Dec. 22.-Parliament pass a law permitting the enlistment of foreigners as officers and soldiers in her Majesty's service. Dec. 23. - Simoda, Japan, is destroyed by an earthquake. A wave from the bay overflows the town, aud in its flow and return leaves but sixteen buildings out of a thousand standing. Other ports are injured. The Russian frigate Diana in the harbor is so injured that she is subsequently lost. Dec. 28.-The English, French, and Austrian Ministers sign a protocol, recording the interpretation affixed by the Allies to the four points of negotiation, and communicate the same to Prince Gortschakoff; and Jan. 7, he informs the ministers that Nicholas accepts the interpretation, and has empowered him to negotiate for peace. 1855. Jan. 5. - General Castilla defeats President Echenique in battle, and enters Lima in triumph. Jan. 5. The entire portion of the Victoria Bridge across the river St. Lawrence is carried away by the pressure of the ice, the stone-work remaining strong. Jan. 8. A commercial convention of delegates from the Southern and Southwestern States assembles at New Orleans. General Lamar of Texas is elected President. Of the 120 delegates present, 83 are from Louisiana. It adjourns Jan. 16. Jan. 11. Governor Gardner of Massachusetts makes proclamation that the District of Boston Corner is now part of New York. Jan. 12. Maria Theresa, mother of the King of Sardinia, dies in Turin, aged 53; and Jan. 20, his wife, the Queen, dies. Feb. 12, the Duke of Genoa, his brother, dies, and May 17, his son, born a few days before the death of the Queen, dies. Jan. 15. The joint commission at London for settling American and British claims closes its labors. Jan. 18. The Moniteur announces that the subscription to the French loan of 500,000,000 francs, authorized by the law of December 31, 1854, amounts to 2,175,000,000 francs, 177,000 persons taking part in it. Jan. 23. There is a violent earthquake near Wellington Settlement, New Zealand. The land has been raised, by measurement, between three and four feet. The shell-fish attached to the rocks die. Jan. 23. Parliament meets, and Mr. Roebuck submits a motion for inquiry into the administration of the war, which is set down for the 25th. On the 29th the vote is taken, and there is a majority of 257 against the ministers, who, Jan. 30, resign. Lord Palmerston subsequently succeeds in forming a ministry. Jan. 26. The chapel and east wing (Rutledge, College) of the South Carolina College are destroyed by fire. Jan. 28. - The French Spoliation Bill, having previously gone through the Senate, passes the House by a vote of 110 to 76. It goes to the Senate. Jan. 23.The Panama Railroad being completed, the first train passes over it this day. Jan. 29. Nicholas orders the formation of a general militia of the empire. Mr. Soulé has an audience of the Queen of Spain, and takes his leave of the court of Madrid. Jan. 31. The railroads in the West are blocked with snow; for several days, travel is much obstructed. No communication is had between St. Louis and Chicago for eleven days. Seventeen locomotives are frozen up or buried in the snow on the Chicago and Mississippi Railroad. Feb. 1.-The U. S. surveying steamer Water-Witch, in ascending the Paraguay, in violation of an order of the government, that no man-of-war should enter the waters of that river, is fired at from the fort, and one man is killed. The Water-Witch returns the fire, and backs down the stream. Feb. 3. Booth and Rycraft, convicted in the Federal District Court of Wisconsin for violating the Fugitive Slave Law, in aiding the escape of an alleged fugitive, and fined and imprisoned in the county jail of the State, are brought before the Supreme Court of the State by habeas corpus, and discharged, because the indictment was insufficient; the judges at the same time saying that the law was unconstitutional. Feb. 12. The island of Cuba is declared by the Captain-General to be in a state of siege, and the coasts and circumjacent waters in blockade. Feb. 17. The Russians under Osten Sacken attack Eupatoria, defended by the Turks under Omar Pasha, and are repulsed with loss. Feb. 19. President Pierce vetoes the French Spoliation Bill, and it fails in the House of the requisite vote to pass it over the veto. Feb. 22, 23. Page, Bacon, & Co., and Adams & Co., and other bankers in San Francisco, in consequence of a run upon them, suspend payment. There is a fearful financial panic. Feb. 23. The Stonington boat, which left Stonington on the evening of the 20th, arrives in New York, having been detained seventy-two hours on the Sound by the ice. Feb. 26. -The sword worn by General Jackson through his military campaigns is presented to Congress by the heirs of the late Robert Armstrong, the friend and companion of Jackson. Feb. 28. -An earthquake at Broussa kills or wounds in that place and the villages 445 people. A second shock kills or wounds 204 people. A fire breaks out and consumes many houses. Only three in every ten are left uninjured. March 2. Nicholas, Emperor of all the Russias, dies in St. Petersburg "of pulmonic apoplexy, after an attack of influenza," and his son, Alexander II., ascends the throne. March 3. The House of Representatives at Washington receives President Pierce's veto of the Ocean Steamer Bill. The attempt to pass it, notwithstanding the veto, fails, the vote being 98 to 79. March 4. Ratifications of the Treaty of Alliance between Sardinia and the Western Powers are exchanged at Turin, and Sardinia transmits to other governments the declaration of war against Russia. March 10.Don Carlos, the claimant of the Spanish throne from the time of the death of Ferdinand, in 1833, dies in Trieste. He was called in Italy the Conde de Molina. March 10.-The college building at Princeton, N. J., known as Nassau Hall, is destroyed by fire. The building was erected in 1756, and in the Revolutionary war was used for barracks by both the British and Americans. The contents of the picture-gallery are saved. March 13. At the election in Meredith, N. H., the floor of the new townhall gives way. It is estimated that 800 persons were within the building, and that 300 persons were precipitated through a space of 30 feet by 14, to a depth of 18 feet. Six or seven die of injuries received, and a hundred have their bones broken. - March 14. The new suspension bridge at Niagara Falls is crossed for the first time by a locomotive and train of cars. March 15.- The plenipotentiaries at Vienna exchange powers, and commence proceedings. March 17. The French and Russians contend fiercely for the rifle-pits which the Russians have established between the French advance and the Mamelon. March 19. An explosion takes place in the Midlothian coal-pits in Chesterfield Co., Va. Of the 50 persons in the pits, 35 are found dead, and 10 are wounded beyond recovery. March 22. The Russians, in a night sortie upon the French lines opposite the Malakoff, are driven back, after a fight of two and a half hours. March 22. Ramon Pinto suffers death by the garotte in Havana. He was an eminent lawyer, but was convicted of connection with a conspiracy to take Concha's life and overthrow the existing government. March 25,- An unsuccessful attempt at revolution is made in San Domingo, with the intent to recall Ex-president Baez. Some of the conspirators take refuge with the English Consul. March 28.-The United States Marshal at Philadelphia arrests twelve men who had enlisted in that city for a foreign legion. March 28. The closing sale of the estate of Daniel Webster at Marshfield takes place. March 29. The State Prison at Nashville, Tenn., is destroyed by fire. One convict is smothered, but none escape. March 30. The election takes place in Kansas for members of the Territorial Legislature. The polls are invaded and carried by "emigrants" from Missouri. April 4.-The Baltic fleet sails from Portsmouth. The English Baltic fleet will consist of 85 vessels, mounting 2,098 guns; the French, of 16 vessels, Another asteroid is discovered at the Imperial Observatory, France, April 9. All the English and French batteries open on Sebastopol, and the fire continues through the day and night, and through the 10th. The Russian loss is stated by Gortschakoff at 833 killed and wounded. April 9.A" Peoples' Proclamation," signed, "Citizens of Kansas Territory," is issued, denouncing the unfitness of Governor Reeder, and calling on the people to elect on the 28th of April a fit person to recommend to the President as his successor. April 10. Broussa is again visited with an earthquake; and, April 11, the wooden buildings in the place are mostly destroyed by fire. April 12. Judge Curtis, in the Federal Circuit Court of Massachusetts, quashes the indictment against Martin Stowell for obstructing the Marshal in the Burns case. The other indictments are nol. pros'd by the District Attorney. April 12.-The United States give the twelve months' notice to Denmark of their intention to terminate the treaty of 1826, by which the payment of Sound Dues was recognized. April 14. The office of the Industrial Luminary in Parkville, Mo., is broken into and ransacked, the printing-press thrown into the Missouri River, by some citizens of Platte Co., Mo., and the editors are ordered to leave the State. The mob votes that no person belonging to the Northern Methodist Church shall preach in Platte Co., under " the penalty of tar and feathers for the first offence, and a hemp rope for the second." April 17.. Petropaulowski is deserted by its inhabitants, and its fortifications destroyed, and what stores cannot be removed are burned. April 17.-The French spring two mines under the Flag-staff Battery, which break down 80 feet in its centre. April 19.- A new planet of the eleventh magnitude is discovered by Luther at the Observatory of Bilk, near Dusseldorf. April 19.The Emperor of the French and the Empress arrive at Dover, on their visit to Victoria, and return to France, April 26. April 20.-N. M. Rothschild & Sons take the new English three per cent loan of £16,000,000. - April 20. Commodore McCauley, whose departure in the San Jacinto for Cuba was supposed to be connected with alleged Spanish insults to American vessels, arrives at Havana, and is at once upon friendly terms with the CaptainGeneral. April 21.-A riot breaks out in Chicago, Ill., growing out of the license question. The military are called out. April 21.-The Vienna Conference breaks up and adjourns sine die, having accomplished nothing. Russia would not agree to the third point, "that the preponderance of Russia in the Black Sea should cease, either by limiting her naval force therein by treaty, or by excluding all war ships, and admitting only vessels of commerce.' 27 April 25. Lt.-Col. St. Vrain, with a detachment of United States troops, comes up with and captures a camp of the Apache Indians, on the Purgatory, near the Raton Mountains, kills 7, captures 6, and wounds 7 Indians. April 26. General Concha gives a dinner to Commodore McCauley and his officers. April 27.A fire consumes property, in shipping, buildings, and goods stored, to the amount of $ 500,000, on Lincoln's and Battery Wharves, Boston. April 27. Col. Kinney is arrested in New York on a bench warrant, issued upon an indictment found against him in the Federal District Court for beginning a military enterprise against Nicaragua. April 27.-Horatio J. Perry, Secretary of Legation in Spain, writes from Madrid a letter to the President of the United States, in answer to Mr. Soulé's letter, published in the National Intelligencer of March 24, 1855, and requests its publication in the Intelligencer, where it appears, May 22, 1855. April 28. An attempt is made to shoot Louis Napoleon, while riding in the Champs Elysees. The assassin is Giovanni Pianori, a hired bravo. April 29.-Col. Fauntleroy, with United States troops, attacks a camp of the Utah Indians, near the Arkansas River, about 20 miles north of the Puncha Pass, kills 40, captures 6, and a large amount of Indian property and plunder. 1 April 30.-Governor Reeder of Kansas has a public reception on returning to his home in Eastern Pennsylvania. April. The Prussian Second Chamber, by a large majority, pass a resolution expressing "its conviction that the government will take the first opportunity for the total abolition of the Sound Dues." May 1. -The French under General Pelissier carry the Russian works in front of the Central Bastion, and hold them against vigorous sorties, taking eight small mortars and 200 prisoners. May 1. An extraordinary eruption of Vesuvius commences, and continues some days. By May 10 the lava had advanced ten miles from its source. May 2. The French carry the advanced works of the Russians in front of the Quarantine Bastion, and hold them against the Russian sorties on that and the following days. May 2. Dr. A severe conflict occurs between the Russians and Allies, in the attempts of the former to recover their lost ground. May 3. A division of the allied fleets, with 8,000 French and 5,000 English troops, under command of Sir George Brown, leaves Kamiesch Bay and arrives off Kertch, when it is recalled. May 6. A Provincial Council of the Catholic Bishops is held at Baltimore; and (May 13) they issue an address to the laity, in which they say: "We have never exacted of you, as we ourselves have never made even to the highest ecclesiastical authority, any engagement inconsistent with the duties we owe to the country and its laws. On every opportune occasion, we have avowed these principles, and, even in our communications to the late Pontiff, we rejected as a calumny the imputation that we were in civil matters subject to his authority." May 7.-M. Drouyn de l'Huys resigns the post of Minister of Foreign Af fairs of France, and is succeeded by M. de Walenski. May 9.-General La Marmora, with 4,000 of the Sardinian contingent, arrives at Balaclava. May 10.-Joseph Hiss is expelled, for misconduct, from the Massachusetts House of Representatives. May 10. Governor Gardner, in a message to the House of Representatives, declines to remove Judge Edward G. Loring, as addressed. May 10. Count Nesselrode issues a circular, giving the Russian interpretation of the Vienna Conferences. May 10. A mob of armed men, in Clay County, Indiana, destroy the Birch Creek Reservoir, connected with the Wabash and Erie Canal, and subsequently do violence to those opposing them. The Governor of the State issues his proclamation, and offers rewards for their detection. May 15.. Napoleon. May 15. May 16. - The Universal Industrial Exhibition is opened at Paris by Louis A destructive tornado occurs in Lapeer County, Michigan. General Canrobert resigns the command of the French troops in the Crimea, and is succeeded by General Pelissier. May 20. The King of Hanover issues an ordinance, annulling the Constitution as settled Sept. 5, 1848, and the Provincial Electoral Law of Aug. 1, 1850. May 21.The allied English and French fleet enter the harbor of Petropau lowski, and find it deserted. May 21. Governor Gardner of Massachusetts returns the Personal Liberty Bill with his veto; but the Legislature, notwithstanding his objections, pass it, the Senate by a vote of 32 to 3 and the House by 230 to 76. May 21.The ship canal around the falls of the St. Mary's River, Michigan, being completed, is accepted. - May 22 -The Convent Suppression Bill passes the Sardinian Senate, by a vote of 53 to 42. May 22.--The French attack and carry one half of a place d'armes of the Russians, between the Central Bastion and the sea, and May 23 carry the remainder. Russian loss said to be 5,000. May 22. A squadron of 8 English and 4 French steamers and 6 screw gunboats, carrying a land force of 16,305 troops, leaves Sebastopol for the Sea of Azof. May 24, it arrives near Cape St. Paul, and the troops land without opposition. The Russians blow up their forts, spike their guns, burn their magazines, granaries, and vessels, and retire into the interior. May 25, the Allies pass through Kertch and reach Yenikale, where they find their small steamers and gun-boats. They burn the shipping and government stores at the several grain depots upon that coast. 290 vessels and provisions for 100,000 men for four months are destroyed. June 5th, the Russian garrison evacuates Anapa, and Russia has not a single fort on the eastern shore of the Black Sea. May 22. A violent tornado passes over Jefferson and Cook Counties, Illinois. It destroys everything in its course. One house had nine persons in it, four of whom were instantly killed, and the rest were injured. May 22. The Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane commences its sessions in Boston. Dr. Isaac Ray, of Butler Hospital, Providence, R I., is elected President. May 23.The state of siege and blockade of the island of Cuba is withdrawn. May 23.-The six articles of amendment to the State Constitution of Massachusetts are adopted. May 25.-The Allies cross the Tchernaya, and the Russians retire to the hills. May 26. A ukase orders that all the serfs in certain of the Russian states between the ages of 30 and 35 should be enrolled. - - May 26. Professor Agassiz issues a prospectus for publishing in ten quarto volumes his "Contributions to the Natural History of the United States." May 30.--The ship Magnolia, with arms and ammunition, is seized at St. Joseph's, Fla., by the revenue cutter McClelland. May 31.The Negro Suffrage Bill is defeated in the Connecticut House of Representatives, by twenty majority. May 31. The propeller Arctic and barque Release leave Brooklyn navy-yard under command of Lieut. Hartstene, U. S. N., in search of Dr. Kane and his companions in the Arctic Sea. June 1. The Republic of Nicaragua issues a manifesto, proclaiming martial law, and prohibiting" the adventurers Kinney and Fabens," on pain of death, from entering the republic for any cause. June 2. There is a riot at Portland. A crowd attempts to seize with violence certain liquors claimed to be owned by the city; and, persisting, the military are called out, and fire, killing one man and wounding several others. June 2. A fire in Bergen, Norway, destroys 350 houses. June 5. An attempt is made to throw the mail train from the track of the Western Railroad, near Worcester. A rail is displaced, and the cars are thrown off. The train contained the specie sent from New York for the English steamer. June 5.-The British frigate Cossack appears off Hango Udd, and sends a boat on shore under a flag of truce, and the men land. The boat is fired on and sunk, and the crew killed or wounded, and taken prisoners. June 5.-The National Know-Nothing, or "American," Convention assembles at Philadelphia. June 6.The bombardment of Sebastopol is re-opened with 157 guns and mortars on the part of the English, and above 300 on the part of the French. June 7. At 6, P. M. the Allies attack and carry some of the Russian outworks, the French those in front of the Mamelon, and the English the Quarries in front of the Redan. The Russians make six attempts in the course of the night to recover them, but without success. English loss, 11 officers and 25 men killed, 30 officers and 433 men wounded; French loss in killed and wounded estimated at 400. 73 guns and 502 prisoners are taken from the Russians. June 9. The Merlin and Fire-fly steamers, in a reconnoissance, strike upon some of Jacobi's infernal machines, which explode, but without injury to the vessels, except tearing off their copper. June 13.The antislavery branch of the American party, called the KnowSomethings, assembles in convention at Cincinnati. June 14-The Merrimack, the first completed of the six new steam-frigates, is launched at the Charlestown navy-yard. June 18.--The Allies make a combined attack upon the Malakoff and Redan towers, without success, and at a loss of 56 officers killed, 146 wounded, 17 prisoners, and 1,694 men killed or missing, and 2,690 wounded. June 19 -The schooner Emma, with Col. Kinney and some of his expeditionists aboard, is wrecked upon the Caycos Islands. June 19. The American Minister, Dodge, presents his credentials to the Queen of Spain. June 23. Violent rain in the Crimea. June 23. - The Russians under General Mouravieff, to the number of 30,000, - |