conflagration commenced in Lloyds' Rooms, shortly after 10 P.M. There was a nipping air, and before 3 next morning, the clocktower alone remained, the dials indicating the time at which the flames reached them. The last air played by the chimes, at 12 o'clock, being "There's nae luck about the house." The conflagration was seen twenty-four miles round London. The roar of the wind, and the rush and crackling of the flames, the falling of huge timbers, and the crash of roofs and walls, formed a fearful spectacle. ATLANTIC STEAM NAVIGATION. On the 17th of June 1838, the large steam-ship, the Great Western, arrived at New York from Bristol, after a passage of fifteen days. This was the first steamer which crossed the Atlantic by the power of steam only; but it was followed on the 18th by the Sirius, which left Cork on June 1, and performed the voyage in seventeen days. CORONATION OF THE QUEEN. western entrance. This sacred ceremony was celebrated in Westminster Abbey, June 28, 1838. Reception apartments were erected at the great The nave, choir, and transepts were fitted up with seats for spectators. The peers were seated in the north transept, and the peeresses in the south; the House of Commons in a gallery over the altar; and the orchestra of 400 performers in front of the organ. At the intersection of the choir and transepts was the theatre or pulpitum, covered with rich carpets and cloth of gold, in the centre of which, upon a raised platform, stood the chair of homage. At the north-east corner of the theatre was the pulpit whence "the Coronation sermon was preached. The crowning, in King Edward's chair, took place in the sacrarium, before the altar, in the rear of which was "the Queen's Trewerse," or retiringroom. The appearance of the Abbey, crowded with rank and beauty, and the most distinguished personages, was very splendid. Marshal Soult, the old opponent of the Duke of Wellington, was the French Ambassador, and much interest was excited in witnessing the cordial reception he met with from the people. A fair was held in Hyde Park, theatres were opened free, and fireworks and other amusements were provided for the people. The increased population poured into the metropolis to share in the great national festival, amounted, it is said, to half a million—a number equal to the inhabitants of some of the greatest capitals of Europe. FANATIC RIOT IN KENT. On May 31, 1838, at Boughton, near Canterbury, a fanatic named Thom, but who assumed to be Knight of Malta and King of His Jerusalem, having been released from confinement, headed a mob against the Poor Law Act. A constable was first shot by the madman Thom; the military were then called out, when Lieutenant Bennett, proceeding to take the murderer into custody, Thom advanced, and firing a pistol, killed the lieutenant on the spot. death was avenged by one of the soldiers, who fired at Thom and laid him dead by the side of the lieutenant. The people then attacked the military, who were compelled to fire, and it was not until several were killed that the mob dispersed. Many of the people believed Thom a saint. CHARTIST RIOT AT NEWPORT. The On November 4, 1839, Newport, in Monmouthshire, was attacked by a party of Chartists, about 10,000 men, under the command of John Frost, an ex-magistrate. They were opposed by the Mayor and a party of special constables, and about thirty soldiers. rioters broke the windows of houses, fired on the inmates, and the Mayor was wounded; upon which the soldiers fired and dispersed the mob, of whom about twenty were left dead on the spot. Next day, Frost and some others of the leaders were apprehended; on December 31 they were tried and found guilty of high treason, and sentenced to death, but the punishment was commuted to transportation for life; and, in 1856, a free pardon was granted to them. MARRIAGE OF QUEEN VICTORIA WITH This brilliant national event took place on February 10, 1840, and never was an union of sincere affection more popularly celebrated. It was solemnised in the chapel-royal, St. James's Palace, at noon, whereas royal marriages had hitherto taken place in the evening. The procession through the palace apartments to the chapel was witnessed by nearly 2,000 spectators. The altar plate was very gorgeous. After the solemnisation the attestation took place in the throne-room. The royal pair then returned to Buckingham Palace, where a wedding banquet was served to 100 guests, after which the Queen and Prince left for Windsor Castle. The day was celebrated in the metropolis and throughout the country by a general holiday, and illuminations, public dinners, and other festivities. The fittings of the chapel and palace cost £7,000. NEW COLONIES. In the year 1841, two very important additions were made to the colonial empire of Great Britain. On January 9, the Bogue forts were attacked and taken by the British forces. After some further hostilities the Chinese Government ceded Hong Kong to Great Britain. Some additional ports were opened to trade, and an indemnity of six millions of dollars paid. The treaty not having been ratified, in the following year the British forces took possession of Shanghai. On February 13 was celebrated in London the foundation of the most recent colony of Great Britain-New Zealand-the state and people of which country are considered by an historian to exhibit more nearly than any other the condition of Britain when the Romans entered it nearly eighteen centuries since. On the 28th of April, in the same year, sailed the preliminary expedition of the second colony to New Zealand, to be formed on the principle of limiting the area, and applying the land produce fund to the purpose of obtaining labour. BOUNDARY LINE OF CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. In September 1842, Lord Ashburton, who had been appointed to a special mission to the United States, in order to settle the various differences between the two countries, concluded his arduous treaty --one of the main objects being to determine the boundaries. The line run in accordance with this treaty cost the labour of 300 men eighteen months. For 300 miles a path was cut through the forest 30 feet wide, and cleared of all trees. At the end of every mile is a cast-iron pillar, bearing the names of the commissioners who ran the line, and the date. ANNEXATION OF SCINDE. A spirit of insurrection had for some time manifested itself in Scinde among the Beloochee tribes against the British, when, on the 17th of February 1843, an obstinate battle was fought at Meanee, between the British troops, under Sir Charles Napier, and the Beloochees; and, after a spirited resistance, the Beloochees were completely defeated. They lost 5,000 men, with all their artillery and military stores. The Ameers surrendered to the British, who, on February 20, took possession of their capital, Hyderabad; and thus Scinde became a portion of the British Empire in India. THE THAMES TUNNEL OPENED. The engineer of this great work, Sir Mark Isambard Brunel, completed his design in 1843. Amongst those who then regarded it as practicable were the late Duke of Wellington and the late Dr. Wollaston. The works were commenced in 1825, and the tunnel itself in 1826; and by March 1827 it had advanced about one-third of the whole length. All proceeded well till May 18, when the river burst into the tunnel with such velocity and volume, as to |