apartments, their throats were cut, and their bodies were carried out and burned. The assassinations were perpetrated by Japanese Soshi; hired ruffians, acting in collusion with the Corean soldiers. The King immediately sent word to the new Japanese Minister, Viscount Miura, and he hastened to the palace under a small escort. Proofs were said to exist connecting the Japanese Minister with the plot, and the Japanese Government immediately gave assurance that if any Japanese official were implicated he should be punished. Viscount Miura was recalled and arrested on his return to Japan, and Count Inouye was sent to take his place. An imperial decree was also issued prohibiting Japanese from visiting Corea without special permission. It was afterwards declared that the Queen was not murdered; that scenting danger she concealed herself, and saw the bodies of her ladies-in-waiting carried out; that she remained in this hiding-place for a time, and then fled through a secret passage to the old palace. Afterwards, changing her dress, she escaped outside the city to a place of safety. However the Japanese accepted the account of the Queen's death as true. After the tragedy the Tai-wen-kun took the throne, but was soon forced to retire, Russia insisting upon the restoration of the King.

V. JAPAN.

After the return of peace and with the prospect of tranquillity in the newly acquired island of Formosa, a marked revival of trade throughout Japan soon followed. A great advance took place in prices of shares in joint-stock enterprises, especially cotton-spinning mills. The contempt for trade that was felt by a past generation was fast disappearing, and after their great military success the people were turning to commercial pursuits with ardour. In the press such subjects as the extension of railways, the results of the new treaties on trade, the holding of industrial exhibitions, and the establishment of technical and commercial schools were intelligently discussed. Except to the extreme war party, the conclusion of hostilities with China caused satisfaction in Japan. The extremists would have preferred a Japanese occupation of Peking, but the strain imposed by war had been so great that few were disposed to lament that it was over. It was no doubt true that China was for a long time before the war jealous of the progress of Japan, and if she had possessed the energy would have begun the conflict herself.

Though her arms were successful, it was far from pleasant for Japan to see the fruits of victory in part wrenched from her by the action of European Powers for their own selfish ends. She was wise and prudent, however, not to attempt to resist such a combination, and gracefully to yield to the inevitable.

By the treaty of Shimonoseki it was stipulated that Japanese subjects should be free to engage in all kinds of manufacturing

industries in all the open cities, towns, and ports of China, and should be allowed to import into China all kinds of machinery, paying only the stipulated import duties thereon. Other benefits relating to inland transit, internal taxes, duties, and charges were extended to Japanese subjects in China by the terms of the treaty. Japanese cotton and silk mills were about to be established in Shanghai.

Japan was exhibiting rapid growth in connection with the cotton industry. In 1894 the country imported twenty-four times as much raw cotton as was imported in 1885. There were in Japan at the beginning of 1885 nineteen spinning mills running about 50,000 spindles. At the end of 1893 there were forty-six mills with about 600,000 spindles. During the months from March to August, 1895, about 90,000 new spindles for existing factories were ordered from England by one Tokio firm alone. In 1894, Japan appeared for the first time as an exporter of cotton, amounting to 4,500,000 lb., sent chiefly to China. In 1884, the entire foreign trade of Japan amounted barely to $65,500,000. In 1894 it exceeded $230,000,000. Foreign imports had arisen in these ten years from $28,000,000 to $117,000,000. The value of Japanese trade for the year 1895 to the end of October was, in imports, $104,664,272, and in exports $112,411,369.

The exhibition held every fourth year for the purpose of stimulating progressive arts and manufactures was opened at Kioto in April. It was there made manifest that Japan was extending her manufactures in many directions. Fibres, textiles, leather goods, machinery, upholstery, hosiery, hardware, surgical and scientific instruments, chemicals, glass-ware, and a multiplicity of small articles at prices distancing all possible competition, were displayed, and the exhibition attested the vigour and reality of Japan's industrial competition with all other nations.

Vice-Admiral Ito, who throughout the war held the supreme command of the Japanese fleets, was appointed in May chief of the Naval Department in succession to Admiral Viscount Kabayama.

In July continuous and heavy rains fell throughout the country, greatly damaging the crops, and there were fears of famine in sundry places from the failure of the rice harvest. Floods were reported from different quarters, and many lives were lost thereby, while the damage to property from inundation was immense.

A conspiracy against the life of Marquis Ito, the Premier, was discovered in October, and a member of the anti-foreign league was arrested as the would-be assassin.

The ninth session of the Imperial Parliament was assembled on Christmas Day, about one month later than usual. On December 29 the Emperor proceeded in person to the House of Peers, and formally opened the Diet. In his speech from the throne the Mikado congratulated the country on the

glorious termination of the war with China, and that order had been established in Formosa, and he announced that measures would be introduced for increasing the military and naval strength of the nation.

It was proposed by the Government to expend on the navy for men-of-war 81,000,000 yen within seven years, and 14,000,000 yen for the construction of docks, etc.

Two large battle-ships of over 12,000 tons each were building that were not included in this estimate. The seven years' period would correspond with the period fixed by the Shimonoseki treaty for the payment of the indemnity by China.

The establishment of a large iron foundry in connection with the naval extension scheme was to be effected, beginning with the manufacture from native ore of 60,000 tons annually, including 35,000 tons of Bessemer steel.

Japan was able to maintain both an army and a navy at less cost than any other country. As for the army, it was to be largely increased, and in 1902 the fighting forces of Japan were to be double what they were in 1895, or to be not less than 500,000 men, supported at an annual cost of about 26,000,000 silver yen (2,700,0007.).

The court-martial to try the Japanese military officers implicated in the Corean revolution met at Hiroshima in December under the presidency of Major-General Oshima. The last of the Japanese troops garrisoned in the Liao-tong Peninsula had then left Talienwan for home, and the evacuation was completed.

A treaty of commerce between Russia and Japan was signed at St. Petersburg, June 8, identical with the treaty made by Japan with Great Britain in respect of the most favoured nation, therefore granting no privileges which other nations treating with Japan on the same basis would not enjoy. A similar treaty with Italy was to be concluded.

Formosa. The formal transfer of Formosa to Japan was completed at Kelung on June 2. A Japanese force landed. there May 30, meeting with some opposition. On June 3 severe fighting took place, and 200 Chinese were killed. An attempt to establish a republic on the island was soon stifled, but in the meantime many Government buildings were burnt, and bands of soldiers and natives looted Taipehfu and stirred up riots at Hobe, destroying much property. The scheme of the republic was promoted by the Chang-Chi-Tung party in opposition to Li-HungChang's policy, but there was no popular sentiment in favour of it, it soon collapsed, and the President Tang took to flight. A few days later the Japanese army arrived at Taipehfu, and established their headquarters there. The Japanese losses in taking possession were slight, only eight men being killed, but the Chinese were at first completely routed. The foreign residents at Tai-wan fled to Takao, abandoning their property.

The Formosa Black Flags were concentrated at An-ping, on

the west coast of the island, and were making a determined resistance in June. The position of the foreign residents being critical, her Majesty's cruiser Rainbow landed there 200 marines, under Captains Shubrick and Brabazon, who were prepared to resist the Black Flags. On July 10, a force of 700 Chinese made a vigorous attack on the Japanese garrison at Hsinchu, but were repulsed with heavy loss. The Japanese force of 7,000 men, which left the capital of North Formosa to attack the Black Flags at Tai-wan-fu, in the south-west, captured Chang-hua and Tai-wan, after severe fighting, about the end of August. They then marched on An-ping, where the Black Flags were concentrated. The Japanese forces in the island were now large enough to crush all opposition, and before November the Black Flags were completely subdued. Admiral Viscount Kabayama was appointed Viceroy of Formosa in May.

No sooner was peace concluded with China than numerous enterprises were begun to promote the development of the island by the Japanese. The productions of the island were sugar cane, tea, coffee, and camphor chiefly, and mineral wealth was abundant, affording ample scope for Japanese energy.

The annexation of Formosa was expected to give an immense impetus to the sugar industry, by securing to Japan a field of almost unlimited capacity for the production of raw

sugar.

VI. SIAM.

The Buffer State Commission had not found, when the year closed, any solution of the questions involved. In April, French aggression on the frontier was causing uneasiness at Rangoon ; and at the request of the local government it was decided to garrison Keng-tung with 200 troops. Armed posts were held by British and French forces, respectively, in territories which each denied the right of the other to occupy. The commissioners were unable to come to any agreement as to the Buffer State, and it was expected that the two Governments would shortly take steps to arrive at an understanding.

In the south the French were pushing forward beyond the Mekong, to extend their frontier to the watershed of the Menam. Chantaboon was still occupied by them, in spite of their solemn pledges to evacuate it as soon as the indemnity was paid by Siam. They had even extended their occupation several miles inland, and fortified the port.

Prince Mahavajirunhis, Crown Prince of Siam, died at Bangkok in January, in his seventeenth year. It was a terrible blow to the reigning dynasty and to Siam. Prince Thaon Kramon Tho was chosen heir to the throne, in succession to the late Crown Prince, and was formally invested in March with the insignia belonging to his position at the Siamese Legation in London. The Prince was being educated at Eton.

Early in the year a royal decree was issued to regulate the

internal affairs of the kingdom. Till then all the provinces of the Malay Peninsula had been under the Minister of War, Chantaboon and other provinces about it under the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the rest of the kingdom under the Minister of the North. By the new decree the whole kingdom was placed under the Ministry of the North, which became thereby the Home Office, under the guidance of Prince Damrong. The judicial system of the country was also being reformed and placed on a higher level.

CHAPTER VI.

AFRICA.

I. EGYPT.

THE history of Egypt during 1895 has been happily barren of events. Once again we have to record a tale of steady and increasing progress in the face of difficulties which few modern governments have ever been called upon to meet. The attitude of the Khedive, though never very cordial towards us, has been governed on the whole by considerations of prudence, and the cessation of the attempts on the part of the Prince to thwart our action in Egypt, which were so conspicuous last year, has resulted in political tranquillity, and has enabled the Government to devote itself to the material development of the country. Of course from time to time explosions of anti-English feeling have occurred. The French have not ceased to hamper and assail us. One French journalist, who showed himself more favourable than his countrymen to British policy, was expelled from Egypt by the French Consul in July. M. Deloncle presented to the French Chamber in June a protest of Egyptian subjects, chiefly against the British administration of justice, which caused some stir among the French colonial party, but which was soon forgotten in the obscurity and ridicule which surrounded its origin. In Paris an Egyptian committee was formed to watch over the interests of the children of the Nile. In Cairo, the Native Legislative Council has not ceased to oppose reforms which we suggest whenever opportunity offers. And two or three incidents which occurred during the year in Egypt, of assaults by native mobs upon British soldiers and British subjects, tended, although unimportant in themselves, to illustrate the ill-feeling which our position in that country causes, and which the French spare no effort to augment. But these things are now the normal incidents of the British occupation, and we must be thankful that there has been no graver cause for anxiety this year.

With regard to the army and the Soudan, there is very little