NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ON Wednesday England learned that a fire had broken out in the back premises of the Empire. The Sultan of Zanzibar had died suddenly, probably from poison, and his nephew IChalid, whom we had distinctly refused to recognise as his heir, had seized the Palace, filled it with armed men, proclaimed himself Sultan, and defied the British authorities. Prompt measures were at once taken, and as soon as Admiral Rawson had arrived in his flagship the St. George,' the gun-boats Racoon," Sparrow,' and 'Thrush' took up a position commanding the Palace. An ultimatum was sent to the usurper at 7 o'clock on Thursday morning informing him that unless he surrendered before 9 o'clock the ships would open fire. Khali& however, stood firm, and at 9 o'clock precisely the guns began to fire, and were answered by a heavy fire from the Palace. After thirty-seven minutes, however, the Palace was reduced to ruins, and its occupants fled. During the fight the Sultan's steamer, the Glasgow,' fired on the flagship, and was promptly sank in reply. Before reducing the Palace five hundred marines and bluejackets had been landed, and these and seven hundred loyal native troops kept things quiet on shore. A great many of Khalid's followers were killed, but we had only one casualty,—a petty officer of the 'Thrush' badly wounded. The ships were not much damaged, though the 'Thrush' was hit sixty-two times and the 'Racoon' sixteen times. Khalid fled to the German Consulate, but has not yet been given up. The latest news is that Hamud, the heir recognised by us, has been proclaimed Sultan. All's well that ends well, but, as we have said else- where, we trust that the farce of keeping a puppet Sultan will be put an end to as soon as possible by annexation. A farce which involves the maintenance of slavery is not worth playing.
