The owners refused this offer, and instead proposed that the miners should go to work at fifty-four cents per ton, and that the arbitrators should then decide upon a fair rate of payment. If it proved to be higher than fifty-four cents, the owners would then make up the difference to the men. This offer being refused, the owners said they would pay sixty-one cents, and make up the difference if the arbitration went against them. The miners, however, refused to listen to these proposals, and the conference broke up. Both miners and owners declare that there is no present prospect of reaching an understanding, and that there is nothing for it but to fight the battle to its end. The owners intend to try to open the mines with non-union men. The miners are preparing to prevent these men from going into the mines. * * * * * There has been great excitement during the past few days over the sudden rise of the wheat market. Nearly all of the great countries of the world, with the exception of the United States, have had poor wheat crops this year. Our crop has been considerably larger than any we have had for several years past. People cannot do without bread, and in consequence of this failure of their crops, other countries have had to come to us and buy. They have of course had to pay whatever price we asked, and as a natural consequence the price of wheat has gone up enormously. All the people who were clever enough to foresee this demand from abroad, and buy up the wheat before the orders came in, have made fortunes during the past few days. They refused to sell their grain until its price had gone up to nearly double what they had paid for it, and are now smiling and happy, and thinking that prosperity has come at last. Though a little flurry in the price of wheat cannot of itself make prosperity, the demands on our carrying trade for the shipment of the grain to foreign countries has brought a great deal of business to our shores. It is stated that the piers around New York present a more busy scene than has been witnessed since the dull times began. Grain elevators are in constant use loading the ships, and so great is the demand that the little floating elevators are getting a large share of the business. Ships are being loaded for France, the Argentine Republic, South Africa, Portugal, and many other foreign countries. Three million bushels of wheat were sent out of the country during the past week. * * * * * You will be interested to hear of the capture of Drunami, the king of Benin, who has been wandering in the African forests since the destruction of Benin City, by the expedition sent out from England last February to punish him for the murder of the English travellers. (See page 344.) Drunami finally returned to Benin, and surrendered to the British authorities.