as Cernika, the burial-place of the Metropolitans, Pasere and Caldaruschan. Prince Jon Ghika returned from Constantinople on the 15th of July with a draft of the conditions upon which the Porte was willing to recognise Prince Charles. A Council of Ministers was assembled the same evening to consider this project, which was then unanimously rejected, and a counter-project was drawn up and discussed in all its bearings on the 17th. The main features in dispute were as follows: The Porte wished to retain the name of the "United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia," whilst the Ministry were in favour of either "Roumania" or "The United Roumanian Principalities." The Porte declared that the princely dignity must continue to be elective, whilst the Roumanians in return demanded the recognition of the right of hereditary succession and, in the absence of a direct descendant of the Prince, his brother's family was to succeed. In reply to the Turkish demand for military aid in any war, the Ministry declared that Roumania would only render assistance in a defensive war. The proposal of the Porte to send an agent to protect Turkish interests in the Principalities was rejected entirely, as was also the demand that Roumania should neither coin money nor confer decorations. Acting on his father's maxim, "A wise and an honest ruler must never pursue a personal policy, but only a national one," Prince Charles declined to countenance a rebellion in Hungary advocated at a private interview by General Türr, the well-known Hungarian patriot and agitator. A similar course was pursued with regard to a Servian deputation, which assured the Prince that all the Eastern Christians rested upon him their hopes of deliverance from the Turkish yoke. The first Ministerial crisis occurred on July 25, 1866, owing to the financial troubles and the disagreement existing between the President and MM. Bratianu and Rossetti. The Prince confided the task of forming the new Ministry to Jon Ghika, who had proved himself an able and energetic diplomat in conducting the negotiations with the Porte. In the midst of these difficulties the sorrowful news of the death of his brother Anthony, from wounds received at Königgrätz, reached the Prince early on August 7. The sympathy which this family event evoked amongst all classes of the Roumanian nation was the surest proof of the affection and regard already inspired by their new ruler. Ministers, municipal authorities, officers of the Army and Militia, and all the notabilities of the country hastened to express their sympathy with the Prince's family in the warmest manner. The serious condition of the finances forced the Prince to diminish the strength of the Army by 7000 men, although the attitude of the Porte still rendered it advisable to concentrate all available forces. Prince Charles also addressed the following letter to the Emperor Napoleon to induce him to favour a Roumanian loan in Paris: