icissitudes of the year.

A fast was ordered in England and Ireland for the 21st of March, which
was extensively and solemnly observed; and a day of thanksgiving was
kept with as unanimous a spirit, when, in September, Sebastopol fell.

DEATH OF THE CZAR.

On the 2nd of March the people of London were astonished by a telegram
that the Emperor of Russia had died that morning. Seldom was so profound
and general a sensation created. It was believed by nearly all persons
that the war would be speedily brought to a close, as he who had created
it had passed away. It was not then generally understood that the
Emperor Nicholas was the representative of the feeling and opinion of
the whole Russian nation. His ambition, love of conquest, aggrandizement
of territory, did not pass beyond the degree in which these qualities
were cherished by his people. The desire to propagate the Greek church
by the sword alike possessed emperor and subjects. The war, therefore,
continued, although the successor of Nicholas--Alexander II.--was, as
alleged, a mild prince, more desirous to draw out the resources of his
empire by peace than to extend it by war. At all events the conflict
continued to rage, to the disappointment of all who hated bloodshed, and
felt for the miseries of their fellow creatures.

It was alleged that the death of the Emperor Nicholas was caused by the
defeat of his arms at the battle of Eupatoria. On the 17th of February,
forty thousand Russians attacked the Turkish army under Omar Pasha, then
quartered there. The occupation of that place by the allies was a great
hindrance to the operations of the Russian armies, and was dangerous
to the Crimea and its communications with the southern provinces of the
Russian empire. The emperor had, therefore, ordered it to be carried at
any cost. He, no doubt, felt humiliated that the Turks, whom he had so
recently attacked in their own territory, should now, in their turn, be
invaders, and he burned with indignation at this affront to his power.
By this battle his soldiers were defeated, his ambition and his hopes
blasted. He began at last to see the magnitude of the war he had
provoked, and the perils with which his empire were environed. He
drooped from that hour. A severe cold, taken in the persevering
discharge of his high functions, hastened his dissolution.

DEPARTURE OF THE BALTIC FLEET.

On the 4th of April the first squadron of the Baltic fleet for the naval