to act justly and fairly by it, he was hampered in his action by some of his colleagues, who did not disguise their hostility to that Government, two only of them (Rt. Hon. T. Milner Gibson, and the late Sir George Cornewall Lewis) entertaining similar views to Earl Russell; and at the same time the Conservative, or Tory party, in Parliament, led by Earl Derby and the able and persevering Benjamin Disraeli, were constantly watching for an opportunity to overthrow the administration on this very question. They professed to be in favor of immediate recognition of the Southern Confederacy, and, whenever occasion offered, pressed a resolution to that effect upon the ministers. On the 24th of April, Mr. Cobden came to the relief of the Government in a speech of great eloquence and power in the House of Commons, in which he stated with much clearness the principles which obliged the English Government to act up to the spirit of the Navigation and Foreign Enlistment Acts, in prohibiting the furnishing of war vessels to a foreign belligerent power to be used against a nation with whom they were at peace. He reviewed the past intercourse and traditions of the two nations (Great Britain and the United States), and enforced the lesson of friendship and kindness thus inculcated by a vivid picture of the probable results of the opposite course to Great Britain herself. This speech excited a powerful influence in averting the threatened war, and in confirming the ministry in their resolution to refuse all resolutions looking to recognition, and to adhere to their position of neutrality.

The case of the Alexandra and her sister ship, two ironclad rams, building in the Mersey by the eminent shipbuilders John Laird & Sons, who had built the Alabama, began to attract attention in May. The American minister had procured evidence which he regarded as conclusive that these two vessels were intended for the Confederate Government, and he laid this evidence before Earl Russell. The builders, on being questioned, professed at first that the vessels were intended for the Emperor of China, and, when this was disproved, that they were for the Viceroy of Egypt; but the Government became satisfied that these statements were mere subterfuges, by a forged report of the Confederate Secretary of War, then believed to be genuine, which acknowledged that these vessels were intended for them. There was some difficulty, however, in securing the requisite proofs to bring the case within the strict letter of the Foreign Enlistment Act, and there was reason to fear that while the Government were engaged in these efforts, the rams would escape. This result was finally prevented on the 10th of October, by the seizure of the rams by order of the British Government, and their detention under strong guard. A suit was presently instituted under the Foreign Enlistment Act, and, being dismisse dby the courts on technical grounds, was carried before the House of Lords on an appeal, but was eventually (since

the commencement of 1864) dismissed by that body, on the ground that the special case proposed at the instance of the chief baron to carry the matter before the court of the exchequer chamber, was informally and improperly made up. For the correspondence between the Government of the United States and the British ministers on this subject, see DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE.

On the 30th of June, Mr. Roebuck, who had distinguished himself in Parliament since the commencement of the war as the friend and advocate of the Southern Confederacy, moved an address in the House of Commons, praying that negotiations might be entered into with the Great Powers of Europe for the purpose of obtaining their coöperation in the recognition of the independence of the Confederate States; by the Great Powers he said he meant France, and gave an account of an interview which he said had taken place between the Emperor of France, Mr. Lindsay (another member of Parliament), and himself, in which the Emperor told him that he had already made an offer, through Baron Gros, to join England in such a measure. Sir George Grey declared that no such communication as that stated by Mr. Roebuck had ever been made to the Government. The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Gladstone), objected to the motion, and said that he was most anxious for the termination of the war, but recognition would only produce reaction in the North. Mr. Bright eloquently denounced the motion, and demonstrated its injustice and folly. The debate was adjourned, but when called up again on the 18th of July, Mr. Roebuck himself moved its discharge. So far from accomplishing the design of its mover was the result of this debate, that it materially strengthened the purpose of the Government now fully formed to adhere more strictly than before to a firm neutrality.

While, however, there were indications of a better state of feeling growing up between the two Governments-(to which Earl Russell gave expression in a public speech on the 26th of September, in which he said: "The Government of America discusses these matters very fairly with the English Government. Sometimes we think them quite in the wrong; sometimes they say we are quite in the wrong; but we discuss them fairly, and with regard to the Secretary of State I see no complaint to make. I think he weighs the disadvantages and difficulties of our situation in a very fair and equal balance")-there was still a hostility and bitterness toward the United States on the part of some classes in Great Britain, which manifested itself on every occasion. The masses and a considerable portion of the intelligent middle class, especially of the dissenting bodies, were friendly to the United States, but they were not generally the voters. The efforts of some of our citizens to set the people of England right in the matter were attended with good success. The public addresses delivered in

England by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, in August and September, and the wide diffusion of pamphlets and documents, coupled with the eloquent speeches and essays of John Bright, Richard Cobden, J. Stuart Mill, Prof. Newman, Goodwin Smith, J. E. Cairnes, and others, have effected a decided change of feeling in that country, in favor of the United States, and have rendered it probable now at least that a majority of the people of England are our friends. The bitterness with which, for the last six months, Mr. Jefferson Davis has denounced the British Government, and the spirit of mortification and resentment which his ambassador, Mr. John Mason, manifested on leaving England, on finding that he could not hope to be received in any official character, fully corroborate the extent of this change.

The Polish question occupied much of the attention of the ministry and the two Houses of Parliament during the first half of the year. As early as the 20th of February, in the House of Lords, and on the 27th of the same month, in the House of Commons, the subject was introduced, and addresses to the crown asked for. The ministers avowed their sympathy with the Poles, and their belief that the treaty of Vienna had been violated systematically. The British Government subsequently united with France, Austria, and Prussia in a joint note to the Government of Russia, covering several propositions for the relief of Poland and the cessation of the civil war; these propositions were declined by Russia (see RUSSIA and POLAND), and France subsequently proposed a European Congress to settle this and other European questions; to this congress England declined becoming a party. Late in the year another troublesome foreign question arose, by which the British Government was placed in a condition of great embarrassment and difficulty, viz., the Schleswig-Holstein affair. This eventually resulted in a war, in which Prussia and Austria, forestalling the action of the German Diet, were the attacking party (see SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN); and the war is still in progress (May, 1864). The royal family of Great Britain were intimately connected by marriage with both the belligerents, the princess royal, Victoria Adelaide, being the wife of the Prince of Prussia, heir apparent to the Prussian throne, while Prince Albert Edward, the heir apparent to the British throne, had married Alexandra, eldest daughter of the King of Denmark. The British Government had moreover been one of the three powers (Austria and Russia being the other two) which had by a treaty or agreement in 1852, guaranteed to the new King of Denmark, Christian IX., the government of the two duchies of Holstein and Schleswig. Thus situated, the efforts of the British ministry were directed to the prevention of hostilities, and failing in this, they have sought to settle the difficulty by a conference of European powers, but thus far without much success.

The protectorate of Great Britain over the

Ionian Islands was relinquished in October, 1863, and in the same month those islands were annexed to the kingdom of Greece. The Conservatives in Parliament objected to the relinquishment of the important port of Corfu, but the ministers deemed it sufficient reply to say that the people of the Ionian Islands were averse to the British protectorate, and desired to unite with Greece, and that it was not in conformity with the national policy to retain unwilling subjects under its sway.

Mr. Richardson, connected with the British embassy to Japan, having been murdered by the adherents of the Prince of Satsuma, in September, 1862, and no complete satisfaction having been obtained either from the Tycoon or the Mikado (the temporal and spiritual emperors), and the Prince of Satsuma having withdrawn to his principality, a British squadron was despatched under Admiral Kuper, to reduce his fortified town of Kagosima. The bombardment was commenced on the 15th of August, and the forts at first replied vigorously, but by dusk the town was in flames, and three of the forts silenced; on the following day the attack was renewed, the town was reduced to a mass of ruins; the palace, arsenal, factories, and three steam vessels utterly destroyed. The British lost two captains and eleven seamen killed and thirty-nine wounded.

The difficulties with the Brazilian Government in consequence of the arrest of some British naval officers while in undress uniform, were referred to the arbitration of Leopold, King of Belgium, who decided "that in the mode in which the laws of Brazil have been applied toward the English officers, there was neither premeditation of offence, nor offence to the British navy."

In the internal affairs of the kingdom, the topic of most interest was the condition of the operatives in the cotton-manufacturing districts, of whose deplorable sufferings some account was given in the ANNUAL CYCLOPÆDIA for 1862. The suffering seems to have reached its maximum intensity in December, 1862, and from the first week in December it gradually though slowly declined, till, at the close of September, 1863, the number receiving relief from the Poor Law Guardians and local committees, was 184,265, against 456,786 who had received aid in January, 1863. The moderate influx of cotton from India, Egypt, Turkey, the West Indies, South America, Central America, and small quantities from the United States, coupled with the high prices of fabrics, enabled most of the manufacturers to resume work, and the great pressure of want ceased. The number receiving relief was, however, as will appear from the following table (which we copy from the "National Almanac" for 1864), in September, 1863, more than three times as many as in times of ordinary prosperity, an average about one fourteenth of the entire population.

or on

In this table the first column of figures gives

the average degree of pauperism in the prosperous period of the first quarter of 1861, by showing the numbers weekly relieved in every 1,000 of the population; the second column contains the actual mean of the numbers so relieved; the third column shows the highest numbers returned as receiving relief during the cotton famine; and the fourth column the number on the 12th of September, 1863.

WEEK, DEC., 1862.

1863.

No. of paupers.

Degree of No. of pauper'm. paupers,

No. of paupers.

11,504

8,957

Ashton-under Lyne..

18

1,758

35,080

19,598

Oldham...

7,441

Stockport.

4,273

Chorlton.

10.708

Burnley

8,057

Bury

19 1,962 11,883

7,038

Rochdale

Finances of Great Britain. The revenue actually collected in the United Kingdom in the year ending June 30, 1863, was £70,683,860-$342,109,887.24 in gold. The expenditure for the same time was £69,302,008 $335,421,718.72. The corrected estimates of the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the year ending March 31, 1864, were, Revenue £68,171,000; Expenditure, £67,705,000-$327,692,200. Of the revenue collected in the year ending June 30, 1863, £24,100,000 was received from Customs; £16,674,000 from Excise; £9,135,000 from Stamps; £3,183,000 from other taxes; £10,713,000 from the Property and Income tax; £3,750,000 from the Post Office; £300,500 from Crown Lands; Miscellaneous, £2,828,361. The interest on the public debt for the year 1863-4 was £26,400,000-$127,776,000. The debt itself on the 31st of March, 1863, was £799,802,139 $3,871,042,352.76. Army. For the year 1863-4, the regular army of Great Britain consists of a general staff of 104 officers, 137,769 officers and men in the regiments in active service; 9,349 officers and men in the depots of Indian regiments; 697 officers and men in the recruiting and other establishments, and 323 officers and men in the training schools, making a total of 148,244 officers and men comprising the regular army. In addition to these, the British forces in India consist of 3,474 officers, 5,480 non-commissioned officers, 63,722 rank and file; in all 72,676 officers and men. There is also a force of disembodied militia, consisting of 29,730 officers and men who have 35 days drill and training, and 128,968 who have 21 days' training; and 162,681 officers and men of the volunteer force. There are therefore 220,918 officers and men in the regular and Indian armies, and 321,380 militia and volun

Navy. The navy of Great Britain in January, 1863, including vessels under construction, consisted of 1,014 vessels of all sorts, but of these on the 20th of March, 1863, only 669, including the vessels in process of construction, wero effective. Of these 28, viz., six second rates, screw steamers, carrying from 30 to 40 guns; four iron and six wood third rates, carrying from 16 to 35 guns, three small turretted vessels, carrying from 5 to 8 guns each, two sloops, and three iron and four wood floating batteries, were armor plated; 59 were steamships of the line, of which 3 were building; 44 were screw and 15 paddle frigates; 9 were screw block ships; 26 were screw corvettes; 37 screw, and 28 paddle sloops of war, 166 screw gunboats (of which, however, the larger number have since proved worthless); 54 screw gun vessels, 4 screw, and 73 sailing mortar ships and vessels, and the remainder despatch vessels, troop and store ships, yachts, tenders, tugs, &c. Twenty-nine steam vessels not armor plated even in course of construction were ordered suspended. On the 1st of July, 1863, there were only 355 steamships and 36 sailing vessels afloat in the navy, aside from the coast-guard vessels (revenue service), and of these, 35 steamers and 7 sailing vessels were without guns. The number of officers, men, and boys in the British Navy is 48,000 (9,000 boys); in the coast guard service, 10,000, and the Royal Marine Force, 18,000.

Commerce and Navigation.-The latest returns of imports and exports are to January 1st, 1853. The imports of the year 1862 were in value £226,592,720 = $1,096,808,764.80; The exports except bullion were £167,189,398,

=

$809,196,686.32, and the amount of bullion exported was £29,326,191 = $141,938,766.44. The total amount of cotton imported into Great Britain in 1862 was 523,973,296 lbs., against 1,390,938,752 lbs. imported in 1860. the amount exported was 214,714,528, against 250,339,040 lbs. in 1860, leaving for home consumption 309,258,768 lbs., or about of the amount in 1860.

Education.--The number of primary schools inspected in Great Britain in 1862 was 8,014; there were present in them 1,057,426 children, who were taught by 9,115 certificated teach

ers and 15,752 apprentices. The inspectors also visited 39 training colleges for teachers (normal schools, we should call them) and found in them 2631 students, 2,779 having passed successfully in the course of the year. They also report 442 schools for pauper children containing 33,835 inmates, and 58 ragged and industrial schools containing 2,818 inmates. The amount voted for public education in Great Britain is £804,002, equal to nearly $4,000,000; for public education in Ireland £306,016, equal to about $1,500,000. Besides these sums about £35,000 or nearly $170,000 is granted to certain universities in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Aside from the public school provision thus made, there is a very large number of endowed schools and colleges in England, and a moderate number in Scotland and Ireland, accessible under certain circumstances to those desiring an education.

North American Colonies of Great Britain. Under this head are comprised Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward's Island, Vancouver's Island, British Columbia, and Bermuda.

CANADA, the most important of these, has an area of about 350,000 square miles, and a population in 1861 of 2,500,755. Its capital is for the present Quebec, but will be removed to Ottawa when the Government buildings there are completed. The Governor General, who is also Governor General, Captain General, and Commander-in-Chief of all the British Provinces of North America, is the Right Hon. Charles Stanley, Viscount Monck. The Executive Council or Cabinet consists of 13 persons, and is chosen by the Governor General from the majority in the Provincial Parliament, and they are responsible for the Government. The Provincial Parliament has two Houses; the Legislative Council of 70 members, 48 of whom are chosen by qualified electors for a term of years and 22 are appointed for life; and the Legislative Assembly, composed of 130 members, chosen from districts by the qualified electors. Finances.-The receipts into the Provincial treasury from all sources in 1862 were $10,629,204, and the expenditures $11,895,923. Of this latter sum, $3,774,315 was for interest on the Public Debt; $533,570 for Education; $486,621 for the Civil Government; $433,048 for the Legislature; $820,300 for Judicial purposes, and $307,687 for Hospitals and other

charities.

Commerce and Navigation. The imports for the year 1862 were $48,600,633, of which $25,173,157 was from the United States, $21,179,312 from Great Britain, $574,320 from other British Colonies, and $1,673,844 from other countries. The exports for the same year were, $31,679,045, of which $15,063,730 was sent to the United States, $15,224,417 to Great Britain, $840,646 to other British Colonies, and $550,252 to other countries.

The value of goods of the growth and product of the United States, imported into Can

ada under the reciprocity treaty, in 1862, was $14,430,626, an advance of about four and a half millions of dollars on the previous year, and of nearly six millions on any year before. The total number of vessels passing through the Canadian canals in 1862, was 32,842, and their tonnage 3,582,396 tons. The amount of tolls paid by them was $58,603.86; of these, 27,757 vessels, having a tonnage of 2,536,586, belonged in Canada, and 5,085, with a tonnage of 1,045,810, were from the United States. The gross revenue of the canals from all sources was $527,606.88, and the expenditure, $482,813.53.

Education.-In Canada East there were, in 1862, 3,501 schools, with 188,635 pupils, maintained at a cost of $542,728, and 200 pupils in the normal schools. In Canada West, the same year, there were 4,554 schools of all kinds, with 357,572 pupils, and the expenditure for educational purposes during the year was $1,535,239, of which $1,231,913 was for common schools.

NEW BRUNSWICK has an area of 27,037 square miles; a population of 252,047 inhabitants. Its seat of Government is Fredericton. The chief officer of the colony is called lieut.governor and commander-in-chief. Hon. Arthur Hamilton Gordon, C. M. G., is now lieut.governor. The Provincial Legislature consists of a legislative council of 21 members, appointed for life by the crown, and a house of assembly of 41 members, chosen by qualified electors for five years.

Finances.-Receipts, 1862, $668,197; expenditures, $675,189. Of the expenditures, $116,275 were for education, $191,534 for interest on the public debt, and $124,290 for public works. The debt of the province is $5,788,166.

Commerce and Navigation.-Exports, 1862, $3,856,538; imports, $6,199,701, of which $2,960,703 were from the United States. Of the exports, $889,416 were to the United States. The number of vessels belonging to the province in 1862, was 814, measuring 157,718 tons.

Education.-Whole number of children of school age, 64,000; number in attendance, 29,500; number of teachers, 810; provincial expenditure for schools, $94,437; local contributions, $106,524; total expenditure, $200,961. NEWFOUNDLAND.-Area, 35,850 square miles; population, 122,638; capital, St. John's; gov ernor, Sir Alexander Bannerman, Kt.; legislature, two houses: legislative council of not over 15 members, appointed by the crown, to hold office during her majesty's pleasure; the house of assembly, 30 members, elected for 4 years. Revenue for the year, about $452,000; expenditure about $552,000. Exports in 1862, $4, 684,000; imports, $4,028,000. Number of vessels owned in the province, 1,386, measuring 87,030 tons. Education, sectarian only. Whole number of schools, 242; scholars, 13,444; average attendance, 8,357.

NOVA SCOTIA.-Area, 17,279 square miles; population, 330,857. Exports in 1862, $5,646,461; imports, 8,445,042. Number of vessels, 3,408, measuring 277,718 tons.