LITMIR.BIZ

      New Zealand had been discovered by Europeans in the seventeenth century, and claimed by James Cook for Britain in 1769, but by the 1830s it was still not a colony subject to the Crown. Instead, it was viewed as an outpost of the settlement in Australia and visited chiefly by whalers and sealers.

      Prompted by reports of land speculation and independent projects to develop the country, the British government sent a naval officer, William Hobson, as lieutenant-governor to New Zealand to establish sovereignty. He invited about 500 chiefs of the Maori people to a meeting at Waitangi, in the North Island, on 5 February 1840 (news of it took six months to reach the London papers) and read out the agreement he had prepared.

      The Maori wanted to negotiate a treaty to protect themselves from the French, who had colonial ambitions of their own, and to reduce fighting between their tribes. However, the precise meaning of its terms in English and Maori differed, with the latter willing to accept British rule but not to relinquish sovereignty. These conflicting interpretations would lead to a series of wars in the decades that followed.

       REVOLUTION IN VIENNA

      22 March 1848

      This morning (March 13), on going out about half-past 10 o’clock, I found the town in a state of great excitement, great numbers of people in the streets, and an evident impression abroad that something extraordinary was about to happen. All, however, seemed tolerably peaceable; the people were mostly of the better classes, and no one armed. Going into the Burg Platz, a square surrounded by the buildings belonging to the palace, I saw a company of soldiers drawing up, and a number of persons, apparently attracted chiefly by curiosity. In the Ball Platz adjoining, close to the official residence of Prince Metternich, there were at that time no soldiers, and only a few persons passing and repassing. Thence all was quiet as far as the English Embassy, in the Hintere Schenken Strasse. Going thence into the Herrn Gasse, in which the Landhaus is situated, in which the States of Lower Austria (the mockery of a Parliament) hold their sittings, I found it occupied by a very dense crowd, but for the most part orderly, and evidently consisting of rather the better class. It was understood that a deputation of the States was about to proceed to the Emperor; to inform him of the excitement which prevailed and the necessity for doing something to quiet the general agitation. About half past 11 o’clock I returned home; and then took a walk on the ramparts, when I not only saw a number of ladies and children, but even met the Emperor himself, with a single attendant, evidently showing that no very serious disturbance was at that time apprehended. Passing again through the Burg Platz, about 1 o’clock, I found the crowd considerably increased, and soon afterwards the place was completely cleared by the military. In the Herrn Gasse, and the Michaeli Platz adjoining, there was now an immense concourse of people. I was told that they were waiting for the answer to the deputation, which was promised in an hour’s time, but had not yet arrived. About 2 o’clock, going to the Landhaus from the Minoriten Platz, I found the building in complete possession of the populace, who had broken in with cries of “Press Freiheit!” “Keine Polizei!” “Pereat Metternich!” (“Freedom of the Press!” “No Police!” “Down with Metternich!”) It is said, that during the sitting of the States some few persons had been admitted, and the door then locked, on which they shouted to the mob from the windows that they were made prisoners. On making their way in they completely destroyed all the furniture and every article on which they could lay their hands. I made my way into the court, when I was told that a Jew had just been addressing the crowd from a boarding over the pump. I did not hear the purport of his speech, but it seemed to have given great satisfaction. The cries became now almost deafening. At this time there was no military on the spot, but about half-past 2 o’clock, or a little sooner, a company was brought up, and cleared the portion of the street abutting on the Landhaus. Being pretty well tired out I went to a reading-room, at the opposite end of the town, and stayed there half an hour. On my leaving it, I was told that the soldiers had just fired on the people, and that several were killed – report said six or eight (amongst the number two students).