been found impossible in situ, is progressing towards a solution in Europe, by the two Cabinets: the Biera Railway is progressing, 27 miles towards the goldfields being finished in February.

At ZANZIBAR, Mr. Rennell Rodd acts for Sir Gerald Portal. An arrangement has been made that the British Consular courts should try all cases in which British subjects are complainants or defendants, or both-a Kazi appointed by the Sultan acting as assessor. The sudden death of the Sultan was followed by the installation of Hamid Bin Thwain, grandson of Thwain, fourth brother of Sultan Sayad Burgash: the last two Sultans were the 2nd and 3rd brothers of Sayad Burgash; an attempt by one of the princes to seize the palace being frustrated by the prompt landing of a party of British Bluejackets.

The Sultan of Unanyembe has placed himself under German protection. The Germans have had some severe fighting with Sikki, who fell in action. The Indian Government have sanctioned the employment in Central Africa of I officer, I Hospital attendant, and 100 Sikhs. Dr. Baumann reports explorations beyond Tanganyika, where he was received with great rejoicings, being taken for the last king, returned from the moon. Akenyaru and Mwarengo are rivers, not lakes. Precipitous wooded hills, called by the natives the Mountains of the Moon, form the watershed between the basins of the Rufizi and Kagera. As the Kagera is the chief feeder of the Victoria Nyanza, it is the real source of the Nile. Sir Gerald Portal is gone as Commissioner to Uganda with a staff and 250 Zanzibar soldiers. An outbreak of Somalis near Kismeya was suppressed by a party landed from the Widgeon. Captain Hohnel of the Austrian Navy and the Italian Captain Ferrandi are exploring E. Africa in Ethiopian regions, whence

another discovery is reported of dwarf tribes. Mr. Astor Chandler and party are exploring the Makenzie river (Tana), correcting previous observations: they have failed to find some places mentioned by Dr. Carl Peters.

The steamer meant for Lake Tanganyika has had to be launched on Lake Nyassa, the smaller steamer for which was sent back as two were not needed. Dr. Carl Peters unfortunately had his leg broken (at Cairo) by a kick from a horse. Baron von Soden on his retirement from East Africa was decorated with the cross of the "Red Eagle."

A return shows that AUSTRALIA contributes only £35,000 a year towards the prime cost of 5 cruisers and 2 torpedo boats, and £91,000 a year for the maintenance of 3 cruisers and torpedo boat. The import of wines to Great Britain during 1892 was 461,007 gallons, an increase of 79,276 gallons over that of 1891. The Earl of Jersey, for private reasons, has resigned the Governorship of N. S. Wales, and has been succeeded by Mr. R. W. Duff, M.P. for Banffshire. In Victoria, the revenue for 8 months, £4,842,000, has decreased £330,000 chiefly in customs. A loan of £1,000,000 is floated in Australia, while £300,000 of 5% are to be "converted" in London. A vote of want of confidence having been passed, Mr. Shiels resigned and was succeeded by Mr. Patterson, who announced a deficit of £1,800,000, to be met by economy, increase of taxation, and imposition of taxes on what was still free from duties. Mr. Madden, Q.C., has replaced Chief Justice Higginbotham. The directors of the Mercantile Bank of Australia were prosecuted for a false balance-sheet, and found guilty. The Chamber of Commerce has passed a vote that as Federation is both a difficult and remote question, it is better practically to try for a Customs' Union. 500 tons of butter, valued at £35,000, have been exported. In S. Australia, the revenue for the half year amounted to £500,000, showing a decrease of 130,000, the receipts from Public works falling 100,000. There is a deficit of £220,000 for the half year; and a 3% loan of £1,182,400 is being

floated. At 1,500 ft. all being tried.

Lake Frome, five borings at depths of gave salt water: four more borings are In New South Wales the quarterly return gave £1,508,000, an increase of £460,000. The heavy financial deficit-402,000, for this and £56,000 for last quarter-necessitated the withdrawal of the Estimates for reconsideration. Sir Henry Parkes' vote of censure was rejected by a majority of 3 votes. Another vote of censure on Mr. Reid's financial policy was defeated by 68 to 61 Sir E. Solomons, the Government leader in the Upper House, has retired. Sir. G. Dibbs has objected to the officer nominated by the War Office to command in Australia, impertinently saying he wants a younger man. While retaining the Premiership, he has resigned his seat for Murrumbidgee owing to pecuniary difficulties. In Queensland there have been extensive and heavy floods, inundating over 400,000 square miles, and causing great loss and distress. Relief funds were started in England, Canada, etc. The half year's revenue, £1,953,000 shows an increase of £65,000, while the expenditure £1,723,600 has decreased by £44,300: the improvement is mainly due to economy and land sales. The customs return was given at £638,891, an increase of £79,226. The first ruby has been found in Queensland, a good specimen, valued at £75. The Griffith ministry has resigned, and the Hon. Muir Nelson is forming a new one. West Australia shows prosperity. The revenue for the quarter ending 31st December was £150,000-an increase on that quarter the year before, of £20,000, while for the entire year it was £540,000, an increase of £46,000. The expenditure was £350,000. The budget showed a credit balance of £100,000; and public works were to be undertaken.

Sir R. G. C. Hamilton, K.C.M.G., has been succeeded by Viscount Gormanston in the government of TASMANIA. The past year has not been one of prosperity to the colony, the revenue only £790,000, showing a