We have not yet heard how the big meteorite was wrenched from its icy
bed, and it is probable that when the _Hope_ reaches New York we shall
have an interesting story to tell you about it.

* * * * *

The news from the Sandwich Islands is of a very pleasant character.

The Hawaiian Senate met in extra session, and agreed to the annexation
of the islands to the United States. There was not one vote against it,
and so the treaty was ratified by a "unanimous vote" of the Senate.

Every Senator was in his seat as the roll was called, and nearly every
one had a good word to say for annexation.

A protest against the treaty was handed to the President, and considered
by the Senate before the treaty was ratified.

The Senators did not regard the protest as worthy of much consideration,
as it was signed by but fifteen persons, all of whom were friends of the
ex-queen. They therefore regarded it as a political scheme arranged by
those royalists who still have hopes of restoring the monarchy.

It is said that Liliuokalani has a new plan for the throne of Hawaii.
She has come to the conclusion that the people of the Sandwich Islands
want neither her nor her rule any longer. She did so many bad things
while she was queen that the people who would like to see the monarchy
restored would not be willing that she should be queen again.

Liliuokalani has therefore decided to resign the throne in favor of her
niece, the Princess Kaiulani.

This young lady is a charming and well-educated person, and the old
Queen is wise enough to know that none of the objections which people
have to her could apply to Kaiulani.

If the plan is successful, the young Queen is to make ample provision
for Liliuokalani.

Meanwhile Japan has agreed to arbitrate the immigration question, but
refuses to consider the matter from the Hawaiian point of view.

The complaint which was made against Japan in the first instance was
that she evaded the law which provided that every immigrant must have a
contract for labor and fifty dollars in cash in his pocket, by giving
false contracts and lending the required fifty dollars, which immigrants
gave back as soon as they were safely landed.

The Japanese refuse to enter into the question whether this fifty
dollars was fraudulently supplied. They say that so long as each man
had fifty dollars in his possession, it was nobody's business where or
how he got it. They persistently