Ominous Bye-Elections--The Spangles of Imperialism--Disturbed state of Eastern Europe--Origin of the Quarrel with the Zulus--Cetewayo’s Feud with the Boers--A “Prancing Pro-Consul”--Sir Bartle Frere’s Ultimatum to the Zulu King--War Declared--The Crime and its Retribution--The Disaster of Isandhlwana--The Defence of Rorke’s Drift--Demands for the Recall of Sir Bartle Frere--Censured but not Dismissed--Sir Garnet Wolseley Supersedes Sir Bartle Frere in Natal--The Victory of Ulundi--Capture of Cetewayo--End of the War--The Invasion of Afghanistan--Death of Shere Ali--Yakoob Khan Proclaimed Ameer--The Treaty of Gundamuk--The “Scientific Frontier”--The Army Discipline Bill--Mr. Parnell attacks the “Cat”--Mr. Chamberlain Plays to the Gallery--Surrender of the Government--Lord Hartington’s Motion against Flogging--The Irish University Bill--An Unpopular Budget--The Murder of Cavagnari and Massacre of his Suite--The Army of Vengeance--The Recapture of Cabul--The Settlement of Zululand--Death of Prince Louis Napoleon--The Court-Martial on Lieutenant Carey--Its Judgment Quashed--Marriage of the Duke of Connaught--The Queen at Baveno 562 CHAPTER XXIII. FALL OF LORD BEACONSFIELD. General Gloom--Fall of the Tay Bridge--Liberal Onslaught on the Government--The Mussulman Schoolmaster and the Anglican Missionary--The Queen’s Speech--The Irish Relief Bill--A Dying Parliament--Mr. Cross’s Water Bill--“Coming in on Beer and Going out on Water”--Sir Stafford Northcote’s Budget--Lord Beaconsfield’s Manifesto--The General Election--Defeat of the Tories--Incidents of the Struggle--Mr. Gladstone Prime Minister--The Fourth Party--Mr. Bradlaugh and the Oath--Mr. Gladstone and the Emperor of Austria--The Naval Demonstration--Grave Error in the Indian Budget--Affairs in Afghanistan--Disaster at Maiwand--Roberts’s March--The New Ameer--Revolt of the Boers--The Ministerial Programme--The Burials Bill--The Hares and Rabbits Bill--The Employers’ Liability Bill--Supplementary Budget--The Compensation for Disturbance Bill--Boycotting--Trial of Mr. Parnell and Mr. Dillon--The Queen’s Visit to Germany--The Queen Presents the Albert Medal to George Oatley of the Coastguard--Reviews at Windsor--The Queen’s Speech to the Ensigns--The Battle of the Standards--Royalty and Riflemen--Outrages in Ireland--“Endymion”--Death of George Eliot 581 CHAPTER XXIV. COERCION.