At the opening of the present century, the seven islands known as the Ionian Isles were nominally under the joint protection of Turkey and Russia, the latter power exercising, in effect, all the privileges of sovereignty over them. By the connivance of the Emperor Alexander, they soon passed under the dominion of France, but in the progress of the war then raging in Europe, the chief of them were taken by England. At the general peace in 1815 this country was constituted their protector, and the possessor of the British Crown has since been, in effect, sovereign of these islands also.

In 1817 a constitution was granted to these seven islands (collectively with other smaller islands, situated along the coast of Albania and the Morea, and which formerly belonged to the dominions of Venice), under the title of "The United States of the Ionian Islands." By this act the seat of Government was fixed in the capital of Corfu; the Greek religion was declared the established religion, but all other forms of Christian worship were protected. The civil government of the States was declared to be composed of "a legislative assembly, a senate, and a judicial authority." The members of the legislative assembly to be elected from the body of noble electors," who must not follow any trade or business, the senators to be elected out of the body of the legislative assembly,—and the judicial authority to be selected by the senate, and approved by the Lord High Commissioner of the protecting Sovereign. This last-named functionary is appointed by the British Government, and performs in all respects the duties of a viceroy or governor of a British colony. The Lord High Commissioner has always been a British-born subject. The legislative assembly consists of a president and thirty-nine members, and the senate of a president and five senators, the president being selected for appointment by the Lord High Commissioner.

The area and population, in 1840, of the seven islands were :

The declared value of British manufactures sent from the United Kingdom to these dependencies, during each of the years from 1827 to 1849, was as follows:

The number and tonnage of shipping employed in the trade between the United Kingdom and the Ionian Islands, during the same years,

The chief part of our exports to these islands consists of cotton goods

and refined sugar.

The imports are confined almost entirely to three

articles, viz., currants, olive oil, and valonia.

A considerable trade is carried on between these islands and various ports in the Mediterranean. The tonnage, under various flags, that entered and cleared from the islands, in 1840, was as follows:

The principal exports in the same year (1840) consisted of—

668,711 gallons olive oil. 22,719,990 lbs. currants. 131,976 gallons wine. 1,139,503 lbs. of soap.

Some manufactures are carried on of common earthenwares, silks, shawls, coarse linen, coarse woollen blankets, goat-hair carpets and sacking. The chief productions, besides the foregoing articles, arewheat, maize, barley, oats, pulse, cotton, and flax.

The most productive branch of revenue is the export duty on oil and currants. The collections under these heads, in 1840, amounted to 71,7657. The duty on imports yielded 35,5917.; stamp duties, 13,4817. The total revenues for the year amounted to 157,6257., and the expenditure was 159,2937., of which sum 73,2217. was the cost of civil and judicial establishments. The charge defrayed out of the public purse for education was 10,5507.; the hospitals cost 82107., and 17,1177. were expended in maintaining roads and bridges.

For the sum mentioned of 10,5507., there were instructed, in 159 schools (including one university, one ecclesiastical seminary, one college, and one lyceum), 6527 scholars, of which number only 871 were females. In each of the islands there is a "secondary school," supported at the public expense, in which instruction is given in classical literature and modern languages, together with the more ordinary branches of tuition. In the chief town of each island there is a "central school," also at the public charge, in which the Lancasterian system of teaching is followed. The whole of the establishments for education to which contributions are made from the public purse are placed under the general direction of a "Commission for Public Instruction."

Heligoland, a small island in the North Sea, situated in 54° 11' N. lat., and 7° 51' E. long., came first into the possession of England in 1807, and was formally ceded to us at the peace of 1814. The island is about a mile long from north to south, and about a third of a mile wide. It is of some commercial utility from its position. The church

and lighthouse are useful as beacons ; but its principal advantage consists in its being a rendezvous for pilots to vessels bound to the Elbe, the Eyder, and the Weser.

The possession of Heligoland offered much greater advantages at the time of its acquisition than it has since afforded. During the continuance of what was called the continental system, Heligoland was most usefully employed as a depôt for our manufactured goods and colonial produce, whence they could be introduced in small quantities, and as opportunities could be made, into the neighbouring continent. The extent to which this smuggling trade was carried on from this spot during the continuance of the Berlin and Milan decrees serves to show how hopeless it must be on the part of any Government to impose shackles upon commerce, when the profits to be derived from their evasion are considerable.

The island is thickly inhabited, its numbers being about 2200. The natives are of Frisian descent, and are a fine race of people. The climate is as mild as that of the midland counties of England, and the air is considered healthy. Within the last few years many invalids from Germany, Poland, and Russia, have resorted to it for the sake of its baths, which have acquired some degree of celebrity.

CHAPTER III.

DEPENDENCIES IN ASIA.

Origin and Progress of our Indian Empire-Circumstances under which its Growth has occurred-War of Aggression against Affghanistan; its sinister consequences-Trading Monopoly of the East India Company; its Relaxation and subsequent Abandonment— Amount of Trade between England and India—Quantities Imported of various Articles of Indian Produce - Great Commercial Resources of India-Probability of obtaining Supplies of Products hitherto procured from the Baltic; Wool, Flax, Tallow, Oil-seedsShipping Trade of Bengal; of Madras; of Bombay-Public Revenues and Expenditure of British India-Public Debt-Constitution of Anglo-Indian Government-Board of Control; its unlimited Power-Successive Acquisitions of Territory in India-Wealth drawn Yearly from India to England. CEYLON: its Position and Acquisition-Populstion-Increased production of Coffee. CocoA-NUT TREE: its various Products and their Advantages. CINNAMON: Monopoly Abolished - Pearl Fishery-Gems and MetalsManufactures-Trade. MAURITIUS: Population-Sugar Production-Trade with England and other Countries.

THE origin and progress of the British Empire in India is altogether a case without precedent in the history of nations. It would be interesting in a high degree, could we here trace that progress, so important in its consequences to our country; but a slight sketch of its more remarkable features is all that can be offered in this volume.

This eastern empire-now so vast in its extent and so important in all its circumstances, both social and political-originated in the subscriptions, trifling in amount, of a few private individuals, which were advanced for the prosecution of a mercantile adventure. This event took place in 1599. The capital then subscribed amounted to no more than 30,0001., and was divided into 101 shares. At the end of the fol lowing year the adventurers obtained a royal charter, constituting them a corporation for fifteen years, and under which the management of the joint-stock was confided to twenty-four members chosen by the proprietors from among their own body, this committee being renewed by & fresh election every year.

The objects of the Company were at first strictly confined to com mercial adventure, for the more effectual prosecution of which the capital was enlarged from time to time, until in 1618 it amounted to two millions. The Company had obtained in 1611 from the Mogul per mission to establish factories at Surat, Ahmedabad, Cambaya, and Goga; in return for which indulgence it agreed to pay to him an export