the Queen, which took place the next day in the Church of San Francisco. The nave, which was occupied by a vast crowd, numbering about 4,000 persons, was lighted by 400 lustres and 1,000 candles. Among those present were the Presidents of the two Chambers of the Cortes, the grand dignitaries of State, and the Ambassadors of foreign countries. The Archbishop of Toledo, assisted by nine Bishops, celebrated the Requiem Mass, which was chanted by a choir of fifty professional singers, and the funeral oration was delivered by the Bishop of Salamanca. The service lasted three hours. The walls of the church were hung from base to dome with black velvet, and on every column were the coat of arms of Spain and the Bourbon fleur de lys in red velvet, and gold fringe below. In the centre of the church a great catafalque rose several feet above the floor, and was covered with wreaths of flowers and tapers, while on either side were ranged the bodyguard and officers of the dead Queen's household. The Figaro soon afterwards announced that the King had decided on having an immense basilica raised over the remains of Queen Mercèdes. "A sum of 1,000,000 reals will annually be deducted from the Civil List for its construction till the building is complete. The Duc de Montpensier and the Princess of the Asturias have promised to furnish yearly 200,000 reals in aid of the work. Lastly, the Duc de Montpensier has brought to Paris with him a letter from the King to Queen Isabella asking her to join in the project by handing over for the purpose the diamonds and jewels deposited in the Cathedral of Atocha, which belong to her, and represent a sum of 15,000,000 reals-more than 3,000,000fr. The Queen at once telegraphed as follows in reply:-'Your mother, my child, not only permits the jewels of Atocha to be sold, but she blesses you and joins in your project—a project worthy of a King, a Christian, and a good husband."" Soon afterwards the Chapel of the Escurial was opened to receive the remains of Queen Christina, once so prominent a figure in Spanish story.

On his return to the capital from a short visit to the northern provinces, an attempt was made to assassinate the King. A man fired a pistol at him in the Calle Mayor, but the King escaped unhurt. The assassin was immediately seized by the soldiers and taken to prison. The King went on to his palace amid the cheering of the crowd. On being interrogated, the prisoner, whose name was Juan Oliva Moncasi, declared himself to be a member of the International Society, and stated that he had come from Tarragona, his native place, to Madrid, where he arrived about a week before, with the intention of killing the King. The Spanish newspapers of all shades of opinion expressed their horror of the crime. Numerous congratulatory telegrams were received by the King, and the public indignation at the attempt on the life of his Majesty was extreme. Immediately after the occurrence had become known the Ministers and Foreign Representatives proceeded to the Royal palace to congratulate the King upon his providential

escape. A solemn Te Deum was celebrated, at the expense of the municipality, in the Church of Santa Maria, in thanksgiving for the King's escape from assassination. All the Ministers, the chief civil and military authorities, and a number of other distinguished personages attended the service. Similar celebrations were held in all the principal provincial towns. The King received telegrams from several European Sovereigns congratulating him upon his escape, and both Houses of the Cortes passed motions protesting against the attempt.

The year closed with a curious diplomatic struggle between Madrid and Versailles. The French Government resolved to recall their Ambassador in Spain, M. de Chaudordy, an Orleanist who had been Acting Foreign-Secretary under M. Gambetta, in 1870, and replace him by the Comte de Choiseul, a diplomatist of decidedly Republican opinions. King Alfonso objected to this nomination rather brusquely, believing, apparently, that the French Minister would become a centre of Republican agitation. The Government of Versailles, considering that the question involved the whole future of its Diplomatic service, stated that it would not, of course, force on Madrid an Ambassador personally unacceptable to the King, but that it would not desist from appointing a pronounced Republican.

BELGIUM.

The influence of the Republican movement in France was powerfully felt in the neighbouring kingdom, where the defeat of French clericalism brought the Clerical Ministry at Brussels to the ground. In the Chamber of Representatives, early in the spring, M. Bara criticised severely the action of the Ministers, accusing them more especially of partiality in making appointments to the magistracy and the notarial profession. Out of 380 appointments, 340 had been filled by members of the Clerical party.

M. Frère-Orban continued the discussion. He drew attention to the frequent agitation carried on by the clergy, and described the state of things as very serious. After stating that it was necessary to examine into the causes of this situation of affairs, he entered into a long disquisition upon the Church and Liberalism, and concluded with an appeal to all to defend constitutional liberty.

In June the Clerical Ministry fell. Under the Belgian Constitution, half the Chamber is re-elected every two years, and half the Senate every four years, and this year an election came off for both Houses. The Clericals suffered from the adoption of a new ballot, which ensures perfect secrecy, and from the defection of some great cities, like Antwerp and Ghent, and when the returns were made up, it was found that the Liberals had gained ten votes in the Senate and twenty-two in the Chamber, thus

giving them a majority of six in the Upper and twelve in the Lower House. The King therefore sent for M. Frère-Orban to form a Liberal Ministry. As the Clericals fully expected a majority, their irritation was very great, and it was first stated that the Pope, who relied on Belgium as evidence to his Cardinals that a popular State might be Ultramontane, had recalled his Nuncio. Great demonstrations were held at Antwerp and Brussels, all the provincial and principal towns being represented by deputations. M. Rogier, Minister of State, and a member of the Belgian Congress of 1830, was elected President of the Chamber of Representatives, and it was proposed that he should so remain till the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Belgian independence, in 1880.

The fêtes in celebration of the Royal Silver Wedding began in August at the Royal residence of Laeken, and continued afterwards in Brussels for four days (from the 22nd to the 25th). Before the monumental church a triumphal arch with a royal throne had been erected, and near it the Civic Guards and the garrison were under arms. The King and Queen and the two young princesses, their children, arrived shortly after one o'clock, and were received with the strains of the "Brabançonne,' played by all the musical societies of the town, and the enthusiastic acclamations of the crowd. The Communal Council and the clergy of the church were placed to the right of the throne, and, after their majesties had taken their seats on it, the burgomaster of Laeken read the address from the Communal Council congratulating them on the happy event. The King replied, expressing his best wishes for the prosperity of the commune of Laeken.

The Belgian Parliament was opened on November 12, by the King in person. In his speech from the throne, in referring to the education question, he said that the instruction given at the expense of the State should be placed under the exclusive control of the civil authorities. Various Bills would be presented on the subject. Alluding to the state of trade the King said he hoped the industrial crisis was now passed. The Government were endeavouring to find means to relieve the distress caused by it. The estimates were not altogether favourable, and the Government had contracted engagements for which it would be necessary to provide. Proposals for further electoral reforms would be laid before the Chambers.

HOLLAND.

Favourable news was received in the summer by the Government from Acheen, to the effect that the bands of marauding Acheenese had evacuated the country they had invaded previously to the arrival of the Dutch reinforcements. But a few days later news received from Singapore, by way of Brindisi, stated that a

fresh outbreak had occurred in Acheen. The Dutch reported having captured a strong position at Alangpria. In the engagement fought on this occasion they lost fifty-six killed and wounded, while the loss of the Acheenese was given at 680. Large reinforcements of European troops were passing through Singapore from Java.

When the Dutch Legislature opened, one of the principal labours of the session proved to be to find means of coping with the serious financial difficulties the kingdom had experienced of late years. The expedition to Acheen had entirely disarranged the Budget of Holland. From the occupation of this district, in which England acquiesced seven years ago, in exchange for the cession of the Dutch possessions on the Guinea Coast, Holland had derived very little glory and still less profit. The East Indian Budget for 1879 showed a deficit of 10,000,000fl., caused by the expenses of the war in Acheen and the expenditure for the construction of new railways. The Ministry proposed to cover the deficit temporarily by advances from the treasury to the Indian Finance Department, and ultimately by a loan. The expense attending the occupation of Acheen was estimated at 9,000,000A. In opening the Parliament the King expressed his appreciation of the cordial affection manifested towards the royal family on the occasion of the recent marriage of the Prince and Princess Henry. The speech went on to say that the relations of the Netherlands with foreign powers were most friendly, and that the national industry, particularly agriculture, was in a generally satisfactory condition. The state of the finances called urgently for attention, and his Majesty recommended to the consideration of the Legislature the question of the reform of taxation. The Government promised to present to the Chambers the draft of a new penal code. The speech stated that the condition of affairs in the Dutch East Indian possessions was satisfactory, although the maintenance of the Dutch authority in the north of Sumatra required fresh extraordinary measures. The King, in conclusion, eulogised the services of the army in Sumatra.

In bringing forward the Budget for 1879, the Finance Minister said after that year it would be necessary to find means of increasing the annual public revenue by 4,000,000fl., and the Minister intended to propose with that object income and property taxes. The state of affairs was "not alarming, but required the exercise of care, foresight, and economy."

The Second Chamber of the States-General adopted, by fortyseven votes to thirteen, the Address in reply to the speech from the throne, almost paraphrasing the Royal Speech. M. Vanhouten, an advanced Liberal, delivered a speech in the course of the debate, in which he energetically advocated a general reform of the system of taxation. The members of the Catholic party also took part in the discussion, warmly condemning a report presented to the King by the Government against the petitions

asking the King to refuse his sanction to the law on elementary instruction. The Minister for the Colonies, in reply to some objections expressed by M. Casembroot, stated that, according to advices from the Dutch Commandant in Acheen, twelve complete battalions of troops were at present engaged, forming a force amply sufficient to terminate the war.

The betrothal of the King to Princess Emma of WaldeckPyrmont (which had been often affirmed and denied) was officially announced at the Hague at the end of September, just when a telegram from the Governor-General of the Dutch Indies was received at the Colonial Office announcing the unconditional surrender of Habib Abdul Rachman to Dutch authority. He not only consented to leave, with his followers, the Bay of Olehleh, the Dutch port on the mouth of the Acheen river, but urged the other chiefs to submission. Further reinforcements, to the number of 2,500 troops, had arrived at Acheen.

The Socialist question came up in the States-General at the close of the year; but Mynheer Kappeijne van de Cappelle, the Home Secretary, being asked on December 4 whether he would not adopt any measures against the agitations of Ultramontanes and Socialists, quietly replied that he had no such intention, and that liberty of speech and the freedom of the press were the best of all safeguards.

DENMARK.

In Santa Cruz, West Indies, a dependency of Denmark, with a population of some 23,000 souls, chiefly free negroes, and one-half of its soil under sugar-cane crops, a revolt of negroes occurred this autumn. The rioters murdered several leading planters, half the town of Frederiksted, the second in the island, was all destroyed, and out of some fifty sugar estates, forty were burnt. The Governor was summoned from St. Thomas, but only found fifty soldiers available for the restoration of order. With this small force, nevertheless, and no doubt with the voluntary assistance of the planters, the insurgents were withstood, and European superiority was asserted-" the negroes were routed, and 200 of their number killed." The Danish authorities appealed for aid to the Governments of the other islands, and the arrival of a French frigate soon put an end to all further danger. A telegram from Jamaica then announced that the insurrection had been quelled, and the ringleaders captured. The rising originated in a disagreement on the subject of labour contracts. Santa Cruz is one of the three Danish settlements in the Antilles, the two others being St. Thomas and St. John. A few years ago the Danish Government sold these islands to the United States, but the bargain had to be cancelled on account of the United States Senate refusing its assent.

The Government now asked for a loan of 1,200,000 crowns in favour of the planters, but the Folkething, by a majority of one,