Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/431

1899.] 30. The Duc d'Orléans, receiving at Brussels a deputation of French artisans, made an appeal to the goodwill of his Royalist supporters to hasten the hour "for reconstituting the French fatherland."

— The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, G.C.S.I., created a Knight of the Garter.

— All the Powers agreed to the prolongation of the mixed tribunals in Egypt for one year.

31. A great demonstration "to uphold and maintain the Protestantism of the nation, and to demand the suppression of the mass and the confessional in the Established Church," held in the Albert Hall, under the presidency of Lord Kinnaird, and attended by about 10,000 persons.

— At a general meeting of the academicians and associates of the Royal Academy, M. Jules Breton elected an honorary foreign academician, and Messrs. Arthur S. Cope (painter), Alfred East (painter), and W. Goscombe John (sculptor), elected associates.

— In the German Reichstag a vote of 8,500,000 marks for the new acquisition of Kiao-Chau passed after some adverse criticism from the Radicals and Socialists.

— M. Paul Cambon, the newly appointed ambassador, presiding at the banquet at the French Chamber of Commerce in London, dwelt on the expediency of mutual concessions in the adjustment of relations between nations.

FEBRUARY.

1. The Austrian Reichsrath prorogued in consequence of the inability of ministers to carry on regular business in face of the disorders provoked by the minority.

— Lord Tennyson appointed governor of South Australia in succession to Sir T. Fowell Buxton.

— Major Esterhazy, having refused to continue his evidence before the Court of Cassation, informed that his safe-conduct would expire forthwith. He at once left Paris for Rotterdam and the Hague.

— Victor Willems, a notorious anarchist, against whom there were ten indictments for attempted murder, chiefly of police officers when searching his house, condemned at Brussels to fifteen years' penal servitude.

2. A settlement of the long-standing dispute between the Charity Commissioners and the governors of St. Paul's School arrived at, the school receiving two-thirds of the income of the foundation, but never less than 14,000 £. a year.

— At a conference of the six Australian Premiers held in Melbourne, an agreement was come to on the subject of federation, the federal capital to be in New South Wales, but at least 100 miles from Sydney.

— The Bank of England reduced its rate of discount from $3 1/2$ to 3 per cent., the proportion of reserve to liabilities being $45 1/2$ per cent., and the stock of bullion 32,974,894 £.