GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 



35? 



Canal. The opposition leaders made a strong 

 staiiil against the measure in tho debate, Febru- 

 ary iM.st, Mr. Lane and Mr. Gladstone severely 

 t-ritirisiiig tho policy of the ministry in the 

 purduise. Sir Stafford Northcoto, Chancellor 

 of tin- KxcluM|iier, and Mr. Disraeli, replied, tlio 

 lat t cr remarking that he did not recommend 

 the pm-chaso as a financial investment, but as 

 a political measure calculated to strengthen 

 the empire. The motion was adopted. The 

 bill making the appropriation of 4,080,000 ex- 

 chequer bonds was passed on its third reading 

 March 6th. On the 8th of August the House 

 finally ratified the clauses of the bill for the 

 purchase of the shares. The House also, Au- 

 gust 5th, voted the payment of the expenses of 

 Mr. Cave's mission to Egypt. 



On the 17th of February Mr. Disraeli intro- 

 duced a bill in the House of Commons to 

 authorize her Majesty to take, in addition to 

 her former titles, the style and title of " Em- 

 press of India." The proposition was received 

 with great disfavor by the Liberal party, and 

 excited general disapproval among the people 

 and in the press. It became the subject of 

 long and fierce debates in the House,- yet was 

 insisted upon by the ministry, and pressed 

 through with energy. On the 16th of March 

 the Marquis of Hartington moved a resolu- 

 tion: "That, while willing to consider a meas- 

 ure enabling her Majesty to make an addition 

 to the royal style and title which shall in- 

 clude such dominions of her Majesty as to her 

 Majesty may seem meet, this House is of 

 opinion that it is inexpedient to impair the 

 ancient and royal dignity of the crown by 

 the assumption of the style and title of Em- 

 peror. 1 ' Lord Hartington said, in support of 

 his resolution, that any addition made to the 

 Queen's title should include the assertion of 

 sovereignty over the colonies, and remarked 

 that the Government ought to show, what they 

 had not yet shown, how the proposed addi- 

 tion would contribute to the promotion of 

 English interests in India. Lord Hartington's 

 motion was defeated by a vote of 305 to 200. 

 Among other arguments which were urged 

 against the bill were that the assumption of 

 an additional title was derogatory to the title 

 which the English sovereign had borne for a 

 thousand years, and which had become equal 

 to any title known on the earth ; that the title 

 "Empress" could not be translated into any 

 Indian equivalent which would convey the full 

 sense sought to be conveyed by it ; and that the 

 fact of English sovereignty in India spoke for 

 itself, and did not need the phrasing of a new 

 form of words to express it. The fear was also 

 widely expressed that the new title would be 

 nsed in England, and in intercourse with 

 European Governments. On this subject the 

 Government made pledges that the title " Era- 

 press " should be used only and solely for 

 India. The bill was passed in the House of 

 Commons March 23d, the vote being 209 in 

 favor of it, and 134 against it. It then went 



to the House of Lords, where, April 4th, the 

 Earl of Shaftesbury offered a motion for an ad- 

 dress to the Queen, praying her not to assume 

 the title of Empress. He argued that the title 

 was distasteful to the vast majority of the 

 people. His motion was defeated by u vote of 

 187 to 91. An attempt was made by Mr. Faw- 

 cett to offer a similar motion in the House of 

 Commons, but was defeated by the considera- 



BOBERT BDBNS'S COTTAGE, NEAR ATR. 



tion that for the House to entertain it after 

 having passed the bill would be for it to offer 

 a censure upon itself. The bill passed the 

 House of Lords April 7th, and received the 

 royal assent April 27th. On the 28th of April 

 the Queen issued her proclamation, assuming 

 the new title. After reciting the provisions of 

 the act passed by the Parliament, this procla- 

 mation declares : 



We have thought fit, by the advice of our Privy 

 Council, to appoint and declare, and we do hereby, 

 by and with the said advice, appoint and declare, 

 that henceforth, so far as conveniently JDUV be, on 

 all occasions and in all instruments when in our 

 style and titles are used, save and except all char- 

 ters, commissions, letters patent, grants, \\rits, ap- 

 pointments, and other like instruments, not extend- 

 ing in their operation beyond the United Kingdom, 

 the following addition shall be made to the style ana 

 titles atpresent appertaining to the imperial crown 

 of the United Kingdom anti its dependencies that 

 is to say, in the Latin tongue in these words : " India; 

 Imperntrix ; " and in the English tongue in these 

 words : " Empress of India." 



And our will and pleasure further is, that the said 

 addition shall not be made in the commissions, 

 charters, letters-patent, grunts, writs, appointment.8, 

 and other like instruments hereinbefore specially 

 excepted. 



And our will and pleasure further is, that all gold, 

 silver, and copper moneys now current nnd lawful 

 moneys of the United Kingdom, and all gold, silver, 

 and copper moneys which shall, on or after this day, 

 be coined by our authority with the like imprts- 

 sions, shall, notwithstanding such addition to our 

 style and titles, be deemed and taken to be current 

 and lawful moneys of the said United Kingdom: 

 and, further, that all moneys coined for and issued 

 in any of the dependencies of the said United King- 



