7. The Liverpool steamer Pacific wrecked on Linga Island, off Shetland, and twenty-six of the crew drowned.

The Daily Nerus announces the retirement of Vice-Admiral Sir Spencer Robinson from the office of Controller of the Navy. This resignation was authoritatively contradicted in next day's Times. On the 9th the Times confirmed the original announcement by stating that Captain Robert Hay had succeeded ViceAdmiral Robinson as Controller and Third Lord of the Admiralty. (See p. 982.)

Publication of the Emperor of Austria's letter empowering Count Hohenwart to form a new Cabinet. "The Government knows that

no State is stronger than Austria when on a friendly footing with foreign countries, and with a free development and a conciliatory policy at home. Having placed all nationalities on an equal footing, the Government will give free play to all legitimate peculiarities, but, on the other hand, will never more make precarious compromises with separatism at the expense of indispensable attributes of State unity. The Government takes its stand on constitutional right, upon which before all it will practise conciliation, while bringing into full play the fundamental laws of the State."

Acknowledging the arrival of food supplies in Paris, M. Jules Ferry telegraphs to the Lord Mayor of London, president of the fund for relieving the distress :-"I have taken charge of the first part of this magnificent and fraternal gift. The City of Paris expresses to the City of London its profound gratitude. In the extremity of its misfortunes the voice of the English people has been the first that has been heard by it from outside with an expression of sympathy. The citizens of Paris will never forget the circumstance; and if the souls of the two peoples are united, we shall have faith in the future."

Members of the Buonaparte family declared to be ineligible for election in virtue of the laws April 10, 1832, and June 9, 1848, directed against persons who had reigned over France.

The whole departments of the Côte d'Or, Nuits, Beaume, Arnay-le-duc, Saulieu, Pouilly, Sombernon, exclusive of the Seine, occupied by the troops under the command of General Von Hann.

M. Ledru-Rollin declines the honour of election to the Bordeaux Assembly, and states that he will now bear but his "own share in this lamentable catastrophe, which is already sufficiently heavy for the responsibility of a private citizen." Generals Trochu and Ducrot also declined.

8.-Elections throughout France for the National Assembly called to meet at Bordeaux. M. Thiers was found to be returned for the greatest number of seats, and had also the largest number of votes. In Paris M. Louis Blanc headed the list with 216,000 votes;

Victor Hugo followed with 214,000, Garibaldi 200,000, Edgar Quinet 199,000, Gambetta 191,000, and Henri Rochefort 163,000. M. Thiers, twentieth on the list, polled 102,000, The Prince de Joinville headed the poll in the department of La Manche. At Strasburg the Mayor received the largest number of votes, 9,937. M. Ledru-Rollin was elected at Toulon and General Garibaldi at Nice. M. Gambetta was elected at Marseilles, with Thiers, Trochu, and others. In the Département da Nord the Monarchical candidates were suc cessful, receiving an average of 195,000 votes against 47,000 on the Republican list.

8.-The ex-Emperor Napoleon issues a pro clamation from Wilhelmshöhe:-"Betrayed by fortune, I have preserved since my captivity that profound silence which is misfortune's mourning. So long as the armies of France and Germany confronted one another, I a stained from all steps or words which might have divided the public mind. I can no longer be silent in the face of the disasters of my country without appearing to be insensible s its sufferings. When I was compelled to su render myself a prisoner I could not treat ir peace; my decisions would have seemed tated by personal considerations; I left to th Government of the Regent the duty of decides whether the interests of the nation required continuance of the struggle. Notwithstand unheard-of reverses France was not subdue Our strongholds still held out, few depar ments were invaded, Paris was in a stated defence, and the area of our misfortunes have been limited. But while attention a fixed upon the enemy, an insurrection broke in Paris. The seat of the national representa tives was violated, the safety of the Em was threatened, a Government installed it" by surprise in the Hôtel de Ville, and t Empire, which the whole nation had acclaimed for the third time, was overthrost abandoned by those who should have bee defenders. . . . As regards myself, bruised so much injustice and such bitter deceptice do not come forward to-day to claim which four times in twenty years you confirmed. In the presence of the calam which afflict us there is no room for pers ambition. But so long as the people reg assembled in its comitia shall not have fested its will, it will be my duty to ac myself to the nation as its real representa and to tell it that all that may be done with your direct participation is illegitimate. The is but one Government which has issued the national sovereignty, and which, above the selfishness of parties, has strength to heal your wounds, to reopen hearts to hope, your profaned churches your prayers, and to bring back ind concord, and peace to the bosom of 2 country.'

9.—The Italian Chamber of Deputies z the clause of the Guarantee Bill relating to Pope's Dotation. The Library and Galery

the Vatican were afterwards declared to be national property.

9.-Died at the Residentiary House, Amencourt, aged 73, Henry Melvill, D.D., Canon of St. Paul's. He was succeeded in the Canonry by Dr. Lightfoot, Hulsean Professor of Divinity, Cambridge.

- Parliament opened by the Queen in person, accompanied by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Louise, and other members of the Royal Family, who, preceded by the great officers of state, passed in procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster. The Royal Speech (read by the Lord Chancellor) was of unusual length, and began by a reference to the war raging till recently between France and Germany, in which it was said, "I have maintained the rights and strictly discharged the duties of neutrality," and been enabled "on more than one occasion to contribute towards placing the representatives of the two contending countries in confidential communication." Her Majesty had offered congratulations to the King of Prussia on accepting the title of Emperor of Germany-an event "bearing testimony to the solidity and independence" of that country, and conducive, it was hoped, to the stability of the European system; had upheld the sanctity of treaties by commencing a Conference in London; and was a party to a joint commission for adjusting several questions of importance with the United States. Allusion was made to the elevation of a Prince of the House of Savoy to the Spanish throne, to the inquiry into the Greek massacres-unhappily not yet carried to a termination "answerable in all respects to my just expectations"-to the massacre at Tien-tsin as justifying a policy of conciliation and forbearance, and to the friendship and good understanding prevailing with sovereigns and states abroad. The only reference to domestic affairs was a brief statement of the consent given to the marriage of the Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorne. Bills were promised for the better regulation of the army and auxiliary land forces of the Crown a change "from a less to a more effective and elastic system of defensive military preparation"-Religious Tests in Universities, Ecclesiastical Titles, Disabilities of Trade Combinations, Courts of Justice and Appeal, Adjustment of Local Boundaries, Licensing, Secret Voting, and Primary Education in Scotland. The Address was agreed to without a division, though Mr. Disraeli commented with some severity on an armed neutrality as "a very serious thing for a nation that for a year and a half has been disbanding its veterans; a very serious thing for a nation with skeleton battalions and attenuated squadrons, and batteries without sufficient guns, and yet more guns than gunners; a very serious thing for a nation which is without a military reserve, has left off shipbuilding and reduced its blue-jackets." Mr. Disraeli thought the present war part of a great German Revolution, more important politically than the French Revolution. It opened a new

world and new objects, and had entirely destroyed the old balance of power. Its first consequence was the repudiation by Russia of the Treaty of 1856. And here our Government suffered the consequences of their own repudiation of the Saxon guarantee, for they exposed themselves to the answer from Count Bismarck that they had themselves done only four months before what they were now so angry with Russia for doing. The proper answer to Prince Gortschakoff's note was to warn Russia that she must take the consequences of such an act, and he believed that if we had answered thus we should have heard no more about it. The natural result of the Conference would of course be that Russia would get all she wanted-as Russia always did in conferences and congresses, especially when she met Prussia there. Mr. Gladstone explained that the conditions under which the Saxon guarantee was given had long since changed, and that Prussia was quite able to take care of herself. As to the neutrality of the Black Sea, he declared that Lord Clarendon and Lord Palmerston both set little value on it, and that neither Austria nor France regarded it as a restriction which could be permanently enforced. Had we gone to war on that account, we should have had to do so alone. Accepting the challenge as to the state of our armaments, he appealed to the familiar test of arithmetic. The army of 1862, which Mr. Disraeli denounced as "6 bloated," amounted to 92,270, and in 1870 it was only 3,000 less; the difference could scarcely be called attenuation, especially as we had now a reserve of 23,000, which we had not in 1862. Moreover, the estimates of 1868, for which Mr. Disraeli was responsible, gave only 87,500 men. Though anxious to take the most hopeful view of the armistice, he could not deny that the future of Europe was full of danger. He repudiated non-intervention as a rigid policy. Whatever our security, power, and independence, we had no right to wrap ourselves up in an absolute and selfish isolation. We had a history, we had traditions, we had living, constant, perpetual, multiplied intercourse and contact with every people in Europe. We should be unworthy of the recollections of our past, unworthy of the hopes of the future, unworthy of the greatness of the present, if we disowned the obligations which arose out of those relations to others more liable to suffer than ourselves.

9.-Joint Commission announced to meet at Washington for settling Fishery disputes, Alabama claims, and other outstanding differences between the United States and Great Britain.

10.-General Le Flô arrives at Bordeaux to undertake the direction of the Ministry of War. Storm on the Bridlington coast causing serious destruction to life and shipping property. As many as eighteen vessels were thought to have foundered between Flamborough Head and Auburn House.

11.-The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council give judgment in the case of the Rev. C. Voysey. Basing their decision on the appellant's denial of the Articles relating to original sin, the sacrifice and sufferings of Christ, the Incarnation, and the Trinity, their lordships confirmed the sentence of deprivation pronounced by the Chancery of York, and condemned Mr. Voysey in costs. After a perusal of the appellant's writings they were driven to the conclusion that he advisedly rejected the doctrines on the profession of which alone he was admitted to the position of a minister in the Church. The appellant was allowed a week within which he might retract his opinions-a permission he declined to avail himself of, though grateful (he wrote) that "another opportunity has been afforded me of 'expressly and unreservedly' reaffirming all those opinions which their lordships declare to be contrary to the Thirty-nine Articles, and of rejecting the offer of repurchasing my once cherished position in the Established Church by proclaiming myself a hypocrite."

Mr. Childers's "Minute" regarding the loss of the Captain leading to a difference of opinion as to the share of responsibility Incurred by Admiralty officials, the Prime Minister (in the absence from ill health of the First Lord) endeavours to ascertain from Sir Spencer Robinson when it would be convenient for him to withdraw from the office of Controller. Sir Spencer replied that, not being a consenting party in any way to the transaction, he could only say that the arrangement was entirely in the Premier's own hands. "The fact that my office as Lord of the Admiralty is held, as you rightly state, during pleasure, will not, I hope, prevent you from acceding to my request that should be allowed to see a memorandum which has led you to withdraw your confidence from me. I am sure you will see the justice of complying with this request, when you remember that in June last consented to remain in a position far from satisfactory to myself at your request, on your representations that my services at the Admiralty were most valuable to the nation, and that their cessation would be injurious to the public interests." To-day Mr. Gladstone writes:-"There will be no objection whatever to the production of your reply to the minute of the First Lord. It is clearly due to you. But in order to avoid what would be an inconvenient precedent, the date of the reply should be posterior to your quitting office. Sir Spencer, thereupon, closed the correspondence:-"I regret that I cannot consent to alter the date of my reply to Mr. Childers's Minute. Any inconvenience that

may arise from the precedent you refer to must rest on Mr. Childers, who officially published a paper containing grave charges against myself while I was one of his colleagues, without giving me an opportunity of explanation or remonstrance. He thus left me no alternative but to reply to him officially, or submit to the undeserved stigma he endeavoured to inflict on

me.

11. The 200,000,000f. loan authorized by the City of Paris taken up by bankers in the capital.

12. The National Assembly at Bordeaux meet this afternoon for a preliminary sitting, the oldest member, M. Benoît d'Arzy, occupy ing the chair. Next day M. Jules Favre, in the name of his colleagues at Bordeaux and Paris, resigned their power as the Government of the National Defence into the hands of the representatives. Thanks (he said) to your patriotism and reunion, we hope that the country, having been taught by misfortune, will know how to heal her wounds and to reconstitute the national existence. "I hope that I shall be able to confirm to those with whom we have to negotiate, that the country can do its duty. (Loud cheers.) The enemy must know that we have the honour of France at heart. He will also know that all France will decide. conformity with the eventuality already fore seen by the Convention, a prolongation of the armistice will probably become necessary. Le us render this prolongation as short as possib in order not to lose a moment, and let us be think of the sufferings of the population of the invaded districts." The Chamber then adopted a motion for the provisional application of the standing order of 1848 and 1851. At the s sitting General Garibaldi, loving the Re public but hating the priesthood," renounced the office of Deputy with which he had bee honoured by several departments. He als resigned command of the Army of the Vosges and soon after took his departure for Caprers The report from Paris to-day is that the city is perfectly quiet and engaged in the sk of revictualling. M. Jules Favre was leaving for Bordeaux.

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The terms of the Paris war contribetet finally arranged to-day: two millions ster to be paid in cash; a similar amount in B of France notes, and four millions in bills London.

13. The Lord Advocate's Education B for Scotland introduced and read a first time The measure proposed to take the pre system as a foundation, and to extend the area of rating to all lands and heritag without exception, substituting real rent ast rule of rating, so that all would contrite? according to actual possession. The manageme of the schools, in like manner, to be exte to all persons who contributed to the rais The ratepayers to elect school boards for je ciding on the educational requirements of district and fixing where new schools skai

be established. It was proposed in the first instance to work the whole system under the general supervision of a Committee of Privy Council for Scotch Education sitting in London and administering the Parliamentary grant. The bill on the whole was favourably received by the Scotch members, and after some detailed criticism on the composition of the proposed Board, and the concessions made to heritors presently rated for the support of schools, was committed for a second reading on the 27th.

13. The Cunard Mediterranean steamer Morocco, with a cargo valued at 150,000l., sinks in the Mersey, after coming into collision with the new Greek steamer Wyoming.

14.-Replying to Lord Cairns' criticism of Mr. Gladstone's statement in the House of Commons, Earl Granville reports that it was well known Lord Palmerston did not attach great importance to the Black Sea clauses of the Treaty of Paris, but on the contrary thought there might be a demand for their modification within ten years or possibly less.

Surrender of Belfort under a convention permitting the garrison to leave the fortress with all the honours of war. An armistice was concluded at the same time for the Côte d'Or, Jura, and Doubs.

15. Mr. Chambers' Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister Bill read a second time in the Commons by 125 to 84 votes.

In the Upper House of Convocation a motion submitted by the Bishop of Winchester, excluding Unitarians from the work of revising the Authorized Version of Scripture, was carried by a majority of 10 to 4. In the Lower House this resolution was so far modified as to preclude any expression of opinion on the point raised till a special committee appointed for the purpose had made their report.

Parliament of the Dominion of Canada opened, the Governor-General congratulating the House upon the auspicious circumstances of the country, and speaking in high terms of the gallant manner in which the Fenian invasion had been suppressed. Canada, it was urged, made no demand beyond what she was entitled to by treaty and the law of nations, nor had she sought to maintain the rights of her people in any other than a considerate, friendly spirit.

16. In the House of Lords the Duke of Somerset obtains the appointment of a committee to inquire into "the constitution of the Board of Admiralty with reference to recent changes, and to the practical working of the department."

Official intimation given that sealed letters may now be forwarded to Paris.

Recent negotiations between M. Jules Favre and Count Bismarck, at Versailles, result in the prolongation of the armistice for five days-to the 24th.

Proposal made in the Italian Chamber for attaching a condition to the Pope's Guaran

tee Bill for expelling the Jesuits out of Italian territory.

16.-Replying to a question submitted by Sir J. Hay, as to whether Mr. Odo Russell was instructed by her Majesty's Government to say that the Black Sea question was of a nature in its present state to compel us, with or without allies, to go to war with Russia, Mr. Gladstone said Mr. Russell had on this point spoken without authority; but he did not attach the slightest blame to Mr. Russell, "because it is perfectly well known that the duty of her Majesty's diplomatic agents requires them to express themselves in that mode in which they can best support and recommend the proposi tions of which they wish to procure acceptance." Mr. Odo Russell afterwards explained that the reasons inducing him to use such an argument were, that Great Britain was bound by the Treaty of 1856, that Prince Gortschakoft's note assumed the right of Russia to renounce either the whole or part, that France was otherwise engaged, and Austria unprepared.

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Mr. Gladstone's motion for a grant of 30,000l. as a dowry to the Princess Louise carried by a majority of 350 to 1 (Professor Fawcett) and two tellers-Mr. Taylor and Sir C. Dilke.

17. Came on in the Court of Queen's Bench, the action raised by Mr. G. A. Sala against Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton, for libellous matter embodied in a work written by Mr. Hain Friswell, "Modern Men of Letters Honestly Criticized," and of which the defendants were the publishers. The article advanced a number of insinuations of an offensive nature against the private character of the plaintiff, mixed up with some indiscriminate laudation of his talents and capacities. On the second day of trial the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff damages, 500l.

The Upper House of Convocation engage in the discussion of a petition signed by 900 clergymen of the Church of England, protesting against the decisions of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, on the ground that it was a lay tribunal and unsuited for the decision of spiritual affairs. After a debate as to the terms of the petition, it was ordered to lie on the table. In the Lower House Dean Stanley defended his proceedings in the matter known as the "Westminster Communion." Nothing, he said, which the House might think fit to pass should prevent him from acting on the principle upon which he had acted when he was the celebrant in Henry the Seventh's Chapel; and, more, nothing which this House could pass could deprive him of his right as a clergyman to administer the Sacrament under other laws and other rules than the laws and rules of the Church of England. Nor would he allow himself to be brought down from the high position which his office gave him by any vote; and he quoted the words of American bishops as to the true catholicity of

the English Church, in its being unfenced about by declarations required in some sects, thanking God from the bottom of his heart that the English Church was thus free, that he had had the opportunity of showing this before the face of the world, and that he was able thus to follow Bishop Wilson's well-known acts.

17.-M. Thiers appointed Head of the Executive Power, and M. Grévy President of the Bordeaux National Assembly. A declaration laid on the table from the Deputies of the Lower and Upper Rhine, Meurthe, and Moselle affirmed that "Peace in consideration of a cession of territory will never be a durable peace, but merely a momentary truce, which would soon be followed by another war. As

to ourselves, inhabitants of Alsace and Lorraine, we are ready to resume fighting, and therefore we shall beforehand hold as null and void any offers, treaty, votes, or plébiscite which would have for effect to sever Alsace and Lorraine from France. We proclaim our right to remain united to French soil, and we formally engage to defend our honour." The discussion on the declaration was voted urgent, and the Committee to whom it was committed promised that it would be passed to the Deputies entrusted to negotiate with Prussia.

of

Mr. Cardwell introduces the army estimates, the amount proposed to be voted being 15,851,700. or 2,886,700l. in excess of the preceding year. He took occasion to describe in detail the various features of army reform which the Government had resolved on introducing. "We propose (he said) to increase the Militia, to organize the Volunteers, to provide for compulsory service in cases emergency, to abolish purchase, to withdraw from lord-lieutenants the power they have now in regard to the auxiliary forces (retaining their recommendation for first commissions), to combine the whole under general officers, to appoint colonels on the staff in sufficient numbers to this army, to combine recruiting for the Line with that of the command of Reserves, to fuse together as we can the Regular and Reserve forces by appointing officers of the Regular army to positions in the Reserve, and by giving subalterns of Militia commissions in the Line. We propose to brigade them together, to find field artillery for all armies, to enable counties to get rid of the inconvenience of billets, to gain command of the railway communication of the country in case of emergency-in short, we propose to unite all the voluntary forces of the country into one defensive army, with power to supplement by compulsion in cases of emergency-all to be under the command of the general officers commanding in districts, subordinate to one Commander-in-Chief, who will act with the approval of the Secretary of State; and, therefore, the whole will be under the direction and supreme control of her Majesty's responsible Ministers."

18.-Rowell, the railway stoker concerned in the fatal collision at Citadel Station, Carlisle,

in July last, tried at the Camberland Assizes, and acquitted, on the charge of manslaughter. (See July 11.)

18. Close of the Bavarian Diet, Prince Adalbert in the name of the King expressing a deter mination to remain loyally attached to the whole Fatherland.

The Danube, owing to an accumulation of ice, overflows its banks at Vienna and causes about 3,000 people to quit their dwellings.

19. In the National Assembly to-day M. Thiers read a speech, in which he stated that, though appalled at the painful task imposed upon him by the country, he accepted it with obedience, devotion, and love-sentiments of which France stood all the more in need, inasmuch as she was unfortunate-more unfor tunate than at any former period of her history. But, he added, she is still great, young, rich, and full of resources, and will always remain a lasting monument of human energy. M. Thiers then announced that in selecting the following members of the Ministry he had been guided solely by the public esteem they enjoyed and their public character and capacities:-M Dufaure-Minister of Justice; M. Jules Favre -Minister of Foreign Affairs; M. PicardMinister of the Interior; M. Jules SimonMinister of Public Instruction; M. Lambrecht -Minister of Commerce; General Le FloMinister of War; Admiral Pothuan-Minister of Marine. M. Jules Favre said the Government has deemed it necessary to unite Parliamentary powers with those of the Executive, and preposes in consequence that, in order to facilitate the negotiations, the Assembly should appoint a committee of fifteen deputies to proceed at once to Paris, who will be in constant com munication with the negotiators; the latter en powered to negotiate in the name of the country, and the commission to report to the Assemby. A deputation proceeded to Versailles to-night to ascertain the German terms of peace.

Attempt to assassinate Señor Riar Zorrilla, ex-President of the Cortes, while walking near Calle San Roque, Madrid.

20. In committee to-night on the Usiversity Tests Bill, Mr. Fawcett's motion to abolish the restrictions in favour of clerical bea ships and fellowships was rejected by 182 to 150 votes. The majority included several me bers of the Opposition, while the minontr were mostly pledged supporters of Government In the course of a debate on Mr. Stephenson's amendment to remove from Clause 3 the eception in favour of Divinity Degrees, Mr Gladstone explained that he was under prer S to send up to the House of Lords a bill sima to last year's; so far as Mr. Fawcett's wish that the Government would ponder was concert! all he could say was that Government EL seriously pondered the matter, and their der sion was irrevocable; but it was open for Mr Fawcett to take any course he liked. If the House disapproved of the measure, some private member must take it up.