the descendants of the kings of Anjou. The death of the count left the countess a widow, with two daughters, one of whom married the Duke of Alba and Berwick, literally descended from Miss Churchill and James II. For Eugénie, the second, a higher fate was in store. After a residence in London, where, according to Viscount Combermere, her beauty was noted in the circle of the upper ten thousand, she, accompanied by her mother, paid a lengthened visit to Paris, and was distinguished at the various entertainments given. at the Tuileries, by the dignity and elegance of her demeanour, and by her great personal beauty-of the English rather than of the Spanish type. Her mental gifts were proportionably attractive; for she is reported to be naturally spirituelle; and her education, partly conducted in England, was superior to that generally bestowed on Spanish ladies. Shortly after the opposition of the other northern powers had put an end to the idea of the union between the Emperor Louis Napoleon and the Princess Caroline Wasa, of Sweden, he apprised the council of ministers of his intended marriage with the daughter of the Countess Montijos-a measure which excited some displeasure among them, and even led to their temporary withdrawal from office.

The emperor, publicly, in a formal address read at the Tuileries to deputations from the senate, the legislative corps, and the council of state, declared the step he was about to take in language which touched the heart of France. He proudly stated that his marriage was not in accordance with the traditions of ancient policy. "It is not forgotten, that for the last seventy years, foreign princesses have ascended the steps of the throne only to behold their offspring dispersed and proscribed by war or revolution. One woman only appeared to bring with her good fortune, and to live longer than the others in the memory of the people: and that woman, the good and modest wife of General Bonaparte, was not the issue of a royal family." Of his future empress he thus spoke :-"She who has become the object of my preference is of high birth. French in heart, by education, and by the remembrance of the blood which her father shed for the cause of the empire, she has, as a Spaniard, the advantage of not having in France any family to whom she would wish to give honours and dignities. Gifted with every mental quality, she will be the ornament of the throne, as, in the hour of danger, she would become one of its most courageous supports. A pious Catholic, she will address to Heaven the same prayers as myself for the happiness of France. Gracious and good, she will exhibit, I firmly hope, in the same position, the virtues of the Empress Josephine."

At noon on the 29th of January, the marriage was celebrated at Nôtre-Dame, and the emperor and empress, after making their appearance to the multitude, retired to the solitude of St. Cloud. Everything was, of course, conducted on the most gorgeous scale. On point d'Alençon lace alone, 4,600 francs were expended. No mark of honour was withheld from the imperial bride. The dotation asked for, of 130,000 francs per annum, was freely accorded; and the municipal council of Paris voted 600,000 francs for the purchase of a parure of diamonds, as a present from the city to the empress. Instead of accepting it for herself, however, she declined the rich gift; alleging that the city was already overburdened, and praying that the sum in question might be employed in the foundation of some charitable institute for the poor and destitute. In accordance with this suggestion, the money was devoted to an establishment for the maintenance and education of sixty young girls, chosen from the working classes of Paris. In works of charity and piety, the empress has ever since greatly distinguished herself.

In September, 1856, the coronation of the czar took place. It was celebrated at Moscow with unparalleled magnificence; indeed, it was reported to have cost the government no less than £1,000,000 sterling. The Count de Morny represented the French, and Lord Granville the English Courts. The coronation festivities were prolonged for a whole month; and Alexander, moreover, distinguished the occasion by an act of grace, which bestowed many acceptable boons

upon his people. It conferred a commemorative medal upon such of his subjects, either military or civil, as took part in the events of the late war. It released the whole of Russia from the burden of military conscription for four years. directed the minister of finance to obtain a new census of the population of the empire, with the object of a more equitable assessment of the capitation-tax. All arrears of taxes were remitted. All criminals whose conduct had been irreproachable since their condemnation, were either pardoned, or received a considerable commutation of their punishment. Of political prisoners, many were pardoned; while the lot of others was much alleviated. The Jewish subjects of the emperor, also, were relieved from the special burdens hitherto imposed upon them.

France and England addressed, at this time, a remonstrance to the King of Naples on the sad state of his dominions, in consequence of his vindictive and arbitrary government. The poor infatuated monarch rejected the warning voice; and England and France, to show their displeasure, recalled their legations from Naples. This step was taken at the end of October, and a French squadron held itself in readiness at Toulon; while a British squadron, at Malta, prepared to appear off Naples, if the withdrawal of official protection threatened the least danger to the subjects of either France or England, resident in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies. At this step the Russian government professed to be much annoyed. We also managed to have a little war with Persia. Herat, as we have already implied, is a position of vast importance, and has always been so considered by Indian authorities. The Persians were always desirous to possess it; and, at length, it surrendered to them in 1856, and the Governor-general of India immediately declared war. Four British men-of-war appeared off Bushire-a town on the east side of the Persian Gulf, and the great emporium of the Indian trade. After a cannonade, under the command of Sir Henry Leeke, the town surrendered. How severe was the defence is manifest when we state that not a single casualty to life or limb, on our side, occurred. Our troops suffered, however, from the climate, and were not sorry to receive Sir James Outram with reinforcements. In February, 1857, they attacked the Persian camp. In a day or two after they fought the battle of Khooshab, where, with a loss of ten men killed, and sixty-two wounded, they defeated the Persians, with a loss of 700 slain, 100 prisoners, and a couple of guns. On the 19th of March, Sir James Outram sailed from Bushire, and captured Mohammerah, at the mouth of the Euphrates. A tragical event occurred in connection with this expedition. General Stalker, who remained in command of the force left at Bushire, and Commodore Etheredge, of the navy, terminated their existence, in consequence, it is said, of continued anxiety in connection with the duties of their command, acting upon nervous systems shattered by the heat of the climate.

Before this, however, a treaty of peace had been concluded at Paris, between Persia and Great Britain. This document was dated March 15th, and consisted of fifteen articles. The principal provisions were-the evacuation of the Persian territory by the British troops; the withdrawal of the Persian military from Herat, and every other part of Afghanistan, within three months of the date of the ratification of the treaty; the relinquishment by the shah of all claims to sovereignty over Herat, and the countries of Afghanistan. In the event of any difference between the shah and his neighbours, recourse was first to be had to British arbitration before there was an appeal to arms. Should there be any violation of the Persian territory by the states referred to, the shah might undertake military operations for the repression or punishment of the offenders; but the forces were to retire within their own territory as soon as the object was accomplished, and not permanently to occupy or annex to the Persian dominions any portion of the said states. The consuls, agents, subjects, and commerce of England and Persia, were to be mutually received in each country, on the footing of the most favoured nation. The British mission was to return to Teheran, where it

was to be received by the Persian government with apologies and ceremonies. A commission, on each side, was to be appointed to decide on the pecuniary claims of British and other subjects; and the amount of such claims as were pronounced just, were to be paid within one year from the date of the award. The agreement for the suppression of the slave-trade, which would have expired in August, 1852, was to be continued for the further space of ten years from that date, and afterwards, until formally annulled.

CHAPTER IX.

THE CHINESE WAR.

IN 1857, the speech from the throne announced that we were at war with China. How did it arise?

In this way. By the supplementary treaty of 1843, it was provided that criminals from China escaping to Hong-Kong, or to British ships of war, and British criminals escaping into Chinese territory, should be given up to the proper British or Chinese authorities. Furthermore, it was agreed, that "every British schooner, cutter, or lorcha, shall have a sailing-letter, or register, in Chinese and English, under the seal and signature of the chief superintendent of trade, describing her appearance, burden, &c. Every schooner, lorcha, and similar vessel, shall report herself, as large vessels are required to do, at the Bocca Tigris; and when she carries cargo, she shall also report herself at Whampoa, and shall, on reaching Canton, deliver up her sailing-letter or register to the British consul, who will obtain permission from the hoppo for her to discharge her cargo." In March, 1855, a colonial ordinance was passed by the local government at HongKong, which enacted that no ship or vessel whatsoever, owned by a British subject, should be at liberty to trade in any of the harbours of the colony, unless, in the case of an outward trading-ship or vessel, she be provided with a certificate of registry; and, in the case of a trading Chinese ship, similar compliance was required. By this ordinance the colonial legislature took upon itself to grant registers to vessels, provided they were owned by British subjects. But this was not in conformity with English law; for that law required other conditions besides that of British ownership (such, for instance, as that a certain number of the crew should be British subjects), as preliminary to the right of obtaining a register. Moreover, the ordinance had not been confirmed by any competent authority in this country; nor could it confer upon a Chinese vessel the rights and privileges of a British ship.

A lorcha, or vessel built after the Portuguese fashion, furnished with a colonial register, had, under the name of the Arrow, been for some time trading in the Chinese waters, under the protection of the British flag. Her master was a British subject, but the rest of her crew were Chinese. The register was renewable annually, and had been renewed on the 27th of September, 1855. Her licence, therefore, expired on the 27th of September in the following year; and, after that year, she ceased to have any privilege which the colonial register could confer. The Chinese authorities at Canton had received information that one of the crew on board the Arrow was a native pirate, who had been actively engaged in a pirate fleet which had come into collision with a Chinese vessel of war. cordingly, on the 8th of October, during the absence of the master of the Arrow, it was boarded by a body of Chinese officers, and twelve of the crew seized, pinioned, and carried off, notwithstanding that the British colours were flying over the Arrow at the time.

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