Canada and the colonies are highly elated over this matter, for it is understood that this is but the first step toward federation.

That the foreign Powers will be very much opposed to this plan is a foregone conclusion.

The foreign journals are speaking very severely about it, and saying that England is much mistaken if she thinks that such an arrangement would make her powerful enough to dictate to the world.

The day when federation will be completed is still very far off, however; the colonies themselves are not federated as yet, and it is hard to suppose that they are ready to come together and be happy as one country with England when they are still divided among themselves.  Newfoundland is outside the Canadian federation; Cape Colony, in South Africa, is divided into several states; Australia has five separate states, each with its own governor and legislature.  These states should first be joined together before they can safely venture to combine with the mother country in an alliance which would be against the world.

Germany and Belgium are both incensed that England should seek to put an end to the treaties.  Some hot heads in Germany are urging their Government to return blow for blow, and commence a tariff war with England.

* * * * *

With wars and rumors of wars about us, the necessity of being prepared for any emergency has presented itself very strongly to the Secretaries of both the Army and the Navy.

While our standing army is small, our military arrangements are such that we need have little anxiety on the score of the army.  We have a large State Militia always at the service of the country, and we have the right to call on all able-bodied citizens between the ages of eighteen and forty-five for military service in case of need.  This brings the number of men capable of bearing arms in our defense up to the number of ten millions.

Our army, therefore, is on a satisfactory basis.

With our navy, things are different.  It has come to be a recognized fact among nations that countries who wish to be respected abroad must have a sufficient naval force to compel that respect when necessary.

Our navy is not as large as the importance of our country demands, and it is the intention of the Secretary of the Navy to ask Congress to make appropriations to enable him to have several new ships built.

Meanwhile he is in a good deal of difficulty over the armor for the ships that are being built.

Armor is a covering of thick steel plates with which all the modern battleships are supplied.  It is intended to protect their hulls from the cannon-balls and projectiles that are now used in warfare.

There are three ships now building for the Government, the Illinois, Alabama, and Wisconsin, and the cause of the trouble is that no firm can be found willing to supply the armor-plate for the price fixed by Congress.