An _Annus Mirabilis_--Breaking up of the Old Parties--The Tory-Parnellite Alliance--Mr. Chamberlain’s Socialism--The Doctrine of “Ransom”--Effect of the Reform Bill and Seats Bill--Enthroning the “Sovereign People”--Three Reform Struggles: 1832, 1867, 1885--“One Man One Vote”--Another Vote of Censure--A Barren Victory--Retreat from the Soudan--The Dispute with Russia--Komaroff at Penjdeh--The Vote of Credit--On the Verge of War--Mr. Gladstone’s Compromise with Russia--Threatened Renewal of the Crimes Act--The Tory Intrigue with the Parnellites--The Tory Chiefs Decide to Oppose Coercion--Wrangling in the Cabinet--Mr. Childers’ Budget--A Yawning Deficit--Increasing the Spirit Duties--Readjusting the Succession Duties--Combined Attack by Tories and Parnellites on the Budget--Defeat of the Government and Fall of Mr. Gladstone’s Ministry--The Scene in the Commons--The Tories in Power--Lord Salisbury’s Government--Places for the Fourth Party--Mr. Parnell Demands his Price--Abandoning Lord Spencer--Re-opening the Question of the Maamtrasna Murders--Concessions to the Parnellites--The New Budget--Sir H. D. Wolff sent to Cairo--The Criminal Law Amendment Act--Court Life in 1885--Affairs at Home and Abroad--The Fall of Khartoum--Death of General Gordon--Marriage of the Princess Beatrice--The Battenbergs 697 CHAPTER XXIX. THE BATTLE OF THE UNION. Mr. Chamberlain’s Doctrine of “Ransom”--The Midlothian Programme--Lord Randolph Churchill’s Appeal to the Whigs--Bidding for the Parnellite Vote--Resignation of Lord Carnarvon--The General Election--“Three Acres and a Cow”--Defeat of Lord Salisbury--The Liberal Cabinet--Mr. Gladstone’s Home Rule Scheme--Ulster Threatens Civil War--Secession of the Liberal “Unionists”--Defeat of Mr. Gladstone--Lord Salisbury again in Office--Mr. Parnell’s Relief Bill Rejected--The “Plan of Campaign”--Resignation of Lord Randolph Churchill--Mr. Goschen becomes Chancellor of the Exchequer--Riots in the West End of London--The Indian and Colonial Exhibition--The Imperial Institute--The Queen’s Visit to Liverpool--The Holloway College for Women--A Busy Season for her Majesty--The International Exhibition at Edinburgh--The Prince and Princess Komatsu of Japan 724 CHAPTER XXX. THE JUBILEE.