1862. Distress in the cotton districts, from the want of the usual supplies of cotton from America. International Exhibition open for more than six months. Discussions in parliament concerning popular education. 1863. Marriage of the prince of Wales. Continuance of the war in America. Sir John Lawrence, who had mainly contributed to save India at the time of the mutiny, appointed governor-general on the death of Lord Elgin. 1864. The Ionian Isles annexed to Greece. 1865. The Southern States subjugated. Death of Lord Palmerston. Earl Russell became premier, and Mr. Gladstone chancellor of the exchequer. The Fenian conspiracy assumed a serious aspect. Outbreak of the cattle plague. 1866. The ministry, being defeated on one of the clauses of a Reform Bill, resigned. Earl Derby appointed premier, and Disraeli chancellor of the exchequer. Atlantic cable laid. Overend and Gurney's great bank failure for £10,000,000. 1867. _REFORM BILL_ passed (August 16). War with Abyssinia. This act confers the franchise in boroughs on all householders and on all lodgers paying a rent of not less than £10 per annum, and in counties on all householders rated at £12 and upwards. It partially disfranchises several constituencies, and creates others. 1868. Disraeli appointed premier (March), resigns (Dec.) owing to defeat of the government, and is succeeded by Mr. Gladstone. MAGDALA taken, and Abyssinian War ended. Death of Lord Brougham (May). First private execution (Aug.). 1869. Suez Canal opened (March). _Disestablishment and disendowment of the Irish Church_ (July). Earl Derby died (Oct.). 1870. Mr. Gladstone's first Irish Land Act, and Forster's _ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ACT_ passed. This Act provides for the election of School Boards, empowered to raise funds for the building and maintenance of schools, and of compelling the attendance of children at efficient schools, either voluntary or board. Russia repudiates her pledges made at the Treaty of Peace in 1856, with regard to the Black Sea clause. Suppression of the Red River Rebellion (Aug.). Loss of H.M.S. "Captain" and 523 hands (Sep.). Half-penny Postcards came into use. 1871. Serious illness of the Prince of Wales. Army purchase abolished. ~Treaty of Washington~, between Great Britain and the United States, providing for the settlement, by arbitration, of the "Alabama" claims, which resulted in the United States receiving 15,000,000 dollars (about £3,000,000), awarded by the Tribunal of Arbitration, which met at Geneva in the following year. 1872. The Queen and royal family attend a public thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral, for the recovery of the Prince of Wales. _The Ballot Act_ passed. Assassination of Lord Mayo, Viceroy of India. 1873. Death of Napoleon III. at Chislehurst, Kent (Jan.). =Ashantee War= commenced. Constitution of the Supreme Court of Judicature.