over the Corn Laws which, until its settlement,
remained the most important question of the day in England. Lord
Melbourne's Ministry by its attempt to adjust the sugar bounties, and
incidentally the Corn Laws, dealt the first formidable blow against the
great system of monopoly called protection. The government's proposals on
that subject were denounced as an encouragement of the produce of the
sugars of Cuba and other slave states at the expense of the British West
Indies, where slavery had been abolished. As a result the anti-slavery
Whigs joined with the Tories, under the leadership of Peel. The government
was defeated by a majority of thirty-six votes. In contravention of
Parliamentary customs, Lord Melbourne's Ministry did not hand in their
resignations, neither did they see fit to dissolve Parliament. When
Parliament met again Sir Robert Peel, amid tumultuous cheering from his
followers, moved a direct vote of want of confidence in the government. By
a majority of one the motion was carried. The dissolution of Parliament was
announced on the morrow. The appeal to the country resulted in a strong
gain of Conservatives. The moribund Ministry made another attempt to carry
their measures before retiring from office. Sir Robert Peel, in his
proposals for a sliding scale in the duties on corn, already showed some
bias toward that free-trade policy to which he afterward became committed.
On the first division on this question the government was outvoted by a
majority of sixty-four. Melbourne's resignation was of course followed by
the elevation of Peel to the Prime Ministry. Lord Palmerston was replaced
by the Earl of Aberdeen in the Foreign Office. Lord Lyndhurst was retained
in the Chancellorship. The leadership of the Upper House was left to the
Duke of Wellington, who joined the Cabinet without taking any office.

[Sidenote: Growth of mission work]

Throughout the year industrial distress prevailed in England and Ireland,
with the usual consequence of an increase in crime. The vigorous support of
British trade in the Far East was followed by an extension of Christian
missions. Thus missionary work was resumed in China, while Livingstone
preached the Gospel to the Hottentots of South Africa. The growth in
colonial bishoprics caused Sidney Smith to say that soon there would not be
a rock in the ocean without an English bishop and archdeacon. During this
year adhesive postage stamps were first used in England. Wheatsto