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THE INTER OCEAN

CURIOSITY SHOP

FOR THE YEAR 1890.

EDITED BY

THOMAS C. MAC MILLAN, A. M.

FIRST EDITION.

CHICAGO:

THE INTER OCEAN PUBLISHING COMPANY,

MADISON AND DEARBORN STREETS.

1891.

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PREFACE.

THE INTER OCEAN herewith issues the thirteenth annual volume of OUR CURIOSITY SHOP, which is the name given to its popular and valuable department devoted to queries and answers, now in the fourteenth year of its existence.

The yearly numbers of OUR CURIOSITY SHOP for 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, and this one for 1890 are all stereotyped, and numbers for any or all of the years indicated can, therefore, be obtained upon application to THE INTER OCEAN.

Attention is directed to some of the special features of this volume. As is well known, the volumes of OUR CURIOSITY SHOP contain no duplicated articles. All information, whatever its character, is, therefore, entirely free from repetition. This book is at once a compendium of the history of the year and a statistical reference. Its tables of rulers, compilations of land grants to railroads, information of the day as to telegraphs and railways, to religious and philosophic subjects, its histories of the several States and United States, of the life-saving service of various lands, of legislation generally and regarding pensions particularly, of the development of the country, of the wealth of its citizens, with the latest information on the great problems of the age, religious, scientific, political, disturbing the European nationsthese are all here and all that tends to throw light upon them. The continents of Africa and Asia have held the attention and directed the diplomacy of Europe during the year 1890, and Stanley's explorations and the relations of Great Britain, Germany, France, and Portugal to the Dark Continent are clearly epitomized, forming a most interesting and important chapter in modern history. The great revolutions in South America have special articles devoted to them, while the discoveries made in other parts of North and South America as well as in the isles of the sea, all teem with lessons to the reader that will not find their way into the ordinary histories or books of reference for many years. The biographical sketches have been concisely prepared, and contain in broad outlines the careers of those to whom they refer.

The Index of this volume is, as in the case of all former numbers of OUR CURIOSITY SHOP, thoroughly and carefully compiled. The subjects treated are about 1,800 in all, and the arrangement of the references in the Index will be found clear, complete, and in every respect satisfactory to the reader. This volume of OUR CURIOSITY SHOP is one of the very best of the series. T. C. M.

OUR CURIOSITY SHOP.

EARLY ENGLISH COLONIES IN AMERICA.

LIMA.

Who first landed a colony of English people in this country? Where did they land? Could Our Curiosity Shor tell us something of their difficulties? What custom did they introduce into England upon their return?

supreme executive and legislative authority. Gilbert assembled his followers, composed of volunteer adventurers, but it was only after great difficulties and delays that the voyage began. P. E. JUBB. It was in 1579 that Sir Humphrey and a small company of his fast friends started. Among those who were intimately related to his enterprise was Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Humphrey Gilbert's step-brother. The first effort resulted in the loss of one of the ships, and the others were therefore compelled to return. After a time it became apparent that Gilbert, owing to serious misfortunes that had drained his income, could not continue personally this great enterprise, and the consequence was Raleigh was the one who naturally came to the rescue of his step-brother. In 1583 Gilbert had another expedition organized, and this set sail from England with the favor of the sovereign, Queen Elizabeth. Two vessels sailed from Plymouth, but two days after leaving port the largest ship that had been fitted out by Raleigh desertel and returned to the harbor. Gilbert continued his voyage, however, and sailed for Newfoundland, and in August entered St. John's, where he took possession of the country for his queen. It 18 related that "mineral substances" were seen in the mountains, and the expert who was with the expedition affirmed that silver ore abounded, and then the yessels sailed on their way, but had not gone far before the ship containing the ore and the "mineral man" was wrecked, nearly a hundred men perishing, and finally, of all the vessels that went out only one returned home. It was then that Sir Walter Raleigh's plans began to be developed for his colonization of the new country. Raleigh had been in France, and had been intimately associated with Gilbert in his unfortunate enterprises, and had fully resolved that there was a territory of promise much further south. In 1584 he obtained a patent from Queen Elizabeth similar to that granted to Gilbert, Raleigh being constituted a lord proprietary, with practically boundless authority. The first expedi

Answer.-The first attempt of the English to plant colonies in America was under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth in 1578. Many voyages of discovery had been made to the new world by Spanish, Portuguese, and English adventurous sailors. Every additional vessel brought information that roused the enterprise or cupidity of the mercantile or adventurous classes. Vessels had gone to the land lying north of Hudson Straits and had brought back cargoes of earth and stone that were believed to be gold. It was thought when Martin Frobisher found an inlet north of the entrance of Hudson Bay, and found some stones and rubbish that were said to contain gold, that then the way to the East Indies was indeed opened. These events served to greatly stimulate voyag-8 of discovery. Under the patronage of Elizabeth, therefore, an expedition was organized in England to explore the Esquimaux country and get the rich stores of gold fabled to be there. Fifteen vessels, a great fleet in those days, were fitted out, in part at the expense of Queen Elizabeth. The sons of the English gentry embarked as volunteers. One hundred persons were chosen to form the colony. Twelve vessels were to return immediately with the cargoes of ore, and three were to remain and aid the settlement; but the expedition failed because of the entire absence of gold, and the plan of the settlement was abandoned. The first real settlement was projected by Sir Humphrey Gilbert, who obtained a patent from royalty June 12, 1578, formed according to commercial theories of that day, and to be of perpetual efficacy if a plantation should be established within six years; Gilbert and his heirs were to have possession of the soil he might discover, and the jurisdiction, both civil and criminal, of the territory within 20 leagues of his settlement, with

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