"It is understood that the Canadian Government propose to establish a Department of External Affairs. This department is merely intended—like the corresponding department of the Com [Commonwealth?] wealth Government—to conduct correspondence with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and his Majesty’s Ambassador at Washington, and with the several departments of the Canadian Government. At present delay occurs in dealing with the correspondence, as there is no department to conduct the work. No suggestion has been made by the Canadian Government for the increase of their powers in dealing with external affairs." CANADA: A. D. 1909 (February). Participation in a North American Conference on the Conservation of Natural Resources. See (in this Volume) CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES: NORTH AMERICA. CANADA: A. D. 1909 (April). Statistics of the Budget speech. Revenue. Trade. No increase of taxation. The following was reported in a despatch from Ottawa, April 20, 1909: "Notwithstanding the financial stringency of the past year, which reduced the revenue of Canada by $11,500,000, Mr. Fielding, Minister of Finance, in his Budget speech today made the gratifying announcement that there was a surplus of $1,500,000 for the year ended March 31. The increase in the net debt was $46,029,000, of which $32,000,000 was for the National Transcontinental Railway and the Quebec Bridge. The total trade of the country during the past year was $553,737,000, a decrease of $97,000,000, principally in imports. The estimated expenditures for the current year were $80,078,624. In the judgment of the Government there was no necessity for increased taxation, but the situation should be met by a substantial reduction in expenditures." CANADA: A. D. 1909 (June). Important ruling by the Railway Commission affecting American Railways. See (in this Volume) RAILWAYS: CANADA: A. D. 1909. CANADA: A. D. 1909 (July-August). Imperial Defence Conference. Its agreements. See (in this Volume) WAR, THE PREPARATIONS FOR: MILITARY AND NAVAL. CANADA: A. D. 1909 (August). Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. See (in this Volume) SCIENCE AND INVENTION, RECENT: PHYSICAL. CANADA: A. D. 1909 (August). Proposed union of the Maritime Provinces. A Press despatch of August 19, from Ottawa, reported: "At a conference of the Boards of Trade of the Maritime Provinces at Charlottetown a resolution was adopted in favour of the union of the Maritime Provinces. The Governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island were asked to appoint a committee to draft terms of union. The general opinion is that only union can avert the overwhelming influence of the West in future."