§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (Lord HALSBURY)acquainted the House that Her Majesty had been pleased to grant two several Commissions; one for declaring Her Royal Assent to several 1045 Bills agreed to by both Houses of Parliament, and the other for proroguing the Parliament:—And the LORDS COMMISSIONERS—namely, The LORD CHANCELLOR; The EARL of COVENTRY (Master of the Buckhounds); The EARL of KINTORE (Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard); The LORD COLVILLE; and The LORD ESHER (Master of the Polls)—being in their Robes, and seated on a Form between the Throne and the Woolsack; and the COMMONS being come, with their Speaker, and the Commission for that purpose being read, the ROYAL ASSENT was given to several Bills.
Then THE LORD CHANCELLOR, pursuant to Her Majesty's Command, delivered HER MAJESTY'S SPEECH as follows:—
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "I have great satisfaction in being able to release you from your protracted labours.
§ "My relations with all Foreign Powers continue to be friendly.
§ "I regret that the Convention which was concluded between Myself and the President of the United States for the adjustment of the questions which had arisen in reference to the Fisheries in North American Waters has not commended itself to the judgment of the Senate of the United States, in whom, according to the Constitution of that Country, the power of ratification is vested. The temporary arrangements, however, which have been adopted will, I trust, prevent any immediate inconvenience arising from this decision.
§ "The Conference which has been held on the subject of Bounties upon the exportation of Sugar has been brought to a satisfactory issue by the conclusion of a Convention for their abolition, which has been signed by the Representatives of most of the sugar-producing Countries.
1046§ "The restoration of Egypt to a condition of Political and Financial Security has been for the time interrupted by an attempt on the part of the Soudanese to possess themselves of the Port of Suakin. The dispersion of the besieging forces has been effected by a brilliant Military operation on the part of the Egyptian Troops, supported by a British Contingent. In other respects, the administrative and economical progress of Egypt has been satisfactory.
§ "An insurrection has broken out upon the Continental portion of the Dominions of the Sultan of Zanzibar, which has brought with it considerable destruction of life and property in the German Settlements on that Coast. It is evident that the renewed vigour of the Slave Trade, of which symptoms have unhappily shown themselves in several parts of Africa, has largely contributed to the production of these disturbances. I have joined with the Emperor of Germany in establishing a Naval blockade of that part of the Coast which is in insurrection, in order to prevent not only the exportation of slaves, but also the importation of munitions of war.
§ "My Indian Dominions have enjoyed general tranquillity and prosperity during the past year. Disturbances, however, have occurred in the neighbouring region of the Black Mountain, and on the extreme frontier of Sikkim; but they have been terminated without difficulty. A rebellion which broke out in Afghanistan under Ishak Khan, and which at one time threatened to assume formidable proportions, has been entirely subdued by the Military Forces of the Ameer.
§ "A rising on the part of some Zulu Chiefs, which does not seem to 1047 have met with any sympathy on the part of the population, has been suppressed by My Troops and the Native Levies; and the Chiefs concerned in it are awaiting their trial before a Special Commission.
§ "Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
§ "I thank you for the liberal provision which you have made for the service of the State. I trust that the financial measures which, you have sanctioned will materially increase the public resources of the Country, without adding to its fiscal burdens.
§ "My Lords, and Gentlemen,
§ "The measures which you have passed for extending the functions and improving the machinery of Local Government in England are calculated to increase the loyal attachment of My people to their institutions. I trust that you may be able now to promote the successful working of these changes in your several localities; and that in this and all other fields of duty the blessing of Almighty God may be with you.
§ Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.
§ After which,
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid—
My Lords, and Gentlemen,
By virtue of Her Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in Her Majesty's Name and in 1048 obedience to Her Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Thursday the Thirty-first day of January next, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Thursday the Thirty-first day of January next.