PRIME MINISTERS. LORD ABERDEEN. 1853. 1854. 1855. LORD PALMERSTON. Aug. A new India Bill is passed, the last charter of the East India Company is granted (a). [See note 1773.] Dec. Lord Palmerston resigns, really because he does The English fleet is ordered to enter the Black Sea. Feb. The ultimatum of England and France is sent to St. Petersburg. March. A Reform Bill (b) is introduced by Lord J. Russell, but ultimately withdrawn. Gladstone in his Budget proposes to double the incometax for six months (this to be renewed if necessary) to meet the war expenditure. The Corrupt Practices Act, providing for publication of accounts after parliamentary elections, and restraining candidates from paying any expenses except through authorized agents, is carried. March. The Baltic fleet under Sir C. Napier (c) is despatched. June. June. War and Colonial Secretaryships divided. The allied armies land at Varna under Lord Sept. The allied armies land in the Crimea. Oct. 17. The siege of Sebastopol begins. Oct. 25. Battle of Balaclava. Nov. 5. Battle of Inkerman. Dec. Parliament is assembled. Lord Derby charges the ministry with great mismanagement of the war. [The bad administration of the war is denounced strongly in the Times and by the public.] Jan. Resignation of Lord J. Russell, whose views as to the presence of a War Minister in the House of Commons had not been carried out. Roebuck's motion to inquire into the conduct of the war is carried by 157 (305 to 148). Jan. Lord Aberdeen resigns. Lord J. Russell and Lord Derby are unable to form administrations. Lord Palmerston becomes Prime Minister (e). The last penny of the newspaper duty is repealed. PRIME MINISTERS. LORD PALMERSTON. 1855. 1856. 1857. 1858. Sept. 8. Fall and evacuation of Sebastopol. A committee of the Lords report against the power of the April. Lord John Russell's motions involving a scheme The education vote of this year is £451,000. A paid In the Budget the income-tax is reduced from 1s. 4d. March. Cobden's motion condemning the violent measures resorted to in the affair of the Arrow in China, and approved by Government, is carried by 16 votes (263 to 247). Lord Palmerston gives notice of a dissolution and April. New Parliament meets. [Estimated strength June. Destruction of the Chinese fleet. July. Death of Sir H. Lawrence at Lucknow. The massacre at Cawnpore. Sept. Capture of Delhi. Relief of Lucknow under Generals Havelock and Outram, who, joining Nov. Final relief of Lucknow under Sir Colin lock. Death of Have Commercial panic in England. Suspension of Bank Charter Act. Dec. Parliament meets. The Bank Charter Indemnity Act is carried. Dec. Capture of Canton by English and French. In punishment for the mutiny Sepoy rebels are blown from the guns. Orsini attempts to assassinate the Emperor of the French. [There is much irritation in France against England for harbouring assassin refugees, and much irritation (a) Lord Derby's Ministry.- Lord Derby, First Lord of the Treasury; Lord Chelmsford,* Lord Chancellor ; Lord Salisbury,* President of Council; Lord Hardwicke,* Privy Seal; Disraeli,* Chancellor of the Exchequer; Walpole,* Home Secretary; Lord Malmesbury,* Foreign Secretary; Lord Stanley* (succeeded by Sir E. Bulwer Lytton), Colonial Secretary; General Peel,* War Secretary; Lord Ellenborough, Board of Control (succeeded by Lord Stanley); Henley,* Board of Trade; Sir J. Pakington,* Admiralty; Lord J. Manners,* Chief Commissioner of Works; Lord Colchester, PostmasterGeneral; Sir F. Kelly, Attorney-General; Cairns, Solicitor-General; Lord Naas, Irish Secretary; Hardy, Under Home Secretary; Lord Carnarvon, Under Colonial Secretary; Eglinton, Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. * In the Cabinet. (b) India Bill.-The territories and powers of the Company are transferred to the Crown. India is to be administered by a Secretary of State for India and a Council of fifteen members. The Board of Control is abolished. (c) By the year 1859 church-rates had been refused in no less than 1525 parishes or districts. (d) Proposed Reform Bill.-County and borough franchise to be assimilated, the latter remaining as before. Lodgers at £20 per annum to have votes. Educational and other "fancy" franchises. Voting-papers to be allowed. (e) Sotheron Estcourt succeeded Walpole as Home Secretary; Lord Donoughmore became President of the Board of Trade; Lord March (afterwards Duke of Richmond), President of Poor Law Board; Sir Stafford Northcote, Secretary to the Treasury. * (f) Lord Palmerston's Ministry.-Lord Palmerston,* First Lord of the Treasury; Lord Campbell,* Lord Chancellor (succeeded by Bethell (Lord Westbury) in 1861); Earl Granville, President of Council; Duke of Argyll,* Privy Seal; Gladstone,* Chancellor of the Exchequer; Sir G. Lewis,* Home Secretary (succeeded by Sir G. Grey); Lord John Russell* (created Earl Russell 1861), Foreign Secretary; Duke of Newcastle* (succeeded by Card well), Colonial Secretary; Herbert,* War Secretary; Sir C. Wood,* Indian Secretary; Milner Gibson,* Board of Trade; Sir G. Grey,* Duchy of Lancaster; Duke of Somerset,* Admiralty; C. P. Villiers,* Poor Law Board; Earl of Elgin * (succeeded by Stanley of Alderley*), Postmaster-General; Cardwell (succeeded by Sir Robert Peel), Irish Secretary; Lowe, Vice-President of Council (succeeded by H. A. Bruce); Laing (succeeded by Frederick Peel, and in 1865 by Childers), Secretary to the Treasury; Lord Carlisle, LordLieutenant of Ireland (succeeded by Lord Wodehouse 1864). Sir G. Lewis became War Secretary in 1861, and died in 1863 (succeeded by Earl de Grey and Ripon*); Cardwell became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1861, and was succeeded by Lord Clarendon * 1864. *In the Cabinet. 1859. War declared by France and Sardinia against Austria. The Austrians are defeated at Magenta and Solferino. July. The Treaty of Villafranca brings to a close the war between France and Austria. Lombardy ceded to Sar dinia. Tuscany, Parma, and Modena unite themselves to Sardinia, but Savoy and Nice are ceded to France. Queensland is made separate colony (Brisbane capital), with a representative government. a PRIME MINISTERS. 1858. LORD DERBY 1859. LORD PALMERSTON. in England about the threats of certain French colonels and others.] Lord Palmerston introduces a bill transferring the Feb. Lord Palmerston's Conspiracy to Murder Bill Lord Derby becomes Prime Minister (a). Final suppression of rebels in India. Campaign of Sir May. A bill abolishing the property qualification for June. A new India Bill (b) is introduced, and afterwards carried. Secretaryship of State for India constituted; Lord Stanley first Secretary. June. A treaty is arranged between England and China A bill for the abolition of church-rates is passed in the Feb. Lord Cowley is sent to Vienna to mediate between Disraeli announces the proposals of the Government on March. Defeat of the ministry on the second reading of their Reform Bill by 39 votes (330 to 291). April. Dissolution of Parliament. May. The formation of volunteer rifle corps is sanctioned by the War Office. A declaration of neutrality in the war about to begin May. The new Parliament meets. [Estimated strength June. The Queen wishes Lord Granville. to June. Ultimately Lord Palmerston becomes |