nshire, in Scotland.

Dec. 1. Ebenezer Elliott, "the Corn-law Rhymer." He was born and died
in Yorkshire. He was the author of several pleasing poems, of a somewhat
epigrammatic character.

The year 1849 was remarkable for the death of eminent general officers
and military men of inferior rank. Naval heroes, of a reputation
extensive as the world, were also called away. The numbers of persons
of great mark in the nation who died during the year were too great to
receive notice within the limits of this history. To point out a few in
whom the public of the present day take most interest is all which space
will allow in this volume.

CHAPTER LXII.

{VICTORIA. 1850}

Foreign Relations..... Colonial Affairs..... Ireland.....
Home Incidents-Debates in Parliament..... Deaths of
Remarkable Persons.

{A.D. 1850}

The year 1850 was not a striking period of English history. There was no
foreign war, no colonial revolt, no great question to be solved at home;
yet in every department of the national affairs there were occurrences
of importance, as might be expected in so vast an empire, with so many
and complicated interests.

FOREIGN RELATIONS.

_Spain_.--The interruptions of diplomatic relations with Spain, in
consequence of the offence taken by General Narvaez at the interference
of Sir Henry L. Bulwer, was brought to a termination by the appointment
of Lord Howden as envoy extraordinary, and ambassador plenipotentiary of
the Queen of Great Britain to the court of Madrid. This event seemed to
give great satisfaction to the Spanish court and people, and her Iberian
majesty, on the assembling of the cortes, made the matter a prominent
topic in her address; but little interest was taken in Great Britain in
connection with the event.

_Greece_.--The independence of the Greek kingdom was not followed by any
improvement in the condition or character of the people. The government
constituted by the three protecting powers (England, France, and Russia)
was corrupt and incompetent, and the king despotic and faithless. Russia
had an interest in keeping Greece disturbed, and especially in exciting
both king and people to ambitious projects against Turkey, and Louis
Philippe, King of the French, aided in promoting the corruption, and
founded a policy for France inimical to the permanent advantage of
Greece and the peace of Europe. The Greek government well knowing the
unfavourable feeling of both R