munications. Mexico has no navy, the small force remaining in 1861 having been destroyed upon the arrival of the French, Spanish, and English squadrons in 1861.

EDUCATION.-Popular education in Mexico is provided for by a system of primary and secondary schools, the former being supported by municipal funds or from the treasuries of the States respectively, except in the District of Mexico and the Territory of California, where the expenses are paid from the National Treasury. Some of these schools have, in addition, particular funds administered by private associations. Under their influence, popular education has been greatly stimulated, and very great progress has been made. In the primary schools, instruction is limited to reading, writing, the principles of arithmetic, and religious and moral training. There is in the city of Mexico an association, named "Compania Lancasteriana," protected by the Government, which company superintends all primary schools, encouraging publications, and every kind of labor favorable to this branch of education; and associations of a similar character exist in most of the States.

The secondary instruction is given in colleges supported either by particular funds or by the

treasuries of the States.

In the city of Mexico there have been, since the time of the Spanish Government, excellent colleges of this kind, where many of the notables of the Church, the bar, &c., have been educated. The most important are "Saint Ildephonso College," "The Lateran College," "The Conciliar Seminary," and "Saint Gregory College." All of these are extant but the last, which was suppressed by the Government a few years ago, its funds being transferred to a school of agriculture.

In the above-mentioned colleges, young men make their preparatory studies for the professions of lawyer and notary public, besides the special studies adapted to those professions.

The preparatory studies, which continue generally five years, consist of Latin and Spanish Grammar, translation from the French and sometimes the English languages, elements of Logic and Ethics, of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.

After these follow the particular studies of the legal or medical profession, which are thorough and extensive. The law studies, which last four years, embrace Natural and International Law, Public Law, Roman or Civil Law, Spanish and Mexican Legislation, and Criminal or Penal Jurisprudence, besides the Canonical Legislation of the Catholic Church.

Medical studies are pursued in the city of Mexico in the "School of Medicine," a college organized according to the regulations and system observed in the "Ecole de Médecine," of Paris. It has now a large and magnificent edifice, having an excellent "amphitheatre" for the chirurgical operations and autopsies, and every accommodation for keeping models, instruments, &c. This school has been very successful.

There is also a University, in which are conferred the degrees of doctor of divinity and of law; but the importance of this university is lost, since in modern times it has no more the superintendency of studies, trusted now to a committee composed of all the chief professors of the principal colleges, and named "Direccion de Estudios."

There is also in the capital an excellent college, called the "Colegio de Mineria," established in the most splendid and magnificent edifice of that

city. It is designed for the education of experts in mineralogy, topographic and geographic engineering. Some of the young men educated in this college have proved very distinguished scientific professors.

The college has an astronomical observatory, and all kinds of instruments and apparatus for teaching the natural sciences.

It is supported by funds derived from a duty exacted from the owners of silver from all the mines of the republic. The students pursue their practical exercises in schools connected with the central establishment in Mexico, which are located in the mineral districts of." Real del Monte,” “Guanajuato," "Zacatecas," and "Fresnillo.”

Another special school, under the name of "School of Agriculture," is established near the city of Mexico, for the instruction of young men to be employed in managing farms and plantations. It is a new institution, founded five or six years ago, under very wise regulations; and it is expected that it will bring forth very efficient scholars for the improvement of agriculture. The college has an extensive farm, with all the neces sary implements for rural industry belonging to it.

The public education for women is given in the city of Mexico, besides the primary schools for girls, in two principal colleges, named Colegio de Niñas," and "Colegio de los Vixcainos," both established before the independence. The education is limited to sewing, embroidering, housekeeping, music, and dancing, besides religious practices.

In most of the capitals and principal cities of the States, there are colleges for men supported and organized in the same way as those in the city of Mexico. The most notable are in Puebla, Oaxaca, Morelia, Toluca, and Guadalajara. There are also institutions for girls, generally of the same kind.

Besides these colleges, there are, in Mexico and in other cities, many schools directed by private professors and supported by the pensions paid by the scholars. In some of them, almost every branch of knowledge is taught.

The commission of architect, and even of a topographic engineer, may be obtained by studying in another institution, the "Academia de San Carlos.” It is established in an important edifice, and it has classes in mathematics, mechanics, stereotomy, theory of constructions, besides the teaching of drawing (lineal and natural), painting, sculpture, and engraving, which form the main objects of the Academy. It has a fine gallery of pictures by the principal European painters, especially of the Spanish school, as Murillo, Velasquez, and Rivera, abounding also with religious paintings of Mexican ancient artists well known by amateurs.

This Academy is supported by the Government, and, even in the most critical circumstances of the country, it has imparted the benefit of instruction to many young Mexican artists. Some of those distinguished for their talents are sent to Rome and are pensioned there to perfect their artistical education.

One of the persons thus educated is the young painter Juan Cordero, whose pictures have been admired in Europe, one of them having obtained premium in an exposition at Paris.

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THE WAR, AND THE PROGRESS OF EVENTS.-Since the arrival of the French, Spanish, and English expedition at Vera Cruz in December, 1861, Mexico has been engaged in a war of defence against invasion. The alleged cause for this invasion was

an act of the Mexican Congress suspending for two years the payment of certain foreign obligations of debt. That act, however, was promptly repealed; but the hostile forces remained, on the ground that Mexico provided no security for the fulfilment of her obligations. The troops of the expedition occupied the port of Vera Cruz without resistance, that place having been evacuated by the Mexican forces according to a plan of defence previously adopted. While there and on the road leading to the city of Mexico, the troops of the expedition suffered greatly from the excessive heat of the climate, and then negotiations were opened, ostensibly with a view to a settlement of the differences between the allied nations and Mexico without further hostilities. Meanwhile it was asked by the allies, and consented to by Mexico, that the invading army should occupy more salubrious quarters in Cordova, Orizaba, and Tehuacan, with the understanding that, if hostilities should be renewed, the troops of the expedition should first retire to the positions occupied before the agreement. Just previous to the opening of negotiations for a settlement, the representatives of the three allied nations had a meeting for the purpose of agreeing upon the claims they were to present to the consideration of the Mexican Government. It was at this meeting that the French Minister disclosed the enormous Jecker claim. The English Minister and General Prim, the Spanish commander, were surprised; and this, with other disclosures made to them, leading to the belief that the French Emperor intended to interfere in the domestic concerns of Mexico, caused them on the 9th of April, 1862, to declare the Convention of London transgressed, and to withdraw the troops of their Governments from the expedition. After that time the invasion was continued by the French alone. When hostilities were renewed, the French did not retire to their original positions, according to their agreement with the Mexican authorities, but retained possession of Orizaba. The prominent events subsequent to the period in question were as follow:

September 22, 1862.-Proclamation of General Forey, promising the Mexicans a new Government

after the defeat of the Constitutional Government.

October 22, 1862.-Manifesto of the Mexican Congress, signed by 109 members, protesting against General Forey's proclamation and its interference in their political affairs.

February 24, 1863.-March of the French from Orizaba towards Puebla.

March 18, 1863.-Commencement of the siege of Puebla.

May 18, 1863.-Surrender of Puebla by General Ortega, after a most heroic defence of the city for two months, in which many of the assaults of the French were gallantly repulsed.

May 31, 1863.-President Juarez with the troops under his command evacuate the city of Mexico and transfer the national capital to San Luis Potosi. [Subsequently transferred to Monterey.] June 5, 1863.-General Bazaine with the advance of the French army reach the city of Mexico. June 10, 1863.-General Forey with the main body of the French enter the city.

June 16, 1863.-General Forey by a decree established a "Junta" of 35 members, whose first duty was to choose three Mexicans to exercise the Executive power provisionally, and, second, to choose 215 other citizens, who with themselves were to compose an Assembly of "Notables," charged with the duty of adopting the future form of govern

ment.

June 24, 1863.-General Forey's Junta select, as the provisional Executive, Juan Almonte, J. Mariano Salas, and Bishop Juan B. Ormaechea, who were installed the next day.

July 10, 1863.-General Forey's "Notables" selected by General Forey's Junta of 35 declare, by a vote of 231 to 19, that the Mexican nation adopts as its form of government hereditary limited monarchy, with a Catholic prince for sovereign, to bear the title of Emperor, and the crown to be offered in the first place to the Archduke Maximilian of Austria.

The French forces continue to occupy Vera Cruz, the city of Mexico, and the line of roads between the two cities, and many places in the interior; but the country is against them.