Has the United States any territory outside of the States and Western Territories, Alaska, and District of Columbia?
E. C. W.
Answer.—No; unless this government should conclude to reduce to possession the lands discovered in the Arctic and Antarctic regions by Dr. Kane, Dr. Hayes, Commodore Wilkes, and other American explorers. Several of these bold discoverers planted the American flag in the ice of those inhospitable lands and gave names to coasts and islands of large extent, so situated that if “Uncle Sam” insists on his title he can now boast, with “John Bull,” that the sun never sets on his possessions.
JOHN RUSKIN’S ST. GEORGE’S COMPANY.
Petoskey, Mich.
Be kind enough to give a sketch of the life of John Ruskin. Did he not attempt to found a society or colony on a novel plan and fail of success?
E. I. L.
Answer.—John Ruskin, the eminent English art critic, commenced the publication, in 1871, of a monthly periodical, entitled Fors Clavigera, addressed particularly to workingmen, and urging them to join him in forming an organization to be known as “St. George’s Company,” for the purpose of developing among the working classes a greater love of the beautiful and raising the common standard of architecture and home surroundings in rural life. He protested against “the tyranny and defilement of machinery” in country life. He set apart about $35,000 (£7,000), the tenth of his private fortune, to promote the success of this society, of which he was chosen Grand Master. The workingmen responded but poorly to all his appeals, and the undertaking is regarded as a failure. A sketch of Ruskin’s life is contained in Our Curiosity Shop of 1880, page 85.