oys and
the people was observed, and all men, except the high officials, seemed
to hear the murmuring of the distant thunder, and the first struggles
of the storm, so soon to burst in blood and destruction over so large
a portion of India. Thus closed the year 1856 in the British Indian
empire: 1857 had scarcely dawned, when the thundercloud burst over its
fairest provinces, and the deluge fell by which so many human beings, so
many interests, and so vast an army, were swept away.

IRELAND.

The progress of Ireland in material prosperity was obvious, and a source
of gratulation to the empire. The moral progress of the country did not
keep pace with its temporal advancement; in this respect the predictions
of its best friends in parliament and in Great Britain were not
fulfilled. Agrarian outrage was as common as in previous years, and the
murderous riband conspiracy still dealt out slaughter, and held the
good and peaceable in terror without any proper attempts on the part of
government to put it down. The following remarks of the editor of the
_Annual Register_ were as true and just as they were pertinent and
expressive of the facts:--"Many of the homicidal crimes in Ireland arise
from motives which must be found in every society, and which therefore
are not to be accounted as a peculiar reproach upon the natural
character. Many of these foul deeds would not deserve any especial
record, were it not needful that they should be noticed simultaneously
with those more horrible assassinations perpetrated under the influence
of a secret tribunal which has for generations been the curse of that
unhappy land. Although the national prosperity of Ireland for some
years back has been such as to alter the aspect of the country, it will
probably take many years of content and good government--perhaps the
passing away of more than one generation--to purge the land of the
monstrous organization which keeps all men in dread."

HOME--GENERAL CONDITION OF GREAT BRITAIN.

The year 1856 opened mildly as to the season, compared with 1855. The
winter and spring months passed away without witnessing the severity of
weather, or its fatal influence upon health and life which characterized
the corresponding months of the previous year. The attention of the
people was much occupied by foreign politics and events. The unwelcome
peace with Russia, the wars with Persia and China, the threatening
aspect of affairs in India, especiall