In his annual report for 1898, the United States Secretary of the Treasury stated that no pelagic sealing whatever had been carried on by citizens of the United States during the season past; but that 30 British vessels had been engaged in the work, against 32 in the previous year, and that their total catch had been 10,581, against 6,100 taken by the same fleet in 1897. The number of seals found on the Islands was reported to be greatly reduced. BERLIN: A. D. 1895. Census. See (in this volume) GERMANY: A. D. 1895 (JUNE-DECEMBER). BERLIN: A. D. 1896. Industrial exposition. An exposition of German industries and products was opened at Berlin on the 1st of May, 1896. which excited wide interest and had an important stimulating effect in Germany. BERLIN: A. D. 1900. Growth shown by the latest census. See (in this volume) GERMANY: A. D. 1900 (DECEMBER). BERLIN: A. D. 1901. The Berlin and Stettin Ship Canal. See GERMANY: A. D. 1901 (JANUARY). BETHLEHEM, Capture of. See (in this volume) SOUTH AFRICA (THE FIELD OF WAR): A. D. 1900 (JUNE-DECEMBER). BIAC-NA-BATO, Treaty of. See (in this volume) PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: A. D. 1896-1898. BIBLE LANDS, Archæological exploration in. See (in this volume) ARCHÆOLOGICAL RESEARCH: BABYLONIA: AMERICAN EXPLORATION. BICOLS, The. See (in this volume) PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: THE NATIVE INHABITANTS. BIDA, British subjugation of. See (in this volume) AFRICA: A. D. 1897 (NIGERIA). BIG SWORD, BIG KNIFE SOCIETY. See (in this volume) CHINA: A. D. 1900 (JANUARY-MARCH). BISMARCK, Prince Otto von: Death. See (in this volume) GERMANY: A. D. 1898 (JULY). BLACK FLAG REBELLION. See (in this volume) CHINA: A. D. 1898 (APRIL-JULY). BLANCO, General Ramon, Captain-General of Cuba. See (in this volume) CUBA: A. D. 1896-1897. BLANCOS. See (in this volume) URUGUAY: A. D. 1896-1899. BLOEMFONTEIN: Taken by the British. See (in this volume) SOUTH AFRICA (THE FIELD OF WAR): A. D. 1900 (MARCH—MAY). BLOEMFONTEIN CONFERENCE, The. See (in this volume) SOUTH AFRICA (THE TRANSVAAL): A. D. 1899 (MAY-JUNE). BLUEFIELDS INCIDENT, The. See (in this volume) CENTRAL AMERICA (NICARAGUA): A. D. 1894-1895. BOARD SCHOOLS, English. See (in this volume) ENGLAND: A. D. 1896-1897. BOERS. See (in this volume) SOUTH AFRICA (THE TRANSVAAL). BOHEMIA: Recent situation in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. See (in this volume) AUSTRIA-HUNGARY: A. D. 1895-1896, and after. BOHEMIA: A. D. 1897. The language decrees. See (in this volume) AUSTRIA-HUNGARY: A. D. 1897; and 1898. BOLIVIA: A. D. 1894-1900. The dispute with Chile concerning Atacama. See (in this volume) CHILE: A. D. 1894-1900. BOLIVIA: A. D. 1899. Revolution.