There will be five members of the Arbitration Committee—­Baron Herschel and Sir Richard Collins for England, and Chief-Justice Fuller and Justice Brewer for Venezuela.

As in the case of the proposed Arbitration with England, the King of Sweden may nominate the odd man on the Committee.  The two sides are to try and agree on a fifth person to act with them, and if they fail to agree the King of Sweden is to have the right to name him.

The Arbitrators are to meet in Paris, and must render a decision within three months after both sides have stated their case.

* * * * *

Several weeks ago we told you about Ellis Island, and the way immigrants were received and handled there.

You will be sorry to learn that the whole of the government buildings on Ellis Island have been destroyed by fire.

No one knows how the accident happened, but just after midnight a watchman noticed smoke coming out of one of the rooms, and gave the alarm of fire.

There were more than a hundred immigrants on the island, as well as a large force of people to care for them.  In addition to these people, there were some fifty patients in the hospital.  In all, there were two hundred and thirteen people in the buildings when the fire started, but the discipline was so perfect, and the employees of the Island were so well trained, that not a single person was injured.

The patients from the hospital were removed from the wards in quick time, taken on boats belonging to the Island, and brought to the Battery without delay.  The rest of the people were put in the tugs and the various kinds of river craft that hurried down the Bay the moment the fire was discovered.

Some anxiety was felt lest the papers and records of the Immigration Bureau had been destroyed in the fire, but it was found that most of them were in safes and had escaped injury.

New buildings will be put up as soon as possible; the work on them will be begun without delay.  This time, however, they will be built of brick or stone, and not of wood.

* * * * *

Many of our friends have asked us whether Robinson’s Crusoe’s Island had really been swallowed up by the sea, according to the report which was given out, and which we mentioned on pages 243 and 290 of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD.

To make absolutely sure of the matter, we wrote to Mr. James Dobbs, United States Consul at Valparaiso, Chile.

He has sent us a very kind letter, which we copy for you here, and with the letter a picture of one of the ports of the island (see frontispiece).

You will be glad to know that the report was not true, and that Crusoe’s Island still rises out of the sea, just as it did in Crusoe’s day.

Here is Mr. Dobbs’ letter: 

CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
VALPARAISO, CHILE, May 7, 1897.