possession of by the British forces; the fleet under the command of Admiral Parker, and the land forces under Sir H. Gough.

28.-Fall of the Melbourne Ministry. The debate on the Address, protracted over three nights, was concluded at 3 o'clock this morning, when Ministers found themselves in a minority of 91 in a House of 629. Lord John Russell moved a Committee of the Opposition to draw up an answer to the Address. In his closing speech as Minister, he said: "I am convinced that if this country is governed by enlarged and liberal counsels its power and might will spread and increase, and its influence will become greater and greater; Liberal principles will prevail, and civilization will be spread to all parts of the globe, and you will bless millions by your acts and mankind by your union."

Meeting at the Thatched-house Tavern, presided over by Sir Robert Peel, for the purpose of considering the most appropriate method of doing honour to the memory of Sir David Wilkie. A statue in the National Gallery was ultimately resolved upon, and a subscription commenced for carrying it out. Lord John Russell proposed one of the resolutions.

29. from Envoy Macnaghten writes Cabul: "The Douranee chiefs who have been in rebellion must be effectually humbled, and we must put it out of their power to attempt any further mischief. The Barukyze Sirdars took the only effectual method of keeping these gentry quiet. We must never dream of conciliation; terror is the only instrument which they respect.' A few days later :"Everything has a favourable aspect for us, and Tezeen and Dehrawut having been subdued, a more solid foundation will have been laid for the tranquillity of this country than was ever dreamt of.... Whether or not we shall have another brigade in lieu of the returning troops will depend upon circumstances. My own opinion is, that we could easily do without them, unless operations beyond our present boundary are contemplated.'

30.-Ministers intimate their resignation of office, in consequence of the vote on the Address.

31.-Sir Robert Peel sent for by the Queen, and undertakes to construct a Ministry.

September 1.-The Gresham Committee accept a tender for building the New Royal Exchange. Amount, Portland stone, 115,900/.; magnesian limestone, 124,700l.

3.-The Gazette publishes a minute of the Council held at Claremont this day, when the new Ministers were sworn into office. First Lord of the Treasury, Sir Robert Peel; Lord Chancellor, Lord Lyndhurst; President of the Council, Lord Wharncliffe; Home Secretary, Sir James Graham; Foreign Secretary, Lord Aberdeen. Leader in the House of Lords, without office, Duke of Wellington.

7.-The Gazette announces several changes in the Household offices; the most importan! being the appointment of the Duchess of Buc cleuch to be Mistress of the Robes, in room of the Duchess of Sutherland.

8.-New writs moved for the seats rendered vacant by the acceptance of office in the new Peel Ministry. The elections were, in most cases, unopposed, though Mr. Acland, an Anti-Corn Law candidate, was formally nominated at Tamworth and North Lancashire. The House resumed its sittings on the 16th. 9.-Twenty-five houses destroyed by fire at Fordington, near Dorchester.

Vauxhall Gardens sold by auction for

20,000l.

A party of British volunteers cross the frontier from Canada to the United States, and carry off Colonel Grogan.

11.-Strike of the masons at the new Houses of Parliament, owing to a dispute with the foreman regarding their "Union."

13. Attempt to assassinate the Duke of Orleans, while passing through Paris with three of his brothers at the head of the 17th Light Infantry. The shot did not take effect on the Duke, but one of the officers was wounded, and his horse shot under him.

14.-Mr. Gladstone, seeking re-election at Newark, states on the hustings: "There are two points on which the British farmer may rely; the first of which is, that adequate pro tection will be given to him, and the second is, that protection will be given him through the means of the sliding scale."

16.-Riot at Monkwearmouth, on the occasion of "chairing" Lord Howick at the close of the poll with Attwood. A shower of stones was thrown from the Reform Tavern by Chartists, and the landlord, Liddell, fired a gun among the crowd. No one was seriously hurt, but the party in the street, exasperated by these proceedings, commenced an attack on the tavern, which they completely sacked, and to some extent destroyed. After some difficulty Liddell was apprehended, and the gun secured by Sir Hedworth Williamson.

17. Sir Robert Peel's motion for a Committee of Supply leads to a lengthened debate on the general policy of the past as compared with the present Government. Mr. Fielden's amendment, that it was the duty of the House to inquire into the existing distress before voting supplies, was rejected by 149 to 41 votes.

19.-Death of Lord Sydenham (Poulett Thomson), Governor of Canada, from lock-jaw, the effects of a fall from his horse.

20.-Discussion in the House of Commons concerning the issue of a writ for Ripon, Sir E. Sugden still continuing to occupy his seat although he had been appointed Lord Chan cellor for Ireland. Sir R. Peel defended his Chancellor, as the appointment, though offered, was not yet completed.

21.-Robert Blakesley murders Bourden, landlord of the King's Head, Eastcheap, by stabbing him in the belly, and makes a murderous attack with a knife on two women,-one of them the wife of the murdered man, and the other her sister, wife of the murderer.

- The lighthouse on Sunderland pier, weighing 300 tons, and 75 feet high from the base, removed by screw power 140 feet from its original position. This day it was moved II feet in 15 minutes.

- London and Brighton Railway opened.

23.-The freedom of the City of London presented to Admiral Sir R. Stopford and Commodore Napier.

25.-President Tyler issues a proclamation warning the lawless marauders, or "Hunters' Lodges," on the frontier line of Canada, of the danger they run in the attempt to involve the two countries in hostilities. If any of the parties concerned in such proceedings fell into the hands of the British authorities, they would not be reclaimed as American citizens, nor would any interference be made in their behalf.

28.-The New Poor Law Commission Bill passes into Committee; two instructions regarding the separation of husband and wife, and the formation of new unions, having been negatived by large majorities.

29.-The Niger Colonization Expedition broken up through disease and disaster.

A party of about one hundred workmen left England this month to found a colony in Brazil on the system of Fourier.

October 1.-Chusan captured by the British force under Sir H. Pottinger. The loss of life was trifling, the steamboats moving into the icer harbour without opposition. "Arrangements," wrote Sir Henry, next day, "will be marie immediately for establishing a provisional government; and her Majesty's Plenipotentiary deems it advisable, after what has already happened, to intimate to her Majesty's subjects and all others, that under no circumstances

Tinghae and its dependencies be restored the Chinese Government until the whole of e demands of England are not only complied with but carried into full effect. At Ningpo,

the 10th, the Chusan soldiers refused to face the British troops, and the city was in sequence quietly taken possession of by Sir Bagh Gough

2. An insurrection in favour of the exQueen Regent Christina, commenced at Pampeina by General O'Donnell. On the 7th, a desperate attempt was made at Madrid, by con

rators in the interest of the Queen-mother, to storm the palace and get possession of the person of the young Queen. Through the yalty and courage of the guard the enterprise was defeated, though not before the conspirators had twice forced an entry into the royal apartments. Don Diego Leon, one of

the leaders, was soon afterwards apprehended and shot.

7.-Parliament, described by the Whigs as "the Do-nothing," prorogued by Commission. 12.-Accident at the Victoria Theatre from the gallery stairs giving way under the pressure of a crowd.

Major-Gen. Sir Robert Sale despatched by General Elphinstone from Cabul with the 13th Light Infantry and the 35th Native Infantry, to force the Khoord Pass, the Ghilzie chiefs having gathered at Tezeen, with the view of cutting off communication with British India. They entered the pass this day, and continued fighting their way to Gundamuck, which was reached on the 30th. They entered the ruined fortress of Jellalabad on the 12th November, and commenced to repair the walls. The state of the country would not permit any attempt to reach Cabul with supplies.

Concluded at Utica the trial of Alexander McLeod, charged with being concerned in the destruction of the Caroline in 1837, and the death of Dupree, an American citizen. The apprehension of McLeod on American territory had given rise to much correspondence between the two countries, and it was at one time feared it might lead to a serious embroilment. All apprehension, however, was set at rest by the jury returning a verdict of acquittal on all the counts.

13.-Boiler explosion at the machine works of Messrs. Elce and Co., Ancoats, Manchester, causing the death of six workmen, the injury of many others, and the destruction of a large amount of property.

14. At the meeting of the Norwich Branch of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, a band of Chartists interrupt the proceedings, and cause the chairman, Lord Wodehouse, to leave the room.

18. High tide in the Thames, attended with much destruction of property. At high water the depth at the entrance of St. Katherine's Dock was thirty-one feet. All the approaches to the Thames police-office were cut off, and wherries employed to convey suitors to and from the court. The whole of the lower part of Westminster was inundated. If Parliament had been sitting, members could only have reached the House in boats; Palaceyard and the adjacent streets being under water. The floor of Westminster Hall, the Temple gardens, and the Duke of Buccleuch's gardens, were all overflowed. A vitriol and naphtha manufactory in Battersea Fields suffered to the extent of 2,000/.

21.-Destruction by fire of Derby Townhall, erected in 1828, at a cost of 12,000l. The fire was observed about two in the morning by a policeman on duty, and it continued raging till six, in spite of great efforts. The town records were destroyed, and various documents belonging to the revising barrister.

21.-Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. Launch of the Trafalgar man-of-war, at Woolwich, in the presence of the Queen, and an immense gathering of people. At the request of her Majesty, the vessel was christened by Lady Bridport, a niece of Lord Nelson, and the wine used was a portion of that taken from the Victory after the battle of Trafalgar. There were about 500 people on board at the time of the launch, 100 of whom had taken part in the action after which the vessel was named.

22.-Reward offered by fire-offices for the discovery of incendiaries in Warwickshire. Numerous fires about this time in Bedfordshire, Nottingham, and Yorkshire.

23.--Distress in the manufacturing districts. At a meeting held in Leeds to consider the condition of the poor, it was reported that in 4,752 families in that town, containing 19,936 individuals, 16,156 were unemployed. average weekly income of each was 11d., or something less than 1d. per day.

The

Lord Ellenborough, having accepted the office of Governor-General of India, is succeeded at the Board of Control by Lord Fitzgerald.

25. The surviving members of the Niger Colonizing Expedition, now nearly extirpated by fever, rescued by Captain Beecroft of the Ethiope. Captain Trotter arrived at Liverpool in the Albert on the 25th January.

26. Sir William Macnaghten writes from Cabul to the Secretary of the Indian Government, explaining the facts connected with the rising of certain Ghilzie chiefs, who, on account of the reduction of their allowances, had taken possession of some of the passes leading to the city. "There is no enemy to oppose us," he writes, "on the open plain; and should we hereafter be forced into hostilities, a desultory mountain warfare will doubtless be that with which we shall have to contend." He therefore recommended the organization of three infantry corps of mountaineers to take the place of an equal number of regulars.

The London journals draw attention to serious frauds in Exchequer bills, afterwards found out to be accomplished through the connivance of Mr. Beaumont Smith, of the Comptroller's office.

27. The American brig Creole sails from Hampton Roads for New Orleans, laden with slaves and tobacco. On the 7th November a mutiny took place on board, in the course of which the owner was killed, and the captain and officers placed in confinement. The vessel was then directed for Nassau, New Providence, where, against the protest of the American Consul, the English governor permitted all to go at liberty except those thought to be prominently concerned in the murder and mutiny. 28. A miser, named Smith, died in his

house, Seven Dials, London, in the possession of funded, leasehold, and freehold property valued at 400,000/.

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28.-Treaty concluded between Great Britain and the Shah of Persia. It provides for the admission of each other's goods and manufactures of every description, upon the payment in one sum, once for all," of the Customs' duties exacted from the most favoured European nations; and the mutual cession to the subjects of either country of the privileges of the most favoured nation. Two British commercial agents are to reside in Persia, in the capital and at Tabriz, besides one at Bushire; and commercial agents of Persia are to reside at London and Bombay.

66

30.-The Duke of Wellington declines to receive a deputation relative to the distressed operatives of Paisley. "A meeting," he writes, to discuss their distresses is not necessary in order to draw his attention to them, and his other occupations render it necessary that he should decline to receive the deputation. H begs the deputation to observe, that he is not in the Queen's political service, that he does no fill any political office, and exercises no powe or authority."

31.-Fire at the Tower of London. Abou half-past 10 P. M. the sentry of the Scot Fusilier Guards, on the ramparts next t Tower-hill, observed a large body of smok ascending as if from the centre of that pa of the buildings known as the Grand Store house and Small Armory. He sounded a alarm by discharging his musket, and the g rison immediately turned out. Unfortunatel no water could be got, and from the dr ness of the place, and the quantity of timb in the building, the total destruction of th armory became inevitable. In less than quarter of an hour after the discovery an in mense body of fire was raging with uncontroll fury. Engines soon arrived from the differe metropolitan stations, but though fully mann by the Foot Guards and relays, all careful provided, were utterly useless from want water. Two hours elapsed before a supp could be procured; the flames in the meanti extending in the direction of the Jewel Tow on the one side, and chapel and White Tow on the other. The regalia were fortunat

saved, and placed in the house of the governor, Major Elrington, without the loss of a single jewel. At two o'clock, when the fire had reached its fiercest power, considerable alarm was excited by the approach of the flames towards a magazine attached to the armory; but at this time the tide was up, and the supply of water so abundant, that all danger from such an erplosion was soon at an end. The powder itself, to the weight of about 9,000 tons, was got out and thrown into the moat. The fire was supposed to have been caused by the overbeating of a stove in the Round Table Tower. The total loss in stores and buildings was estimated at 200,000!.

November 2.-Daniel O'Connell elected Lord Mayor of Dublin, being the first appointment of the kind under the new Municipal Corporations Act.

Between

- Serious disturbances at Cabul. 200 and 300 men attack the residence of Sir Alexander Burnes, and murder Sir Alexander, his brother Lieut. Burnes, and Lieut. Broadfoot, who was in the house at the time. "The immediate cause of this outbreak," writes Envoy Sir William Macnaghten, "in the capital was a seditious letter addressed by Abdoollah Khan to several chiefs of influence at Cabul, stating that it was the design of the Envoy to seize and send them all to London. The principal rebels met on the previous night, and, relying on the inflammable feelings of the people of Cabul, they pretended that the king had issued an order to put all infidels to death." Three days afterwards the enemy obtained possession of the commissariat, a success not only greatly elating the Affghans outside the walls, b: ultimately compelling the Envoy to negotiate with Akbar Khan for evacuating the city. 4. At the usual complimentary dinner Even by the Directors of the East India Company to the departing Governor-General, Lord Ellenborough made an emphatic declaration of his intention to govern upon peace principles. He abjured all thoughts of a warLise aggressive policy, and declared his settled determination, on assuming the reins of governEent, to direct all the energies of his mind towards the due cultivation of the arts of peace; to emulate the munificent benevolence of the Mahommedan conquerors; and to elevate and prove the condition of the generous and Eghty people of India.

7. The Rev. M. S. Alexander consecrated Eshop of England and Ireland in Jerusalem by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Queen by cence assigned to his jurisdiction Syria, Chal

Egypt, and Abyssinia, and the new Eshopric was placed under the protection of England and Prussia.

9.-This morning, at twelve minutes before deven o'clock, the Queen was safely delivered of a son-the Prince of Wales. The event was made known by the firing of the Park and Tower guns

9.-Discussion in the Edinburgh Town Coun cil, on the case of Butters, confectioner, Grassmarket, who, at the instigation of Mr. Guthrie's kirk-session, had been taken before Baillie Grieve, and fined 8s., with 27. 135. expenses, for keeping open his door on the Sunday, and selling sweatmeats to children in the neighbourhood. Being unable to pay the fine, he was lodged in the Calton jail. The Council now resolved that a complete inquiry should be made into the case.

10.-Illness of the Queen Dowager. "The Queen Dowager had some hours of refreshing sleep in the night, but there is no alleviation of her Majesty's symptoms this morning."

11.-Riot at Culsalmond, on the occasion of inducting Mr. Middleton as assistant minister of the parish. An excited mob took possession of the church, and, with deafening yells, compelled the Presbytery to retire to the manse, and there complete the ordination. The uproar was continued till midnight; the mob breaking the seats and windows of the church, and refreshing themselves at times with whisky and tobacco.

14.-Shocking tragedy in Burnley barracks. Private Morris, of the 60th Rifles, in a fit of jealousy, it was supposed, murders Lieut. O'Grady, and a female servant employed about the mess-room, by stabbing them with a carving knife, and then committed suicide with the same weapon.

Died at Paris, aged 75, the Earl of Elgin, famous for introducing into this country the remains of ancient art known as the Elgin Marbles.

15. Sir Robert Sale writes from Jellalabad, explaining the impossibility of returning to Cabul in his present position. "A regard for the honour and interests of our Government compels me to adhere to my plan already formed, of putting this place into a state of defence, and holding it, if possible, until the Cabul force falls back upon me, or succour arrives from Peshawur or India."

Execution of Blakesley for the murder of the innkeeper in Eastcheap.

17.-Attempt to fire the Horse Guards, and the barracks behind the National Gallery, by throwing in small hand-grenades.

Great commotion in Dublin, on the occasion of Daniel O'Connell attending the levee of the Lord Lieutenant. The Corporation proceeded to the castle in full state, and the new Lord Mayor was favourably received.

20.-Cavanagh, the "fasting man," detected at Reading as an impostor, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment.

Commission gazetted for inquiring into the best mode of promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom.

23.--The Rev. W. Whewell, B. D., appointed Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, in room of Dr. Christopher Wordsworth, resigned.

24.-General Elphinstone writes to Envoy Macnaghten: "After having held our position here for upwards of three weeks in a state of siege, from the want of provisions and forage, the reduced state of our troops, the large number of wounded and sick, the difficulty of defending the extensive and ill-situated cantonment we occupy, the near approach of winter, our communications cut off, no prospects of relief, and the whole country in arms against us, I am of opinion that it is not feasible any longer to maintain our position in this country, and that you ought to avail yourself of the offer to negotiate which has been made to you."

25.-Died suddenly at his residence, Pimlico, from spasm of the heart, Sir Francis Chantrey, R.A., sculptor. The greater part of his valuable collection of paintings and sculpture was bequeathed to the nation, subject to the condition of providing a suitable building in which to place them.

December 1.-Meeting called by the Lord Provost in the Glasgow Royal Exchange, to devise means for relieving the distress in Paisley. It appeared that there were not fewer than 14,000 people in the town and neighbourhood in absolute want.

Died, aged 65, Dr. G. Birkbeck, founder of Mechanics' Institutes.

3.-The Governor-General of India, having received information of events in Cabul to the 9th November, and Jellalabad to the 15th, writes to General Sir Jasper Nicolls: "It would be vain to speculate upon the issue of the contest at Cabul; but in the extreme event of the military possession of that city, and the surrounding territory, having been entirely lost, it is not our intention to direct new and extensive operations for the re-establishment of our supremacy throughout Affghanistan. We can scarcely contemplate, in such case, that there will be any circumstances or political objects of sufficient weight to induce us to desire to retain possession of the remainder of that country; and, unless such shall be obvious as arising from the course of events, we should wish our military and political officers so to shape their proceedings as will best promote the end of retiring with the least possible discredit.' Two days later the Governor-General writes to Sir William Macnaghten at Cabul: "So serious appear to be the difficulties which are to be encountered at Cabul, amid a hostile population, by a force cut off for several months from support by the impassable state of the roads in the winter season, that the GovernorGeneral in Council has felt compelled to take into his contemplation the possible occurrence of still more serious disaster to our troops there, and to provide even for the contingency of our political influence in that quarter being for a

time entirely subverted; and the first duty of Government in issuing instructions suitable to such an event having been discharged, I I am now directed to assure you that the GovernorGeneral in Council will remain anxiously mindful of your position, and that every measure will be adopted, as the tenor of the information received may show to be necessary, of which the season will admit, and which may be otherwise practicable, for affording relief to yourself and to the troops by whom you are accompanied. We have only for the present to trust to an overruling Providence, and to the energy and perseverance of our gallant troops, for the maintenance of the power and safety of our arms.'

4. Tried at the Central Criminal Court, Edward Beaumont Smith, charged with forging and uttering fraudulent Exchequer Bills to an immense amount. He pleaded guilty, and

read a statement, explanatory of the gradual manner in which his necessities led him to commit the crimes with which he stood charged. "Whatever speculation," he said, "may have been carried on by those who have used these bills, no profit ever reached me, or ever was intended to do so. Year after year bills have been wrung from me, under pretence of redeeming and cancelling those outstanding, in order to prevent discovery, and afterwards by the repeated misapplication of them the neces sity was created for more, to accomplish the original purpose; and thus the frightful crime which has taken place was occasioned." A subsequent statement was to the effect that no person of rank or public character was in any way mixed up in the transaction, the sole parties being himself, Solari, Rassallo, and another whose office was in Basinghall-street, where they used to arrange their plans. He believed the total amount fabricated to be about 340,000l., the whole of which was wasted in gambling transactions on the Stock Exchange. Sen. tenced to transportation for life.

9.-Sir William Macnaghten writes from Cabul to the Hon. Mr. Erskine, Bombay: "We have now been besieged thirty-eight days by a contemptible enemy, whom the cowardice of our troops, and certain other circumstances which I will not mention, have emboldened to assume an attitude of superiority. Our provi sions will be out in two or three days more, and the military authorities have strongly urged me to capitulate. This I will not do till the last We have rumours that a force is coming to our assistance from Candahar; and I sincerely trust it may, for we have no energy or spirit among those here."

moment.

Died at Stuttgard, John Heinrich Dannecker, sculptor, and friend of Schiller.

10.-A Commercial Convention of the Midland Counties met at Derby to consider the grievances under which the various manufacturing interests are placed by the restrictive policy of the Government. Resolutions approv ing of a relaxation of the tariff and the entire abolition of the Corn Laws were carried with