the theme of every tongue, and while speakers in Parliament were vieing with each other to express in fitting terms their testimony to his merits, death had terminated his career. The fatigue and anxiety consequent on his arduous labours had proved too much for his constitution, and the hero of Lucknow had sunk under an attack of dysentery on the 22nd of November. It was on the 7th of December that the Lord Chancellor communicated to the House of Lords a message from Her Majesty, announcing her intention of conferring a pension on General Havelock of 1000l. a-year. The gallant officer had been already created a baronet, and raised to the rank of K.C.B. The resolution in favour of the annuity was unanimously agreed to by the House of Lords, the Earl of Derby, in eloquent and fitting language, seconding the motion of Earl Granville. In the House of Commons Lord Palmerston moved a similar resolution, which was warmly seconded by Sir John Pakington; but that right hon. baronet intimated an opinion, which found much support on both sides of the House, that the proposed grant of a life annuity to an officer

already 62 years of age, and at that moment surrounded by dangers which made the continuance of his life most precarious, was an inadequate reward for services so great as he had rendered to the nation. The public voice out of doors strongly concurred with this opinion, the expression of which from many influential quarters, induced the Government to reconsider the matter, and to consent that the annuity proposed for General Havelock should be continued during the life of his son, a young officer of great promise and distinction, then serving on the staff of his father in India. The Bill for creating the annuity was therefore withdrawn, in order to introduce the necessary alterations. The circumstances which transpired before the Houses met again proved, indeed, how deficient the proposed measure would have been to meet the exigency of the case.

The business for which Parliament had been called together having been despatched on the 12th of December, both Houses adjourned for the Christmas recess, the day fixed for their re-assembling being the 4th of February, 1858.

and develope the national wealth and energies at home. We ought to contend against those evils from which society in a state of progress is not exempt.

Civilization, though it has for its objects the moral improvement and material welfare of the greatest number, marches, it must be admitted, like an army. Its victories are not obtained without sacrifices and victims. Those rapid paths which facilitate intercourse, and which open new routes for trade, at the same time derange existing interests, and leave those countries behind that are still without them. Those machines which are so useful, which multiply the labour of man, at first displace him, and for the moment cause many hands to be unoccupied. Those mines which diffuse through the world such an amount of metallic money as was never before known-that increase of the public means which tenfold augments consumption and tends to make the value of all things vary and rise that inexhaustible source of wealth which we denominate credit-are bringing forth marvels. Nevertheless, speculation, carried to excess, ruins many an individual. Hence arises the necessity, without staying our progress, of coming to the aid of those who cannot follow its accelerated march. We must stimulate these, and moderate those; aliment the activity of this breathless, unquiet, and importunate society, which in France expects everything from the Government, but which it is a duty to confine within the bounds of the possible and the calculations of

the dearth, the onward movement has not slackened. The product of the indirect taxes, the sure index of the public wealth, has surpassed in 1856, by more than 50 millions, the amount, in itself so exceptional, of 1855. Since the establishment of the Empire these revenues have spontaneously increased, without taking new taxes into the account, by 210 millions.

"Nevertheless, there is among one portion of the community great suffering, of which, unless Providence send us a good harvest, the millions given in private charity and by the Government will be but feeble palliatives. Let us, then, redouble our efforts to remedy those evils which are beyond the reach of human foresight.

"During the past year several departments have been attacked by the scourge of inundation. Everything makes me hope that science will ultimately succeed in conquering nature. It is with me a point of honour that in France the rivers shall be made to return, like the Revolution, to their channels, no more to leave them.

"Another not less serious cause of uneasiness has its seat in the state of men's minds. When a crisis arises, it springs from false rumours or false doctrines propagated by ignorance or malevolence. It has even gone so far as to disquiet the national industry; as if the Government could desire anything but its development and prosperity! The duty of good citizens, then, is to diffuse everywhere the wise doctrines of political economy, and especially to confirm those vacillating minds which, I will not say at the first breath of adversity, but at the slightest check to our prosperity, are wont to sow the seeds of discouragement and to in

crease the prevailing uneasiness with their imaginary alarms.

"Considering the various exigencies of the present situation, I have resolved to reduce the expenditure, without suspending the great works which are going on, and without compromising the substantial results which have been obtained. I have resolved to diminish certain imposts, without impairing the finances of the State. The budget for 1858 will be presented to you, duly balanced. All the items of estimated expenditure which can be foreseen are included in it. The amount produced by the loans will prove to have been sufficient to defray the expenses of the war. All departments of the public service may be provided for without our being obliged to have recourse again to public credit.

"The estimates for the War Department and Marine have been reduced within due limits-care being taken to preserve the cadres, to respect the degrees of rank which have been so gloriously gained, and to maintain an armed force worthy of the greatness of the country. It is with this view that the annual contingent has been fixed at one hundred thousand men. This number is twenty thousand below that of the ordinary enlistment in time of peace. But, according to the system which I have adopted, and to which I attach great importance, about two-thirds of these conscripts will only remain two years with their colours, and are afterwards to form a reserve that will supply the country, at the very first appearance of danger, with an army of six hundred thousand disciplined

men.

"The reduction of the effective force will permit me to improve the pay of the lower ranks and of

the line-a measure which the dearness of provisions renders indispensable. In like manner, it yields a sum of five millions to begin with, for raising the inferior salaries of some of the officials in the civil departments, who, amidst the hardest privations, have set a good example of probity and devotedness.

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Nor have we forgotten to set apart a grant for the purpose of establishing a line of Transatlantic steamers, the creation of which has been so long required. Notwithstanding these increased expenses, I shall propose to you to suppress, from the 1st of January, 1858, the war tithe added lately to the registration dues. The abolition of this will be a sacrifice of 23 millions; but as a compensation for it, and in conformity with the wishes expressed on several occasions by the Corps Legislatif, I have caused to be taken into consideration the imposition of a new duty on all movable property.

"An idea wholly philanthropic had induced the Government to remove the Bagnes to Guiana. Unfortunately, the yellow fever, which had been unknown in those regions for fifty years, has appeared, and arrested the advance of colonization. A plan is being prepared for the removal of those establishments to Africa, or elsewhere.

Algeria, in which, under skilful hands, we see agriculture and commerce daily extending, deserves to attract our special attention. The decree of decentalization recently issued will favour the work of administration; and I shall neglect no care to offer you, according to the circumstances, the measures best adapted for the development of the colony.

"I invite your attention to a law

that tends to bring into cultivation the landes of Gascony. The progress of agriculture ought to be one of the objects of our constant solicitude; for the prosperity or decline of empires may be dated from its improvement or neglect.

"Another project of law due to the initiative of the Marshal Minister of War will be laid before you. It is a complete military penal code, which consolidates, whilst harmonizing them with our institutions, the scattered and often contradictory laws that have been issued since 1790. You will be glad, I doubt not, to affix your name to a work of this impor

tance.

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Messieurs les Députés,-Since this session is to be the last of your legislature, permit me to thank you for the devoted and active assistance that you have afforded me since 1852. You have proclaimed the Empire. You have taken part in all the measures that have restored order and prosperity to the country. You energetically supported me during the war. You shared my grief during the epidemic and during the scarcity. You shared my joy when Heaven gave me a glorious peace and a well-beloved son. Your loyal co-operation has enabled me to consolidate in France a form of Government based on the will and interests of the people. It was a difficult task to perform, for which real patriotism was essential, that of accustoming the country to new institutions. To supersede the licentious freedom of the tribune, and those stirring contests that announced the fall or elevation of Ministries, by free but calm and serious debate, was a signal service to the country, and to liberty itself; for liberty has no enemies more forVOL. XCIX.

midable than the excesses of passion and violence of speech.

"Strong in the assistance of the great bodies of the State, and in the devotedness of the armystrong, above all, in the support of this people, which knows that all my time is consecrated to its interests-I foresee for our country a future full of hope.

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France, without injury to the rights of any one, has resumed in the world that rank that was her due, and may devote herself in security to the promotion of all that is most truly grand in the works of the genius of peace.

"May God not be weary of protecting her; and soon may we be able to say of our age what a statesman, an illustrious and national historian, has written of the Consulate, Satisfaction was universal, and whoever had not in his heart the evil passions of parties was happy in the public welfare.""

At the beginning of the year the Conference which had signed the treaty of peace on the termination of the war with Russia re-assembled at Paris, for the purpose of settling the questions which still remained open, and to which we alluded in our last volume, but their labours were not fully concluded at the end of the year. We may, however, here mention that the Conference signed a protocol, in which they decided by unanimous consent, with regard to the frontier line of the new territory_ceded by Russia to Turkey in Bessarabia, that it should follow the Val de Trajan as far as the river Yalpuck, leaving Bolgrad and Tobak to Moldavia, and that Russia should retain on the right bank of that stream the town of Komrat, with

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