e the end of
October.

Then the Conference of the Five Powers, sitting in London, interposed to
force an armistice in order to determinate some understanding and
arrangement between the Dutch and the Belgians, since it had become
evident that the Netherlands kingdom of 1815 had practically come to an
end. By the treaty of London in 1814, and that of Vienna in 1815,
Belgium, after a short interregnum of Austrian rule, was incorporated
with Holland into the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

In the space of a month then the Belgian patriots had accomplished their
task, and on November 18th the National Assembly, convoked, declared as
its first act the independence of the Belgians.

It was now necessary to find a head upon which to place the crown. The
first choice of the provisional government was the Duc de Nemours, the
son of Louis Philippe, but objection was made to him on the ground that
his selection would add too much, perhaps, to the power of France, so
his candidature was withdrawn.

Choice was fixed finally upon Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, who had but
recently declined the throne of Greece by advice of the European
diplomats. A resident of England, this Prince, who had espoused Princess
Charlotte, the daughter of George IV, was well known as a most clear
headed diplomat, a reputation he enjoyed during his whole career.

In his acceptance he said: "Human destiny does not offer a nobler or
more useful task than that of being called to found the independence of
a nation, and to consolidate its liberties."

The people hailed and received him with great enthusiasm, and on July
21st he was crowned King of the Belgians, with most impressive
ceremonies, at Brussels. The Dutch, however, viewed all this with much
concern, and at once began hostilities, thinking that the powers would
sustain them rather than permit France to occupy Belgium. At once Dutch
troops were massed for attack on both Brussels and Louvain. Outnumbered
by the Dutch, the badly organized national forces of Belgium met
disaster at Hasselt, and, realizing his peril, Leopold besought the
French, who were at the frontier, to come to his assistance.
Simultaneously with the assault on Louvain, therefore, the French
troops arrived at Brussels. Great Britain now entered the fray,
threatening to send a fleet of warships to occupy the Scheldt unless
King William recalled his army from Belgium. This settled the matter,
and the Dutch withdrew. The French likewi