The number of children attending school
has largely increased; the quality of the instruction has been greatly
improved; and in districts which were formerly neglected, excellent school
buildings have been erected and fitted up.
By means of the excellent education provided in her parish schools
Scotland had long held a foremost place among the nations of the world.
Yet it was felt that even there the system of education needed
improvement. Accordingly, in 1872, school boards were established and
other changes in education were made in Scotland.
There were other minor but still important changes in other departments.
It was provided that the right to hold the position of commissioned or
higher officers in the army should be given by open examination, and not
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.
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