NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE fear we expressed last week as to the health of King Leo-
pold proved well founded. He expired at Laeken before noon on the 9th inst., and will be buried to-day, the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Prussia, the King of Portugal, and other members of the Coburg family following him to the grave. The regret of the Belgians appears to be real, and the Emperor of the French has seized the occasion to assure the Duc de Brabant of his con- tinued friendship. The Due is not yet King, but will to-day take the oath to the Constitution and be proclaimed as Leopold II. He is thirty years of age, was educated a Catholic, married an Austrian Archduchess, has travelled a great deal, but is without any reputation for ability. The French papers have discussed the event freely, and Prince Jerome's paper, the Opinion Nationale, says Belgium is in danger from the severity of the struggle between Liberals and Ultramontanes. No alarm appears to be felt in Belgium.
