STATE OF THE CONTINENT.
An important treaty was signed in London in December, between France, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain, whereby the former powers agreed to adopt the English laws relating to the slave-trade. Spain still remained in a state of insecurity. A quarrel took place between that country and Portugal, relative to the navigation of the Douro, and both countries prepared for war; but the question was finally settled without an appeal to arms. Later in the year there was an insurrection at Pampeluna and Vittoria, in behalf of the queen-mother, and a desperate attempt was made to seize the queen in the palace at Madrid, but, through the energetic measures of Espartero, the insurrection was suppressed: Don Diego Leon, one of its leaders, was tried and executed. During this year the long agitated question of the East rapidly approached a settlement. On the 11th of January. Mehemet Ali gave up the whole of the Turkish fleet; and about the same time a finnan was sent from Constantinople, whereby the sultan accorded to Mehemet the hereditary possession of Egypt. At the same time also Ibrahim Pacha was directed by his father to evacuate Syria. Several causes, however, combined against the complete restoration of peace between the sultan and the pacha; and the year closed before negociations were concluded.