The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls | Page 8

the reports received from the
special commissioner who was appointed to look into the matter, he is
of opinion that the coming event in Paris will be one of the most
important of the many wonderful expositions which the world has seen.
He therefore asks Congress to make a liberal appropriation of money,

so that the United States may be properly represented.
In regard to THE NAVY, the President says:
"The present force of the navy consists of 4 battleships of the first class,
2 of the second, and 48 other vessels, ranging from armored cruisers to
torpedo-boats. There are under construction 5 battleships of the first
class, 16 torpedo-boats, and 1 submarine boat. No provision has yet
been made for the armor for three of the five battleships, as it has been
impossible to obtain it at the price fixed by Congress. It is of great
importance that Congress provide for the purchase of this armor, as
until then the ships are of no fighting value."
Considering that five battleships of the largest class are now on the
stocks, the President only recommends the building of one more
battleship, which shall be for the Pacific Coast.
He also asks for several torpedo-boats, in connection with the system of
coast defence, and recommends that floating-docks for the repairing of
battleships be provided on all our coasts.
As to ALASKA, the government of the territory is, the President says,
not strong or effective enough to take care of the crowds that have
hurried into the country since the discovery of gold.
He therefore suggests that a more thorough system of government shall
be established.
He states that he agrees with General Alger, the Secretary of War, that
Alaska also needs a military force for the safety of her citizens. A
military post is about to be established at St. Michaels, which, as you
probably remember, is on Norton Sound, and is one of the principal
seaports of Alaska.
THE CIVILIZED TRIBES OF INDIANS were next in consideration.
President McKinley recommends that the relations with the five
civilized tribes shall be readjusted, giving the Indians citizenship and

individual ownership of their lands.
The five civilized tribes are the Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws,
Muscogees or Creeks, and the Seminoles.
(This latter point opens a very interesting subject for us. We have not
space to talk about it now, but hope to do so shortly. We should all of
us be familiar with the history of the Indians.)
The President recommends that to prevent the further invasion of the
United States by yellow fever it is important to discover the exact cause
of the disease. He suggests that investigations to that end shall be made.
The quarantine laws, he thinks, should also be amended and improved.
He expresses a hope that now that the Congressional Library has been
finished, and is such a magnificent building, and so perfect in its form
and detail, Congress will appropriate sums sufficient to develop it, until
it shall be among the richest and most useful in the world.
Begging Congress to keep its expenditures within the limit of its
receipts, President McKinley brought his Message to a close.
G.H. ROSENFELD.

INVENTION AND DISCOVERY.
This is a good idea for house plants, which are such a trouble to keep
properly watered.
All gardeners tell you that plants never do so well in jardinières as in
the red earthen pots. It is for the reason that the common pots are
porous and allow evaporation, so that the water does not become
stagnant and injure the plant, while the glazed jardinières effectually
prevent it.
The great objection to the red pots is that they need a saucer under them,

and when moved are difficult to handle without spilling the contents of
the saucer.
Plants are not a bit greedy. They don't drink all the water that is given
them at once; they love to let a little water run through and remain in
the saucer until they need it. It is therefore necessary to the health of
plants to let them stand in a vessel that will permit them to make their
little reserve store if they wish to.
The new invention accomplishes all of these purposes.
It is a deep saucer, which gives room for an ample reservoir. Attached
to it are two uprights with hinged handles at the top.
These handles are to clasp the flower pot and attach it firmly to the
saucer.
The pot is placed in the saucer, and the uprights are bent toward the
plant until they touch it. Then the spring handles are turned down and
clasp the inside rim of the pot, making pot and saucer practically one
piece, giving all the advantages of the jardinière, with the health
qualities of the earthen pot.
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