36S 



GREAT BRITAIN. 



of the House of Lords, the right is to be re- 

 served until November 1, 1876. The number 

 of judges is not to be reduced. The courts 

 known as Queen's Bench, Common Pleas, and 



time to time been passed for the preservation of the 

 peace in Ireland, has resulted in a measure which, 

 while relaxing the stringency of former enactments, 

 is calculated to maintain the tranquillity of the coun- 

 try. 



Exchequer, with the Probate and Admiralty ^ QueeQ then referred to the other princi . 

 Courts, will still exist m their several divisions, ^ ena ^ tment9 of the session) her reference to 



the Shipping and Revenue bills being as follows : 



and "Her Majesty's Court of Appeal" is sub- 

 stituted for the Court of Chancery. The ordi- 



nary judges of the Court of Appeal are to be 

 styled "Justices of Appeal." All the officers 

 of the courts on appeals are to attend the High 

 Court of Justice. The London Court of Bank- 

 ruptcy is not transferred to the High Court. 

 A plaintiif has option as to which division he 

 will sue in. Three judges are to constitute the 

 Court of Appeal. Before and after the com- 

 mencement of the act rules may be made for 

 the sittings of the courts, etc., and her Majes- 

 ty is empowered, by order of Council, to make 

 regulations as to the circuits of the judges. 

 There is to be no local venue, and causes may 

 be tried before a judge and assessors, or jury, 

 or official referee. Although terms are abol- 

 ished, the "long vacation" is preserved, and 

 is to commence as usual on the 10th of Au- 

 gust, and to terminate on the 24th of October. 

 There is to be a vacation of a week at Easter, 

 Whitsuntide, and Christmas. Two of the 

 judges, however, are to sit in the vacation for 

 the hearing, in London and Middlesex, of such 

 applications as may require to be immediately 

 or promptly heard, and they may sit either 

 together, or separately, as a divisional court. 

 The vacation-judges of the High Court may- 

 dispose of all actions, matters, and other busi- 

 ness of an urgent nature, during any interval 

 between the sittings of any division of the 

 High Court to which such business may be 

 assigned, although such interval may not be 

 called or known as a vacation. 



On August 13th Parliament was prorogued 

 till the 29th of October. The Queen, in her 

 speech closing the session, said : 



MY LOKDS AND GENTLEMEN : 1 am happy to be 

 enabled to release you from attendance at Parlia- 

 ment. The relations between myself and all for- 

 eign powers continue to be cordial, and I look for- 

 ward with hope and confidence to the uninterrupted 

 maintenance of European peace. The visit paid to 

 this country, on invitation of my Government, by 

 the ruler of Zanzibar, has led to the conclusion of a 

 supplemental convention, which, I trust, may be 

 efficacious for the more complete suppression of the 

 East- African slave-trade. I have learned with deep 

 regret that the expedition dispatched by my Indian 

 Government from Burmah, with the view to open 

 communication with the western provinces of China, 

 has been treacherously attacked by an armed force 

 while on Chinese territory. This' outrage, unhap- 

 pily involving the death of a young and promising 

 member of my consular service, is the subject of 

 careful inquiry, and n-o effort shall be spared to se- 

 cure the punishment of those by whom it was insti- 

 gated and committed. The condition of my colo- 

 nial empire is generally prosperous. 



GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS : I thank 

 you for the liberal supplies you have voted for the 

 public service. 



Mr LORDS AND GENTLEMEN: It is gratifying to 

 me to find that the lengthened consideration you 

 have given the various statutes, which have from 



The state of the public business and the difference 

 of opinion naturally arising on a varied and com- 

 prehensive scheme have unfortunately prevented 

 you from completing the consideration of the Mer- 

 chant Shipping bill. But I rejoice that you have 

 been able by a temporary enactment to diminish 

 considerably the dangers to which my seafaring sub- 

 jects are exposed. 



I have every reason to hope the progress in the 

 revenue system which has marked recent years will 

 be fully sustained in the present. 



The arrangements which you have made with re- 

 spect to the reduction of the national debt and those 

 for the better regulation of loans for public works 

 will lead to valuable improvements in our system 

 of imperial and local finance. In bidding you fare- 

 well for the recess, I pray that the blessing of Prov- 

 idence may fall on your recent labors and accom- 

 pany you in the discharge of all your duties. 



The reopening of the Eastern question by 

 the insurrection in European Turkey led to an 

 earnest reconsideration of the position which 

 England ought to occupy. While the confi- 

 dence in the former policy of the British Gov- 

 ernment, to maintain under all circumstances 

 the integrity of the Turkish Empire, is gen- 

 erally shaken, public opinion expressed itself 

 strongly in favor of strengthening British in- 

 fluence in Egypt for the purpose of securing 

 the possession of India. While this subject 

 was discussed by the English press, the whole 

 world was surprised by the announcement that 

 the British Government had purchased from 

 the Khedive nearly one-half of all the shares 

 of the Suez Canal Company. Public opinion 

 in England received this clear indication of 

 the intention of the Government in regard to 

 the Eastern question with enthusiastic ap- 

 plause. (See EGYPT.) 



The views of the Government on its relations 

 with Russia in the affairs of Central Asia were 

 officially stated, on July 7th, by the Under- 

 secretary of Foreign Affairs. In the House 

 of Commons, Mr. Cochrane asked for the pub- 

 lication of the official correspondence between 

 the British and Russian Governments relative 

 to the occupation of Khiva by Russia. He 

 called attention to the danger involved in the 

 advance of Russia, which would facilitate an 

 attack upon India, and become injurious to 

 British commerce. He censured the English 

 Government for its inactivity in view of the 

 steady progress of Russia, in spite of all the as- 

 surances of the Emperor and his ministers to 

 the contrary. He did not regard it as desira- 

 ble for England to enter into agreements and 

 treaties with Russia ; it was necessary to re- 

 tain freedom of action, and to make the ut- 

 most effort to strengthen the position of Eng- 

 land in Afghanistan, which was the key of the 

 British position. The visit of the Prince of 



