e Queen. A powerful Protectionist
Ministry was formed by Sir Robert Peel, including the Duke of
Wellington, Lord Aberdeen, Sir James Graham, and Lord Lyndhurst.

Great national rejoicings took place when, on the 9th of November, a
male heir to the throne, now His Majesty King Edward VII., was born.

In France the bitter feeling against England, arising out of the
Syrian expedition, still continued, but Thiers' supersession by the
more pacific Guizot, and the satisfaction with which both the latter
and his Sovereign regarded the displacement of Palmerston by Aberdeen,
began to lead to a better _entente_. The scheme of fortifying Paris
continued, however, to be debated, while the Orleanist family were
still the subjects of futile _attentats_.

Spain was disturbed, the question of the guardianship of the young
Queen giving rise to dissension: insurrections in the interests of the
Queen-mother took place at Pampeluna and Vittoria, and her pension was
suspended by Espartero, the Regent.

In the east, Mehemet Ali surrendered the whole of the Turkish fleet,
and he was subsequently guaranteed the hereditary Pashalik of Egypt
by the four European Powers who had intervened in the affairs of the
Levant.

In Afghanistan, an insurrection broke out, and Sir Alexander Burnes
was murdered; our envoy at Cabul, Sir William Macnaghten, in an
unfortunate moment entered into negotiations with Akbar Khan, a son
of Dost Mahommed, who treacherously assassinated him. Somewhat
humiliating terms were arranged, and the English force of 4,000
soldiers, with 12,000 camp-followers, proceeded to withdraw from
Cabul, harassed by the enemy; after endless casualties, General
Elphinstone, who was in command, with the women and children, became
captives, and one man alone, of the 16,000--Dr Brydon--reached
Jellalabad to tell the tale.

In China, operations were continued, Sir Henry Pottinger superseding
Captain Elliot, and Canton soon lying at the mercy of the British
arms; the new Superintendent co-operated with Sir Hugh Gough and
Admiral Sir William Parker, in the capture of Amoy, Chusan, Chintu,
and Ningpo.

In America, the union of the two Canadas was carried into effect, but
a sharp dispute with the United States arose out of the Upper Canada
disturbances of 1837. Some Canadian loyalists had then resented the
interference of a few individual Americans in favour of the rebels,
and an American named Durfee had been killed. One M'Leod, a British