Constitution and Government. General Louis Botha The constitution was ratified by the four colonies in June, 1909, and, with minor changes, passed the British Parliament and received the royal assent on September 20, 1909. It follows somewhat closely the Canadian model, I. e., specific powers are given the colonies. but all power not specifically granted remain in the general government. Both the English and Dutch languages are officially recognized. The executive, as well as the control and administration of matters relating to natives and Asiatics, are vested in the Governor-General, advised by an Executive Council of not more than ten members, appointed by him. He also appoints the members of the Supreme Court, who are irremovable except for misconduct or incapacity. Legislative power is vested in a Parliament (opened for the first time November 4, 1910), consisting of a Senate and an Assembly, and in the Governor-General, representing the Crown, who may summon, prorogue or dissolve the Parliament. The Senate is composed of 40 members-8 appointed by the Governor-General and 8 eletced by each province. A Senator must be thirty years old and own real estate worth $5,000; while members of both houses must be of European descent and resident at least five years in the provinces. Four of the Senators are chosen because of their special fitness for looking after the interests of the colored races. The Legislative Assembly consists of 121 members, elected directly by electoral divisions, for terms of five years. For the first term Cape Town has 51, Natal 17, Orange Free State 17 and Transvaal 36 members. Each province has a provincial council, which deals with elementary education, local institutions, agriculture, etc., levies direct taxation, and may borrow money on the provincial credit: also an administrator appointed by the Governor-General, for a term of five years. Year ended Trade of British South Africa with the United States. June 30. 981,808 1909. 1,573,940 1910. ITALY. $7,847,045 2.178.174 The Kingdom of Italy is a constitutional, hereditary monarchy in the male posterity of the House of Savoy (Catholic) since March 17, 1861. Italy is divided into sixty-ning provinces with a total area of 286,682 square kilometres, but with Its dependencies it has an area of 787,332 square kilometres (Italian colony Eritrea in Africa, 118,610; Italian Somaliland in Africa, 336,040, and the leased territory, Tien-Tsin, 46 kilometres). Capital, Rome. National Colors: Green, white, red. King.-Vittorio Emanuele III (Ferdinand Marie-Janvier), born November 11, 1869, the only son of King Umberto I of Italy and Queen Margherita, succeeded to the throne on the death of his father, July 29, 1900; married, October 24, 1896, to Helena, born January 8, 1873, daughter of Nicolas I, King of Montenegro; offspring, one son and three daughters. Heir Apparent.-Crown Prince Umberto-Nicola-Tomasso Giovanni, Prince of Piemonte, born September 15, 1904, in the Castle of Racconigi. Under the present constitution, which is an expansion of that granted on March 4, 1848, to the former kingdom of Sardinia, the executive power of the state belongs exclusively to the King, who exercises it through responsible_min isters. The Senate is composed of the princes of the royal house who are of age, and of 390 members, above forty years of age, who are nominated by the King for life among twenty-one categories of notables (filling a high office, having acquired fame in science, literature or any other pursuit tending to the benefit of the nation, or paying taxes to the annual amount of 3,000 lire ($600). The Senate can by royal decree be constituted into a high court of justice to sit on crimes of high treason, attempts against the safety of the state, or to judge ministers accused by the Lower House. The Lower House is composed of 508 members elected directly by as many electoral colleges or districts. A deputy must be thirty years old. Incapable of being elected are all salaried government officials as well as all persons ordained for the priesthood, or receiving pay from the state. Officers in the army and navy, ministers and various other classes of functionaries high in office may be elected, but their number must never be more than forty (not including the Ministers and the under-secretaries of state). The two Chambers meet annually, the sittings being public. No sitting is valid unless an absolute majority of the members is present. Neither Senators nor Representatives receive salary, but they are allowed to travel free by rail or steamer Electors for deputies to the Lower House are all Italians over twenty-one years of age who can read and write and pay 20 lire ($4) in direct taxation. Members of academies, professors, persons who have served their country under arms for two years, and numerous other classes are qualified to vote by their position. Military Service. Military service is obligatory. It begins with the completion of the twentieth year and lasts nineteen years, of which two or three years are passed in active service, five or six in the reserve of the permanent army, three or four in the mobile militia, and seven years in the territorial militia. Men in the cavalry are three years in active service. The men qualified to serve but who, by lot, have been exempted from active service form a second category; they are called to arms for training for a period varying from two to six months, which may be divided over one or more years. Those whose family interests demand exceptional consideration form a third category. In time of peace they are, during the nineteen years of their military obligation, called to arms only for a thirty days' training; in time of war they have garrison duty and form the last reserve. Conscripts of superior education are allowed to serve as one-year volunteers on payment of a sum fixed annually (1,200 to 2,000 lire). Trade with the United States. The Russian Empire is a constitutional monarchy under an autocratic tsar, hereditary in the male posterity (primog) of the house of Romanof-Holstein-Gottorp, and, after the extinction of the male line, transmissible to the female descent. The empire comprises: Russia proper (50 provinces), 1,859,195 square miles; Poland (10 provinces), 49,084 square miles; Finland (grand duchy, but now forming an integral part of the empire). 144.211 square miles: Caucasia (11 provinces), 181,550 square miles; Siberia, 3 provinces and regions), 4,817,687 square miles: Central Asia (10 provinces and regions), $1,327,317 square miles; total, 8,379,044 square miles, or 19,099,886 Russian square versts. Capital, St. Petersburg. National colors, white, blue, red. Tsar Nicolas II, the eldest sou of the Emperor Alexander III and of Princess Dagmar (Maria Feodorovna), daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark; born May 6 (May 19 new style), 1868; succeeded to the throne at the death of his father October 20 (November 1, new style, 1894; married November 14 (26), 1894, to Princess Alix (Alexandra Feodorovna), daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse, and granddaughter of Queen Victoria; born May 25 (June 6), 1872, and has issue a son, Alexis Nicolaivitch, born July 30 (August 12), 1904, and four daughters, Olga, born November 3 (15), 1895; Tatiana, born May 29 (June 10), 1897; Marie, born June 14 (26), 1899; Anastasia, born June 5 (18), 1901. Heir Apparent-Grand Duke Alexis Nicolaivitch (August 12), 1901. Cabinet. (Tsarevitch), born July 30 P. A. Stolypin .Baron V. A. Frederiksz General A. V. Suchomlinoff .F. G. Chteheglovitoff .M. Kasso V. N. Kokovtsoff ..8. F. Timacheff RUSSIA-Cabinet (Continued). Minister of Communications. Procurator General of the Holy Synod. Chief of the Institution of the Empress Marie. Government and Constitution. .S. V. Ruchloff M. Lukjanoff Prince Galitzine Baron A. A. Budberg .A. S. Taneleff S. F. Krivocheln The imperial manifesto of October 17, 1905, grants the population public liberty, based on the principles of the inviolability of the person and of freedom of conscience, speech, assembly and association. The legislative power is exercised by the Emperor conjointly with the Council of the Empire (first chamber) and the Duma (second chamber), convoked annually by imperial ukase. The Council of the Empire and the Duma have equal legislative powers. Every measure, before being submitted for the imperial sanction, must be passed by both the Duma and the Council of the Empire, and all such as are rejected by one of the two legislative institutions cannot be laid before the Tsar. According to a manifesto of April 24 (May 7), 1908, the Council of the Empire is to consist of 98 elected members, 6 being elected by the Synod of the Orthodox Church, 34 by the assemblies of the Zemstvo of each government, 16 by a congress of the representatives of the landed proprietors of the 16 provinces of European Russia, which have no Zemstvo; 6 by the representatives of the landed proprietors of Poland, 18 by the representatives of the nobility, 6 by the representatives of the Academy of Sciences and the universities and 12 by the representatives of the bourses of commerce and of industry, and an equal number annually by the Tsar. The elective members of the Council must have attained their fortieth year and are elected for a term of nine years. They are renewed by one-third every three years. Their honorarium is 25 rubles ($12 50) a day during the session. The Duma is composed of 524 members, elected indirectly for five years by electoral bodies of the chief towns and governments or provinces and of the greatest cities, composed of delegates chosen by the district or town elective assembles. Electors and eligibles must be Russian subjects, twenty-five years of age. Soldiers, students, governors of provinces (in provinces governed by them) and police officers (in the localities for which they act) may note vote. The members of the Duma receive an honorarium of 10 rubles ($12 50) a day during the session. The Duma and Council of the Empire may be dissolved before the expiration of their term by imperial ukase. Military Service. Military duty is obligatory for all men from their twenty-first year, and comprises, in European Russia, five years in the active army, fourteen years in the reserve of the active army (two trainings, each six weeks), and five years in the Opolchenie (militia); in the Asiatic dominions, four years in the active army, thirteen years in the reserve and five years in the Opolchenie (to forty-four years of age); in the Caucasian army, three years in the active army, fifteen years in the Caucasian Reserve (in militia to forty-four years of age). For the Cossacks military service begins at the age of nineteen. In the navy, active service five years and five years in the reserve. Certain privileges are granted on account of education; doctors, teachers, pharmacists, veterinaries, as well as artists who study abroad at the Mohametans of expense of the state, are exempt from service in time of peace. Caucasia able to bear arms are exempt from personal service, but must pay a military tax. Trade of Russia, Not Including Asiatic Russia, with the United States. The Ottoman Empire, a constitutional monarchy, hereditary in the house of Othman, the founder of the empire, consists of Turkey in Europe, Asia and Africa, comprsing tributory countries such as Egypt and the Island of Samos, as well as islands under foreign administration such as Crete and Cypros. Capital: Constantinople. National Colors: Green (sacred color) and red. Sultan-Mehmed V. (formerly Mehmed Rechad), Khalif of the Moslems, thirty-fifth sovereign, in male descent, of the house of Othman and the twenty-ninth since the conquest of Constantinople, born in Constantinople, November 3, 1844; son of the Sultan Abdul-Medjid Khan; succeeded to the throne on the deposition of his brother, Abdul Hamid, on April 27, 1909; has issue three sons and one daughter. Heir Apparent-Prince Youssouff-Izzedin, born in Constantinople, October 9, 1857, son of Sultan Abdul Aziz, the present Sultan's uncle. Succession-The crown is inherited according to seniority by the male descendants of Othman. The Sultan is succeeded by his eldest son, but only in case there are no uncles or cousins of greater age. Military service is obligatory for a term of three years (cavalry and artillery four) in the standing army. All conscripts may, however, after three months' service, be exempted from further service in the active army by paying 50 Turkish pounds. Then comes six (for cavalry and artillery five) years in the reserve (Ihtiat), with an annual training of six weeks; nine years in the territorial army or Landwehr (Redif), with two trainings, each one month, and two years in the reserve of the territorial army or Landsturm (Mustafiz). Conscripts assigned to the depot reserve (Tertib-isani) have only to serve from six to nine months. In the navy the period of service is twelve years, viz., five years in active service, three years in the reserve and four years in the Redif. Constitution and Governmment. The constitution, after the model of West European states, proclaimed by AbdulHamid December 23, 1876, abolished de facto after 1877, was re-established June 24, 1908. The Congress of the empire is composed of a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies. The Senators are nominated by the Sultan and must be at least forty years of age. The Chamber of Deputies is composed of one member for every 50,000 male inhabitants, elected indirectly, and at least thirty years of age. Every Ottoman subject at the age of twenty who pays taxes has a right to vote. other functionaries of the state are not eligible. Trade with the United States. Year ended Imports from U. S. 1905. 1906.. 1907. Exports Ministers and Exports to U. S. $4,554.509 6,393,468 8,689,769 $527,488 874,449 1,125,099 JAPAN (Nipon). Japan is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy, comprising 4,223 small and large islands and the former Kingdom of Korea, annexed in August, 1910. The empire is said to have been founded by the first Emperor Jimnu Tenno, 660 B. C., and that the dynasty founded by him still reigns. Capital, Tokio. National Colors: White, red. Emperor.-Mutsuhito (Majesty), born at Kloto, November 3, 1852; succeeded his father, Komei Tenno, February 13, 1867; married, February 9, 1869, to Princess Haruka, born May 28, 1850, daughter of Prince Ichijo, and has issue one son and four daughters. Heir Apparent.-Prince Yoshihito (Haru no Miya), born August 31, 1879; proclaimed Crown Prince (Kótaishi) November 3, 1869; married, May 10, 1900, to Princess Sadako, daughter of Prince Kujo. Succession. By the Imperial House Law of February 11, 1889, the succession to the throne has been definitely fixed upon the male descendants. In case of failure of direct descendants the throne devolves upon the nearest prince and his descendants. Cabinet. Constitution and Government, Marquis Taro Katsura Baron Tosuke Hirata Count Jutaro Komura Viscount Seiki Terauchi Baron Minoru Safto Viscount Okabe Eitaro Komatsubara .Baron Kanetake Oura . Baron Shinpei Goto Viscount Chiaki Watanabe The Emperor combines in himself the rights of sovereignty, and exercises the whole of the executive powers with the advice and assistance of the Cabinet ministers, who are responsible to him, and are appointed by him. He also exercises the legislative power with the consent of the Imperial Diet. The Imperial Diet consists of two Houses, a House of Peers and a House of Representatives. The House of Peers is composed of (1) male members of the imperial family of fuil age; (2) princes of the age of twenty-five and upward; (3) counts, viscounts and barons of the age of twenty-five and upward, who have been elected by the members of their respective orders, never to exceed one-fifth of each order; (4) persons above the age of thirty years, who have been nominated by the Emperor for meritorious services to the state or for erudition; (5) persons who shall have been elected in each Fu and Ken from among and by the fifteen male inhabitants thereof, above the age of thirty years, paying thereon the highest amount of direct national taxes on land, industry or trade, and have been nominated by the Emperor. The term of membership under (3) and (5) is seven years; under (1), (2) and (3) for life. The number of members under (4) and (5) must not exceed the number of all the members of the nobility-altogether 366 members. The House of Representatives, composed of 379 members, is elected for four years by districts and by the vote of all subjects of not less than twenty-five years of age and paying taxes to the amount of not less than 10 yen (about $5) a year. Voting is by secret single ballot. In general, male Japanese subjects of not less than thirty years of age are eligible to the House of Representatives. Disqualified from membership are officials of the imperial household, judges, auditors, collectors, police officials, military and naval officers and men in active service, priests and ministers of religion, students, teachers of elementary schools, government contractors, and officials connected with the election in the electoral districts for which they act. The presidents of both houses receive annual salaries of 5,000 yen (1 yen about 50 cents); vice-presidents, 3,000 yen; the members of both houses, 2,000 yen. besides travelling expenses. The Imperial Diet must be assembled at least once a year. Military Service. All Japanese subjects are liable to the military service. It begins from the finished twentieth year of age and comprises two years in the active army (Geneki) or four years in the navy; four years and four months in the reserve (Yobi) or three years in the navy, and ten years in the territorial army or landwehr (Kobi), or five years in the navy. All those who have not been enlisted for the active service are subject to call at the so-called depots of the army and the navy, and from them the deficiencies in the active army and navy are filled. The term of such service in the army is twelve years and four months, while in the navy it is one year. Besides all able bodied men from seventeen to forty years of age, enlisted neither in the active army nor in the reserve, nor in the depot, form part of the national army (landsturm). There are also, as in Germany, oneyear volunteers who serve at their own charge. Imports Trade with the United States. Year ending 1305 1906. 1907 Exports $41.432,327 $68,107,545 26,691,613 70,392,722 21,959.310 66,398,761 38,770,060 68.910,594 1910. HAGUE COURT OF ARBITRATION. MEMBERS OF THE COURT, APPOINTED BY THE NATIONS CREATING IT. Argentine Republic. pro at Estanislas S. Zeballos, LL. D., fessor of private international law at the University of Buenos Avres, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Religion; Roque Saenz Peña, LL. D., formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs and Religion, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary Rome and at Berne, delegate plenipotentiary to the Second Peace Conference; Luis Maria Drago, LL. D., formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs and Religion, deputy, delegate plenipotentiary at the Second Peace Conference; Carlos Rodriguez Larreta, LL. D., formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs and Religion, professor of constitutional law at the University of Buenos Ayres, deputy, delegate plenipotentlary at the Second Peace Conference. Austria-Hungary. Count Albert Apponyi, Privy Councillor, Minister of Public Worship and Instruction of Hungary, member and formerly President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Hungarian Parliament; Henri |