The President called a cabinet council to discuss the affairs of Hawaii,
and at the council a policy was laid down to protect our interests in
the Sandwich Islands until the treaty can be ratified.

In accordance with this policy full instructions have been sent to
Rear-Admiral Beardslee, who is in command of the cruiser _Philadelphia_,
which is now in Hawaiian waters.

The Admiral has been commanded to land a force of sailors and marines
and hoist the American flag over the Hawaiian Islands at the first sign
of hostility from Japan.

As we stated before, the American fleet in Hawaiian waters is to be
reinforced by the battle-ship _Oregon_, one of our first-class cruisers.
This will give the Admiral three vessels under his command--the
_Philadelphia_, the _Oregon_, and the _Marion_. There have been several
rumors that the _Marion_ was to be recalled, because she was an
old-fashioned wooden ship, and was badly in need of repairs. She will,
however, remain where she is for the present.

* * * * *

Reliable information has been brought to us of an enormous find of gold
on the borders of British Columbia and Alaska.

The accounts of the find read like a fairy-story.

Those familiar with placer mining declare that the new gold-fields are
the richest and finest ever discovered; they say that the California
find of 1849 cannot be compared with this present one.