Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/86

58 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS the autumn of 1897; but later Lord Salisbury de clared that he had been misunderstood, and the con ference convened in November without British del egates, although Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the Canadian premier, was present unofficially. The passing mis understanding was speedily assuaged by the course of the administration in sending a special ambassa dor to Great Britain on the occasion of Queen Vic toria s diamond jubilee. For this purpose the presi dent selected Whitelaw Reid. In the summer following the president s inaugu ration the reports of great gold discoveries on the Klondike river in British territory near the Alas kan boundary caused much excitement, recalling especially on the Pacific coast the days of the early California gold fever. So many expeditions set off almost at once for the north that the administration found it necessary to warn persons of the danger of visiting the arctic regions except at the proper season and with careful preparation; and to pre serve order in Alaskan territory near the scene of the discoveries the president at once established a military post on the upper Yukon river. On April 7, in response to a message from the president ask ing relief for the sufferers by flood in the Missis sippi valley, both houses of congress voted to appro priate the sum of $200,000 for this purpose. Much favorable comment was caused at the beginning of the administration by President McKinley s evi-