large force of soldiers to relieve the little camp.

On their arrival the enemy was soon routed, the cavalry chasing them back toward the hills. All danger was supposed to be over, when word was brought that the natives had re-formed, and were preparing to attack a fort in the neighborhood, called Fort Chakdara.

Leaving a few men at the camp to defend it, the commander of the relief column started for Chakdara.

They arrived only just in time. The Swats had laid siege to the fort, and the little garrison in it were despairing, when, from the hills, they saw the lights flashed by a heliograph, and learned by this means that help was coming. The heliograph is an instrument for signalling by means of flashes of light reflected from mirrors.

When the relief party reached Chakdara, they had a severe fight with the Swats, but they at length routed the tribesmen.

The situation is growing more serious.

News has just arrived that Great Britain has taken possession of one of the smaller islands in the Pacific Ocean, which is claimed by the Hawaiian Government.

This island is known as Palmyra Island, and is situated about a thousand miles to the southward of Hawaii. The Hawaiian Government claims that it is one of the dependencies of the Sandwich Island group.

It was discovered by Captain Cook, the famous navigator who explored the Pacific Ocean in 1768, and secured Australia and New Zealand for the British.

It has long been marked on the maps as a British possession, but it appears that it was occupied years ago by Hawaiians, who raised the Hawaiian flag over it, and claimed it for their Government.

The action of Great Britain in claiming the island at this time is considered of the highest importance, as it is feared that it may have been claimed merely for the sake of complicating Hawaiian matters, and preventing annexation.

Our Government will look very closely into the rights of the affair, and insist upon their being respected.

The State Department will gather all information possible in regard to Palmyra Island. Should it be found that Hawaii's claims are good, our minister in the Sandwich Islands will be instructed to ask the Government there to protest against the action of Great Britain. The United States will then uphold this protest, and the officials believe that it will result in the removal of the British flag from the island.

An American guano company located on Palmyra Island some years ago, building sheds and a wharf, but after the guano deposit was exhausted they abandoned the island. It was at one time known as Americus Island.

A despatch from Japan says that the Government has decided to submit the Hawaiian emigrant question to arbitration.

It is also stated that Japan will endeavor to prevent the annexation by every means in her power, but that she will not resort to hostile measures.

The friends of arbitration are very pleased at the news about the Japanese emigrant question.

Arbitration seems to have been making rapid strides lately. Every one is satisfied with the settlement of the Venezuelan difficulties, and now Spain and Peru have entered upon a new treaty based upon similar grounds.

In this last treaty all differences are to be laid before a disinterested country for settlement, and the decision of that country is to be final.

There is a curious clause in this treaty which relates to the frequent revolutions which occur in the South American republics.

This clause states that the claims of Spanish residents for damage done their property during these disturbances shall be placed on the same footing as those of the Peruvians. Formerly there were diplomatic squabbles and troubles like the Ruiz affair, after every revolution, but under the new treaty all this will be avoided.

There are still rumors of a new arbitration treaty between England and the United States. It is probable that the