CHAPTER III.

The Easter Recess: Wales, the Education Act and Denominational Schools-

The Ministerialists and the Country-The Anglo-French Agreement-Sir

M. Hicks-Beach at Bristol-Parliament and the Metric System-Commons'

Debate on the Expedition to Thibet-The Budget Statement by the Chan-

cellor of the Exchequer; Reception by the Public and in Parliament;

Debates on the Resolutions; the Chancellor's Defence-Debate on the

Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Disorders-Introduction of the Licensing

Bill-Trade Unions and Trade Disputes Bill-Second Reading of the Aliens

Bill-Resumed Debate on the Budget Resolutions-Improvement of the

Ministerial Position-Mr. Chamberlain on Chinese Labour-Education

(Local Authorities Default) Bill-Final Meeting of the London School

Board-Commons' Debate on Cotton Growing in the British Empire-The

Revised Tobacco Duties-Scottish Education Bill-Whale Fisheries Bill—

Registration of Clubs (Ireland) Bill-Street Betting Bill-Bishoprics of

Southwark and Birmingham Bill-Motion for Repeal of the Irish Crimes

Act of 1887-Debate on the Treatment of Natives in the Rand Mines-

Macedonia: Debate in the House of Lords-Mr. Balfour at the Primrose

League-Redistribution of Seats-Aged Pensioners Bill-Bishop of St.

Asaph's Education (Transferred Schools) Bill-Licensing Bill: Debate on

Second Reading-Payment of Members-Merchant Shipping (Lighthouses)

Bill-Mr. Chamberlain and the Government: Speech at Birmingham-

National Liberal Federation-Amendment on Second Reading of the Finance

Bill, Condemning National Extravagance-Monument to Lord Salisbury-

Over-taxation of Ireland-Debate on Mr. Black's Motion on the Fiscal

Question-Whitsuntide Adjournment

page [97

CHAPTER IV.

Events of the Whitsuntide Recess-Report of the Royal Commission on the

Militia and Volunteers-Parliament: Anglo-French Convention Bill; Shop

Hours Bill; Penal Servitude Bill-Politics Outside Parliament: Eighty Club

Dinner; Cobden Centenary-Independent Hostility to Ministers on the

Valuation Bill and Licensing Bill-Committee Stage of the Licensing Bill;

Rejection of the Time-limit-Irritation of the Opposition-Chinese Labour-

Reference of Aliens Bill to Grand Committee-Demonstrations against

Licensing Bill-Grievance as to "Blocking Motions"-Debate on the Congo

State-Speech of Lord Rosebery at Queen's Hall-Postponement of Mr.

Arnold-Forster's Statement-Bye-elections: Market Harborough and Devon-

port-Lords' Debate on Treatment of Natives in the South African Mines-

Debate in the Commons on Sir Charles Eliot's Resignation-Scene in the

Commons on Chinese Labour-The Lords and Beri-beri-The Finance Bill in

Committee-Irish Affairs-The Chantrey Bequest-The Government in Low

Water-King Edward at Kiel-Debates in Both Houses on Army Reform in

Advance of the Pending Statement; Motions by the Duke of Bedford, Lord

Newton, Mr. Beckett-Licensing Bill Committee Resumed : Closure by

Compartments"-Liberal Victory in Yorkshire (Sowerby)-Aliens Bill with-

drawn-Liberal Defeat at Chertsey, and Improvement in Ministerial Prospects

-Debate on the Royal Declaration against Transubstantiation-Irish Land

Bill-Licensing Bill got through Committee-Mr. Arnold-Forster's Army

Statement-Education (Local Authority Default) Bill-The Fiscal Con-

troversy: Speech of Mr. Chamberlain at the Hotel Cecil; Meetings of the

Reconstituted Liberal Unionist Association-Vote of Censure Announced-

Finance Bill in Committee-Case of Lord Dundonald-All Night Sitting-

Lord Curzon at the Guildhall-Chinese Labour Debate on the Colonial Office

Vote; Promise of Representative Institutions for the Transvaal-Debate on

Ministers' Attitude to Fiscal Policy in the House of Lords-The Russo-

Japanese War: Seizure of British Merchant Ships by "Volunteer Fleet"

Cruisers-Final Stages of the Finance Bill and Licensing Bill in the House

of Commons-Liberal Victory at Oswestry-The Finance Bill and the

Lords: Effect of the Delay-Vote of Censure on Ministers-" Massacre of the

Innocents"-Functions of the Defence Committee The Licensing Bill in the

House of Lords-Commons and Case of Constable Anderson-Catholic Univer-

sity Question-Home Office Vote-Colonial Conference: Lord Rosebery and

Mr. Chamberlain-Mr. Chamberlain at Welbeck-Bye-elections at Reading

and N.E. Lanark-Scene on the Local Authority Default Bill-Mr. Arnold-

Forster on Army Reform-Licensing Bill Passes Finally-Report of Com-

mittee on Physical Deterioration-Commons' Debate on the Education

Vote-Congestion of Business during the Last Week of the Session-Pro-

tests in the House of Lords-Indian Budget-King's Speech Closing the

Session

page [135

.

CHAPTER V.

Mr. Balfour at the British Association-Russian Stoppages of British Ships-The

✔Smolensk and Peterburg Intercepted at Zanzibar The Trade Union Congress

-The Army Manoeuvres-Wales and the Education Act-Passive Resistance

and the Parliamentary Franchise-Re-opening of the Political Campaign:

Lord Rosebery at Lincoln-Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Rosebery on a

Colonial Conference-Developments of the Controversy-Mr. Balfour Defines

His Position in a Speech at Edinburgh-Death of Sir William Harcourt-Mr.

Chamberlain at Luton-Comments by Mr. Asquith, Mr. Haldane, Sir Charles

Dilke, Mr. Cripps and Lord Hugh Cecil-Thanet Election-Mr. Long and the

Unemployed-Sir Frederick Pollock on Imperial Organisation-"Devolution"

in Ireland-Russian Attack on English Fishing Boats on the Dogger Bank-

Reception of the News in England-Suggested Explanations-Attitude of

Russia: Admiral's Account-Mr. Balfour at Southampton-The Conservative

Conference-Lord Rosebery at Trowbridge-West Monmouthshire Election-

Sale of the Standard-Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman in Edinburgh; Mr.

Asquith at Southampton; Sir Edward Grey at Coventry-Mr. Bonar Law in

Edinburgh-The North Sea Outrage; Attitude of the Opposition; Commis-

sion of Inquiry-Lord Lansdowne at the Guildhall-Unionist Divisions and

the Horsham Election-The Duke of Devonshire at Rawtenstall-Sir Henry

Campbell-Bannerman on Chinese Labour-Ministers at the Liberal Union

Club Contributions towards a Liberal Programme-North Sea Inquiry-

Great Britain and the Belligerents-Visit of the King of Portugal-The

• Arbitration Treaties-The Beck Case-The Fiscal Controversy and the Sugar

Convention-The Unemployed-Further Contributions to the Fiscal Contro-

versy by Mr. Asquith, Lord Hugh Cecil and Mr. Bonar Law-Lord Rosebery

in Glasgow-Outlines of Liberal Policy-The Question of Imperial Defence-

New Scheme of Naval Organisation-Army Reform: Mr. Arnold-Forster in

Edinburgh and Newcastle-New Field Artillery-Unionist Divisions on the

Proposed Redistribution Bill and the Fiscal Question-Resignation of Mr.

Rigg, M.P.-Mr. Chamberlain at Limehouse-Replies by Mr. Asquith and

Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman-Mr. Lyttelton in Glasgow: Renewed

Doubts as to the Prime Minister's Attitude-New Fiscal Blue-Book-Un-

employment and Pauperism-Education: the London County Council

Scheme-Retrospect and Outlook.

[200

CHAPTER VI.

SCOTLAND AND IRELAND

SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER.

(By F. HARCOURT KITCHIN, Editor of the "Financial Half-Year.")

FINANCE AND TRADE IN 1904

LESSER STATES OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN EUROPE: BELGIUM-THE

NETHERLANDS SWITZERLAND SPAIN - PORTUGAL DENMARK

SWEDEN-NORWAY

-

--

-

CHAPTER V.

[301

[325

(By Sir CHARLES ROE, late Chief Judge of the Chief Court of the Punjab.)

ASIA (SOUTHERN): PERSIA-BALUCHISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-THE NORTH-

WEST FRONTIER-BRITISH INDIA-THIBET-SIAM.

CHAPTER VI.

(By W. R. CARLES, C.M.G., late H.M. Consul-General at Tien-tsin

and Peking.)

THE FAR EAST: THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR-JAPAN-KOREA-CHINA-

HONG-KONG-KIAO-CHOU (GERMAN)-WEI-HAI-WEI (BRITISH)—FRENCH

[353

CHAPTER VII.

(By H. WHATES, Author of "The Third Salisbury Administration,

1895-1900," etc.)

AFRICA (WITH MALTA): SOUTH AFRICA-EGYPT and the SouDAN-NORTH-

EAST AFRICA AND THE PROTECTORATES, ETC. NORTH AND WEST

AFRICA

CHAPTER VIII.

[392

AMERICA: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES (by

A. MAURICE Low)-CANADA-NEWFOUNDLAND-MEXICO AND CENTRAL

AMERICA (by H. WHATES)-THE GUIANAS AND THE WEST INDIES (by

H. WHATES)-SOUTH AMERICA (by H. WHATES)

[426

PART II.

CHRONICLE OF EVENTS IN 1904.

page 1

RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR'S LITERATURE (by LIONEL G.

ROBINSON), SCIENCE (by J. REGINALD ASHWORTH, D.Sc., Victoria

University, Manchester), ART, DRAMA, and (by J. E. TALBOT)

MUSIC .

35

OBITUARY OF EMINENT PERSONS DECEASED IN 1904

105

INDEX.

167

b