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VICTORIA, 
of Turkey. The First Afghan War raged from 1839 to 1842, This war 
brought little glory to England, It was undertaken to prevent a 
prince favorable to Russia from ruling over Afghanistan. An ex- 
pedition under Sir John Keane gained some successes, but these were 
followed by the treacherous murder of a large number of British 
officers, and by a retreat in which untold sufferings were endured and 
many lives lost. At length Generals Pollock, Sale, and Nott retrieved 
these disasters by some splendid vietories. The British abandoned 
Afghanistan, after the capture of Cabul and the demolition of its 
fortifications, in September 1842, 
8. In Ireland, Daniel O’Connell continued his agitation for a repeal 
of the Union between England and Ireland. Large sums of money 
were collected to further this object, and the fund thus 
Ce raised was called Repeal Rent. Monster meetings, ac 
* companied by considerable disturbance, were held at 
Tara, Clontarf, and other places. "The “ Great Agitator,” as O’Con: 
nell was called, was arrested, tried on a charge of conspiracy and 
sedition, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. The House of 
Lords set aside this conviction, and O’Connell was released. He died 
at (jenoa in 1847. 
9, In 1843, a memorable ecclesiastical event occurred in Scotland. 
A confliet of long standing between the (teneral Assem- 
CHR of bly of the Established Church and the civil tribunals 
Scotland. terminated in the secession of several hundred ministers 
and a large number of people from the Church, and the 
formation of an independent religious body called the Free Church of 
Srotland. At the head of this movement was Dr. Thomas Chalmers, 
ne of the greatest of religious orators. 
10. The year 1845 was marked by the total destruction of the potato 
erop in Ireland by a new and deadly disease affeeting both the vines 
and the tubers of that useful vegetable. As the potato 
Fam in formed the staple food of the great 11188 of the people, 
* much suffering resulted from this visitation. The evil 
culminated in 2 terrible famine in 1847, which led to the depopulation 
of wide distriets. A deadly pestilence followed in the track of the 
famine, slaying the people by thousands. Puhlic 8ympathy was ex- 
cited by this sad occurrence both in England and in America, Parlia- 
mont voted large sums of money for relief, while private benefactions 
were also generou8sly contributed. Grain-Jaden ships from America 
showed in a practical way the kindly feeling of the Western world. 
In two years the population of Ireland is supposed to have been 
diminished by nearly two millions. 
11. In 1841, the Whig Ministry, which, under different leaders, had 
bsen in power since 1832, was defeated. Sir Robert Peel, the leader 
af +he Tories, or Conserraltires, a8 they now called themselves, hacame