Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

Victoria (June 30, 1877).

849,021

New South Wales (December 31, 1876)..

629,776

Queensland (December 31, 1876)..

187,003

South Australia (June 80, 1877).

280,929

Western Australia (December 31, 1876)...
Northern Territory..

27,321
743

1,924,798

[blocks in formation]

105,484
417,622
100,000.

2,547,899

During the year 1876 the increase of births over deaths was: in Victoria, 13,288; in New South Wales, 12,105; in Queensland, 3,496; in South Australia, 4,674; in Western Australia, 535; in New Zealand, 12,170. In each colony the number of births was more than double that of deaths, and the number of males largely exceeded that of females.

The following table shows the revenue, public debt, imports, and exports for 1876, for each of the Australian colonies:

[blocks in formation]

Revenue.
Imports. Exports.
Victoria.
4,825,156 14,056,823 15,705,358 14,196,487
New South Wales* 5,036,656 11.470,687 18,672,776 18,003,941
South Australia +..1,491,225 4,287,080+ 4,576,188 4,816,171
Queensland... 1,448,285 6,954,586 8,194,812 8,608,881
Tasmania... 827,840 1,520,500 1,188,003 1,180,983
Western Australia 162,189 185,000 386,036 897,298
New Zealand.. 2,172,792 20,895,811 6,905,171 5,673,465

New Zealand..
Queensland..

54,058 899,494 18,108 124,459 1,755,142 60,681 99,261 494,118 11,647,863 123,741 180,289 1,985,807 7,241,810 53,023

According to "Statistics of New Zealand, 1877," the total estimated population of this colony on December 31, 1877, was 417,622, exclusive of 45,470 Maoris. This shows an increase over the population of 1876 of 18,547, of which 12,171 was due to an excess of births over deaths, and 6,376 to immigration. A regular census was taken in March, 1878, but the results are not yet published. The total number of vessels that entered from foreign ports during 1877 was 812, of 388,568 tons; and the number entered coastwise was 17,260, of 1,754,158 tons. The number cleared was 17,239, of 1,738,224 tons. The total value of the imports was £6,973,418.

A vote of want of confidence in the Ministry, proposed in the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in January, was negatived by that body. This vote was of great importance, as considerable excitement had prevailed throughout the colony at the course taken by the Legislalative Council in the wholesale dismissal of Judges and other Government officials in November, 1877. On February 7th, the Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in favor of the payment of the public creditors on the authority of votes passed by the Assembly alone. In the course of the discussion Mr. Berry, the Premier, said it was intended that the resolution should only be temporarily operative. He disclaimed any purpose to deprive the Legislative Council of the right of assenting to the appropriations. On February 13th the Assembly, by a vote of 53 to 23, adopted a motion presented by Mr. Berry for an address to the Crown, in consequence of the unconstitutional course taken by the Legislative Council in re84,086 jecting the appropriation bill, providing for the payment of the members of the Assembly. The Council on the 21st also voted an address to the Crown, in reply to that voted by the As

[blocks in formation]

The postal statistics for the different colonies sembly. A compromise was, however, brought were as follows:

* For 1875.

+ For 1877.

+ In 1874.

about between the Council and the Assembly, * January 1, 1877. + For 1876. January 1, 1876.

thus ending the political crisis which had troubled the colony for almost six months. Parliament was prorogued on April 5th. It assembled again on July 9th. In his opening speech, the Governor announced the introduction of bills for a new loan for public works, and for the purchase of Hobson's Bay Railway. The Governor also announced that an international exhibition would be held in Melbourne in 1880. The Colonial Treasurer made his financial statement on August 16th. The actual revenue for the current year was estimated at £4,991,713,

and the expenditure at £5,137,642, leaving a deficit of £145,929. This deficiency was to be covered by arrears and recoupments. There were also to be loans for a total amount of £9,000,000 for railways and public works. In the beginning of October a ministerial bill for a reform of the Constitution, curtailing the powers of the Legislative Council, was passed on its third reading in the Assembly by a vote of 50 against 21.

The Parliament of New South Wales was opened by the Governor on September 11th. Among the measures to be introduced by the Government was a scheme for the construction of a thousand miles of railway.

The South Australian Ministry resigned in the beginning of October, and a new cabinet was formed, composed as follows: Premier, Mr. William Morgan; Attorney-General, Mr. Bundez; Minister of Education, Mr. Rowland Rees; Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Mann.

A revolt broke out among the natives of the French colony of New Caledonia in the latter part of June. It was said to be owing to the seizure of a large and fertile valley in which was the large village of the chief Atui. A considerable number of whites were massacred, but the resistance was subdued in a short time.

AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN MONARCHY, an empire in Central Europe. Emperor, Francis Joseph I., born August 18, 1830; succeeded his uncle, the Emperor Ferdinand I., December 2, 1848. Heir apparent to the throne, Archduke Rudolphus, born August 21, 1858.

The ministry for the common affairs of the Empire consisted, toward the close of the year 1878, of Count Andrassy, Minister of Foreign Affairs and of the Imperial House (appointed 1871); Baron Leopold Friedrich von Hofmann, Minister of the Finances of the Empire (appointed 1876); and Count Arthur BylandtRheidt, Minister of War (appointed 1876).

The ministry of Cis-Leithan Austria was in

[graphic]

PARLIAMENT BUILDING, SYDNEY.

1878 composed of Prince Adolf von Auersperg, President (appointed November, 1871); J. Lasser, Freiherr von Zollheim, Interior (November, 1871); C. von Stremayr, Public Worship and Instruction (November, 1871); Glaser, Justice (November, 1871); J. Ritter von Chlumecky, Commerce (appointed in November, 1871, Minister of Agriculture; transferred to the Ministry of Commerce in May, 1875); Baron von Pretis-Cagnodo, Finances (January, 1872); Colonel Horst, Defense of the Country (appointed pro tem. November, 1871, definitely in March, 1872); Count Mannsfeld, Agriculture (May, 1875); J. Unger (November, 1871) and Florian Ziemialkowski (April, 1873), ministers without portfolio.

Area of the Monarchy, 240,348 square miles; population, according to the census of 1860, 35,901,435. The area of Cis-Leithan Austria (the land represented in the Reichsrath) is 115,908 square miles. The civil population at the end of 1876 was officially estimated at 21,766,887, to which must be added the army, numbering (close of 1876) 177,449 persons; making a total population of 21,944,336. The estimate is based upon the census of December 31, 1869, by adding the average percentage of increase. The civil population was distributed among the different crown lands as follows:

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Of the total number of children born, 18,719 were still-born, and of these 16,781 were legitimate and 1,938 illegitimate. Of the live-born children, 716,577 were legitimate and 105,513 illegitimate. Of the total number of children born, 440,074 were males and 412,562 females. Of the total number of deaths, 355,429 were of males and 324,405 of females. In regard to age, 28 males and 34 females were upward of 100 years old at the time of their death.

The number of professors and students (inclusive of non-matriculated hearers) was in 1878 as follows:

[blocks in formation]

The Austrian Reichsrath, immediately upon reassembling after the holidays, discussed the measures proposed by the Cabinet for the Ausgleich or compromise with Hungary. Conferences were held during January between the Austrian and Hungarian Ministers, to arrange the differences still existing with regard to the renewal of the commercial and customs treaty between Austria and Hungary. An understanding was finally come to on all but one point the increase of the import duties on articles of consumption, especially coffee and petroleum, devised with a view to increase the revenue. The Austrian Ministry, though in favor of the higher tax, did not think it could carry it through the House, while the Hungarian Ministers, for their Government, declared they could not consent to another change in the existing agreement, since it would endan

* In 1876.

+ Exclusive of the faculty of Evangelical theology.

[ocr errors]

cessors.

ger the passing of the tariff in the Diet, where these fiscal imposts were looked upon as a compensation for the increase of duties on textile fabrics, of which Austrian industry had almost the exclusive benefit. On January 25th the Austrian Ministers had a conference with the presidents of the clubs of the different parliamentary factions. Three of the clubs, containing the majority of those who are called supporters of the Government, refused to accept the bill. This conference was regarded as decisive by the Ministers, and on the following day, the 26th, they tendered their resignations in a body. The Emperor accepted them, but requested the Ministers to retain office pending the appointment of their sucOn February 5, Prince Auersperg, in the House, read a letter from the Emperor, calling upon the Cabinet to resume office, in consequence of the imperative necessity of concluding the compromise with Hungary. The Minister stated that the Emperor had taken this step only after having come to the conclusion that it was impossible to form a new Ministry which could give sufficient guarantees for the passage of the compromise as adopted by the two Governments. In conclusion, he said that the Government had felt itself bound, in view of the gravity of the situation, to comply with the request of the Emperor, and begged the House to hasten the discussion of the compromise bills. On February 16, the Lower House of the Reichsrath resolved by a large majority to proceed to the special debate upon the customs tariff, and on the 19th, by a vote of 159 to 130, passed the bill, imposing a duty of 20 florins on coffee. This was an important victory for the Ministry, as the duty on coffee was the one which was most bitterly opposed in the Reichsrath, and which therefore threatened to bring the negotiations for a comproImise to an end.

On March 8th, Prince Auersperg stated in the Lower House that the Government had made searching investigation into the reported execution of Polish subjects of Austria by the Russian authorities, the result being that the statements in question were totally unconfirmed. On the subject of the proposed Berlin Congress, he declared that it only aimed at the final settlement of Eastern affairs, and that it was in that sense that the Austrian Government had issued invitations to the Powers. Every other subject was therefore, he said, excluded from European discussion.

The budget was discussed in the Upper House of the Reichsrath on March 28th; and in reply to the remarks of several speakers, Baron Pretis, the Minister of Finance, said that he had many years ago warned the House and the public against taking a too sanguine view of the financial position of the country. The Government would, however, be able soon to make the revenue and exponditure balance, provided that they were not compelled to take upon themselves fresh sacrifices for the defense

of the honor and prestige of the Empire. Even this latter event could do no more than defer for a short time the attainment of the object in view; and he cautioned his hearers not to believe for one single instant in the word "bankrupt." There was, he said, no justification at all for applying such a term to the financial position of Austro-Hungary. The Budget and Financial law for 1878, as well as the bill prolonging the provisorium of the compromise with Hungary until the end of May, was adopted on the following day without debate.

The Austrian and Hungarian Delegations met on March 7th. On the 9th the Government presented to both Delegations a bill authorizing an extra credit of 60,000,000 florins. The preamble stated that in the present position of affairs it was not impossible that extraordinary measures might have to be taken

for the protection of the interests of the Monarchy. The sum asked for, however, was not to be expended in completing the equipment of the army. It was intended to afford the Government the means by which, at the right time and on its own responsibility, it might "take such measures as, by the prompt utilization of the advantages for which the organization of the army is alone fitted, to insure the Monarchy against all danger and surprise." In the afternoon Count Andrassy made a statement to the Delegations, explaining the policy of the Government. In this statement he said that in pursuing its exertions to uphold the interests of the Monarchy by pacific means, the Government could not abstain from taking care that if the worst should happen the necessary measures should be adopted; for this reason the Government asked for 60,000,000 florins. With regard to

[graphic][subsumed][merged small]

the attitude of the other Powers, it might safely be stated that Austria's interests in the East were at the present time identical with those of Europe, and were on all sides recognized as such. How far other Powers would go in protecting those interests could not be determined, and the programme of the Government could not be made the subject of discussion before the meeting of the Congress. He specified in detail what he understood under the name of Austro-Hungarian interests, and what changes could not be permitted by Austria-Hungary.

In a subsequent sitting of the Budget Committee of the Austrian Delegation, Count Andrassy gave further information as to Eastern affairs, and replied to several questions addressed to him by various delegates asking for explanations which were to be regarded as of

a confidential character, and not intended to be entered in the protocol of the sitting. Count Andrassy in his replies dwelt especially upon the question of an Austrian occupation of Bosnia, which he described as not comprised within the aims of the Austro-Hungarian Government. He pointed out that to guard against surprise was not the motive, but only one of the motives of the demand for a grant of 60,000,000 florins, and he added that communication was made to Russia of what constituted the interests of the AustroHungarian Monarchy before the outbreak of the war, and that the Russian Government acknowledged that the statement was well founded. He also entered into details in answering the questions put to him as to the objects of the partial mobilization projected in June, 1877, and with regard to the support

which the Government anticipated from the other European Powers at the Congress. He emphatically denied that it had been intended to ask for provision for a mobilization without any mobilization being effected; and he further declared that the Government by no means contemplated ordering a mobilization of the army as soon as the grant of 60,000,000 florins had been approved. It certainly required to be provided with the means of showing the world that the Monarchy was capable of protecting its interests in a practical manner; but to institute a military force in presence of the Congress, from whose deliberations a satisfactory understanding was anticipated by all-to appear before it at great cost in a state of warlike preparation, only ultimately to disarm-would be a proceeding for which the Government could not assume the responsibility. To those who maintained that it was too late to mobilize, he should feel inclined rather to reply that he considered it much too soon. In connection with this question, he gave a denial to all the newspaper statements of actual measures of mobilization

having been taken, of the ordre de bataille having been drawn up, etc., all which reports were absolutely unfounded.

On March 12th the Hungarian Delegation passed, by a unanimous vote, the bill of credit brought in by the Government. At the first sitting on the 10th, the members of the various fractions of the opposition represented in the Delegation determined to make their vote dependent on the explanations of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in reply to questions they would put; but while doing so they wished it to be understood that, even though they were not ready to vote the money in the form demanded, still, whatever might be the differences of opinion between the Government and individual members of the Delegation, the moment the honor and interests of the country were at stake, the Ministry might reckon upon the support of all parties. After hearing, therefore, the explanations of the Minister, all those who had previously deferred their vote gave it in favor of the grant of 60,000,000 florins, in the form which the reporter chosen by the majority had proposed. This form was somewhat different from that suggested by the Government; for while the latter merely authorized the common Ministry, in case of urgent and unavoidable necessity, to provide for any extraordinary expenditure required by the army to the extent of 60,000,000 florins, the other declared that in case Eastern affairs should render the mobilization of the army absolutely and urgently necessary for the purpose of more energetically defending the interests of the Monarchy, the common Ministry, while bound to appeal at once to the legislative bodies for their coöperation, was authorized in concert with the two Ministries of Austria and Hungary to incur meanwhile, on its own responsibility, the expenses required for

this measure, to the amount of 60,000,000 florins. In the Austrian Delegation the debate was continued until the 21st, and after some remarks from Count Andrassy, who said that the vote was necessary to maintain the position of the Monarchy as a great power, the grant of 60,000,000 florins was adopted by a vote of 39 to 20.

On May 28th Count Andrassy read a statement to the Austrian Delegation explaining the manner in which a portion of the credit vote of 60,000,000 florins was to be employed. He said that, even though an agreement were established upon European questions, complications might arise which would imperil Austrian interests. It was intended shortly to reenforce the troops in Dalmatia and Transylvania, and possibly to make other dispositions for the protection of the communications. There was a prospect of the early meeting of a Congress, and the Government would use their endeavors in behalf of the peace of Europe, and to guard the interests of the Monarchy.

On May 29th Count Andrassy answered the question put to him in the Delegations about the treaty of San Stefano. In both bodies the question was the same-namely, whether the Minister for Foreign Affairs would indicate the points he deemed incompatible with Austrian interests, and the modification or eventual abolition of which he had set himself as a task; the answer likewise was almost identical in both Delegations. The first and main contention of the Government was that what should follow the war was a real, not a nominal peace, and that what was done should not conceal the germs of further disturbance and future complications. From this point of view the extent which Bulgaria was to have, according to the treaty, was open to great objections. Neither Austria-Hungary nor any other Power in Europe could well be opposed to the progress and advancement of those regions, but a large, compact State there in favor of one nationality at the expense of others was itself too artificial a creation, containing no guarantees of stability whatever. No European Power could well stand up for the maintenance of the territorial integrity and the status quo in Turkey, because it could scarcely take upon itself the responsibility for this; but, on the other hand, it was in the interest of every Power that what remained to Turkey should be provided with the conditions absolutely necessary for its existence, and from this point of view likewise the Bulgaria of the treaty was objectionable. Another objection referred to clause 8 of the treaty, which relates to the transition period and contains the stipulation for a two years' occupation of Bulgaria, a correspondingly long occupation of Roumania, and right of way through that country. Now, this time was much longer than was required. Apart from all other considerations, so lengthy an occupation would create a state of uncertainty tending to perpet

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »