-The new British Arctic expedition sails next May.
-The mint at San Francisco has coined $319,479,475 during the last ten years.
-A bill is before Congress providing for the organization of Alaska Territory.
-The probabilities of war between Russia and China are growing stronger every day.
-A Bill has been introduced in the U. S. Senate to enable Indians to become citizens.
-A line of communication is proposed between Lake Nyanza and the east coast of Africa.
-The ocean is like to undermine Fort Stephens on the south bank of the mouth of Columbia river.
-A bill increasing the police force of San Francisco to 400 has been passed over the Mayor's veto.
-The complete New Testament with maps and illustrations is sold by a London publisher for a penny.
-Diphtheria is still raging in Central Russia. Since last November it has carried off 40,000 persons in two provinces alone.
-The governor of Rhode Island recommends the adoption of a prohibitory law. A stringent one has been adopted in Iowa.
-The Emperor of Russia has presented Prince Alexander, of Bulgaria, with a war steamer, 40,000 rifles, and several Krupp guns.
-The "Independent Catholic Church" is meeting with marked success among the Irish in New York City, over 2,000 having joined it.
-The election contest is running high throughout England. There are nearly 1100 candidates in the field, comprising 499 Liberals, 495 Tories, and 97 Home Rulers.
-Mr. Helper, of St Louis, has projected a railroad which shall run longitudinally through Mexico, Central America, and to a point far south in South America, looking for its ultimate extention to Behring's Strait and Cape Horn.
-The Feast of the Passover was celebrated with appropriate services in the Jewish synagogues of San Francisco last Saturday. With the more orthodox the feast continues eight days.
-Over 11,000,000 pounds of tea were shipped from China to the United States during the last year. What would tea-drinkers do if commerce between this country and China should cease?
-The Brewers' Congress, which met in St. Louis recently, admitted that Prohibition does prohibit. They were forced to admit that only seven barrels of beer were sold in Maine last year.
-The act prohibiting the employment of Chinese by corporations in California has been pronounced unconstitutional and void by the United States Circuit Court in deciding the Parrott case.
-A fog-bell weighing 3,000 pounds has been placed in position at Fort Point at the entrance of San Francisco bay. The new bell is operated by clock work, and during fogs will be struck at intervals of ten seconds. The old bell weighing 950 pounds has been taken to Goat Island, where it will be used as an auxiliary signal.
-The Winchester Arms Company have received orders from China for fifteen to twenty millions of cartridges for that government. This is said to be the first order of the kind ever given by the Chinese Government to foreigners for the manufacture of cartridges. The question naturally arises, for what purpose are these warlike materials prepared? China has not at the present time any particular rebellion on hand. But of late the relations between China and Russia seem not to be very indicative of continued peace. A treaty has been negotiated between Russia and the Chinese Ambassador, which the Czar has approved, but which the Chinese Government does not, and which the Emperor does not sign. Their Ambassador has been condemned to death for negotiating such a treaty. This bids fair to create a quarrel between the two Empires. For some time past the Chinese have been organizing troops and drilling them on the European principles of warfare, and she has been procuring small arms and cannon of the most approved patterns; has been and is putting her sea boats in a state of defence, and is probably expecting a war with Russia. With her four hundred millions of people, she might prove rather a dangerous customer.—Alta, March 21.
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
By Editor
FROM all parts of this State from which we have had time to hear since the late changes have been made in the SIGNS, we have very encouraging words.
Eld. Wood writes from Los Angeles county: "The SIGNS has come laden with good matter, and with its new dress. I hail it as an old friend."
A brother who is taking one hundred and twelve copies to use in the missionary work, when he received the twelve-page number with new heading said: "I must have the twelve-page edition to use. The appearance of the paper will interest people."
One church that is taking nearly two hundred copies, voted unanimously to use the twelve-page paper for missionary work, instead of the eight-page.
San Francisco, with a club of forty, changes to the twelve-page edition.
The Oakland Vigilant Missionary Society has been using one hundred and fifty copies weekly, of the eight-page edition of the SIGNS, also forty copies Stimme der Wahrheit, ten Les Signes des Temps, and one hundred College Record. This society voted unanimously for the twelve-page edition, and also added fifty copies to their club, making an aggregate of one thousand periodicals used monthly in their missionary work, besides tracts and pamphlets.
We hope ere long to hear from all parts of the country respecting which edition, the eight-page or the twelve-page, will be used by the missionary workers.
TEN CENTS EXTRA.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
It has been the custom at this office to transfer, at the request of tract societies taking clubs of the SIGNS, copies from these clubs to individuals who have become interested readers. This is proper and right, and although it is a trouble and expense to the office it has been done for the societies free of charge.
But at the present reduced rates at which the paper is offered, it becomes necessary to charge ten cents a copy for changing names from the clubs to individuals. Papers will be transfered from one person to another, and from one club to another without charge. The ten cents will meet only a part of the difference in expense of mailing the papers singly over the expense of mailing them in clubs. It is but a trifle to each individual requesting such a transfer, but to the Office where thousands of copies are changed, it will amount to hundreds of dollars.
S. N. HASKELL.
Temperance Membership Certificates
By Editor
THOSE persons that have signed either of the temperance pledges and paid their initiation fees, but have received no certificate of membership, will please forward the small certificate which they received from the solicitor, giving their address in full, and they will receive the large certificate to which they are entitled. Address, Miss Barbara C. Stickney, Oakland, Cal. Care Pacific Press.
Seeking Harmon and White
By Editor
WE are desirous of learning the addresses of Brn. Wm. Harmon and Charles A. White, both members of the Oakland Church. Bro. White when last heard from was in Nevada. Bro. Harmon joined us at the Yountville camp-meeting, 1878, since which time he has not been heard from. Any one knowing the whereabouts of the above brethren will confer a favor by notifying W. J. Bostwick, Box 707, Oakland, Cal.
Appointments.
By Editor
The stockholders' meeting of the P. S. D. A. Publishing Association, will be held as previously noticed, Tuesday, April 6, 1880, at 10 o'clock, A. M.; also a special meeting of the Association will be held Tuesday, April 6, 1880, at 2 o'clock, P. M.
L. D. Carruth, Secretary.
The Southern California Camp-meeting will be held April 22-28, at Lemoore. The grounds selected are about half way between Hannaford and Lemoore. Trains will stop at the ground.
The Eastern Oregon Camp-meeting will be held at Milton, Umatilla Co., Oregon, commencing May 27, and continuing until June 7.
The general quarterly meeting of the California Tract and Missionary Society will be held in connection with the camp-meeting, April 22-27.
The quarterly meetings of the several districts will be held on Sabbath and Sunday, April 17 and 18, as follows:—
No. 1 at Santa Rosa. | No. 6 " Red Bluff.
" 3 " St. Helena. | " 7 " Oakland.
" 4 " Los Bolsa. | " 8 " San Francisco.
At these meetings there should be a full report from every church in each district.
The regular annual meeting of the Society of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, of Oakland, will be held at the house of worship, corner of Clay and Thirteenth streets, Wednesday, April 7, at 7 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of electing a Board of five Trustees, and transacting such other business as may come before the meeting. By order of the President.
Geo. Manuel, Secretary.
THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
By Editor
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, AT OAKLAND, CAL., FOR THE
MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS.
Twelve-Page Edition.—A live Religious Family Paper, containing, in addition to the great variety of original articles, which make it a desirable prophetic journal, Departments devoted to Temperance, The Home Circle, News, The Missionary Work, and the Sabbath-school. PRICE PER YEAR, $2.00
In clubs of ten or more copies to one address, to be used for Missionary work, each 1.50
Eight-Page Edition.—Condensed from the above. Per Year, 1.25
In clubs of ten or more, each 1.00
Address, SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal.
—OR—
REVIEW AND HERALD, Battle Creek, Mich.
MISS ELIZA THAYER, Secretary N. E. Tract Society, So. Lancaster, Mass.
ELDER J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, Ravenswood, Shirley Road, Southampton, England.
WM. LEAVITT, Salem, Oregon.