330 



GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 



The navy consisted of 72 ironclads, inclusive 

 of those in the course of construction, about 

 360 steamers, and 120 sailing-vessels. Of this 

 number 251 were in commission in August, 

 1880, 123 being at home, and 128 abroad. The 

 navy is manned by 45,800 seamen, 13,000 ma- 

 rines, and 21,420 men belonging to the Royal 

 Navy reserve. 



The session of Parliament was opened Feb- 

 ruary 5th by the Queen in person. Her Majesty 

 said in her speech, which was read by the Lord 

 Chancellor : 



My relations with all the powers continue to be 

 friendly. The course of events since the prorogation 

 of Parliament has tended to furnish additional security 

 to the maintenance of European peace, on the princi- 

 ples laid down by the Treaty of Berlin. Much, how- 

 ever, still remains to be done to repair the disorder 

 with which the late war has affected many parts of the 

 Turkish Empire. 



A convention for the suppression of the slave-trade 

 has been concluded between my Government and that 

 of his Imperial Majesty the Sultan. 



At the close of your last session I expressed my hope 

 that the Treaty of Gundamuk had happily terminated 

 the war in Afghanistan. In conformity with its provi- 

 sions, my envoy, with his retinue, was honorably re- 

 ceived and entertained by the Ameer at Cabpol. While 

 engaged, however, in the exercise of their duty, he 

 and those connected with the embassy were treacher- 

 ously attacked by overwhelming numbers, and, after 

 an heroic defense, were almost all massacred. An 

 outrage so intolerable called for condign chastisement, 

 and my troops, which, pursuant to the stipulations of 

 the treaty, either had withdrawn or were withdrawing 

 from the territories governed by the Ameer, were or- 

 dered to retrace their steps. The skill exhibited in 

 the rapid march upon Cabool, and in the advances 

 upon the other lines of action, reflects the highest 

 credit upon the officers and men of my British and 

 native forces, whose bravery has shown with its wont- 

 ed luster in every collision with the enemy. 



The abdication of the Ameer, and the unsettled 

 condition of the country, render the recall of my troops 

 impossible for the present ; but the principle on which 

 my Government has hitherto acted remains unchanged; 

 and, while determined to make the frontiers of my In- 

 dian Empire strong. I desire to be in friendly relations 

 alike with those who may rule in Afghanistan, and 

 with the people of that country. 



My anticipations as to the earlv establishment of 

 peace in South Africa have been fulfilled. The cap- 

 ture and deposition of the Zooloo king, and the break- 

 ing-up of the military organization on which his dy- 

 nasty was based, have relieved my possessions in that 

 part of the world from a danger which has seriously 

 impeded their advancement and consolidation. In 

 Basutoland a native outbreak of considerable impor- 

 tance has been effectually quelled by my colonial forces ; 

 while the Transvaal has been freed from the depreda- 

 tions of a powerful chief, who, having successfully 

 resisted the former Government of the country, had 

 persistently rejected our attempts at conciliation. I 

 have reason to hope that the time is now approaching 

 when an important advance may be made toward the 

 establishment of a union or confederation under which 

 the powers of self-government, already enjoyed by the 

 inhabitants of the Cape Colony, may be 'extended to 

 my subjects in other parts of South Africa. . . . 



The commission which, at the close of the last ses- 

 sion, I informed you I had issued to inquire into the 

 causes of agricultural depression throughout the United 

 Kingdom is pursuing its labors. In the mean time, 

 the serious deficiency in the usual crops in some parts 

 of Ireland has rendered necessary special precautions 

 on the part of my Government to guard against the 

 calamities with wnich those districts were threatened. 



With this view, they have called upon the authori- 

 ties charged with the duties of admimstc ring relief to 

 make ample preparations for the distribution of food 

 and fuel, should such a step become necessary ; and 

 they have also stimulated the employment of labor by 

 advances on terms more liberal than those prescribed 

 by the existing law. 



I feel assured that you will give your sanction to 

 the course which has been adopted where it may have 

 exceeded the power intrusted by Parliament to the 

 Executive Government. 



A proposal will be submitted to you for providing 

 the funds required for these exceptional advances on 

 the security of the property administered by the Church 

 Temporalities Commissioners. 



I trust you will be able to resume the consideration 

 of the Criminal Code, and of the improvement of the 

 law of bankruptcy. 



Bills will be laid before you for enlarging^ the pow- 

 ers of owners of settled land, for consolidating and 

 amending the lunacy laws, and for simplifying the 

 practice of conveyancing. 



The address to the Crown was moved in the 

 House of Lords by Lord Onslow, who defended 

 the policy of the Government in Afghanistan 

 and South Africa, and expressed the hope that 

 the Government would be able to make good 

 its promises of useful legislation to meet the 

 agricultural distress. Lord Rosse seconded the 

 motion, speaking particularly of the distress 

 in Ireland. Lord Granville urged a reform of 

 the land laws, by simplifying the sale and ac- 

 quisition of land. If Home Rule meant anoth- 

 er and distinct Parliament for Ireland, he con- 

 sidered it an utter impossibility, though he 

 had no objection to giving the sister kingdom 

 such an amount of local control over its affairs 

 as would really tend to an amelioration of its 

 condition. The war in South Africa had not 

 only been impolitic, but in the highest degree 

 unjust and unnecessary, a cruel and inhuman 

 contest, a disgrace to the honor and name of 

 the nation. Not less without excuse had been 

 the war with Afghanistan, where the British 

 had been met with the most determined resist- 

 ance on the part of all the natives. The Earl 

 of Beaconsfield said it was disingenuous to 

 blame the Government, not so much for what 

 it had done, as for what it had been said it had 

 done. He did not think it necessary at that 

 time to defend the stipulations of the Treaty of 

 Berlin. The Government was seeing to their 

 execution. To the strictures of Lord Granville 

 on the wars in South Africa and Afghanistan, 

 and the alleged atrocitie-i there, he gave an in- 

 dignant denial. The policy of the Ministers in 

 regard to Afghanistan had never altered. It 

 was not one of annexation, but purely of de- 

 fense, and, having secured the military frontier, 

 the troops would be withdrawn the moment 

 the Afghans had obtained a ruler under whom 

 they could live and be peaceful. Not more 

 than one tenth of the people were hostile to 

 the British. The Premier further declared 

 that what the Home Rulers wanted would be 

 equivalent to a dismemberment of the United 

 Kingdom, and the man who favored that was 

 false to his sovereign and his country. The 

 Duke of Argyll denounced the proceedings of 



