PART II.

CHRONICLE OF EVENTS

IN 1901.

JANUARY.

1. The inauguration of the Australian Commonwealth celebrated with great rejoicings throughout the constituent colonies, especially at Sydney, where the Governor-General (Earl of Hopetoun) was received with great ceremony.

2. The Queen received Lord Roberts on his arrival at Osborne, and conferred upon him an Earldom and the blue riband of the Garter.

3. Lord Roberts was received at Paddington by the Prince and Princess of Wales and many other members of the Royal Family, and welcomed by large crowds as he passed in procession through the streets to Buckingham Palace, where he was entertained at luncheon by the Prince of Wales.

- The Bank of England raised its rate of discount from 4 to 5 per cent., the reserve standing at 16,211,680l., or 29 per cent. of the liabilities (the lowest for ten years).

10. At Sydney, N.S.W., the cricket match between New South Wales and South Australia resulted in the defeat of the latter in one innings by 605 runs. Score: South Australia, first innings, 156; second, 155; New South Wales, first innings, 916.

14. The ukase issued in the previous May abolishing the exile of Russian criminals to Siberia came into force.

16. H.M.S. Sybille, a second-class cruiser of 3,600 tons, driven ashore in Saldanha Bay, about eighty miles north-west of Cape Town, and became a total wreck. All the crew were saved except one seaman.

17. The celebration of the bicentenary of the Prussian Monarchy commenced at Berlin, and continued for several days amid general rejoicing and splendid official fêtes.

18. The first notification of the illness of Queen Victoria made to the public through the Court Circular.

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18. The Chinese plenipotentiaries presented to the representatives of the Powers the decree of the Emperor accepting the conditions of peace.

21. The Bishops addressed a joint letter of admonition to the clergy, urging the duty of submitting to the opinions of the Archbishops, and appealing to them to free the Church "from the injury and discredit which she suffers when men see within her cases of persistent disregard of her constituted authorities ".

22. H.M. Queen Victoria died at Osborne House at 6.30 P.M., surrounded by her children and grandchildren, including the German Emperor.

23. A meeting of the Privy Council and other notable persons held at St. James's Palace, at which a proclamation was approved announcing the accession to the Throne of the Prince of Wales under the title of Edward VII. The King then entered the Council Chamber, made his "declaration" and received the homage of the great officers of state, and took the oath to preserve the security of the Church of Scotland.

Parliament assembled without summons, in pursuance of the Act, 6 Anne, c. 7.

24. King Edward VII.'s accession publicly proclaimed at St. James's Palace, Temple Bar and the Royal Exchange in full state, but in conformity with the late Queen's wish his Majesty did not appear. The Secretaries of State and other Ministers, having formally resigned, were reinstated and took the oath of office.

25. Addresses of condolence moved and carried nem. con. in both Houses of Parliament.

A serious fire broke out in Montreal in the wealthiest trading centre, and destroyed property to the value of $5,000,000.

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28. The accession of King Edward VII. as Supreme Lord of and over the Transvaal" proclaimed at Pretoria in the presence of Lord Kitchener and his staff.

29. The King addressed special letters of thanks to the Army and Navy for their services and devotion to the Throne.

FEBRUARY.

1. The body of the late Queen, in a coffin covered with a white pall, with the crown, orb and sceptre thereon, left Osborne House on a gun-carriage for Trinity Pier at Cowes at 2 P.M.; the King, with the members of the Royal Family, the German Emperor, and other invited mourners, following on foot. At Cowes the coffin was placed on board the Alberta, which slowly steamed through an avenue of British and foreign men-of-war and other ships, and finally arrived at Portsmouth Harbour, where the body remained all night on board.

2. A day of general mourning closely observed throughout the Empire by memorial services and the total suspension of business.

2. The Queen's body having been transferred to land, and conveyed by train from Portsmouth to Victoria Station, all the mourners accompanying, it was again placed on a khaki-coloured gun-carriage, immediately behind which the King, the German Emperor, and other members of the Royal Family rode. There was an enormous gathering along the line of route by Buckingham Palace, St. James's Street, Piccadilly and Hyde Park to Paddington, whence the body was conveyed to Windsor, and the funeral service performed in St. George's Chapel.

3. Six naphtha springs at Baku caught fire and spread later to the neighbouring petroleum magazines, containing upwards of 15,000,000 poods of petroleum, which were completely destroyed with the surrounding buildings. About thirty lives were lost, and nearly a hundred people seriously injured.

4. The late Queen's body, having remained in the Albert Memorial Chapel since the ceremony in St. George's Chapel, was transferred to the Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore, and placed beside that of the Prince Consort. The service was attended by members of the Royal Family exclusively.

The King issued messages addressed to "My People," to "My People beyond the Seas," and to "The Princes and People of India."

5. The German Emperor, after lunching with the King at Marlborough House, brought his visit to a close, and on his way through London was cordially received by large crowds assembled to greet him. He subsequently left for Port Victoria, where he embarked for Flushing on the following morning.

At the meeting of the London County Council it was announced that Mr. F. J. Horniman had presented to the people of London a park and other land, some fifteen acres in all, near Forest Hill Station, Sydenham, together with a museum recently erected at the cost of 40,000l., large art and natural history collections, a library of 6,000 volumes, and residences bringing in 600l. a year.

7. The marriage of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands with the Grand Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was celebrated amid great public rejoicings at the Hague, the civil ceremony taking place in the White Hall of the Palace, and the religious service at the S. Jakob's Kerke.

The Bank of England reduced its rate of discount from 5 to 4 per cent., the reserve standing at 21,514,145l., or 45 per cent. of the liabilities.

8. The War Office announced the immediate despatch of 30,000 more troops, chiefly mounted, to South Africa, in compliance with Lord Kitchener's request.

9. The International Football Match (Rugby) between England and Ireland, played at Dublin, resulted in the victory of Ireland by two goals to a goal and a try (10 points to 6). The match between Scotland and Wales, played at Edinburgh, resulted in the victory of Scotland by three goals and a try to a goal and a try (18 points to 8).

9. Issue by the Government of 11,000,000l. in 3 per cent. Exchequer Bonds repayable at par on December 7, 1905. The average price obtained was 971. 5s. 4d. per 100l. Bond. The applications amounted to 25,390,7001.

10. Violent demonstrations made against the Jesuits at Madrid, Granada, Seville, and in other parts of Spain. The rioting, which lasted several days, was intensified by the popular dislike of the marriage of the Princess of the Asturias to the Count de Caserta, grandson of Ferdinand VII. of Naples.

12. At a special chapter of the Order of the Garter the King created the Queen a Dame of the Order.

14. The first Parliament of the new reign opened by the King in person, accompanied by the Queen, and in full state.

16. The Inter-University Football Match (Association), played at Queen's Club Ground, Kensington, resulted in the victory of Oxford by three goals to two.

21. The Bank of England reduced its rate of discount from 4 to 4 per cent., the reserve standing at 24,467,000l., or 521 per cent. of the liabilities. Money was, however, very scarce, on account of revenue collections and large clearances in anticipation of increased taxation.

23. The King, after having received deputations from the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and St. Andrews, left for Kronberg on a visit to the Empress Frederick, travelling by way of Flushing and Cologne.

26. The election for the Stretford Division of Lancashire, consequent on the death of Sir J. W. Maclure (C.), resulted in the return of Mr. C. H. Cripps, K.C. (C.), by 7,088 votes against 5,790 given to Mr. F. Thomasson-majority, 1,297.

The Spanish Ministry of General Azcarraga resigned.

27. M. Bogoljepoff, Russian Minister of Education, fired at and seriously wounded in the neck by an ex-student of Moscow University.

MARCH.

1. The election at Maidstone, consequent on the unseating of Mr. J. Barker (L.) on petition, resulted in the return of Sir F. Evans (L.) by 2,375 votes against 2,182 polled by Mr. T. Milvain (C.)-majority, 193.

2. The triennial elections to the London County Council gave the Progressists a gain of 16 seats-the results being 84 Progressists, 32 Conservatives and Unionists, as the Moderates called themselves with a view to these elections, and 2 Independents. Less than onethird of the registered electors voted-139,586 for the Progressives, 104,160 for the Conservatives and Unionists, and 4,575 for the Independents.

The Dominion Parliament by 125 to 19 votes adopted a motion to petition the King to change the form of the Coronation Declaration, which was regarded as needlessly offensive to Roman Catholics.

4. In a debate in the House of Lords on the War Office, the ex

Commander-in-Chief, Lord Wolseley, criticised the existing system as fatal to the usefulness of the Commander-in-Chief, and Lord Lansdowne, ex-War Secretary, in reply, complained that Lord Wolseley had not fully attended to the duties assigned to him.

4. President McKinley's second term of office inaugurated at Washington with gorgeous and imposing ceremonial.

5. In the House of Commons several Irish Members refused to take part in a division on a Vote on Account of 17,000,000l., on the ground that it had not been sufficiently debated. They were reported by the Chairman to the Speaker, who having named nine Members called on them to withdraw. They refused to do so, and were forcibly removed by the police, summoned for that purpose, and for the first time on record allowed to enter the House.

6. The German Emperor, while driving through the streets of Bremen at night, struck in the face by an iron bolt thrown by an insane man. 7. The arrangements concluded for forming the United States Steel Corporation with a capital of $850,000,000, half in Common and half in 7 per cent. Cumulative Preferred Stock, and $304,000,000 in 5 per cent. bonds.

The Right Rev. Dr. A. F. Winnington-Ingram, Bishop Suffragan of Stepney, appointed Bishop of London, in succession to Dr. Creighton, deceased.

8. In the House of Commons the Secretary of State for War, Mr. Brodrick, explained the Government proposals for Army Reform, involv. ing the creation and maintenance of six army corps.

9. At Blackheath, Scotland beat England by three goals and one try to one try (Rugby), and at Southampton England beat Ireland by three goals to nil (Association).

10. The Official Gazette of St. Petersburg published a decree of the Holy Pan-Russian Synod excommunicating Count Leo Tolstoi on account of his denial of the dogmas and sacraments of the Russian Church.

11. The phenomena of red snow and "blood" rain reported from Sicily, and subsequently from the Tyrol, Southern Austria, and as far north as Bamberg. At Rome it was accompanied by an extraordinary rise in temperature, and a stifling wind from the south-east.

12. At first meeting of new London County Council a by-law adopted prohibiting any games on Sundays in the parks and open spaces under the Council's control. This was recommended by the Parks Committee on grounds of public convenience.

13. In the Canadian House of Commons a motion by Mr. Bourassa against further participation by Canada in the South African war, and in favour of Boer independence, rejected by 144 to 3 votes, after which the Members rose and sang the National Anthem.

- Interim report of Admiralty Water-tube Boiler Committee published, favourable to the principle of such boilers for the Navy, but unfavourable to the Belleville type.