UNITED STATES.

There were 26,540 letters patent granted, including reissues and designs, during the fiscal year ended the 30th June, 1900; 1,660 trade-marks, 682 labels, and 93 prints registered. The number of patents which expired was 19,988. The total receipts for patents were 1,358,228 dol. 35 c. The expenditures were 1,247,827 dol. 58 c., showing a surplus of 110,400 dol. 77 c.

The attention of the Congress is called to the Report of the Secretary of the Interior touching the necessity for the further establishment of schools in the Territory of Alaska, and favourable action is invited thereon.

Much interesting information is given in the Report of the Governor of Hawaii as to the progress and development of the islands during the period from the 7th July, 1898, the date of the approval of the Joint Resolution of the Congress providing for their annexation, up to the 30th April, 1900, the date of the approval of the Act providing a government for the Territory, and thereafter. The last Hawaiian census, taken in the year 1896, gives a total population of 109,020, of which 31,019 were native Hawaiians. The number of Americans reported was 8,485. The results of the Federal census, taken this year, show the islands to have a total population of 154,001, showing an increase over that reported in 1896 of 44,981, or 41.2 per cent.

There has been marked progress in the educational, agricultural, and railroad development of the islands.

In the Territorial Act of the 30th April, 1900, section 7 of said Act repeals Chapter 34 of the Civil Laws of Hawaii, whereby the Government was to assist in encouraging and developing the agricultural resources of the Republic, especially irrigation. The Governor of Hawaii recommends legislation looking to the development of such water supply as may exist on the public lands, with a view of promoting land settlement. The earnest consideration of the Congress is invited to this important recommendation and others, as embodied in the Report of the Secretary of the Interior.

The Director of the Census states that the work in connection with the twelfth census is progressing favourably. This national undertaking, ordered by the Congress each decade, has finally resulted in the collection of an aggregation of statistical facts to determine the industrial growth of the country, its manufacturing and mechanical resources, its richness in mines and forests, the number of its agriculturists, their farms aud products, its educational and religious opportunities, as well as questions pertaining to sociological conditions.

The labours of the officials in charge of the Bureau indicate that the four important and most-desired subjects, namely, population, agricultural, manufacturing, and vital statistics, will be

completed within the limit prescribed by the Law of the 3rd March, 1899.

The field work incident to the above inquiries is now practically finished, and as a result the population of the States and Territories, including the Hawaiian Islands and Alaska has been announced. The growth of population during the last decade amounts to over 13,000,000, a greater numerical increase than in any previous census in the history of the country.

Bulletins will be issued as rapidly as possible giving the population by States and Territories, by minor civil divisions. Several announcements of this kind have already been made, and it is hoped that the list will be completed by the 1st January. Other bulletins giving the results of the manufacturing and agricultural inquiries will be given to the public as rapidly as circumstances will admit.

The Director, while confident of his ability to complete the dif ferent branches of the undertaking in the allotted time, finds himself embarrassed by the lack of a trained force properly equipped for statistical work, thus raising the question whether in the interest of economy and a thorough execution of the census work there should not be retained in the Government employ a certain number of experts not only to aid in the preliminary organization prior to the taking of the decennial census, but in addition to have the advantage in the field and office work of the Bureau of trained assistants to facilitate the early completion of this enormous undertaking.

I recommend that the Congress at its present Session apportion representation among the several States as provided by the Constitu

tion.

The Department of Agriculture has been extending its work during the past year, reaching farther for new varieties of seeds and plants; co-operating more fully with the States and territories in research along useful lines; making progress in meteorological work relating to lines of wireless telegraphy and forecasts for oceangoing vessels; continuing inquiry as to animal disease; looking into the extent and character of food adulteration; outlining plans for the care, preservation, and intelligent harvesting of our woodlands; studying soils that producers may cultivate with better knowledge of conditions, and helping to clothe desert places with grasses suitable to our arid regions. Our island possessions are being considered that their peoples may be helped to produce the tropical products now so extensively brought into the United States. Inquiry into methods of improving our roads has been active during the year; help has been given to many localities, and scientific investigation of material in the States and Territories has been inaugurated. Irriga tion problems in our semi-arid regions are receiving careful and increased consideration.

An extensive exhibit at Paris of the products of agriculture has made the peoples of many countries more familiar with the varied products of our fields and their comparative excellence.

The collection of statistics regarding our crops is being improved and sources of information are being enlarged, to the end that producers may have the earliest advices regarding crop conditions. There has never been a time when those for whom it was established have shown more appreciation of the services of the Department.

In my Annual Message of the 5th December, 1898, I called attention to the necessity for some amendment of the Alien Contract Law. There still remain important features of the rightful application of the Eight-hour Law for the benefit of labour and of the principle of arbitration, and I again commend these subjects to the careful attention of the Congress.

That there may be secured the best service possible in the Philippine Islands, I have issued, under date of the 30th November, 1900, the following order :

"The United States' Civil Service Commission is directed to render such assistance as may be practicable to the Civil Service Board, created under the Act of the United States' Philippine Commission for the establishment and maintenance of an honest and efficient civil service in the Philippine Islands, and for that purpose to conduct examinations for the civil service of the Philippine Islands, upon the request of the Civil Service Board of said. islands, under such Regulations as may be agreed upon by the said Board and the said United States' Civil Service Commission."

The Civil Service Commission is greatly embarrassed in its work for want of an adequate permanent force for clerical and other assistance. Its needs are fully set forth in its Report. I invite attention to the Report, and especially urge upon the Congress that this important bureau of the public service, which passes upon the qualifications and character of so large a number of the officers and employees of the Government, should be supported by all needed appropriations to secure promptness and efficiency.

I am very much impressed with the statement made by the heads of all the Departments of the urgent necessity of a hall of public records. In every departmental building in Washington, so far as I am informed, the space for official records is not only exhausted, but the walls of rooms are lined with shelves, the middle floor space of many rooms is filled with file cases, and garrets and basements, which were never intended and are unfitted for their accommodation, are crowded with them. Aside from the inconvenience there is great danger, not only from fire, but from the great weight of these records upon timbers not intended for their support. There should be a separate building especially designed for the purpose of

receiving and preserving the annually accumulating archives of the several Executive Departments. Such a hall need not be a costly structure, but should be so arranged as to admit of enlargement from time to time. I urgently recommend that the Congress take early action in this matter.

I transmit to the Congress a Resolution adopted at a recent meeting of the American Bar Association concerning the proposed celebration of John Marshall Day, the 4th February, 1901. Fitting exercises have been arranged, and it is earnestly desired by the Committee that the Congress may participate in this movement to honour the memory of the great jurist.

The transfer of the Government to this city is a fact of great historical interest. Among the people there is a feeling of genuine pride in the capital of the Republic.

It is a matter of interest in this connection that in 1800 the population of the District of Columbia was 14,093; to-day it is 278,718. The population of the city of Washington was then 3,210; to-day it is 218,196.

The Congress having provided for "an appropriate national celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Establishment of the seat of Government in the District of Columbia," the Committees authorized by it have prepared a programme for the 12th December, 1900, which date has been selected as the anniversary day. Deep interest has been shown in the arrangements for the celebration by the members of the Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Committee of Governors appointed by the President, and the Committees appointed by the citizens and inhabitants of the District of Columbia generally. The programme, in addition to a reception and other exercises at the Executive Mansion, provides commemorative exercises to be held jointly by the Senate and House of Representatives in the Hall of the House of Representatives, and a reception in the evening at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in honour of the Governors of the States and Territories.

In our great prosperity we must guard against the danger it invites of extravagance in Government expenditures and appropriations; and the chosen Representatives of the people will, I doubt not, furnish an example in their legislation of that wise economy which in a season of plenty husbands for the future. In this era of great business activity and opportunity caution is not untimely. It will not abate, but strengthen, confidence. It will not retard, but promote, legitimate, industrial, and commercial expansion. Our growing power brings with it temptations and perils requiring constant vigilance to avoid. It must not be used to invite conflicts, nor for oppression, but for the more effective maintenance of those

principles of equality and justice upon which our institutions and happiness depend. Let us keep always in mind that the foundation of our Government is liberty; its superstructure peace.

Executive Mansion, December 3, 1900.

WILLIAM MCKINLEY.

ORDINANCE by the Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, regulating the Grant of Patents for Inventions.

[No. 1.]

[January 3, 1900.] I assent to this Ordinance, this 3rd day of January, 1900.

F. M. HODGSON, Governor.

WHEREAS it is expedient to make provision for regulating the granting of patents for inventions:

Be it enacted by the Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:

1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The Patents Ordinance, 1899," and shall come into operation on a day to be fixed by Proclamation under the hand of the Governor, to be published in the "Gazette."

2. In this Ordinance, unless where the context otherwise requires, the following words and expressions shall have or include the meaning hereinafter assigned to them (that is to say):

"Court" shall have the same meaning assigned to it by "The Supreme Court Ordinance, 1876."

"Examiner" shall mean any skilled person or persons to whom the Registrar shall refer questions concerning patents under this Ordinance.

"Prescribed" shall mean prescribed by any of the Schedules to this Ordinance, or by Regulations under this Ordinance

"Registrar" shall mean the Chief Registrar of the Colony, or any person for the time being acting as such.

"British possession" means any territory or place situate within Her Majesty's dominions, and not being or forming part of the United Kingdom, or of the Channel Islands, or of the Isle of Man; and all territories and places under one Legislature, as hereinafter defined, are deemed to be one British possession for the purposes of this Ordinance; and

"Legislature" includes any person or persons who exercise legislative authority in the British possession, and where there are local Legislatures as well as a central Legislature, means the central Legislature only.