occupied the heights south of the Bala Hissar. An attempt was made by the British on the 13th to capture the ridge above the Bala Hissar, but it was not carried out with success, and the fighting of the 14th and 15th did not result in any material improvement of their position. General Roberts then collected his troops in the Shirpoor cantonments, northeast of Cabool, where he waited for reënforcements, while the Afghans were left in possession of Cabool. The cantonment of Shirpoor was considered well enough fortified to withstand any attack that was likely to be made upon it, and was supplied with provisions to last several months. A few days afterward the Indian Government published an explanation of the military situation, stating that General Roberts had ample transport and ammunition; that, besides the 23 cannon belonging to his force, he had 214 captured cannon, many of which were rifled. His intrenchments could easily be held by 2,500 men, leaving 6,000 free for offensive operations. General Bright had 12,000 men between Jumrood and Jagdalak, with 30 cannon, two months' supplies, and sufficient transport. Including the forces at Candahar and in the Kooram Valley, the total field force was 45,000 men, with 160 guns, and was considered ample for present requirements.

On the 17th of December General Gough left Jagdalak with reënforcements for Shirpoor and Cabool. By the 18th the defenses of the Shirpoor cantonments had been completed. The enemy at that time occupied the heights over the city, but did not descend into the plains, which were patrolled by the British cavalry. General Roberts was awaiting the arrival of General Gough to make an attack, but intended to begin the offensive before he came up if a suitable opportunity should offer. The enemy's force was diminishing. One of their prominent leaders had been killed in a skirmish which took place on the 17th. Mohammed Jan Mardak, the real Afghan leader, was reported to have proclaimed Yakoob Khan's eldest son Ameer. On the 22d General Gough reported that he had been obliged to engage the Ghilzais all along his line in order to repress their desultory attacks, had driven them off, and hoped that they were dispersing. Reenforcements continued to advance, but General Roberts did not find it necessary to wait for them. Desultory attacks were kept up all the day of the 22d; and information was received during the day that an attack would be made by the enemy at daybreak on the 23d. Bodies of the enemy were seen occupying the distant villages and approaching nearer as it became dark. At 6 o'clock the next morning a fire was lighted on the Asmi Heights as a signal, and immediately afterward the attack was begun on three sides. The British were already prepared for it. The strongest demonstrations were made on the northeast, where, as soon as the enemy's intention was fully developed, a counter-attack with cavalry and ar

tillery was ordered. A fire was accordingly opened on the enemy's flanks, which speedily dislodged them. The cavalry pursued and sabered numbers of the enemy, who retired from all points and hastily entered the city. Some near villages were occupied by the British, particularly those on the Butkak road. The success of the British proved to be complete. The enemy's loss was severe, one report saying that the ground around Shirpoor was thick with the bodies of the slain. Those of the enemy who lived in Cabool went straight to their houses after their defeat. The Kolistanis and Logaris remained in Cabool for a few hours, but all fled during the night. Two of the enemy's leaders, Mushki Alim (a priest) and Mohammed Jan, fled early in the day, and another prominent leader was reputed to have fled toward Wardak, with Yakoob Khan's eldest son. Yakoob Khan's wife and mother, and a daughter of the late Akbar Khan (who was the principal opponent of the British in 1841), were captured. The Bala Hissar and the city of Cabool were reoccupied, and by the 29th of December the country around Cabool and the line of communications were reported clear. An attack was afterward made by a khan with 2,000 followers on Colonel Norman at Gundamuk, but the enemy was driven off. General Baker was dispatched on the 27th with 1,700 infantry, a regiment of cavalry, and four guns, to Kohistan. He there destroyed the fort of the hostile chief Mirbatcha, which he found abandoned, and received the submission of sev eral Kohistani and Logari chiefs. Mohammed Jan sent propositions for peace, in which he demanded, among other conditions, that the British forces should return to India, and that a promise should be given to send back the Ameer, while two British officers should remain at Cabool as hostages for the fulfillment of the promise. No notice had been taken of these propositions at the end of the year.

A fresh body of reënforcements from England left Portsmouth on the morning of the 1st of January, 1880. At that time 10,000 men were on their way through the Afghan defiles to the relief of General Roberts; about one fourth were British and the rest natives. Two thousand men held the fort of Lundi Kotal, and a similar number that of Ali Musjid. There were 500 Sepoys at Jumrood and 5,000 at Peshawer, and bodies were marching forward from Jelalabad and Gundamuk, whose places were to be supplied by troops from Agra, Meerut, and Bombay.

The annual financial statement, published by the Indian Government in March, produced an unfavorable impression. In view of the fact that the actual deficit of 1877-78 and the estimated deficit of 1878-'79 amounted to over 164 millions, and that the public debt within the same time increased by about 15 millions, a strong dissatisfaction was felt with the resolution of the Government to exempt from import duty all cotton goods containing no yarn of a higher

number than 30's, a measure which was expected to have the effect of diminishing the revenue by £200,000. The Indian press and public were almost unanimous in condemning that step, and many went so far as to assert that the interests of India were being sacrificed to those of Manchester. Tenders for a new 4 per cent. loan of 50 millions of rupees having been called for by the Government, a total amount of over 67 millions was tendered in May, of which 40 millions allotted to the lowest tender were accepted at 94 per cent., and the loan was issued at an average rate of 943, making the actual amount to be received by the Government about 38 millions of rupees. On May 3d a Government order was issued on the subject of the reduction of public expenditure. All departments were directed to retrench expenses, but it was in the public works that the greatest retrenchment was contemplated. No new works, even if already sanctioned, were to be commenced without special orders, and the outlay on reproductive works was to be largely cut down. Military charges were left untouched for the present, but the duty was declared of reducing them to the lowest point compatible with safety.

A memorial addressed by the Madras Chamber of Commerce to the British House of Commons was especially severe in its criticism upon the financial administration of the Government. It charged Sir John Strachey with direct breach of faith in having applied the famine taxation to the general purposes of the country, and affirmed that any bank or public company, which ignored the solemn pledges it had given to the shareholders in the same way as the Government of India had broken faith with the taxpayers, would forfeit all claim to public confidence. Equally severe was an address delivered in May by Mr. Yule, President of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce. Speaking of the trades' license tax instituted last year for the purpose of raising a famine-insurance fund, he asserted that this tax had been levied and collected in such a way as to lead large numbers to conclude that, if there were a choice between famine and tax, they would certainly prefer famine.

In the latter part of May the Government issued a circular to the local administrations directing that in future no person, not being a member of the Covenanted Civil Service or of the Staff Corps, or a native of India, shall be appointed to any office carrying a salary of 200 rupees per month or upward without the previous sanction of the Governor-General in Council. Exceptions, however, are made in favor of persons appointed by the Secretary of State to the financial, educational, and forest departments; and the circular is to be held not to apply to the appointments to the departments of opium, salt, customs, survey, mint, public works, and police.

On June 16th the Supreme Government issued a financial circular to all the local govern

ments, giving a sketch of the actual financial position of the Indian Government. It pointed out that orders had already been issued for reducing the expenditure the next year; that altogether in the civil department alone a saving of £1,000,000 was hoped for; and that an inquiry was even then proceeding with a view to the reduction of the military expenditure. A policy of rigid economy and retrenchment was to be followed in every branch of the public service. The first step taken by the Supreme Government toward reducing the central establishments was the abolition of the separate departments of revenue, agriculture, and commerce, established by Lord Mayo in 1871. The business of these departments was divided between the home and financial offices, the former to be henceforth called the Home, Revenue, and Agricultural, the latter the Finance and Commerce Department. The business connected with ports and navigation, which had hitherto been transacted in the Revenue, went to the Military Department. The immediate saving would be only the salaries of the secretary and the registrar, amounting to 50,000 rupees per annum; but it was expected that a further saving of 40,000 rupees would be ultimately effected.

In July Mr. Hope introduced a bill in the Supreme Council for the relief of the indebted ryots of the Deccan. Its main points are as follows: All loans are to be registered before village registrars; imprisonment for debt is abolished; courts of conciliation and arbitration--in other words, the old system of village punchayets-are recommended; receipts are to be furnished to borrowers, as well as an annual statement of accounts. By these means the ryot, invariably an uneducated man, is virtually protected from fraud. It was referred to a select committee, and was passed by the Supreme Council on October 24th.

On November 14th Sir John Strachey introduced a bill in the Legislative Council for amending the license-tax acts, and extending taxation to the official and professional classes. The ostensible object of the measure was to relieve the poorer commercial classes at the expense of the richer professional and salaried classes. The passage of this bill was postponed until 1880, but it was opposed by the Chambers of Commerce of Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta, which bodies pointed out, in memorials addressed to the Council, that the proposed tax was but an income-tax under another name, and earnestly protested against the reversal of the policy deliberately adopted after an exhaustive inquiry six years ago. The memorial of the Calcutta Chamber further pointed out that the state finances were in a much better condition than was anticipated when the budget was prepared, and that there was a good prospect of further improvement. These prospects should not be clouded by vexatious changes of the law, which would have the effect of adding to the public burdens

at a time when the people were ill able to bear them.

The great khoomb, or duodecennial festival, at Hurdwar proved, like that of 1867, disastrous in its consequences. From 750,000 to 1,000,000 pilgrims assembled, and, despite the precautions taken by the authorities, cholera in a severe form broke out a few days before the close of the fair. The streams of returning pilgrims carried the disease in various directions toward their homes, and soon after the close of the fair outbreaks were reported from Delhi, Umritsur, Rawul Pindee, and other places of northern India. Great mortality among the pilgrims was reported from several districts; thus it was asserted that of 80,000 who went to the fair from a single district of Kumaon, one fourth were missing.

A severe famine prevailed in the tributary state of Cashmere, and excited the serious attention of the Indian Government, which impressed upon the Maharajah the duty of adopt ing effective measures of relief. A British officer was sent to assist the local authorities, and large quantities of grain were dispatched to the distressed districts.

On May 22d, in the English House of Commons, Mr. C. Stanhope made a statement of the finances of India, showing an estimated deficit of £1,400,000 for the coming year, which it was proposed to meet by a reduction of outlay upon public works and upon other branches of expenditure. Mr. Fawcett, accepting the statement as a vindication of his views, changed his announced resolution for diminishing expenditure into one of approval of the Government's recommendations. On May 23d Mr. O'Donnell moved a vote of censure upon Lord Lytton for his reply to a deputation of the British Indian Association, but it was rejected by 215 to 36. On June 12th Mr. Gladstone spoke in strong terms of some of the recent acts of the Indian Government, and urged the establishment of a permanent control over Indian expenditure. On July 1st the House of Commons discussed the bill to enable the Government of India to purchase the East Indian Railway, and a resolution of Mr. Fawcett that the measure should not be regarded as a precedent was agreed to. On the 2d the bill was passed.

In order to lay some of the grievances of the people of India before the British public, the Indian Association sent a barrister of Calcutta, Mr. Lai Mohun Ghose, to England. On July 23d a crowded meeting was held in London, under the presidency of John Bright, to hear his address and "consider certain questions affecting the interests of the people of India." The Indian barrister severely attacked the English Government in India. Questions concerning education and taxation had alike been decided in such a way that the Indian subjects of the Queen had no voice in their consideration, although they had to pay the taxes which were necessary to de

fray the expenses. The people of India protested against the war in Afghanistan, a war in which politics had been divorced from morals; and contended that in the circumstances they ought not to be called upon to pay any part of the cost, or that, if any payment was to be made, England should bear an adequate part of the cost. The main grievance which the natives felt was that they had no voice in the government of the country, and this they thought ought to be remedied. Mr. Bright also made a long speech in which he dwelt on the burdensome character of the military expenditure in England, and said, if there was no possible escape from it, he thought it would be almost better to surrender, to confess the failure of English rule, and to say that the government of a great empire in Asia by persons sent out as rulers from the small island of Great Britain was impossible, and should never have existed. He complained of the high salaries paid to civil servants in India, and of the non-fulfillment by successive governments of the pledges made to the people of India with respect to the facilities to be afforded for their admission to the civil service.

An attempt on the life of the Viceroy was inade on December 12th. He had just arrived in Calcutta, and as his cortège was driving to the Government house, and after crossing the Hoogly bridge, a Eurasian in the street fired two shots from a revolver at Lord Lytton's carriage, and then a third shot at the next carriage, in which Colonel and Lady Colley were seated. Colonel Colley jumped from the carriage, and with Captain Rose arrested the assassin without difficulty. They found on him a revolver with two chambers loaded and three recently discharged. The man, whose name is Deesa, was described as being intoxicated at the time, and as having been in a lunatic asylum. He was in Government employ in a subordinate capacity, but was dismissed owing to his weakness of intellect, and was said on that occasion to have threatened to kill the head of his department.

A fresh trouble arose in October for the Indian Government in the Naga Hills. On October 14th the Naga tribe, which murdered an English officer nearly five years ago, attacked and killed Mr. G. H. Damant, deputy commissioner and political agent for the Naga Hills. The tribes which cause the British the most trouble are those which inhabit the country south of Assam. They occupy the districts stretching into Burmah past Cachar, Chittagong, and Aracan. Some of the Nagas have settled down to a peaceful mode of existence. Those of the Lebsagur district may be classed among these. Whenever (and it has been very seldom indeed) an outrage has occurred among them, they have at once made ample atonement to the British officials, resorting to the simple expedient of closing the neighboring market to the offenders. With many other sections this remedy has proved effica

cious, and very often offenders have been handed over to the British to exact justice from their persons for the murder of the police or for similar crimes. But it is from the Augami Nagas that most trouble has come. These hold a portion of the hills which stretch between Assam and Munnipoor. The Rajah of Munnipoor, at whose court the British have an agent, originally sought their protection from the tyranny of the Burmese ruler. The Rajah, acting under the advice of the British representative, has governed his little state to their entire satisfaction; but he has himself been beset by frontier difficulties with those very Augami Nagas who had given the British so much trouble for over fifty years, and who were again the aggressors. The attack took place at Konoma, in the heart of the Augami country. Immediately after the murder of Mr. Damant, together with some seventy of his followers, at Konoma, the Nagas of that village marched upon Kohima, and were joined by thousands of their tribesmen. The little garrison then consisted of Lieutenant Reid and a small detachment of the 43d regiment; Mr. Chorley, of the police, with his wife and his children; Mr. Hinde, of the police, and Mrs. Damant, who, with all the terrible affliction that had just fallen upon her, had now to go through the miseries and privations of a siege. At the most there were only 150 men whose loyalty could be depended upon, in a hostile village of 1,200 houses, while they were, in addition, completely hemmed in by a horde of savages, who were wrought up to the highest pitch of excitement. Mr. Hinde with 100 police was the first of several relief parties to reach the garrison, but was not strong enough to assail the Nagas. Colonel Johnstone, the political agent of Munnipoor, with 50 regulars, 50 police, and 2,000 tribesmen, reached Kobima on October 27th. He was only just in time. The Nagas were besieging in regular form behind intrenchments. The garrison, after thirteen days of defense, was reduced to the last extremity. Major Evans, with 200 men, arrived later, and the whole party fell back on Samagating. A force under General Nation was assembled at Golaghat, and in the early part of November set out to punish the Nagas. Several villages were occupied and burned, and on the 26th the village of Konoma was attacked by the British. After a severe struggle the natives retreated to some neighboring heights, and the village was burned on the following day. This virtually put an end to the hostilities.

Christianity has of late begun to make considerable progress. According to the latest attainable statistics of the Protestant missionary societies, their total force in India was represented in 1879 by 1,833 ordained and assistant missionaries, and 88,149 communicant members. This statement is based only in part on the reports for 1878-'79, since several of the societies have not recently published

detailed reports, and it does not include the very large accessions of 1877 and 1878 to the two Anglican societies. The growth of the missions is indicated by the fact that a careful census taken by the Rev. M. A. Sherring in 1871 gave the number of communicants in India, Ceylon, and Burmah at 78,494, and the number of persons connected with the Christian community as 318,363, while the figures given in the above statement for 1878-79 are for India alone. The present number of the Christian communities in India, Ceylon, and Burmah is reckoned by Mr. Sherring at 460,000 souls. An unprecedented accession of adherents took place in 1877 and 1878 to the Anglican and Baptist missions in southern India, amounting in all to about 45,000 persons. The most rapid progress has been made hitherto among the aboriginal and Dravidian races and the lower castes. The higher castes have been until recently nearly inaccessible. Conversions have, however, lately begun to take place among the Brahmans, but are still so rare as to be generally deemed worthy of especial mention. The Methodist, Presbyterian, and Anglican missions in the Northwest Provinces and the Punjaub are among a Mohammedan population, who are represented as becoming gradually more amenable to their influence. The Anglican mission at Peshawer has outposts among the Afghans, and records several persons of that nation among its converts. The most extended and successful operations of the women's missionary societies are among the zenanas of the Hindoo women, through which and the schools connected with them the families of the higher castes, otherwise inaccessible, are brought under missionary influence. The missionary schools are elementary or vernacular, middle or high vernacular, and Anglo-vernacular schools, and colleges in which the course prescribed by the University is followed and instruction is given in English. The number of pupils in these schools in 1872 was 122,372, and is now estimated at 140,000, of whom about 20 per cent. are girls. Secular education has been greatly encouraged by the introduction of competitive examinations for civil appointments, but the same influence has been found to work detrimentally to the religious side of education. Eight colleges are connected with the Protestant missions, all of which are affiliated with one or another of the Indian universities.

INDIANA. The biennial session of the Legislature of Indiana commenced on January 9th. Lieutenant-Governor Gray presided in the Senate; in the House Henry S. Cawthorne was elected Speaker. At the end of sixty days the regular session expired; a special session then followed, and the final adjournment took place on March 31st. More than twice as many bills were passed at the special session as during the regular one.

A Senator of the United States was elected on January 24th. In the House Daniel W.

Voorhees, Democrat, received 57 votes; Benjamin Harrison, 38; Buchanan, 2. In the Senate Voorhees received 26 and Harrison 22 votes. For the short term caused by the death of the late Senator Morton, and which Mr. Voorhees had been appointed by the Governor to fill until the meeting of the Legislature, Mr. Voorhees received in the House 57 votes and Godlove S. Orth 37. In the Senate Voorhees received 26 and Orth 22. Mr. Voorhees was elected in each instance.

An act was passed relating to foreign corporations doing business in the State, which provides that any such corporation which shall transfer to the United States Court any suit commenced by or against it in a State Court, on a contract made in the State, shall thereby forfeit all right to transact business in the State, or hold real estate, or liens thereon. The object of the law is to limit outside corporations to the courts of the State in all suits founded on contracts made under State laws, and prevent the harassing and expensive practice of forcing citizens engaged in litigation with such corporations to appear, with their witnesses, before the United States Court at Indianapolis.

A Department of Statistics and Geology was created, of which the chief officer is required to be an expert in the sciences of geology and chemistry. His duties are to collect, systematize, tabulate, and present in annual reports, statistical information and details relating to agriculture, manufacturing, mining, commerce, education, labor, social and sanitary condition, vital statistics, marriages and deaths, and to the permanent prosperity of the productive industry of the people of the State. The several city, incorporated town, county, and township assessors, trustees, officers of school boards, and boards of health, in their respective cities, towns, counties, and townships, the agents or superintendents of all manufacturing, mining, and mechanical establishments, the managers and superintendents of all corporations, manufacturing, mechanical, and transportation companies and associations, and county superintendents of schools, are required to make reports and answer such questions as the bureau may require from them. The chief officer is further required to take charge of the geological cabinet, museum, chemical laboratory, apparatus, and library, and from time to time, as may be practicable, to add specimens to the cabinet of minerals, organic remains, and other objects of natural history peculiar to the State and to other States and countries.

Another act requires locomotive engineers to open the steam-whistle when approaching a turnpike or highway crossing at least eighty rods distant therefrom, "and to sound the same continuously until the crossing is passed." In the House, resolutions relating to the following subjects were voted upon, with the results stated: To indefinitely postpone a resolution congratulating the country on the resump

tion of specie payments-yeas 50, nays 33. For a reduction of the salaries of Federal officers-yeas 90, nays 2. The unconditional repeal of the specie resumption act-yeas 50, nays 40. The repeal of the act exempting United States bonds from taxation-yeas 57, nays 34. The repeal of the law exempting greenbacks from taxation-yeas 76, nays 12. The abolition of all bank issues-yeas 59, nays 32. The free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver-yeas 85, nays 5. The issue by the General Government of full legal-tender paper money, receivable for all dues, public and private, in amounts sufficient to meet the wants of trade, or at least $30 per capita-yeas 50, nays 40. To prohibit the further issue of interest-bearing Government bonds; lost-yeas 43, nays 45. That Congress take immediate steps whereby the bonded indebtedness of the Government shall be paid off as fast as it shall become due, according to agreement—yeas 84, nays 4.

An act was passed providing that the rate of interest, in cases in which the parties do not agree, shall be six per cent., but may be taken yearly or for a shorter period or in advance; and no agreement to pay a higher rate shall be valid, unless the same be in writing signed by the party to be charged therein. By and in such cases it shall not be lawful to contract for more than eight per cent. per annum. When a higher rate of interest than six per cent. is contracted for, the contract will be void as to the usurious interest contracted for; and in an action on such contract, if it appear that interest at a higher rate than six per cent., or in case of a written contract a higher rate than eight per cent., has been directly or indirectly contracted for, the excess of interest over six per cent. will be deemed usurious and illegal; and in an action on a contract affected by such usury, the excess over the legal interest may be recovered by the debtor whenever it has been reserved or paid before the bringing of

the suit.

An act was passed to protect the miners of Indiana from the many accidents incident to coal-mining. It provides for better ventilation and other means of safety. A mine-inspector will be appointed by the Governor, and he must be a practical miner of twelve years' experience. Also an act abolishing coroners' juries was passed.

Seven important amendments to the State Constitution were agreed to in 1877, by a majority of the members elected to each of the two Houses of the Legislature. The Legisla ture at this session, by a similar majority, agreed to the same amendments. An act was also passed providing that these amendments should be submitted to the electors of the State for ratification or rejection, at an election to be held on the first Monday in April, 1880. The law providing for the submission of these amendments to the electors of the State enacts that "the Secretary of State shall procure