be bought as hitherto. All students, without distinction as to religious
creed, were admitted to the privileges of the universities of Oxford and
Cambridge. Voters were protected in the exercise of their rights by the
introduction of the _Ballot_, or system of secret voting. The country now
seemed to be tired of reform for a time, and the Gladstone ministry was
overthrown.

During the period of which we treat, though we had no great war, we had a
number of small conflicts. The series of quarrels with China may be said
to have terminated with our conquest of Pekin in 1860. In 1869 the conduct
of King John of Abyssinia, in unlawfully imprisoning English subjects,
compelled us to send an expedition to rescue them, which it successfully
accomplished; and in 1873 we were obliged to send another expedition
against King Koffee of Ashanti, on the West African coast, who attacked
our allies. This expedition was also a complete success, as we forced our
foes to agree to a peace advantageous for us.

In addition may be recorded the successful laying of the Atlantic cable
(1866), after nine years of vain endeavour; the passing of an act (1867),
under which British North America is all, except Newfoundland, now
federally united in the vast Dominion of Canada, with a constitution like
that of the mother-country; and the purchase by government of the
telegraph system (1868).

On the fall of the Gladstone ministry in 1874, a Conservative one, under
Mr Disraeli (afterwards Lord Beaconsfield), came into power, and for some
years managed the national affairs.

During these years, several important measures affecting the foreign
affairs of our empire were carried out. We purchased a large number of