snow and over very high mountains, his route being by Ismid, Angora, Yuzgat, Tokat, and Sivas, from which latter place he made a détour by Arabkir and Egin to Ersingan, and hence to Erzeroum. He describes the roads, or rather tracts, for roads do not exist, as being in a fearful state, the spots where no snow was being quagmires with the mud 2 ft. to 3 ft. deep. The journey, however, had been an interesting one. The captain tells us that he has visited Circassian, Tartar, Kurd, Turkoman, Armenian, and Greek villages, besides the Turkish, and he has had a fair opportunity of learning the actual state of affairs in that out-of-the-way part of the world. When he wrote, Captain Burnaby proposed to leave Erzeroum in the following week, and proceed to Van, a twelve days' march over the mountains. From Van he intended to make his way through Bayazid, Kars, and Ardahan to Batoum. His English servant was knocked up, and he had to get a fresh Turkish one, having been robbed by the Turkish attendant he had hired at Constantinople.

The

8.-Parliament opened by Her Majesty, with various members of the Royal Family. The Earl of Beaconsfield was also present among the Lords for the first time, and in the evening took part in the debate on the Address. Royal Speech from the Throne alluded to the temporary cessation of hostilities betwen Turkey and Servia, the failure of the Conference, and the efforts of Britain to procure a lasting peace; the assumption of the Imperial Title; the Indian Famine, and to the position of the Transvaal. Bills were promised relating to the English Universities, the Bankruptcy and Letters Patent Laws, Prisons, Valuation of Property, Factories and Workshops, and Summary Jurisdiction, to the Roads and Bridges in Scotland, the Poor Law, and to Irish Courts. In the debate which ensued Lord Derby expressed his sincere wish for the maintenance of peace, and regret that the Turkish Government had failed in suppressing the insurrections. In reply, the Duke of Argyll begged to say distinctly, “in this high place, in this housetop of Europe,' "that every insurrection against that Government was a legitimate insurrection. The noble Duke charged Lord Derby with failing to appreciate the true forces at work in this great Eastern Question, which had darkly overshadowed Europe for forty or fifty years. "I say you will have no peace in Europe, and you ought to have no peace in Europe, until the well-being of the Christian subjects of the Porte has been secured by the united action of European Powers. And if you have sent one of your most distinguished members to Constantinople, declaring beforehand your guns to be loaded with blank cartridge, I say you might just as well have sat still twiddling your thumbs as you did for three months before. Has the noble Earl never heard of the Sibylline leaves? Do you think that the great

forces of religion and the sympathies of people with people, which are at the root of this great Eastern Question, will be satisfied with this irreducible minimum to which the claims of the Christians have been cut down, and to which the noble Marquis seems to have consented? If the noble Earl does not believe that, the Conference has failed, both in securing peace and good government to Turkey. There are other Powers in Europe," continued the Duke, 66 besides the noble Earl the Secretary for Foreign affairs; and much as he may despise sentimentality in politics, forgetting that sentiment rules the world, forgetting that all moral feeling is founded on sentiment, much as he may despise sentimentality in politics, I am greatly mistaken if sentimentality will not be too strong for him. If some one does not seize the helm which the noble Earl says the government has abandoned, I believe that Europe will drift into a bloody and dreadful war." The Duke concluded by charging the Government with having been the drag upon Europe, which prevented concerted action in European concord; and drew from Earl Beaconsfield, who would rather, as he said, have listened to the debate than taken part in it, his maiden speech in the House of Lords, in which the Premier insisted upon the political aspect of this great Eastern Question, especially as regarded English interests. While admitting that the condition of the Christian subjects of the Porte was a matter of great importance, to which he believed all the Powers were alive, yet, said he, the Eastern Question involves some of the elements of the distribution of power in the world, and involves the existence of empires; and he believed that any interference directed to the alleviation of the sufferings of the Turkish Christians only would but make their sufferings worse. He pleaded for a calm, sagacious and statesmanlike consideration of the whole subject, never forgetting the great interests of England, if it is to have any solution at all.

8.-Died, aged 79, Sir Augustus W. J. Clifford, Gentleman-Usher of the Black Rod to the Queen. (See March 23.)

9.-A deputation waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on Saturday, to urge the abolition of the Railway Passengers' Duty in respect of workmen's trains. Sir S. Northcote, while promising that in any future proposed legislation on the subject the interests of the working-classes should be considered, suggested a doubt whether the abolition of the duty would really result in any advantages to those classes.

10.- Harry Benson, alias Andrew Montgomery, Charles Dale, Charles Collins, Edwin Murray, and William Kerr or Kurr, charged with obtaining 10,000/. from the Comtesse de Goncourt by conspiracy in connection with certain Turf transactions, again brought "p at

Died, aged 85, William Coulthurst, senior partner in the banking house of Messrs. Coutts and Co., Strand.

12. In the Commons, on the motion for the second reading of the Intoxicating Liquors (Sunday) Ireland Bill, Sir Michael H. Beach said, that Government would not oppose a trial of the experiment, and his proposal was accepted for referring the Bill to a Select Committee.

Died, aged 56, Rev. Sir Henry William Baker, third baronet, of Dunstable House, an original promoter of the popular psalter, "Hymns Ancient and Modern.'

13.-Died, aged 77, John Morgan Cobbett, M.P. for Oldham, second son of the late William Cobbett of the Political Register.

A large and fashionable company attend at the Royal College of Surgeons to hear Sir James Paget deliver the annual Hunterian oration. At the close the speaker made reference to the late Sir William Fergusson, whom he spoke of as the great practical surgeon of the day. "No one would again watch those eyes which were so keen and yet so kind; those hands which were so strong and yet so sensitive-that clear precision and that rigid calmness. All these had gone, and with them those things which would endear him still more to those who knew him-his warm heart and generous nature; his social grace; but there would still remain his teaching, that the surgeon should have both hands and heart in science and should strain only to win the best results. (Cheers.)" Thus it was with Hunter, the speaker proceeded to say, and his work raised surgery to a level with medicine, for before Hunter's time the surgeon held inferior rank to the physician, while now the surgeons were the associates of the most cultivated men of the time. After calling to mind the personal characteristics of Hunter, the orator concluded by dwelling upon the vast influences of John Hunter's investigations in the pursuit of truth.

14.-Died, aged 84, General Changarnier, an old French soldier, who had seen much service in Algeria, was afterwards banished and then permitted to return to France by the Emperor Napoleon, and had the singular fortune to be shut in with Bazaine at Metz, remaining for some time a prisoner of war within German territory.

15.-Robbery, at Battle Abbey, of jewels belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, while entertaining a few guests in the drawing-room. On an alarm being raised by one of the servants, it was found that the Duchess's dressing-room, facing the terrace, had been entered through the window by the aid of two ladders found lashed together. The value of the jewellery stolen was estimated at from 5,000l. to 10,000l. The articles were chiefly presents, one being a necklace of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, the gift of the Queen to the Duchess, who had been a bridesmaid at Her Majesty's wedding. Neither the thieves nor any trace of the jewellery was ever discovered.

16. In the course of a debate raised by Mr. Gladstone regarding our treaty obligations in the East, Mr. Chaplin (Lincoln), with marked gesture and tone, called Mr. Gladstone to account for his pamphlet and the rest of his share in the autumnal agitation, which nothing could justify but the most supreme necessity, and for which a heavy responsibility rested on him. But now that he had met the Government face to face, he had not shown the smallest disposition to make good the serious charges advanced against them. Either he should withdraw those charges or prove them. No other course was open to a man of honour. At this there were loud cries of "Order," and several gentlemen rose, but gave way to Mr. Gladstone, who, in an excited manner, asked the Speaker whether it was competent for Mr. Chaplin to instruct him as to the only course which he could take as a man of honour. The Speaker thought the expression went beyond the limits of Parliamentary licence, upon which Mr. Chaplin withdrew it and substituted for it that it was Mr. Gladstone's duty to make good his accusations. He asked him, therefore, whether he intended to test the opinion of the House on the conduct of the Government, and what was the meaning of his speech at Taunton. In order to obtain an answer, Mr. Chaplin moved the adjournment of the House, and Mr. Gladstone, who was loudly cheered from the benches behind him, seconded the motion, and defended his character with much anination, declaring that he had avoided, as much as possible, addressing the people, and taunting Mr. Chaplin with not having written a pamphlet himself to answer the Bulgarian Atrocities," if he thought it had done so much harm. To the challenge to bring forward a distinct motion, he replied that he was too old to let himself be forced to reveal his plan of campaign, but he promised Mr. Chaplin that before the matter was ended he would have no occasion to complain of any reticence or suppression on his part. As to the speech at Taunton, Mr. Gladstone said he still continued of the opinion which he there expressed, that the policy of the Government required watching.

19. In moving the second reading of the Oxford and Cambridge Universities Bill, Mr. Hardy explained that it combined the chief features of the two University Bills of last year, with a few alterations. Bill read a second time after debate.

20.-Debate on the Eastern Question in the Lords, raised by the Duke of Argyll, who asked the Government "Whether you have under consideration any measure for the fulfilment of the promises which you have made to the population of Turkey, or do you mean to abandon them altogether? My lords, before I sit down, I trust that the noble Earl opposite will allow me to make a personal appeal to him. He is at the head of one of the most powerful Governments which this country has ever seen, he enjoys the confidence and affection of his party, and he has their entire and devoted allegiance in a manner and to an extent which few ministers have ever enjoyed. My lords,

at one time in the course of this year the noble Earl gave public intimation-otherwise I should not feel myself at liberty to notice it-that it was his desire, at no distant day, to retire from the fatigues and cares of his great office. That, my lords, was an intimation which could not but arouse the sympathy and interest of all who know him. In the generous contests of our public life we have no private grudges and no personal enmities. The noble Earl enjoys the affection of many around him-of the young men whom he has encouraged on their entering into public life, and the old men whom he has led against all hope to victory and success. But, my lords, the noble Earl will not retire, if ever he does retire, with any better wish from any man than the wish to which I now give utterance, and it is this, that when he looks back to this Government, of which he is the distinguished head, he will be able to say that he has wielded the great power of England for the purpose, and with the effect of procuring some measure of tolerable liberty for the Christian subjects of Turkey, and that in procuring that measure of tolerable liberty he has secured it on such conditions as will guarantee them for the future against the odious barbarism of the Turks and against the crushing autocracy of the Russian Czars, for neither do we wish to see them govern the Christian people of Turkey. My lords, the question I have put to Her Majesty's Government is, not what measures, but whether they have any measures in contemplation for the fulfilment of the promises which they have held out to the people of Turkey to protect them from further cruel oppression.' The debate was continued by Earl Derby, Lord Kimberley, Marquis of Salisbury, and Earl Granville. In closing Lord Beaconsfield said: "I felt that to-night, although, as I regretted, there was no direct issue brought before us, I had a right in common with my colleagues to vindicate the conduct of the Government, I

shall always be ready to do so. I know well that your lordships are deeply impressed with the importance of the issues which are at stake connected with this question. I believe it is one in which the country has felt deeply interested, not merely from any humanitarian or philanthropic sentiments—although I appreciate them-but from the pride which the English people take in the empire their fathers have created. (Cheers.) This is the last place where this feeling would not be appreciated, and whatever may be the course of the noble lord opposite, and whatever the decision at which this House may arrive in connection with these matters, they will, I am convinced, be those which will be favourable to the maintenance of the empire of this country. (Loud cheers.)"

21. On this, the bicentenary of his death, a monument to Spinoza is unveiled at the Hague in presence of Prince Alexander of the Netherlands and a great company of scholars. A lengthy and eloquent address was delivered on the occasion by M. Renan.

Mr. Hayes declared President of the United States after a scene of great confusion. The Senate upon retiring to consider the Wisconsin case, without debate or division, voted to count all the Wisconsin electors for Hayes. In the House, the filibusters recommenced operations. Mr. Luttrell (California) moved a recess, and Mr. Mills (Texas) moved resolutions declaring that there was no choice of President, and that the House should, therefore, immediately proceed under the Constitution to choose a President. The Speaker refused to recognise any one but objectors to the Wisconsin vote. Another scene of confusion occurred. Crowds in the lobbies and galleries applauded when the Secretary of the Senate came in announcing that the Senate voted to count Wisconsin for Hayes. At I o'clock on the morning of the 2nd, the Speaker got the debate on the Wisconsin case started. It continued till 3. The "previous question" was carried and the filibusters resumed operations. Mr. Mills wanted his resolutions considered. The Speaker vainly endeavoured to get a vote on them. There was half an hour of dire confusion. At 3.30 a vote was secured on the Wisconsin case, the House rejecting one elector by 134 to 78. The Senate was then sent for, and arrived at 4. When the Senate entered, the filibusters all left their seats, retiring to the lobbies, so as claim that they were not in their seats when the count was consummated. The Joint Convention resumed its sittings. Wisconsin was counted for Hayes. The tellers announced the results of the vote to be as follows :-President Hayes, 185; Tilden, 184; Vice-President Wheeler, 185; Mr. Hendricks, 184. At 4.10 Vice-President Ferry proclaimed the result, which was received without demonstration. He then declared the Joint Convention dissolved. The count was then accomplished after eighteen hours of continuous contest, President Grant telegraphed to General Augur, commanding at New Orleans, that hereafter troops must not be used for political purposes in Louisiana, but only to preserve peace or aid the civil authorities when the latter are powerless. President Grant also telegraphed that Mr. Packard's policy of maintaining his

State Government by Federal troops must be abandoned, such use of troops being against public sentiment and unjust to the majority of the people.

3.-Died, aged 61, Charles Douglas Compton, Marquis of Northampton.

4.-Died, aged 57, George Odger, a prominent working member of the Reform League. The deceased was interred at Brompton Cemetery, on the afternoon of the 11th, in the presence of an immense company who had gathered on the route from Blooms. bury. The Chaplain of the Cemetery read over the grave the concluding portion of the burial service, and then Professor Beesly, addressing the assemblage as "Fellow citizens," spoke at some length on Mr. Odger's public career. Mr. Fawcett, in response to loud calls, also delivered an address, dwelling on Mr. Odger's sincerity of character and his eminent services to the working classes.

5.-On being installed as President of the United States, Mr. Hayes delivered an address, in which he announced his determination to do what he could to promote the interests of the white and coloured people equally. His object was not to get a United North and a United South, but a united country. He urged the absolute necessity of Civil Service reform, not only in preventing abuses, but in the system of appointment. Faithful officials ought to be secure in their tenure. To further such reform the President recommended an increase of the presidential term of office to six years without eligibility for re-election. He said the financial depression continued, but not without signs of returning prosperity; that the uncertainty of the paper currency added to the depression; that the only safe paper currency is one at all times convertible into coin; and that legislation for early resumption is imperatively demanded. He approved the policy inaugurated by General Grant, of submitting international disputes to arbitration, and said that if, unhappily, such questions should hereafter arise he should adhere to this policy. The new President gave a reception in the evening.

refusing costs for the prosecution in a case of night-poaching. Substantially his lordship admitted the accuracy of the report, except that he had referred not to the dicta, so much as the practice of former judges, but he remarked that he did not hold himself accountable for his acts to any Member of Parliament, at which there was a cry of "Oh !" and he concluded by stating that he should continue to act on the same principles, for reasons with which he did not think it necessary to trouble either the Home Secretary or the House of Commons.

5.--Mr. Hardy introduces the Army Estimates. There was, he said, a slight diminution in the cost, though owing to a change in the form of keeping the accounts, it seemed to be larger. With regard to army promotion and retirement, Mr. Hardy said he hoped very shortly, with as little loss of time as possible, to lay a plan before the House. The most important change in the army this year was in the organization of the artillery, which had been fully described in the papers. The recruiting returns were most favourable, and the army was 1,857 above the establishment. This increase, Mr. Hardy said, amid some cheering, would not induce him to relax recruiting, but rather to insist that men should be passed more rapidly into the reserves. Total amount included in estimates 14,538,700l., decrease, 742,900%.

now

The Queen receives Josiah Henson, "Uncle Tom," at Windsor.

6.-The Solicitor-General, Sir Hardinge Gifford, takes his seat for Launceston, after a delay of some minutes owing to his having mislaid the writ.

Mr. Seely moves a resolution in the Commons, affirming the desirability of the Government taking into consideration the propriety of administering the Admiralty by means of a Secretary of State, and of appointing to the offices of Controller of the Navy and Superintendents of the Royal Dockyards persons possessing practical knowledge of the duties they had to discharge, and of altering the rule which limited their tenure of office to a fixed term. The motion was seconded by Mr. Reed, who attributed the loss of the Vanguard and other naval disasters to the system which successive Governments had established, and which the House of Commons sanctioned. On a division after debate, the resolution was negatived by 183 to 58

votes.

News received of the burning of the iron ship Teviotdale of Glasgow, Captain Jones, late master arriving to-day, at Bangor, his native town, bringing full particulars of the destruction of that vessel in 8° 40′ S. latitude, and 10 E. longitude. Owned by Messrs. Roxburgh, the Teviotdale sailed from Dundee on 27th July last, laden with a cargo of 1,790

tons of coal for Bombay direct, and a crew of twenty-six. A fire broke out on board at 5 A. M. on the 31st of October, and the ship was abandoned on the 2nd of November, when ablaze fore and aft. The crew took to their boats, and steered for Diego Garcia, the southernmost island of Chagos Archipelago. Hard rowing for several days and nights, during which they were exposed to a heavy swell and tropical rains, brought them to the island, on which they remained for fifty-four days, their chief food being the fish caught. They were ultimately rescued by the Cape Town schooner Barso, Captain Christiensen, and landed all well at Port Louis on the 5th of January.

7.-The Commons occupied the whole afternoon in discussing the motion for the second reading of Sir John Lubbock's Ancient Monuments Bill. Its rejection was moved by Lord Francis Hervey, who was supported by Mr. Leighton on the ground that it did not go far enough, and by Mr. Watkin Williams because it would, by reason of its vagueness, be unworkable The bill was supported by Mr. Beresford-Hope, Mr. Grant Duff, Mr. Dal rymple, Mr. Lefevre, and Mr. Osborne Morgan. The Attorney-General speaking for himself and not as a minister, opposed the bill, and Mr. Cavendish Bentinck, admitting that he was "neither an antiquarian, nor a man of taste," denounced the bill on the ground that it did not go far enough and did not, among other things, preserve "those beautiful combinations of architecture, the steeples of the City churches." Mr. Lowther opposed the bill. The Chancellor of the Exchequer admitted that two years ago he promised to consider the subject, but he contended that the present measure would not meet the difficulty. If the House, however, was disposed to give it a second reading, it would be the duty of the Government to introduce in Committee some machinery that would give the Executive greater control over the action of the Commissioners. On a division the second reading was agreed to by 211 votes against 163, and the bill was referred to a Select Committee.

The Lord Mayor mentions at the Mansion House that it was his public duty to make a painful announcement of an amount of distress and loss of life perhaps unparalleled in the shipping annals of this country. He referred to the loss during the recent gales in the North Sea of thirty-six vessels and smacks belonging to Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Grimsby, Hull, and Ramsgate. No fewer than 215 men and boys had been drowned, and left entirely destitute eighty-eight widows, 164 children, and fifteen aged relatives.

8.-General Ignatieff, after spending four days at Berlin, arrives in Paris, where he is met by Count Schouvaloff.