§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "I REGRET that I have been obliged to call for your attendance at an unusual and, probably, to most of you, an inconvenient season.
§ "The hostility towards my Indian Government manifested by the Ameer of Afghanistan, and the manner in which he repulsed my friendly Mission, left me no alternative but to make a peremptory demand for redress.
§ "This demand having been disregarded, I have directed an expedition to be sent into his territory, and I have taken the earliest opportunity of calling you together, and making to 4 you the communication required by Law.
§ "I have directed that Papers on the subject shall be laid before you.
§ "I receive from all foreign Powers assurances of their friendly feelings, and I have every reason to believe that the arrangements for the pacification of Europe, made by the Treaty of Berlin, will be successfully carried into effect.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ "The Estimates for the ensuing year are in course of preparation, and will in due time be submitted to you.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "I propose that after full deliberation upon the matters which have led me to anticipate your usual time of meeting, and after a suitable recess, you should proceed to the consideration of various measures for the public benefit which will then be laid before you.
§ "I confidently commit to your wisdom the great interests of my Empire, and I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your counsels."
§ Then the Commons withdrew.
§ House adjourned during pleasure.
§ House resumed.
§ PRAYERS.
§ ROLL OF THE LORDS—Garter King of Arms attending, delivered at the Table (in the usual manner) a List of the Lords Temporal in the Sixth Session of the Twenty-first Parliament of the United Kingdom: The same was ordered to lie on the Table.
§ SELECT VESTRIES—Bill, pro formâ, read 1a.