the electors as uncomfortable as possible, provided that during the first five days the ration at each meal should consist of a single dish, after which only bread, wine, and water should be allowed. But this ascetic rule was not observed. Latterly cardinals have eaten what they pleased. Their ordinary fare consists of coffee or chocolate and rolls in the morning; soup, two dishes of meat, with vegetables, wine, and dessert, at the noontide dinner, and again at supper. The conclavists usually eat with their patrons; the servants and artisans mess together near the kitchen, and they grumble at their fare as loudly as college students at commons.

About ten o'clock in the forenoon the cardinals, having heard early mass and taken communion, assemble in the chapel, -the Pauline Chapel when the conclave met in the Quirinal, the Sistine when in the Vatican, which has been arranged as a voting-place. A green carpet covers the floor, and round the walls are ranged as many chairs, or thrones, as there are cardinals. Over each throne is suspended a baldachin, hung with purple if the cardinal was created by the Pope just dead, and with green if he dates from an earlier pope. Before each seat is a table, with cloth of corresponding color, and paper, ink, pens, pencils, and the list of the Sacred College. In the middle of the chapel a large table bears two gilded vases: into one, chaliceshaped, with a lid, the ballots are cast; in the other, pyx-shaped, they are placed when they have been counted. The ebony box with lock and key beside them is used for getting the votes of those cardinals whom illness detains in their cells. Three gilt plates, other lists, inkstands, and a box of little balls for checking the names of the voters, complete the furnishings of the table, at which are set three stools for the scrutators.

In one corner of the chapel, near the Door of the Sovereigns (if we suppose the conclave to be in the Sistine Chapel), a long stovepipe leads up from a small stove to a window. To the right of the entrance a wooden booth incloses the water-closets. Farther on, another booth serves as a buffet, where the cardinals can refresh themselves with wine and biscuits. Near this are two chests, in which are kept three sets of pontifical garments, of large, medium, and small size.

Having come to order at the request of the dean, if the formality of recognizing the cardinals be dispensed with,-and in so small a body it is hardly necessary, because no impostor could hope successfully to palm himself off as a cardinal,—the first business is to

choose three scrutators, one from each order, to count the ballots, and three infermieri, who collect the votes of the sick. The canons define three kinds of election: by inspiration, by compromise, and by ballot. Election by inspiration takes place when << all the cardinals, as if by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, proclaim one candidate as pontiff unanimously and viva voce.» A single dissenting voice vitiates this method, which, we may remark, has perhaps never been carried out in literal conformity to rule, although several popes, after more or less wire-pulling, have been chosen by acclamation.

Election by compromise has sometimes been resorted to, after a long deadlock, by the appointment of a committee consisting of representatives of the various rival factions. The conclave merely ratifies the candidate nominated by the committee.

But election by ballot is the ordinary method. The ballots, when open, are about four inches long and three broad. In the first or upper section the cardinal writes his name; in the middle, the name of the candidate whom he proposes; in the lower section, some motto from the Scriptures. When he folds the sheet his name, being inside, is covered by the lower section, and only the candidate's name or the seal comes uppermost. To guard against the ballot's opening he seals it with a seal he has chosen, but it must not be one which the scrutators might recognize. Going to the central table, he deposits the ballot in the chalice, repeating at the same time this formula: «Testor Christum dominum qui me judicaturus est, me eligere quem secundum Deum judico elegi debere et quod idem in accessu praestabo.»>

When every one has voted, and the infermieri have brought the ballots of the sick members, the first scrutator takes each ballot from the chalice, and opening it (but only so far as to read the motto), hands it to the second, who, having entered the vote opposite the candidate's name on the list, passes it to the third, who reads it aloud. During this process the other cardinals keep the tally on the duplicate lists which each of them has before him. At the conclusion all the ballots are taken to the stove and burned, the smoke from the chimney being a signal which multitudes outside the palace await. According to common belief, when no smoke appears at the usual time it is a sign that the Pope has been elected. The last ballots are burned like the rest, however, the difference in the volume of smoke being due to the fact that as no straw is used at the last burning there is very little smoke.

There being no election, the cardinals now return to their quarters for dinner, after which, at three o'clock or a little later, they reassemble for another ballot. This differs from the morning one in that the cardinals, instead of voting for their favorite candidates, vote for their second choice. The process is called "acceding,» and seems devised for breaking a deadlock. Each must vote for some one who has received support at the morning trial; but if none of these suits him, being prohibited from again casting for his favorite, he may simply vote for «nobody.» Thus it might happen that the Pope chosen in the accessus, or acceding, was a candidate whom very few or none of the cardinals would select on their first choice. As a matter of fact, however, not many popes have owed their election to the accessus, in which the cardinals generally throw random votes for candidates who have little chance of

success.

Such is the daily routine of the conclave, it being rare that more than two ballots a day are taken, until some candidate receives the requisite two-thirds vote of the members present. At the largest recorded conclave, that of 1878, sixty-one cardinals were present; the conclave of 1800, held in the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore at Venice, had only thirty-five. The duration of a conclave depends on many considerations-personal ambition, political intrigues, and factional jealousies. That of 1800 lasted one hundred and four days, that of 1878 only three days. It may be well to remark here that the canon law does not prescribe that the Pope must be a cardinal, or even a cleric. Nevertheless, since the election of Urban VI. in 1378 the successful candidates have belonged to the members of the Sacred College, although as late as 1758 a non-cardinal was voted for several times. At least two laymen-John XIX. (1024) and Adrian V. (1276)—have occupied the papal throne, and there is to-day nothing to prevent laymen from being created cardinals, although they are not entitled to vote in the conclave unless they can produce a special permit from the late Pope. Up to the meeting of the conclave of 1823, Cardinal Albani had never taken orders, and there is still some doubt as to whether he did so then. The official routine of the conclave, which consists in the celebration of mass and the morning and afternoon ballots, represents only a small part of its activity. Long before politics, through the extension of constitutional government, became a trade in other countries, the princes of the Roman hierarchy

were masters of political strategy. The preponderance of Italian cardinals practically limits the number of aspirants to the Papal office to about forty. Among these perhaps half are tacitly ruled out as unavailable. A candidate, to be "popeable,» as the phrase is, must have a happy combination of qualifications, among which mediocrity sometimes counts for much. Age also is an advantage, because old popes make frequent conclaves, which gives unsuccessful candidates another chance. In the case of Pius IX. mediocrity seems to have overcome the objection of comparative youth, he being fifty-four at his election; but Leo XIII., who was sixty-eight and apparently frail, has outlived most of his competitors. Leo XIII.'s election also broke the tradition that the cardinal camerlingo will not find favor with his colleagues, who cherish a similar hostility to the cardinal secretary of state. The camerlingo and the secretary of state, being the chief executive officers, have more occasion than any others to render themselves unpopular. They are regarded, besides, as the special beneficiaries of the late Pope, and on the theory that turn about is fair play, the Sacred College usually prefers, by ignoring them, to give a different faction its share of offices and powers. The Romans have a proverb, «No one can be pope twice,» which sums up the disappointment of many secretaries who aspired to the higher office.

Day and night, therefore, while the conclave lasts it is the scene of conferences. Faction quietly measures forces with faction; neutrals of the «flying squadron,» uncommitted to any candidate, are eagerly solicited by all. Rumors and innuendos do equal service with arguments. If a faction has reason to expect that one of the powers will veto its candidate, it first puts forward a sham candidate to draw the veto; that done, it can safely work for the election of its favorite. Sometimes still more disingenuous ruses are resorted to. When it became evident in the conclave of 1799-1800 that Cardinal Bellisomi would be chosen on the next ballot, Cardinal Herzan, by intimating that the choice might be distasteful to Austria, actually persuaded Bellisomi's supporters to postpone the final vote for a fortnight, until a messenger could be sent to Vienna and return. Whether the messenger ever came back is not reported; but it mattered not, for the delay sufficed to ruin Bellisomi's chances. In 1823 a candidate who had almost reached the goal was defeated by the rumor that he had once drunk chocolate on a fast day. In 1829 Cardinal Castiglione had thirty-five votes, more than the required

number, but it was announced that one vote was lacking from the total, which vitiated the ballot. Suspicion fell on two scrutators, one of whom is supposed to have hidden the missing vote in his sleeve. The next day, how ever, Castiglione was chosen by an increased majority. These instances, which might be indefinitely augmented from the testimony of those who took part in and left records of conclaves, will show that cardinals, whatever they may profess, do not rely wholly on divine guidance in their selection of a pope.

At last, however, the final ballot is reached, and the scrutators proclaim that, two thirds of the votes having been cast for one cardinal, he is elected. If he has only the required number of votes, they open the ballots to make sure that he did not vote for himself, a precaution rarely taken, because nearly always the outcome of the decisive ballot is foreseen, and there is a stampede to the candidate who has been agreed upon. As soon as he announces his acceptance of the triple crown, all the other cardinals lower the baldachins over their thrones, and conduct him to the altar. Papal robes are brought, and when he has been dressed in garments that fit him, the Sacred College performs the first act of adoration, or homage, to the new sovereign.

Meanwhile the news has spread from the chapel to the other parts of the palace. The masons tear down the plaster wall before one of the balconies, from which the cardinal dean proclaims the election to the expectant throngs beneath, as, for example, «Cardinal Pecci has been elected, and he takes the name Leo XIII.>> When Pius IX. was elected he himself came to the balcony and blessed the people.

In due time other ceremonies, prescribed by canon or custom, are observed. In the Sistine Chapel the second act of adoration takes place. Then the pontiff is borne into

St. Peter's on the papal litter, attendants waving huge fans of white peacocks' feathers beside him, and the cardinals and prelates follow in procession. Reaching the high altar, he sits on a cushion placed upon it, and while the Te Deum is chanted the cardinals go through the third act of adoration, kissing his hand and foot, and being embraced by him in return, after which he bestows the papal benediction on the multitudes in the vast basilica.

The final pageant, and the most gorgeous of all, -the coronation,-is celebrated a few days later. It begins in the atrium of St. Peter's, where the Pope, seated on a throne, receives the homage of the archpriest and clergy of the basilica. Thence he is borne in procession through the church to St. Gregory's chapel, where he is attired in the pontifical robes of state. As he comes out, a master of ceremonies stops him and, kneeling, holds before him a silver wand tipped with tow, which a cleric lights. As the tow burns, the master of ceremonies sings, «Sancte Pater, sic transit gloria mundi.» After a second burning of tow, which symbolizes the evanescence of even papal pomp, the Pope proceeds to the high altar to receive the pallium. Mass is celebrated, during which the general clergy do homage; that concluded, the Pope is borne to the balcony which overlooks the square of St. Peter's, and there, in the presence of tens of thousands of spectators, the miter having been taken off, the triple crown is placed on his head by the second cardinal deacon. «< Receive the tiara adorned with three crowns,» — thus runs the ancient formula,-«and know that thou art the father of princes and kings, the rector of the globe, the vicar on earth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory, world without end.» The Pope then gives his benediction, «urbi et orbi,» the multitude applauds, and the pageant ends.

IN THE CENTURY for July, 1891, attention cessity for establishing definitely the boundary line between Alaska and British Columbia. The accompanying map, there printed, shows the regular boundary line recognized by Russia, Great Britain, and the United States since 1824, and also the new or Cameron Line contended for by the Dominion of Canada since 1887. By convention of July, 1892, commissioners were appointed on the part of the United States and Canada to conduct surveys in the region in question, to ascertain «<facts and data necessary to the permanent delimitation of the said boundary line.» The work was to be completed by December 31, 1894, but the difficult field-work in so great an extent of territory required an extension of time to December 31, 1895; and now, by a last convention, December 31, 1896, is the time set for all data relative to the boundary region to be laid before those who will be charged with negotiating the final treaty.

In the treaties between Russia and Great Britain, and Russia and the United States, in 1824 and 1825, and again in the treaty between Russia and the United States in 1867, it is provided that, from the well-known boundary line of 54° 40',

The said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th

degree of north latitude; from this last-mentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast as far as the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude, (of the same meridian;) and finally, from the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen ocean.

2d. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom.

The northern part of this boundary, being an astronomical one, was easily determined by careful observations made at United States cupine rivers in 1889-91. Meridian stones were erected on the banks of those rivers, and the difference in position between them and the positions marked by Canadian surveyors is but trifling. An appropriation of $75,000 has been granted by Congress to defray the share of the United States in the expense of the joint commission to determine and mark the line of the 141st meridian in the Yukon region this season.

Circle City, just below the arctic circle, on the upper Yukon, and the mining camps on Forty Mile Creek and other tributaries, are now permanent settlements, with regular communication each summer with Seattle and San Francisco, by way of St. Michael's in Bering Sea, and receive an influx of miners each spring, by way of Juneau and Chilkat. Over two thousand miners are said to have been at work along the creeks and gulches of Yukon Alaska last season, and more than four hundred men started in January and February of this year to drag their supplies. on hand sleds across the 750 miles of British territory lying between the boundary at the summit of Chilkoot Pass and the boundary at the crossing of the 141st meridian on the Yukon.

The United States does not recognize, protect, or control these mining communities in