No sooner had the new Coercion Bill received the Royal Assent, on March 21, than Mr. Gladstone announced another great measure dealing with Ireland, framed to conciliate disaffection and redress the complaints of Irish farmers. |The Irish Land Bill.| The Irish Land Bill occupied the House of Commons during four months of 1881. |Resignation of the Duke of Argyll.| Its introduction caused the secession of the Duke of Argyll from the Cabinet, because, as he explained to the Lords, though in favour of increasing the number of landowners in Ireland, he would have no hand in destroying ownership altogether.
The Earl of Beaconsfield died on April 19, 1881. |Death of Lord Beaconsfield.| If Sir Robert Peel must be reckoned the founder of the Conservative Party, Benjamin Disraeli must be claimed as its architect.
From a Photograph] [by Thiele,
Chancery Lane.
LORD BEACONSFIELD’S STATUE.
The statue erected to the memory of the Earl of Beaconsfield in Parliament Square is annually decorated, on “Primrose Day” (April 19) with palms and flowers, and vendors of primroses drive a busy trade in “button-holes” amongst the onlookers. A similar tribute is annually paid to the memory of General Gordon, whose statue stands in the centre of Trafalgar Square; and for the last two years the Nelson Column itself has, on “Trafalgar Day,” been hung with festoons of evergreens.
For some time previous to this, affairs in Egypt had not been running smoothly under the dual control. A military party had been formed, under the lead of Ahmed Arabi Bey, calling itself national, but really military, aiming at the effacement of the Khedive and the fulfilment of the shadowy purpose of “Egypt for the Egyptians.” |Military Revolt in Egypt.| Various disturbances took place in Alexandria during 1881, but in May 1882 matters wore such a threatening aspect that the allied English and French fleets were sent to anchor off that city. The Khedive, in his extremity, had promoted Arabi to be War Minister, who used his power to put the fortifications of Alexandria in a thorough state of defence and began massing troops in the town. On July 7 Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour, commanding the British fleet, warned Arabi that unless these warlike preparations were discontinued, he should be obliged to open fire. No notice being taken of this, ships were provided for the safety of European inhabitants, and on the 10th the British ultimatum was sent, demanding the instant cessation of the works of defence and their surrender to the British flag. Arabi having failed to comply with this also, the British ships, consisting of eight powerful ironclads and five gun-vessels, cleared for action and took up their positions, the French fleet retiring to Port Said. The bombardment began on the morning of July 11, briskly replied to by the guns in the forts, and continued all day till 5.30 p.m. Resumed next day, it was continued at intervals till the afternoon, when it was found that, under cover of a flag of truce, Arabi had withdrawn his troops and abandoned the forts and town. A frightful scene began directly military authority was withdrawn: the populace broke loose, pillaging and firing the shops and houses, and massacring about 2,000 Europeans who had not availed themselves of the opportunity to escape. Arabi, the Khedive’s War Minister, was at the head of the Khedive’s army, yet Great Britain assumed the task of dispersing this army in order to re-conquer the country for the Khedive.
Sir J. Tenniel.] [From “Punch.”
A “SELF-DENYING” POLICY!