in which they have been educated. An example is given in the case of the Grand Duchess Olga, now the wife of the Duke of Wurtemburg, who was first proposed as the wife of the Arch-Duke Albert of Austria. The Emperor Nicholas, however, would only consent on the condition that she retained her faith, and that a chapel should be erected in the palace for the performance of the Greek rites. The Emperor of Austria regarding such a proceeding as little in accordance with his title of Apostolic Majesty objected to this, but offered a compromise, namely, that the Grand Duchess should retain her faith, but that she should attend public worship in the Greek Church in the city. The Emperor of Russia not approving this arrangement, the matter fell through. It is said that the obstacle to the marriage of the Prince with the Grand Duchess arises from a similar cause, the religious objections of King Victor Emmanuel.

I believe some talk was occasioned in England as well as here by the ambassadors of the two countries returning home immediately after the performance of the marriage ceremony between the Princess Alexandrine and the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin, in consequence of their having been informed that no places had been reserved for them at the king's table. This had all been arranged beforehand, and the explanation of what at first sight may appear as the consequence of a slight is very simple. According to diplomatic etiquette, ambassadors, representing their sovereigns, take precedence of all except the brothers and sons of the king. The Princess' betrothed being only a duke, would have had to yield precedence to the Western Powers, and so also would the greater part of the German Princes present; and as this would not have been seemly on such an occasion, it was thought the better plan would be not to reserve any places for them at all, and to give the ambassadors notice to this effect, which was accordingly done. An analogous case has been quoted, that of the non-appearance of Lord Cowley at the diplomatic dinners of the Congress of Paris in 1856, though Lord Clarendon, who was his official superior, was always present. Apropos of this marriage, for those who are curious in such matters, and like to collect matters for small talk in ladies drawing-rooms, I may add that the Princesses crown, which they wear only on the occasion of their marriage, a necklace of precious stones of large size, which included the Regent, or Pittas, as it is sometimes called in Prussia, with other jewellery she wore, is estimated to be worth a million and a half of thalers.

Spain has accepted the mediation of England and France in the Chili affair, and very glad indeed the Spanish Government was to do it; the severest punishment that could have been inflicted on them for the trouble they have given to neutrals by blockading the Chiliau ports would have been to have left them to have settled the matter with Chili and Peru, and the other Republics of South

America in the best way they could. It is now said that the obstacle to the settlement of the matter is caused by the determination of Chili not to come to any arrangement with Spain which is not preceded by an apology from that power, a determination which if persisted in, will soon extinguish what little sympathy has been raised in Europe on account of her comparative weakness. In these days we have little regard for the pretensions of weak States which stand on their dignity, if they interfere with the interests of the greater Powers. Whether the Spanish Ministers manage to creep out of the difficulty or not, it will always be considered that Spain has been defeated, and it will be well for it if it escapes with the stigma only and does not incur it in reality. On the other hand, though it would be impossible for Spain to reconquer Chili even if she put forth all the strength she possesses; the Chilian army being 50,000 strong with power to increase it to 80,000, there is no doubt that she could inflict grievous injury by interrupting the commerce of the country, and compelling the maintenance of an army to consume the reserve.

The recent elections in Spain which have ended in the return of a large majority for the existing government, prove nothing with respect to its popularity, nor anything else except the profound indifference of the people to politics generally, as the following statistics taken from the Madrid official journal will prove. Of 600,000 electors only 217,066 recorded their votes, and in all the large cities not more than a third of the total number of electors took the trouble to go to the polling places.

The entry of the Queen into Madrid which was expected to give rise to a popular demonstration did nothing of the kind, at least not in the sense in which it was understood. There was a demonstration of one kind, it is true, that of absolute indifference, and Her Majesty may well complain that she has sacrificed the warm. support of the clergy without gaining anything from the rest of her subjects.

Prussia, with its fighting population of 279,421, armed in the best manner and with one of the best weapons in existence, may think itself a match for any nation, and especially for Austria, and therefore cares little what view that Power may take of its proceedings in the Duchies, consequently it pursues its course there with the philosophic calmness attributed to conscious virtue. The reported refusal of the Emperor Napoleon to mix himself up in the matter of the Duchies has not in any way altered the conduct of the German Powers which hold possession; but there is an evident disposition on the part of Prussia, while continuing to extend its influence over the population in a quiet manner, not to do anything to aggravate the subsiding indignation of other European States. In the matter of her domestic policy, the Liberal members of the Chamber appear determined that on whatever other points they may have to yield, they will persist in the reduction of the army,

so as to diminish the expenditure under this head to a point which they think ample for maintaining it in an efficient state. Count Bismark, who will be supported by the King and a strong and united party, and having what is so great an element of strength in the states of the Continent, power actually in his hands, will in one way or another probably carry out his own views; though not without an amount of invective and opposition which, to a man of his character, will be a source of great irritation.

The Emperor of Austria having once tasted the sweets of popular applause has not lost much time in returning to that country where he enjoyed the, to him, novel sensation. He appears now determined to make friends in Hungary, and his success on the present occasion must greatly exceed his expectations. It is strange sovereigns in general are so slow to perceive what must be so obvious to everybody besides, that the surest way of gaining the goodwill of the people they govern is to give them opportunities of seeing them. This, which is good policy in all countries, is especially so in the Austrian Empire, where the population is so mixed, and there is so much jealousy between them that no political concessions will content them all, but where a few kindly words spoken to the principal persons in the different provinces, and a few bows to the populace would do more to conciliate them and remove opposition than the granting of political privileges of which they imperfectly comprehend the value, and which would but slightly affect their well-being. It is probable that the Emperor having now perceived this will do with respect to the provinces what he has done in the case of Hungary. Rumours are again current of the willingness of the Emperor Napoleon to an enlargement of the borders of the Austrian Empire in the direction of the Danubian Principalities, provided Austria will cede Venetia to Italy; and it would certainly be a great boon to the people of Austria and Italy if such an arrangement could be perfected, as there would then be no obstacle to a large reduction in the army of both countries, and especially the latter, for nothing but that can save Italy from sinking into an insolvent condition. It may be with some such eventuality in view that the Emperor of Austria has made friends with Montenegro, the Prince of which State, formerly so inimical to Austria, is now a warm friend, converted by the flattering reception he met with at Vienna. It is quite certain that until some understanding is come to with Italy the distrust between them will continue, and neither Power will consider itself safe from the attacks of the other. It is not long since the Austrian Government, alarmed by the movements of the Italian fleet in the vicinity of Corfu, ordered the bulk of its navy to cruise in the Adriatic in readiness to resist an invasion of her territory, and to prevent any active assistance from being given in the event of a rising in Dalmatia and the adjacent provinces, occurrence which seems very improbable but which it is necessary to guard against.

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EDITOR'S PORTFOLIO;

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NAVAL AND MILITARY REGISTER.

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In the article on "Provisions for Troops on board ship," which appeared in our last number, an omission occurred which was not observed until after it had passed the press, relating to the rations for Troops embarked under the authority of the Indian Council. The quantities of provisions inserted at pages 569 and 570 as for one man per day, should have been stated as those for "a mess of six men per week, and to be served out daily," i. e., during two days in each week the mess of six men have 12 lbs. flour, and one of suet; on one day they have 4 served meat, 6 oz. of mixed vegetables, and 3 lbs. 3 days they have 18 lbs. of pork, 6 pints of peas, and 2 lbs. of preserved potato; and for the remaining day they have 5 lbs. of flour, 12 oz. of suet, and 27 oz. of plums; they also have, during the week, the quantities of pepper, mustard, biscuit, &c., shown at page 570. Those of our readers who have gone round the Cape to India, and who may have noticed the error, will at once have known that the quantities inserted are those for the whole mess of six men for a week, as the scale has not been altered for many years; others were probably surprised at the superabundance of the allowance granted to Her Majesty's Troops when proceeding to the East, by the long sea route-a route which will be but little used when the magnificent steam troop-ships, now being constructed under the auspices of the Controller of the Navy, and the Director of Transport Services, are ready to convey the annual reliefs by way of Egypt.

As the Government have seen fit to institute an inquiry on the spot into the recent events in Jamaica, and to place so distinguished an officer as Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Knight Storks at the head of it, the country can well afford to wait patiently for the result. On this account, we consider it unnecessary to publish the mass of information that has come to our hands since we last wrote on the subject; we are content to abide the investigation which is

in the course of being opened; and though the ultra-Liberal organs of the press may still display unmistakable signs of a wish to make the condemnation of Govenor Eyre the preliminary to any investigation at all-shrewdly surmising that his condemnation will be exceedingly doubtful afterwards-they will not carry the country with them. More than one of their packed meetings, called avowedly to condemn without a hearing, have been turned against themselves, and a "vote of confidence," as it may be termed, passed in favour of the Jamaica authorities. The public will not be misled by dishonest clamour, and as a move in the right direction, we are glad to see people of real influence and respectability coming forward to stem the torrent of abuse and misrepresentation. Edmund Burke remarked long ago, "When the bad conspire, the good must unite;" it will not do to pass over with contempt the efforts of a noisy minority, when they put themselves forward as the exponents of public opinion. Such a feeling no doubt has actuated the gentlemen at Huddersfield who recently put forth a memorial in favour of Governor Eyre.

In the interests of the United Services, which have been so scandalously assailed for simply discharging their duty when called on by lawful authority, we think we do right, not only in referring to this memorial with its signatures, but in calling on other honest and impartial men to strengthen the hands of Government by announcing their general concurrence in its views.

During the latter years of the reign of the Citizen King, Louis Philippe, it was the fashion to affirm that on his death the whole political system of the world would fall into confusion; but he was removed from the throne, and that, too, by a revolution, and, though there was undoubtedly a shaking of the nations, still the great political deluge has not happened yet. This, we take it, it will be with regard to the view that on the death of King Leopold Belgium must inevitably be annexed to France. It has, to be sure, been shown on several recent occasions, that treaty-made and treaty-guaranteed States are not so secure as they were once thought to be, but public opinion has been so strongly pronounced in the flagrant instance of the despoiling of Denmark, that any ruler who has a character to lose may well hesitate to set himself against it by imitating the conduct of Austria and Prussia. This consideration ought to restrain those who speak of the French annexation of