made any question of difficulty, because, supposing Turkey were in
danger, we ought to have the power at all times of sending our fleets to
the neighbourhood of the Dardanelles to be ready to assist Turkey in
case of any such danger, and we ought not to consent to any arrangement
by which it may be stipulated that the advance of the fleets to the
neighbourhood of the Dardanelles should be considered as equivalent to
an actual invasion of the Turkish territories. But, of course, if the
matter is settled--if peace is secured, Besika Bay is not a station
which would be of any advantage either to England or France.'

"In conclusion he said, he thought we had now a fair prospect, without
involving Europe in hostilities, or exposing the independence and
integrity of Turkey, that the object in view would be secured in no very
long space of time. 'I will only say further, that this question of the
maintenance of Turkey is one that must always require the attention--and
I may say, the vigilant attention--of any person holding in his hands
the foreign affairs of this country. This, however, can only be secured
by a constant union between England and France--by a thorough concert
and constant communication between those two great Powers."

In our next Volume we shall have to treat of the results of these
difficulties.

One effect of these "rumours of wars" was the introduction of the Naval
Coast Volunteers' Bill, a very necessary and important measure for the
establishment of a Naval Militia, and by which 18,000 to 20,000
well-trained seamen are placed at the disposal of the country.

Other bills of considerable importance in themselves, though not of
political interest, became Law, and have been productive of great good
to the community. The Act for the Suppression of Betting Houses has
saved many a thoughtless fool from ruin, and dispersed, though not
destroyed, the bands of brigands who then preyed upon the unwary. The
prisons of London gave abundant and conclusive testimony of the vast
number of persons, especially the young, who had been led into crime by
the temptation held out by Betting Houses.

MR. FITZROY's Act for the Better Prevention and Punishment of Aggravated
Assaults upon Women and Children has done much, though not all that is
required, to lessen the brutality of the lower orders, and the Smoke
Prevention Act has removed in part one of the disgraces of our
metropolis.

The Vaccination Extension Act was a sa