Parliament met on January 22, 1846. Expectation was at the boiling point; it was one of those rare occasions, happening not more than once or twice in an ordinary reign, when the ears of the whole country await an announcement of interest to every class in it. Adopting an unusual, almost unprecedented, course, the Prime Minister rose immediately after the speeches of the mover and seconder of the Address: he entered into no details of the measure foreshadowed in the Queen's Speech, but he removed all shadow of doubt that the Ministry had resolved on the total repeal of the corn duties. Those who know the ways of the House of Commons will best understand the significance of a comment made by one who was present. "He did not get a solitary cheer from the people behind him except when he said that Stanley had always been against him ... and then the whole of those benches rung with cheers." Perhaps nothing in his speech gave deeper offence to his Party than the concluding sentence, in which he declared that he found it "no easy task to ensure the harmonious and united action of an ancient monarchy, a proud aristocracy, and a reformed House of Commons." [Illustration: _J. Doyle._ ("_H. B._").} {_Political Sketches, 1846._ AN AWKWARD SITUATION. The Irish Famine of 1845 caused Sir Robert Peel to embrace the principle of Free Trade; and his party, incensed at what they considered his "treason," rejected his Coercion Bill, and brought about the fall of his ministry.] [Illustration: THE GROWTH OF MAIL STEAMERS REPRESENTED BY THE CUNARD LINE FLEET FROM 1840 TO THE PRESENT DAY.