pence in the pound on incomes above 150l. a

year.

March 1. Lord John Russell introduced a bill to amend the representation of the people of England and Wales. Similar Reform bills were introduced for Scotland and Ireland.

Feb. 12. By votes recorded on the 11th and 12th, the people of Tuscany and the Romagna decided on annexation to Sardinia.

Feb. 15. General rising of the people of Sicily against the Neapolitan government.

Feb. 24. Treaty between France and Sardinia signed at Turin, by which Savoy and Nice were annexed to France.

May 1. War between the Maoris of New Zealand and the British, in consequence of a dispute about the sale of some lands.

May 3. Lord John Russell's Reform bill was read a second time in the House of Commons, after being debated for four nights.

May 16. Garibaldi's troops defeated those of the king of Naples at Lioppo. On the 17th Garibaldi issued a proclamation announcing that he had assumed the responsibility of the dictatorship of Sicily.

May 21. In the House of Lords, on the motion of lord Monteagle, the Paper Duties Repeal Bill was thrown out by 193 votes to 104.

May 22. Garibaldi defeated the Neapolitan forces, and on the 27th entered Palermo. On the 29th the ministers of the king of Naples resigned their functions.

June 1. Armistice agreed to between Garibaldi and the Neapolitan troops in Sicily.

June 11. Lord John Russell stated in the House of Commons that, in consequence of the large number of amendments on the proposed Reform bill of which notice had been given, and the lateness of the session, the government had resolved to withdraw the bill.

June 23. The Queen reviewed 18,000 volunteers in Hyde Park.

July 5. The House of Commons, on the motion of lord Palmerston, passed three resolutions in vindication of the privileges of the House against the recent aggression of the Lords, in throwing out the Paper Duties Repeal Bill, the rejecting of which, being a money bill, was not within the province of the Lords.

On

July 9. The prince of Wales, accompanied by the duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the Colonies, embarked at Plymouth on a visit to Canada and the United States. the 18th of August the prince was at Quebec. On the 20th of September he entered the United States on his way to Washington to visit the president, travelling under the title of baron Renfrew. On the 15th of November he landed at Plymouth on his return home.

July 16. Opening of the fourth annual congress of the International Statistical Congress in London, when the Prince Consort, as president, delivered an address.

July 21. England, France, and other Euro

597

pean powers, united in sending an expedition to Syria to protect the life and property of Europeans, and arrest the effusion of blood, in the conflicts which might occur and were still threatened between the Druses and the Maronites.

Aug. 7. The Queen reviewed about 20,000 volunteers in the Queen's Park, Edinburgh.

Aug. 20. Fuad Pasha, the commissioner sent to Syria by the sultan, caused 167 persons implicated in the massacres in Syria to be executed in Damascus, and many others to be sent to Constantinople to be imprisoned and put to hard labour.

Aug. 21. The Taku forts at the mouth of the Pei-ho river taken by the British and French troops, after a determined resistance by the Tartars forming the garrison. The allies proceeded to occupy Tien-tsin, the ambassadors and the main body of the army going on towards Pekin.

Aug. 28. Parliament closed by commission.

Sept. 7. The king of Naples left his capital in a Spanish ship for Gaeta. Garibaldi entered Naples on the 8th, accompanied only by his staff, and immediately organized a government. On the 9th he proclaimed Victor-Emmanuel king of Italy, and on the 11th handed over the Neapolitan fleet to the Sardinian admiral.

Sept. 29. Ancona capitulated to the Sardiniaus. The papal army, with their commander, general Lamoricière, surrendered themselves prisoners of war.

Oct. 1. Garibaldi defeated the Neapolitans in the battle of the Volturno.

Oct. 24. Peace concluded between Great Britain and France on the one hand, and China on the other. The allies were represented by the earl of Elgin and baron Gros; China was represented by prince Kung, brother of the emperor. On the 5th of November the allied forces left Pekin.

Nov. 7. The king of Sardinia entered Naples, and was received with general enthusiasm. On the 9th Garibaldi retired to his small property on the little island of Caprera.

Dec. 13. Death of the earl of Aberdeen, aged 77.

Dec. 14. Message of president Buchanan to the United States' congress, deprecating the threatened secession of the Southern states.

Dec. 20. Secession of South Carolina from the United States of North America. LEGISLATION. SESSION 23 & 24 VICTORIA.

Cap. 8. An Act to amend the Law relating to the unlawful Administering of Poisons. Administering poisons or noxious substances with intent to injure, aggrieve, or annoy, is made punishable as a misdemeanor for three years, with or without hard labour; if endangering life or causing bodily harm, by penal servitude for not more than ten nor less than three years. Persons indicted for the felony may be convicted of the misdemeanor.

Cap. 11. To amend the Law relating to Endowed Schools. Provides for the admis

sion of children of parents not in communion with the Church of England, where not expressly required by the endowment.

Cap. 27. For granting to Her Majesty certain Duties on Wine Licences and Refreshment Houses, and for regulating the licensing of Refreshment Houses, and the granting of Wine Licences. Licences for the retailing of foreign wine to be drunk on the premises to be granted by the commissioners of inland revenue, within certain limited hours, and under certain regulations.

Cap. 78. To place the Employment of Women, young Persons, and Children in Bleaching Works and Dyeing Works, under the Regulations of the Factory Acts.

Cap. 84. For preventing the Adulteration of Articles of Food or Drink. Articles of food adulterated with anything prejudicial to health, subjects the seller, if aware of it, to a penalty of 51. Chemical analysers are to be appointed, and purchasers may have a suspected article analysed on payment of a fee varying from 2s. 6d. to 10s. 6d.

Cap. 151. For the Regulation and Inspection of Mines. Forbids the employment of boys under the age of twelve, or not under ten, with a certificate of having attended school for a certain period. Penalties are imposed for giving false certificates, and inspectors are appointed.

Cap. 154. To consolidate and amend the Law of Landlord and Tenant in Ireland. Several acts are repealed, and fixtures of trade and agriculture erected by a tenant at his own expense are made removeable, if not injuring the freehold. Compensation is to be made for the crops or manuring the land on the removal of the tenant.

Revenue, 67, 458,0937. ; ExpenditureArmy, 14,168,621; Navy, 12,991,6687.; for all objects, 68,069, 2317.; Debt, 801,477,7417.

Emigration-to North American Colonies, 9,786; to United States, 87,500; to Australian Colonies and New Zealand, 24, 302; to all other places, 6, 881 total, 128, 469.

Amount of Gold imported from Australia, 6,719,000Z.

Railway Traffic: Miles open, 10,433; number of passengers, 163, 483,572; traffic receipts, 27,766,6227.

Number of Paupers, 973,255.

1861.

Jan 1. The French government abolished the passport system in respect of British subjects travelling in France.

Jan. 3. President Buchanan received commissioners from South Carolina, who requested that the troops should be removed from the forts of the United States in Charleston Harbour. The President, in accordance with the views of the majority of his Cabinet, refused to withdraw the troops.

Jan. 12. Famine in north-western India,

owing to want of rain. Besides money granted by the government, and raised by subscription in Calcutta, upwards of 100,000l. was transmitted from London and Liverpool, the contributions of the people of Great Britain for the relief of the starving millions of the Indian rice country.

Feb. 4. The emperor Napoleon, in opening the French Legislative Chambers, invited free discussion on the topics submitted to their consideration, and intimated that the newspapers would now be permitted to publish the debates.

Feb. 5. Parliament opened by the Queen in person, who, in the Royal speech, expressed her concern at the unhappy differences which had arisen between the States composing the North American Union, and her heartfelt wish that these differences might be susceptible of a satisfactory adjustment.

Feb. 14. Gaeta surrendered to the Piedmontese general, Cialdini, after suffering severely from the prolonged siege and bombardment. The ex-king and queen of Naples left the harbour on board the French ship Mouette.

Feb. 26. Mr. Bruce took up his residence at Pekin as British plenipotentiary at the Chinese Court.

April 8. The decennial census of Great Britain and Ireland taken this day.

The males and females numbered in each case as follows: (1) 9,758, 852 males and 10,302,873 females; (2) 1,447,015 m. and 1,614,314 f.; (3) 2,804,961 m. and 2,959,582 f. ; and (4) 66,394 m. and 77,385 f.; the total consists of 14,380,634 of the one sex, and 14,954,154 of the other.

April 8. Disturbances in Warsaw, in which in a few days about a thousand persons were killed and wounded by the Russian troops.

April 15. The chaucellor of the exchequer brought forward his budget, in which he proposed to reduce the rate of income-tax from 10d. to 9d. in the pound, to abolish the paper duties, and to re-enact the existing duties on tea and sugar for one year.

April 15. Proclamation of Mr. Lincoln, the new president of the United States, calling out the militia of the several states, and summon. ing an early session of congress, to meet on July 4th.

April 18. At Harper's Ferry the commissioners of the Federal government, being pressed by a superior force, destroyed the armoury, the arsenal, and 15,000 stand of arms, and retired to Pennsylvania.

April 29. In the House of Lords it was stated by lord Wodehouse that her majesty's government had decided not to intrude advice or counsel on the government of the United

States; but that lord Lyons, the British ambassador at Washington, had been instructed to express on every fitting occasion the earnest desire of her majesty's government that the differences between the North and the South might be amicably arranged.

April 29. Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States, sent a message to the Confederate congress respecting the war with the Federal States. In this message he announced that a permanent constitution of the Confederate States had been ratified.

May 3. Messages from the Queen to both Houses of Parliament intimated her majesty's sanction to a marriage between the princess Alice and prince Louis of Hesse. On the 6th, Parliament voted to the princess Alice a dower of 30,000l., and an annuity of 6,0007.

June 1. Death of Count Cavour, prime minister of Victor-Emmanuel, king of Italy.

June 10. Repulse of the Federal American troops by the Confederates at Great Bethel, between James river and York river.

July 4. The Federal American Congress, in extraordinary session, authorized the employment of 500,000 Volunteers, and voted a supply of 500 million dollars to carry on the war.

July 21. The Federal army beaten by the Confederates at Bull's Run, near Manassas Junction, after nine hours' severe fighting.

Aug. 6. Parliament prorogued.

Oct. 25. Death of sir James R. G. Graham, Bart., aged 69.

Nov. 8. The "Trent," West India mail steamer, which left Havannah on the 7th, was boarded by the "San Jacinto," United States man-of-war, commanded by captain Wilkes, and four passengers-Messrs. Slidell and Mason, Confederate commissioners to London and Paris, with their secretaries-were forcibly abducted, the commander of the "Trent" and the Admiralty agent in charge of the mail energetically protesting against the outrage, which they had no power to prevent.

Nov. 30. Earl Russell, secretary of state for foreign affairs-having received information on the 27th of the seizure of the Confederate commissioners on board the "Trent,"-despatched instructions to lord Lyons to demand the restoration of the four passengers taken from the "Trent" by captain Wilkes. On the 13th of December the first draft of troops was sent off from this country for Canada, followed by several detachments in the next ten days. On the 27th of December, Mr. Seward, the American secretary of state, informed lord Lyons that the four prisoners would be cheerfully given up by the United States government, which had not authorized or sanctioned the act of captain Wilkes in capturing them. They were accordingly given up to lord Lyons on the 2nd of January, 1862, and sent by him immediately to England.

599

Dec. 14. Death of the Prince Consort at Windsor Castle, in his 43rd year.

LEGISLATION. SESSION 24 & 25 VICTORIA.

Cap. 14. An Act to grant additional facilities for depositing Small Savings at Interest, with the security of the Government for the due Repayment thereof. This Act enables a depositor of any amount not less than a shilling to deposit his savings in any money-order office, which he may withdraw from any other office, and which, while it remains, receives an interest of 2 per cent. per annum.

Cap. 47. To facilitate the Construction and Improvement of Harbours, by authorizing Loans to Harbour authorities, to abolish Passing Tolls, and for other purposes. The chief purposes are to abolish tolls, unless facilities are afforded to equalize the dues on foreign ships with those of British, and to abolish passing tolls.

Cap. 55. To amend the Laws regarding the Removal of the Poor, and the Contribution of Parishes to the common Funds in Unions. Reduces the power of removing poor persons to a residence of three years without receiving parish relief. The contribution of parishes to the common fund is to be computed on the rental, and not on the payment to its own poor. A similar Act was passed for Ireland. (Cap. 76.)

Cap. 109. To amend the Laws relating to Fisheries of Salmon in England. This ensures the preservation of salmon in English rivers by many detailed precautions.

Cap. 117. To place the Employment of Women, young Persons, Youths, and Children in Lace Factories under the Regulations of the Factory Acts.

Cap. 133. To amend the Law relating to Agricultural Drainage. Enables parties to join in effecting drainage that could not be accomplished by individuals.

Cap. 134. To amend the Law relating to Bankruptcy and Insolvency. Abolishes the Courts of the Commissioners of Bankruptcy and the Court of Insolvency, and enacts the course of procedure before new judicatures.

Revenue, 63,905, 8841.; ExpenditureArmy, 15,709,299l.; Navy, 12,608,0421. ; for all objects, 66,120,0927.; Debt, 799,949,8077.

Exports of British and Irish Produce, 125,115,1337.

Emigration-to North American Colonies, 12,707; to United States, 49,764; to Australian Colonies and New Zealand, 23,738; to all other places, 5561 total, 91,770.

Amount of Gold imported from Australia, 6,331,2251.

Railway Traffic: Miles open, 10,870; number of passengers, 173,721, 139; traffic receipts, 28,565,3551.

Number of Paupers, 1,019,539.