Law-making in 1870--The Queen's Speech--The Irish Land Problem--Diversities of Opinions--The Agrarian Agitation--Mr. Gladstone's Land Bill introduced--Its Five Parts--Grievances of the Irish Tenant--Free Contract--The Ulster Custom--Compensation for Eviction--The Landlord's Safeguards--The Irish Labourer--Mr Gladstone's Peroration--Direct and Indirect Opposition--The Second Reading carried--Agrarian Outrages--Mr. Fortescue's Coercion Bill--Mr. Disraeli's Amendment to the Land Bill--A Clever Speech--Mr. Lowe's Reply--Progress of the Debate--The Bill becomes Law 518 CHAPTER XXXIII. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_). The Elementary Education Bill--Mr. Forster's Speech--Mr. Dixon's Amendment--Mr. Forster's Reply--Mr. Winterbotham's Speech and the Churchmen--Partial Concessions--Changes in the Bill--It becomes Law--Outrage in Greece--Seizure of Tourists by Greek Brigands--Murder of the Prisoners--Army and Navy Estimates--The Budget--Disaster in the Eastern Seas--Obituary of the Year 529 CHAPTER XXXIV. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_). France in 1870--The Ollivier Ministry--Lull in European Affairs--The Hohenzollern Incident--Benedetti at Ems--His Second Interview with King William--War declared at Paris--Efforts of the British Government--Bismarck divulges a supposed Franco-German Treaty--Benedetti's Explanation--Earl Russell's Speech--Belgian Neutrality guaranteed--Unpreparedness of the French Army--The Emperor's Plans--Saarbrück--Weissenburg--The Emperor partially resigns Command--Wörth--MacMahon at Châlons--Spicheren--The Palikao Ministry--Bazaine Generalissimo--Battle of Borny--Mars-la-Tour--Gravelotte--English Associations for the Sick and Wounded--Palikao's Plan--MacMahon's Hesitation--De Failly's Defeat--MacMahon resolves to Fight--Sedan--The Surrender--Napoleon and his Captors--Receipt of the News in Paris--Impetuosity of Jules Favre--A Midnight Sitting--Jules Favre's Plan--Palikao's Alternative--Fall of the Empire--The Government of National Defence--Suppression of the Corps Législatif--The Neutral Powers: Great Britain, Austria, and Italy 548 CHAPTER XXXV. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).