Of 150 on board, only four were saved, the boats in which many of them had taken refuge being drawn down with the sinking vessel.

19.-Foundation-stone laid of the Martyrs' Memorial at Oxford.

20. The General Assembly commences its stings at Edinburgh: Dr. Gordon unaninously chosen moderator. A paragraph in the Queen's letter earnestly recommended the members to inculcate upon the flocks under their charge lessons of good order and obedience to the Constitution under which they live.

21.-The British land and sea forces commence an attack on Canton, which is continued till the forts commanding the principal parts of the town are in their possession. The Chinese then solicited a short truce, during the continuance of which Plenipotentiary Elliot was induced to recommence negotiations, and offensive operations were suddenly drawn to a close. MajorGeneral Gough writes: "The flags of truce still appeared upon their walls at daylight on the 27th, and at a quarter past six o'clock I was on the point of sending the interpreter to explain that I could not respect such a display after my flag had been taken down, and should at once resume hostilities. At this moment an officer of the Royal Navy, who had been travelling all night, handed me a letter from her Majesty's Plenipotentiary. Whatever might be my sentiments, my duty was to acquiesce; and the attack, which was to commence in fortyfive minutes, was countermanded." The terms required by the Plenipotentiary were, the evacua tion of the city by all troops which did not belong to the province; the payment of 6,000,000 dolars within a week to England; and British troops to remain in position till the same was paid. The British loss was 15 killed and 127 wounded.

24. Sir Robert Peel gives notice that he will, on the 27th inst., move a resolution to the effect, "That her Majesty's Ministers do fot sufficiently possess the confidence of the House of Commons to enable them to carry through the House measures which they deem of essential importance to the public welfare, and that their continuance in office under such Circumstances is at variance with the spirit of the Constitution."

25.-Mr. T. Duncombe presents petitions said to be signed by 1,300,000 people, praying for the remission of all sentences upon political prisoners, and the adoption by Government of the People's Charter.

27.-Commencement of debate on Sir Robert Peel's motion expressing want of confidence in Ministers. Sir Robert's speech tonight was mainly taken up with precedents furnished by former Ministers in yielding to public opinion as indicated by the House of Commons, and the opinion of eminent constitutional lawyers as to the propriety of the practice. Mr. Disraeli spoke this evening

in support of the resolution. Regarding Sir Robert Peel, he said: "Placed in an age of rapid civilization and rapid transition, he has adapted the practical character of his measures to the condition of the times. When in power he has never proposed a change which he did not carry, and, when in opposition, he never forgot that he was at the head of the great Con. servative party. He has never employed his influence for factious purposes, and has never been stimulated in his exertions by a disordered desire of obtaining office; above all, he has never carried himself to the opposite benches by making propositions by which he was not ready to abide. Whether in or out of office, the right honourable baronet has done his best to make the settlement of the new constitution of England work for the benefit of the present time and of posterity." (See June 4.)

27.-Debate in the General Assembly on the Strathbogie case, ending in the deposition of the seven ministers, for yielding obedience to the civil court. On a division, Dr. Chalmers's motion was carried by a majority of 97; 222 voting for it, and 125 for Dr. Cook's amendment. "The Church of Scotland," said Dr. Chalmers, "cannot tolerate, and, what is more, she cannot survive, the scandal of quietly putting up with delinquencies so enormous as those into which their brethren have fallen. We must vindicate our outraged authority, though that vindication were indeed the precursor of the dissolution of the National Church.' A protest against the sentence of deposition was read by Dr. Cook. "The parties deposed," he said,

had done nothing which was not sanctioned both by ecclesiastical and civil law, and we cannot, without violating what we owe to the Church and to the State, cease to regard these excellent men still as ministers, or refuse to hold communion, just as if the proceedings against them had never been instituted." The Assembly Hall was crowded in every part during the day, and numbers even surrounded the doors outside. Contrary to his usual custom, the Royal Commissioner, Lord Belhaven, was present in the evening, and sat till the discussion was over, about three o'clock in the morning. Mr. Edwards, the newly inducted minister of Marnoch, was deposed next day, and the Presbytery of Strathbogie instructed to proceed with the settlement of Mr. Henry in the charge.

29.-Colonel Wymer attacks a company of Affghans near Khelat-i-Ghilzie, and after a smart fight compels them to retreat, leaving eighty of their men dead on the field.

Interdict served on the General Assembly, prohibiting them from carrying into effect the sentence of deposition on the Strathbogie ministers. The Non-intrusion party object to the legality of the service, the papers having been left with their officer at the door, by a messenger.

at-arms.

June 1.-Died at sea, off Gibraltar, Sir David Wilkie, R.A., aged 55. (85)

2.-A public meeting held in the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, for the purpose of expressing sympathy with the seven ministers of Strathbogie, and strong disapprobation of the conduct of the majority in the General Assembly. Lord Dunfermline presided.

Anti-Corn Law meeting at Manchester, Mr. Cobden in the chair. The Chartists and monopolists again mustered in great force, and attempted to take possession of the place of meeting; but after a noisy struggle they were overpowered and dispersed.

4. Conclusion of debate on Sir Robert Peel's No-confidence motion. For, 312; against, 311; Ministers being thus in a minority of one. Lord John Russell undertakes to state the intentions of the Government on Monday. In the meantime he intimated the withdrawal of his motion on the subject of the Corn Laws.

5.-Public intimation given that the underwriters, satisfied that the President steamship was lost, are ready to settle with parties who have claims on them.

7. The British Consul at New York holds a court of inquiry concerning the loss of the President. Capt. Cole, of the Orpheus, left New York in company with her on the morning of the 11th of March, and continued in sight until the evening of the 12th. He last saw her about midway between the Nantucket Shoal and the St. George's Bank, rising on the top of a tremendous sea, pitching and labouring heavily. It was his belief that the President did not survive that gale, but foundered, with all on board, within a few hours after he saw her. In this opinion most of the other nautical men present concurred.

Lord John Russell announces the intention of the Ministry to advise the dissolution of the present Parliament, and the calling of a new one as early as possible. Sir Robert Peel thereupon intimated his withdrawal of all objections to the granting of supplies for six

months.

8.-Astley's Amphitheatre destroyed by fire, about 5.30 A. M. Mr. Ducrow and his family had a narrow escape, and one of the female servants in the house was suffocated. There were about fifty horses in the stable, besides two zebras and a few asses. Only a small number were saved. The loss on the whole was estimated at 30,000l. The calamity so affected Mr. Ducrow that he lost his reason.

10. Sir Robert Peel announces his intention of again standing for Tamworth. His address made no allusion to political questions.

11.--At a meeting of the United Secession Synod in Glasgow, a resolution, moved by Dr. Heugh, was carried, dismissing the appeal of Mr. Morrison from a sentence of the Presbytery of Kilmarnock, and continuing his suspension on the ground of errors in doctrine. Dr. Brown, of Edinburgh, opposed the sentence of suspension, because he was convinced that (86)

most of the doctrines charged against Mr. Morrison could not be proved contrary to Scripture.

12.-Dinner and presentation of plate to the London sheriffs, in token of "high admiration of the conduct of those gentlemen, who preferred to endure a painful and protracted imprisonment rather than submit to the undefined and arbitrary privilege assumed by the House of Commons.

In his address to the electors of the City of London, who had invited him to become a candidate at the ensuing general election, Lord John Russell writes, that the main object of the Ministry had been to increase the comfort, promote the trade, and unchain the industry of the great and pervading interests of the community.

14. Mr. Macaulay, M. P., in his address to the electors of Edinburgh, states that the question now before the constituencies is simply whether they wish new contributions exacted from the people, or new markets opened up to them.

Admiral Stopford writes from Malta to Sir Charles Napier, denying that he had ever accused the Commodore of arrogating to himself the whole honour of the Syrian campaign.

15. The number of petitions presented since the commencement of the session in favour of the repeal of the Corn Laws were 3,918, bearing 1,144,830 signatures, against 1,758, with 110,721 signatures.

The Queen and Prince Albert visit Oxford on Commemoration Day.

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Lord Aberdeen presents a petition from the seven suspended ministers of Strathbogie, praying the House to interfere to prevent the sentence of suspension being carried into effect; but Lord Melbourne, while sympathising with their position, declines to commit the Government to any direct course of action in their behalf.

Lord Plunket resigns the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland in favour of the AttorneyGeneral for England, Sir John Campbell.

22.-Parliament prorogued by the Queen in person. "I entertain," her Majesty said, "the hope that the progress of public business may be facilitated, and that divisions injurious to the cause of steady policy and useful legislalation may be removed, by the authority of a new Parliament, which I shall direct to be summoned without delay." A Gazette Extraordinary was published next day, announcing the dissolution.

jealousies and differences of opinion are altogether without foundation. The party which has paid me the compliment of taking my advice and counsel is a united party, and no difference of principle prevails as to the course which we ought to pursue. So far as the Com Laws are concerned, I cannot consent to substitute a fixed duty of 8s. per quarter for the present ascending and descending scale. The proposition of buying corn in the cheapest market is certainly tempting in theory; but before you determine that it is just, you must ascertain the amount of the burdens to which land in other countries is subjected, and compare them with the burdens imposed upon land in this country. I think a prudent statesman would pause before he subverted the principle on which protection is given to agriculture in this country.

23.-Trial of Mr. Moxon for blasphemy, in publishing Shelley's works, before Lord Denman and a special jury, in the Court of Queen's Bench. This case was originated by Henry Hetherington, a bookseller in the Strand, who, in April 1840, had been sentenced to four months' imprisonment for selling Haslam's "Letters to the Clergy." Mr. Moxon was defended by his friend Mr. Serjeant Talfourd, who, in a speech of great power and beauty, pointed out the distinction between a man who pablishes works which are infidel or impure because they are infidel or impure, and publishes them in a form and at a price which indicate the desire that they should work mischief, and one who publishes works in which evil of the same kind may be found, but who publishes them because, in spite of that imperfection, they are, on the whole, for the ecification and delight of mankind. Lord Denman explained to the jury that they were bound to take the law as it had been handed down to them. The only question for their consideration was, whether the work in question deserved the imputations which were cast upon it in the indictment. The jury, after deliberating for a quarter of an hour, declared the defendant guilty.

Died M. Garnier Pages, a French Republican deputy, interred with great honour o the 26th.

25. Public dinner to Mr. Charles Dickens in the Waterloo Rooms, Edinburgh, Professor Wilson in the chair. "I feel," he said, in replying to the toast of his health, "as if I stood among old friends whom I had intimately Cown and highly valued. I feel as if the death of the fictitious creatures, in which you have been kind enough to express an interest, had endeared us to each other, as real afflictions deepen friendship in actual life."

27.-Election riot at Carlisle, in which two coustables lose their lives.

29.-Polling day in the City of London, ending in the return of two Conservatives and two Liberals, the former being Masterman and

10. The Free-Trade candidates, Lord Howick and Lord Morpeth, defeated in North Northumberland and the West Riding.

13.-Treaty signed in London for the pacification of the Levant. The hereditary posses. sion of Egypt to be confirmed to Mehemet Ali and his descendants in a direct line; the annual contribution to be 400,000l.; the Viceroy not to be allowed to build a ship of war without the consent of the Sultan; the laws and regulations of the Empire to be observed in Egypt, with such changes as the peculiarity of the Egyptian people may render necessary.

14.-The King of Hanover issues a proclamation explanatory of his views on the dispute between himself and the Second Chamber of State, which he had summarily dismissed.

19.-Queen Christina of Spain protests against the act of the Cortes depriving her of the guardianship of her daughter.

In thanking the electors of London, Lord John Russell thus refers to the results of the recent elections: "In the English cities and boroughs there is a small majority in our favour. In the Scotch cities and boroughs a very decided majority in the same way. In the Irish boroughs and counties there is also a majority in favour of the policy of the present Ministers. In the Scotch counties the majority will be the other way, and in the English counties that majority will be overwhelming.' Referring to the reforms his party had carried when in power, "None of them," he wrote, "received the hearty assent of the main body of our opponents; to several they offered a violent and persevering resistance. But truth triumphed over them, and will again. Returned to office, they may adopt our measures and submit to the influence of reason, or, if they refuse to do so, they will be obliged to relinquish power; and the monopoly of trade will share the fate of religious intolerance and political exclusion." It did not pass unnoticed that his lordship's address

was issued the day before his marriage with Lady Frances Elliot.

19.--The King of Prussia's scheme for protecting the privileges of Christians in Turkey by establishing a bishop in Jerusalem, is now so far advanced that Chevalier Bunsen, then actively engaged in the project in England, is able to record in his diary: "This is a great day. I am just returned from Lord Palmerston; the principle is admitted, and orders to be transmitted accordingly to Lord Ponsonby at Constantinople, to demand the acknowledgment required. The successor of St. James will embark in October; he is by race an Israelite-born a Prussian in Breslau-in confession belonging to the Church of Englandripened (by hard work) in Ireland-twenty years Professor of Hebrew and Arabic in England (in what is now King's College). So the beginning is made, please God, for the restoration of Israel. When I read with the warm-hearted, clear-headed Lord Ashley the translation of the Minute of which I send you a transcript, he exclaimed, 'Since the days of David, no king has ever spoken such words!' It was his fortunate idea that directed the choice of the future Bishop.' The appointment of the successor of St. James" was afterwards celebrated by a dinner at the "Star and Garter," Richmond. (See Nov. 7.)

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20.-Riot at Rome, originating at the triple execution of the Riteozzi family for murder and robbery. Twelve people were said to have been killed, and as many as 250 wounded.

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The Court of East Indian proprietors reject a motion for inquiring into the circumstances connected with the deposition of the Rajah of Sattara.

24.-Prince Albert lays the foundationstone of the Infant Orphan Asylum at Wanstead, Epping Forest.

Results of the general election. The contests being now almost over, it is found that the Tory gain is even greater than the chiefs of that party anticipated. The most authentic lists gave 368 Tories to 292 Liberals, the two extra candidates being accounted for by double returns from Cardigan and Thetford. To the last Parliament 159 new members were returned; to the present, 181. The Liberals replaced by Tories were set down at 78, and the Tories replaced by Liberals at 38, showing a gain of 80 on a division. The greatest Tory triumphs were in the English counties, the most important probably being West Yorkshire, where the two Tories, the Hon. J. S. Wortley and E. B. Denison, supplanted two Liberals and defeated two other prominent Liberals-Lord Milton and Lord Morpeth; and North Northumberland, where Mr. B. Cresswell defeated Lord Howick. Westminster, Colonel De Lacy Evans was defeated by Captain Rous. One prominent Liberal victory was at Bath, where Viscount Duncan and Mr. Roebuck supplanted two

At

Tories. Mr. Cobden secured a seat at Stock. port. Among the 16 exchanges were-Mr. Disraeli from Maidstone to Shrewsbury, Lord John Russell from Stroud to London, Sir James Graham from Pembroke to Dorchester, Mr. D. O'Connell (elected also for Meath) from Dublin to Cork County, and Mr. R. L. The Shiel from Tipperary to Dungarvan. election petitions were 39 in number. the case of 5-Belfast, Ipswich, Nottingham, Southampton, and Sudbury-the elections were declared void; 8 were declared not duly elected, and their seats transferred to other candidates; 4 were found to have been duly elected; and in the case of 22 the petitions were not proceeded with.

In

26.-O'Connell issues a declaration that the object of the Peel-Stanley party was to deprive the people of Ireland of all constitutional channels of exertion, and force them if possible into insurrection.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert leave Windsor to visit the Duke of Bedford, at Woburn, and Lord Melbourne, at Brocket Hall.

28.-Fire at Smyrna, destroying between 9,000 and 10,000 houses and many mosques and synagogues.

August 4.-Messrs. William and Robert Chambers entertained at Peebles, and presented Iwith the freedom of their native town, "in testimony and approbation of their eminent services in literature, education, and popular improvement.'

6.-Nine workmen killed, and four injured, by an explosion in Thornley Pit, near Sunderland. About a dozen others were got out unharmed.

7.-Madame Laffarge, presently undergoing imprisonment for the murder of her husband, is, after a long trial, pronounced guilty of stealing certain diamonds, the property of Madame Leotaud. The prisoner's defence was, that the diamonds had been given her for the purpose of raising money to purchase the silence of a certain M. Clavet, with whom Madame Leotaud had a friendship before her marriage.

9.-Burning of the steamship Erie, trading between Buffalo and Chicago, and loss of 170 lives.

Sir Henry Pottinger and Admiral Parker arrive at Macao to supersede Captain Elliot and Sir J. Bremner.

11. The Commission of the General Assembly, on the motion of Mr. Candlish, agree by a large majority to institute proceedings against certain ministers and elders who had assisted at the communion in the parishes of the suspended ministers, Strathbogie. A protest was made by Dr. Cook and others, expressive of their intention to appeal without delay to a competent tribunal for a decision as to which

of the contending parties in the struggle was to be considered the Established Church of the country.

12. After an interval of twenty years a Court of Conservancy of the river Thames and waters of the Medway is sworn at the Guildhall, and afterwards inspects various obstructions abutting the river between London Bridge and Temple Bar.

14.--Accident to the royal hunting party tear Virginia Water, caused by the dogs startling the horses in one of the carriages drawn up there to see the hunt. One of the postilLons was much injured, and several narrow escapes were made from being thrown into the

water.

Wheat quoted at 86s. per quarter. 15.-Inauguration of the Napoleon column at Boulogne. "On this spot,"

so it was recorded, 16th of August, 1804, Napoleon in presence of the Grand Army distributed the decoration of the Legion of Honour to the soldiers and citizens who had deserved well of their country,—the four corps commanded by Marshal Soult, and the flotilla under the command of Admiral Bruer. Wishing to perpetuate the remembrance of this day, Louis Philippe I., King of the French, finished this column, consecrated by the Grand Army of Napoleon."

16.-In the case of the will of James Wood, late mercer and banker of the city of Gloucester, Lord Lyndhurst delivers the judgment of the Privy Council, pronouncing in favour of the validity of the codicil.

- Tried at the Croydon Assizes, the great hoel case of Bogle against Lawson, publisher of the Times newspaper. It arose out of a communication to the Times of 26th May, respecting an "Extraordinary and extensive forgery and swindling conspiracy on the Contrent," to which it was insinuated that Mr. Alan Bogle, of the firm of Bogle, Kerrick, and Co., bankers at Florence, was a party. The conspiracy was an attempt to defraud Messrs. Glyn, and various bankers on the Conheat, by presenting forged letters of credit. The other parties said to be implicated were Le Marquis de Bourbell and Louis d'Argeson,

o attended to the engraving of the plates London; Cunningham Graham of Gartmore a stepfather of the plaintiff, Bogle), who dered the fac-similes, and his son, Alexander Ombam. The two Grahams resided at Florece The conspirators succeeded in possing themselves of one of Messrs. Glyn's one letters of credit, and produced from 4 an imitation so perfect that one of the partners in the house for a time was unable to distinguish between the two. With this strument, multiplied by numerous copies, they started their scheme of depredation in Frussels, Cologne, Ghent, Turin, Bologna, and even Florence itself, with astonishing rapidity, and had they not been wholly deSent in caution might have escaped detec

tion for a much longer period than they did. It was proved that within a few days they succeeded in obtaining upon these forged letters of credit no less than 10,000/. Owing to a rule of evidence excluding from consideration certain private letters between the parties, the jury were not able legally to identify the plaintiff with the conspiracy, and they therefore returned a verdict in his favour, with a farthing damages. Lord Chief Justice Tindal refused to allow him costs of suit. Though the verdict was thus technically against the Times, the mercantile community were sensible of the value of the exposure that a sum of 2,700/. was subscribed for the purpose of defraying the great expense to which it had been subjected in getting up evidence in the case. This offer the proprietors declined, but the money was afterwards invested, in con"Times formity with their desire, in founding Scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge for boys in Christ's Hospital and City of London School. Memorial tablets were also put up in those schools, in the Royal Exchange, and over the door of the Times office.

SO

17.-Conference of Clergy at Manchester on the subject of the Corn Laws. An address was made by Mr. Cobden, and resolutions carried unanimously approving of the abolition. About 700 clergymen were present.

19. The new Parliament assembles, and unanimously elects the Right Hon. Charles Shaw Lefevre to be their Speaker.

24.-Parliament opened by Commission. Referring to the necessity of increasing the public revenue, the Royal Speech contained the following paragraph :-"It will be for you to consider whether some of the duties are not so trifling in amount as to be unproductive to the revenue, while they are vexatious to commerce. You may further examine whether the principle of protection upon which others of these duties are founded be not carried to an extent injurious alike to the income of the State and the interests of the people. Her Majesty is desirous that you should consider the laws which regulate the trade in corn. It will be for you to determine whether these laws do not aggravate the natural fluctuation of supply, whether they do not embarrass trade, derange the currency, and by their operation diminish the comfort and increase the priva tion of the great body of the community.' In the debate on the Address in the House of Lords, the Earl of Ripon's amendment was car ried against the Ministry by a majority of 72. I. L. Goldsmid, Esq., gazetted a ba

The city of Amoy assaulted and taken