Finally the new Cabinet was thus constructed: Presidency of the Council and Ministry of the Interior, Dr. Kuyper ; Foreign Affairs, Baron Melvil von Lynden; Justice, M. Loeff; Finance, M. Harte van Tecklenburg; Navy, Vice-Admiral Kruijs; War, Lieut.-General Bergansius; "Waterstaat," Commerce and Industry, M. de Marez Oijens; Colonies, M. van Asch van Wijck. The Labour Department, till then attached to the "Waterstaat," was transferred to the Minister of the Interior, and that of Agriculture, which had belonged hitherto to the Interior, was incorporated in the "Waterstaat," Dr. Kuyper considering it important that he should have personal control of all industrial matters. The new Ministry was, generally speaking, very well received by all parties; the Opposition, even, promised its loyal support as far as possible. With the exception of MM. Loeff, Harte van Tecklenburg and Bergansius, who were of the Catholic party, all the other Ministers belonged to the group of the Anti-Revolutionary Right or Kuyper group, no member of the Lohman group having a seat in the Cabinet. On the other hand, one of the most influential members of that group, Baron Mackay, was elected President of the Second Chamber.

At the opening of the session of the States General in September, Queen Wilhelmina, accompanied by the Prince Consort, her spouse, delivered a speech from the Throne, which was specially remarkable in that it gave the first place to questions of public morals and of social interest, which had been the leading features on the electoral platform of the coalition. Thus, before alluding to material or purely political questions, the speech from the Throne announced measures directed against gambling and public excess in drink, a law to restrain the adulteration of alimentary commodities, another extending obligatory insurance for accidents among agricultural labourers and fishermen; and finally it announced that a law dealing with compulsory insurance against illness, chronic infirmity and old age was in preparation.

It was further announced that, in order to obtain the material resources necessary to realise the reforms spoken of above, it would be necessary to increase the revenues of the kingdom; and for that purpose, in the first place, a revision of the tariff of the duties on imports must be considered. In this revision

care would be taken to favour national industry. If, as a result, the charges should weigh on the less wealthy, there would be opportunity to take this into account at the time when their contribution to the compulsory insurance was fixed. In conclusion, the Royal Speech stated that the introduction of quick-firing guns, whose adoption was quite inevitable, would demand considerable pecuniary sacrifices. No law of importance was passed before the close of the year.

The marriage of Queen Wilhelmina, February 7, to Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was the occasion for the

manifestation by the Dutch people of their profound attachment to the dynasty of Orange-Nassau and to the young Queen, its last representative. In accordance with the law, the Duke received naturalisation of Holland from the Chamber, and some days before his marriage Royal decrees gave him the titles of rear-admiral, of major-general of the Dutch Army and major-general of the Army of the Netherlands in India, of Prince of the Low Countries and of Royal Highness. In the Second Chamber a lively debate took place on the subject of a bill proposing a pension of 150,000 florins annually in case of his being left a widower. The Socialists and a certain number of Liberal-Radicals opposed the measure vehemently but it was finally passed by 81 to 7.

The situation in Atchin was not yet satisfactory, and the Dutch troops were obliged many times during the current year to repress revolts more or less important. The most considerable result attained was the capture, in February, of the stronghold of Batoe-Ilik, in a district which until then had been in continual revolt.

III. GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBURG.

The chief event of the year was the extension of the franchise to payers of ten francs in taxes-the extreme limit fixed by the Constitution. This measure was carried by 34 votes to 1. In the course of the discussion many members loudly proclaimed their preference for universal suffrage, but the introduction of such a measure is impossible without a revision of the Constitution, which does not appear probable in the near future. Some years ago the Chamber had decided to employ a sum of 300,000 francs, shortly after increased to 500,000, which was derived from the surpluses regularly realised by the Grand Duchy's annual Budget, in favour of the Communes whose finances were involved. The Clerical party, which is also the Agricultural party, carried this year the increase of this allocation to 750,000 francs, in spite of the opposition of the Liberal party, who wished to divert the proposed increase to some large building operations generally recognised as necessary. There was much disappointment that the infant born during the year to the wife of Duke William, the heir to the throne of the Grand Duchy, was, like their other children, a daughter-the continuance of the Nassau dynasty in the male line being much desired by the people.

IV. SWITZERLAND.

Few interesting events occurred in the course of the year. On April 5 a meeting was held at Geneva to protest against the extradition of the anarchist Jaffei, who had been handed over to the Italian authorities by the Swiss authorities

Finally the new Cabinet was thus cons of the Council and Ministry of the Int Foreign Affairs, Baron Melvil von Lynden Finance, M. Harte van Tecklenburg; Kruijs; War, Lieut.-General Bergansius; merce and Industry, M. de Marez Oijens Asch van Wijck. The Labour Departmen to the Waterstaat," was transferred to Interior, and that of Agriculture, which h to the Interior, was incorporated in the Kuyper considering it important that he control of all industrial matters. The new ally speaking, very well received by all par even, promised its loyal support as far as exception of MM. Loeff, Harte van Teck sius, who were of the Catholic party, al belonged to the group of the Anti-Re Kuyper group, no member of the Loh seat in the Cabinet. On the other ha influential members of that group, Baron President of the Second Chamber.

At the opening of the session of t September, Queen Wilhelmina, accomp Consort, her spouse, delivered a speech fr was specially remarkable in that it gave tions of public morals and of social inte the leading features on the electoral plat Thus, before alluding to material or pur the speech from the Throne announc against gambling and public excess in d the adulteration of alimentary commodit obligatory insurance for accidents among and fishermen; and finally it announced compulsory insurance against illness, ch age was in preparation.

It was further announced that, in or terial resources necessary to realise the re it would be necessary to increase the reve and for that purpose, in the first place, of the duties on imports must be consi care would be taken to favour national the charges should weigh on the lessopportunity to take this into account a contribution to the compulsory insura clusion, the Royal Speech stated tha quick-firing guns, whose adoption was demand considerable pecuniary sacrifice ance was passed before the close of the y

The marriage of Queen Wilhelmina, Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was

with do

till now always acted in harmony with the Radical party, but this year, by the almost unanimous vote of the Committee of Directors-142 to 6-it decided to unite itself to the already existing Socialist organisations, that is, to the cantonal and local Labour associations, and to the isolated Socialist associations. It appeared probable that this event would have. considerable political importance in the near or far future.

The question of the continually increasing number of foreigners residing in Switzerland also greatly occupied public attention. The last census of the population revealed the fact that in Switzerland there was one foreigner to every eight natives. The proportion of foreigners, which was 30 per 1,000 in 1850, had gradually risen to 46 in 1860, to 57 in 1870, to 74 in 1880, to 79 in 1890, finally reaching the figure of 116 per 1,000 in 1900. In order to combat this continually growing invasion, there was a question of framing a law obliging as many foreigners as possible to be naturalised.

It

The buying up of the railways by the Confederation proceeds systematically; in 1900 the Central was bought up, in 1901 the North-Eastern system. There remain to be bought up the Jura-Simplon, the St. Gothard, and the Swiss Union. But the total expense which these important transactions will throw upon the Budget cannot be less than one milliard of francs. is not surprising that in this state of things the acquisition of a new artillery matériel, although warmly recommended by the Minister for War, was refused by the Chambers, who shrank from this new expense, calculated at 20,000,000 francs. They nevertheless voted a subsidy of 200,000 francs for continuing the firing experiments with the new guns.

V. SPAIN.

The annals of Spain in 1901 were marked by much feverish unrest, due partly to the dynastic and economic troubles by which she is chronically afflicted, partly to the reaction and infection of evils suffered by her neighbours. The year opened with a little revolution in public life. From January 1 all clocks on buildings belonging to the Government and in the railway stations were timed from one hour to twenty-four and according to Greenwich mean time. It was less easy to produce harmonious adjustment not only among opposite parties, but even between the Silvelists and the Villaverdists in the heart of the Ministry. Rumours of a crisis were spread, and proportionately weakened the Conservative Government. In the Chamber Señor Moret criticised severely the excessive note-issues of the Bank of Spain. In the Senate the bill dealing with the Navy met with insurmountable resistance. The Carlists continued to import arms in spite of the careful watch kept on the coasts of the Basque country by a part of the fleet; the impending marriage of the Infanta still appeared to many very moderate

people like a challenge; and a state of siege prevailed in several important provinces.

A much talked-of trial, the discussion of which coincided with the performance at Madrid of a violent drama, suddenly brought the clerical question into prominence. A rich Spanish widow had brought an action against a Jesuit Father to recover her daughter, who had been persuaded by clerical influences to retire to a convent with her marriage portion on the eve of her marriage. The magistrates, quite wrongly as many thought, had in the first instance given judgment against the family; the affair had pursued its course and taken a political character. Señor Salmeron had appeared as counsel for the widow. People's minds were already excited, when on January 31 the play "Electra," by Gaidoz, was performed at the Teatro Español in Madrid, its plot being precisely the same. This coincidence not only made the fortune of the piece, but also roused demonstrations and street riots. The Spanish Liberal Press denounced with a sort of fury the exaggerated privileges of the Spanish clergy, and demanded the suppression of the religious orders. Thus the higher clergy in Spain, it was pointed out, received a sum of more than 5,000,000 pesetas (200,0007.), while in France the bishops, though much more numerous, only received 2,500,000 pesetas. Again, instead of paying taxes like all other classes of society, the clergy paid a lump sum of 3,000,000 pesetas, called a voluntary gift. The census returns of 1897 gave more than 45,300 priests and religious, of whom 1,500 were Jesuits and 28,500 nuns. The Government itself considered this number quite sufficient, and measures had been taken with the Vatican to prevent the transference to Spain of the congregations which were to leave France. Unfortunately the Marquis Pidal, the diplomatist who had been sent to Rome to negotiate this delicate point, was himself convinced that Spain would profit both politically and financially by the immigration of the religious orders, whose personal property was considerable.

Other causes of disorder were added to the troubles whose origin was religious. The marriage of the Princess of the Asturias with Prince Charles of Bourbon, son of the Count of Caserta (pretender to the throne of the Two Sicilies, and formerly a Carlist leader), had been arranged in spite of the opposition of the Ministers of Education and of Public Works. A vain attempt was made to allay the public discontent by conferring the title of Infant of Spain and the rank of Staff Commandant upon the fiancé, and making him a naturalised Spaniard. A state of siege had to be maintained in Madrid, the streets leading to the Palace were barricaded, and large forces displayed. The marriage was celebrated on February 14; but the situation appeared so menacing that some concessions to popular demands were made a few days later. The Press censorship was removed (Feb. 18); the Cour de Cassation