The boundary treaty between Venezuela and Great Britain was ratified at Washington June 14. It was regarding this boundary that President Cleveland in the previous December threatened Great Britain with war unless justice was done the South American republic.
July 24 the Dingley tariff bill became a law, the President having signed it. This bill was practically a substitution of the old McKinley tariff for the Wilson bill.
The first general knowledge of automobiles was spread by long newspaper reports of a race between horseless carriages in France. The machines were driven by electricity and gasoline.
August 25 is Independence day in Uruguay. While engaged in celebrating the event President Borda was shot and killed by an assassin.
Star Pointer, the famous pacing stallion, on August 28 lowered the world’s record for a mile at Readville, Mass., to 1:59¼.
Charles A. Dana, for years famous as the editor of the New York Sun, died at Glen Cove, Long Island, October 17.
An attempt to assassinate President Diaz of Mexico September 15 failed. During Diaz’s term in office—more than twenty years—no less than eight attempts to kill him were made. Twice he was slightly injured.
Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian arctic explorer, whose expedition came nearer reaching the North Pole than any previous attempt, reached America in October on a lecture tour. He was paid $65,000 for fifty lectures, probably the largest sum ever paid for such work.
A conspiracy against the President of Brazil resulted in a concerted attack on him November 5. He was not injured, but his brother was fatally wounded and the minister of war was killed in his efforts to save the life of the President.
Mrs. Nancy A. McKinley, the aged mother of President McKinley, died at Canton December 12. She was buried in the President’s family plot at Canton, where McKinley’s two daughters lie buried.