ges of cabinets in 1886,
bringing in Gladstone again, but only for four months, when Lord
Salisbury returned to the premiership. Zululand was the next
addition to Great Britain's possession, its annexation being
announced in 1887. In the same year the fiftieth anniversary of
Queen Victoria's accession to the throne was celebrated with great
splendor at London, and became a means of strongly emphasizing
Disraeli's imperialistic idea. It brought together the most
noteworthy gathering of rulers of nations, and led undoubtedly to an
exchange of views which, at least for a short time, had a beneficial
influence on the world's peace. In 1889 the British South African
Company was chartered and the foundation was laid thereby for the
immense expansion of England in South Africa. In 1890 Germany and
England adjusted various difficulties in regard to their respective
spheres of influence in Africa by signing a treaty. This gave to
England a protectorate over Zanzibar, in exchange for which it ceded
the island of Helgoland to Germany. Though this adjustment was not
popular in either country, and especially not in Germany, it led to
a betterment of conditions between England and Germany, as it
removed at least one source of continual dissension by adjusting the
African question. The young German Emperor accompanied by the
Empress, paid a visit to his grandmother, Queen Victoria, in 1891,
and thereby emphasized the cordiality of relations existing between
the two Governments. In the summer of 1892 the Salisbury Ministry
resigned as the result of renewed difficulties in Ireland, and was
again succeeded by a Gladstone Cabinet.

In 1893 relations between France and England became temporarily
strained on account of English aggressiveness in Egypt, where France
had been considerably interested previous to England's purchase of
the Suez Canal. In 1894 the Gladstone Ministry resigned once more
and was succeeded by one headed by Lord Rosebery. Labor difficulties
were characteristic of that year, 1894, as well as the preceding
one, 1893. Another acquisition was made in 1894 by the establishment
of a protectorate over Uganda in East Africa. The appearance in 1895
of a British fleet in Nicaragua to enforce the payment of certain
indemnities held possibilities of a conflict with the United States
on account of the Monroe Doctrine, but the matter was quickly
settled and the fleet withdrawn. The Rosebery Cabinet was succeeded
by one headed by L