to the Times laid down the following as the objects to be secured in any re-organization of our national defences :

"The United Kingdom ought to be defended against invasion. The colonies and dependencies of the United Kingdom ought to be protected by our naval and military forces against a foreign enemy. The engagements of the Crown and of our country with foreign Powers ought to be fulfilled. Let us add to these three objects, that when our honour or our interests are deeply involved in some national dispute they ought to be firmly maintained."

In order to secure these objects, Lord Russell, borrowing from Sir John Burgoyne, Sir William Mansfield, and other distinguished officers, and adding some proposals drawn from his own civil experience, made the suggestions which follow:

"1. That not less than 200,000 men, consisting of regular army and embodied militia, should be kept up within the United Kingdom.

"2. Army.—That the system of purchase of commissions in the army should be abolished, either immediately or gradually.

"3. That to the Commander-in-Chief should be assigned, as at present, the duties of maintaining discipline in the army and of recommending officers for promotion.

“4. That the field artillery should be largely increased, according to the example of Prussia.

"5. That a sufficient store of powder should be provided both for artillery and infantry.

"6. That the recruiting of privates for the artillery should be stimulated by bounty.

"7. That the term of service, both for infantry and cavalry, should be for seven years, and for artillery for ten years.

"8. That a service of twenty-one years should entitle the soldier to a pension of 9d., and of twenty-four years of 18. a day.

"9. Militia.-That the militia should be raised by ballot, according to the old militia laws, for service in the United Kingdom only.

10. That in the first week of May in each year every regiment of militia should be called together, and the number willing to volunteer for the army should be registered. That the services of not more than two-thirds of the men willing to volunteer for the army should be accepted. The places of those accepted to be filled up by ballot in the month of October succeeding.

"11. The commissions of subalterns in the militia to be given as at present by the Lord-Lieutenant, but all promotions to commissions of captain, major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel to be granted by the Commander-in-Chief of the army.

"12. Volunteers.-Every volunteer who wishes to be entitled to a grant of money, clothes, or arms from the Treasury, to sign an engagement to attend days in the year the meeting of his corps, or in default to pay a fine for absence."

It is unnecessary to cite further the extra-parliamentary utter

ances upon this subject; but one fact is worth quoting, as showing the view taken by the people in some quarters of the purchasesystem. Mr. Muntz, the Member for Birmingham, who had been on the Commission of Inquiry into that system, told his constituents, while condemning it utterly, that it would cost 7,000,000%. to abolish it in an equitable manner. He explained this to them with great clearness and some peremptoriness, and asked them to tell him clearly whether they were prepared to pay the money. The question was put in the most formal manner to the meeting, and elicited an absolutely unanimous vote. Not a single hand was raised in objection, though the pecuniary difficulty had been most forcibly explained.

Among the minor matters of the moment must not be forgotten the serious small-pox epidemic which prevailed in London. It increased slowly through 1870-rapidly from November, 1870, to January, 1871-till the number of cases under the administration of the Poor Law Board increased from 300 at the beginning of November to more than 900 at the beginning of January.

In a report of the Registrar-General, it was declared that it had not been so virulent in London for fully thirty-one years. In the severe visitation of 1840-1 the weekly average number of deaths was only seventy-one, whereas in the present epidemic the average number of deaths weekly was for a long time 152. The ravages of the disease were at one time great even in the West End, where vaccination was resorted to by almost every family. Small-pox showed a considerable increase in the north of the metropolis. In seven weeks of the first quarter the deaths from the disease in London were 1184, and the greater number of these occurred under twenty years of age.

The visitation found us unprepared as ever; and cabs, omnibuses, and hospitals did their best to spread the disease, which had at last to die out as it 66 came, of itself."

Meanwhile the Parliamentary Session was opened on the 9th of February by her Majesty the Queen, though her speech was, as in previous years, read by the Chancellor, amid a general sense of disappointment. As the Chancellor proceeded, the Queen sat with eyes cast down, and almost absolutely still, a single slight movement of the fan being all that was at any time perceptible.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"At an epoch of such moment to the future fortunes of Europe, I am especially desirous to avail myself of your counsels.

"The war which broke out in the month of July, between France and Germany, has raged, until within the last few days, with unintermitted, and likewise with unexampled, force; and its ravages may be renewed, after but a few days more, unless moderation and forethought, prevailing over all impediments, shall sway the Councils of both the parties whose well-being is so vitally concerned.

"At the time when you separated, I promised a constant atten

tion to the subject of neutral obligations; and I undertook to use my best endeavours to prevent the enlargement of the area of the war, and to contribute, if opportunity should offer, to the restoration of an early and honourable peace.

"In accordance with the first of these declarations, I have maintained the rights and strictly discharged the duties of neutrality.

"The sphere of the war has not been extended beyond the two countries originally engaged.

"Cherishing with care the cordiality of my relations with each belligerent, I have forborne from whatever might have been construed as gratuitous or unwarranted interference between parties, neither of whom had shown a readiness to propose terms of accommodation such as to bear promise of acceptance by the other.

"I have been enabled, on more than one occasion, to contribute towards placing the representatives of the two contending countries in confidential communication; but, until famine compelled the surrender of Paris, no further result had been obtained.

"The Armistice now being employed for the convocation of an Assembly in France has brought about a pause in the constant accumulation, on both sides, of human suffering, and has rekindled the hope of a complete accommodation. I pray that this suspension may result in a Peace compatible, for the two great and brave nations involved, with security and with honour, and likely therefore to command the approval of Europe, and to give reasonable hopes of a long duration.

"It has been with concern that I have found myself unable to accredit my Ambassador in a formal manner to the Government of Defence which has subsisted in France since the Revolution of September; but neither the harmony nor the efficiency of the correspondence of the two States has been in the smallest degree impaired.

The King of Prussia has accepted the title of Emperor of Germany, at the instance of the chief authorities of the nation.

"I have offered my congratulations on an event which bears testimony to the solidity and independence of Germany, and which, I trust, may be found conducive to the stability of the European system.

"I have endeavoured, in correspondence with other Powers of Europe, to uphold the sanctity of Treaties, and to remove any misapprehension as to the binding character of their obligations.

"It was agreed by the Powers which had been parties to the Treaty of 1856 that a Conference should meet in London. This Conference has now been for some time engaged in its labours; and I confidently trust that the result of its deliberations will be to uphold both the principles of public right and the general policy of the Treaty, and, at the same time, by a revision of some of its conditions in a fair and conciliatory spirit, to exhibit a cordial co-operation among the Powers with regard to the Levant.

"I greatly regret that my earnest efforts have failed to procure [1871. the presence at the Conference of any representative of France, which was one of the chief parties of the Treaty of 1856, and which must ever be regarded as a principal and indispensable member of the great Commonwealth of Europe.

"At different times several questions of importance have arisen, which are not yet adjusted, and which materially affect the relation between the United States and the territories and people of British North America. One of them in particular, which concerns the Fisheries, calls for early settlement, lest the possible indiscretion of individuals should impair the neighbourly understanding which it is on all grounds so desirable to cherish and maintain. I have, therefore, engaged in amicable communications with the President of the United States. In order to determine the most convenient mode of treatment of these matters, I have suggested the appointment of a joint Commission; and I have agreed to a proposal of the President that this Commission shall be authorized at the same time, in the same manner, to resume consideration of the American claims growing out of the circumstances of the late war. This arrangement will, by common consent, include all claims for compensation which have been, or may be, made by each Government, or by its citizens, upon the other.

"The establishment of a Prince of the House of Savoy on the throne of Spain, by the free choice of the popularly-elected representatives of the Spanish nation, will, I trust, ensure for a country which has passed with so through a prolonged and trying crisis the blessings of a stable much temperance and self-control Government.

"I am unhappily not able to state that the inquiry which was instituted by the Government of Greece into the history of the shocking murders perpetrated during the last spring at Dilessi has reached a termination answerable in all respects to my just expeetations, but I shall not desist from my endeavours to secure the complete attainment of the objects of the inquiry. Some valuable results, however, have in the meantime been obtained, for the exposure and the repression of a lawless and corrupting system, which has too long afflicted the Greek Peninsula.

"The anxiety which the massacre at Tien-tsin on the 21st of June last called forth has happily been dispelled; and while it will be my earnest endeavour to provide for the security of my subjects and their trade in those remote quarters, I count on your concurrence in the policy that I have adopted of recognizing the Chinese Government as entitled to be dealt with in its relations with this country in a conciliatory and forbearing spirit.

"The Parliamentary recess has been one of anxious interest in regard to foreign affairs. But I rejoice to acquaint you that my relations are, as heretofore, those of friendship and good understanding with the Sovereigns and States of the civilized world.

'Papers illustrative of the conduct of my Government in relation

LIBRARY

to the several matters on which I have now summarily touched will be laid before you.

"In turning to domestic affairs, I have, first, to inform you that I have approved a marriage between my daughter Princess Louise and the Marquis of Lorne, and I have declared my consent to this union in Council.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"The revenue of the country flourishes, and the condition of trade and industry may, though with partial drawbacks, be declared satisfactory.

"The estimates for the coming year will be promptly laid before you.

My Lords and Gentlemen,—

"The lessons of military experience afforded by the present war have been numerous and important.

"The time appears appropriate for turning such lessons to account by efforts more decisive than heretofore at practical improvement. In attempting this you will not fail to bear in mind the special features in the position of this country, so favourable to the freedom and security of the people, and if the changes from a less to a more effective and elastic system of defensive military preparations shall be found to involve, at least for a time, an increase of various charges, your prudence and patriotism will not grudge the cost, as long as you are satisfied that the end is important, and the means judicious. No time will be lost in laying before you a Bill for the better regulation of the army and the auxiliary land forces of the Crown, and I hardly need commend it to your anxious and impartial consideration.

"I trust that the powerful interest at present attaching to affairs abroad, and to military questions, will not greatly abate the energy with which you have heretofore applied yourselves to the work of general improvement in our domestic legislation.

"I commend anew to your attention several measures on subjects which I desired to be brought before you during the last Session of Parliament, but which the time remaining at your disposal, after you had dealt with the principal subjects of the year, was not found sufficient to carry to a final issue.

"I refer especially to the Bills on Religious Tests in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, on Ecclesiastical Titles, on the Disabilities of Trade Combinations, on the Courts of Justice and Appeal, on the Adjustment of Local Burdens, and on the Licensing of Houses for the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors.

"The inquiry made by a Committee of the Commons House being now complete, a measure will be placed before you on an early day for the establishment of Secret Voting.

"A proposal is anxiously expected in Scotland for the adjustment of the question of primary education. With reference to the training of the young in schools on a national scale and basis, that portion of the country has especial claims on the favourable considera