The Bruce Herald. TOKOMAIRIRO, JANUARY 25, 1901.

The news of ths severe illness of Her Majesty Queen Victoria came as a personal shock o£ grief to the feelings of all, when it was first flashed over the wires on Saturday last. This feeling seems to have thrilled the peoples o*" all races and all nations of the civilised world ; and it shows the respect and admiration universally held for a Sovereign who has su scrupulously upheld the honor of her high office during her long reign. Fortunately for the aged Queen, death was merciful to her in her last moments, and after the first seizure she was spared the agony pf a long drawnout illnesß. .Notwithstanding her age, and the fact that her illness was known to be most serious, many people hoped againnt hope that Her Majesty's life would be spared for a few years j but it was not to be, and the best and most gracious Sovereign the British Empire has ever known passed away at 6.30 o'clock on Tuesday evening. When the solemn toll of the bells rang out their note of woe on Wednesday morning, the lieges of the Queen in every city, village, and hamlet of the Empire knew that the death summons had come, and that Victoria Regina had crossed the bar. From lip to lip, and from heart to heart, fluttered the sad but simple news s " The Queen is Dead." From the information given by cable, it appears that Her Majesty's health has caused grave anxiety for some months, and it is said that she slowly succumbed to the strain of the last twelve months. When one remembers her advanced age, the death of her son Prince Alfred, the loss of other relations, the illness of her daughter the Empress Dowager Frederick— to say nothing of the pressing anxieties of the last two years, including the South Airican war, — it is difficult t) understand how she bore the strain as long as she did. It is well known that for years the Queen ! hoped and longed that she she might be spared the horrors of a disastrous war in her declining years ; this was not to be, for fate and Chamberlain ordained otherwise ; and there is no doubt that the anxiety and worry of the South African war must have been a heavy burden for the Queen to bear, and in no small measure have accelerated the ending of her great, noble, and useful life. Thus hath passed away Victoria — greatest, noblest of her line, of whom the poet wrote : fevered beloved— o you that hold A nobler office upon earth Than ~rms, or power of brain or birth Could give the warrior kings of old. Alexandrina Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and Erapress of India, was born at Kensington Palace on the 24th May, 1819, Her

father was the Du&e of Kent, fourth son of George 111-—" Farmer George/ as he was popularly known. The Duke of Kent died when his daughter was only eight months old, and she was brought up by her mother, the Duchess of Kent. We are told by historians that the Duchess of Kent was a model mother, that her daughter was admirably trained in the duties of life ; that she was taught to -be good, brave, and self-reliant. Owing to the profligacy of the Courts of the previous two sovereigns, Her Majesty was wisely brought up in the utmost seclusion by her mother. On June 20, 1837, the Queen's uncle, William IV, died, and Miss Wynn thus describes how the news was conveyed to the young Princess Alexandrina Victoria, and how she received the news of her accession to the Throne : — " On Tuesday morning, June 20, 1837, shortly after 2 o'clock, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain (Marquis of Conyngham) left Windsor for Kensington Palace — where the Princess Victoria was residing with her mother — to inform her JRoyal Highness of the King's death, They reached Kensington Palace at about 5;• they knocked, they rang, they thumped for a considerable time before they could rouse the porter at the gate ; they were again kept waiting in the courtyard, they turned into one of the lower rooms, where they seemed forgotten by everybody. They rang the bell, and desired that the attendant of the Princess Victoria might be sent to inform her Royal Highness that they requested an audience on business of importance. After another delay, and another ringing to inquire the cause, the attendant was summoned, who stated that the Princess was in such a sweet sleep she could not venture to disturb her. Then they said, *We are come to the Queen on business of state, and even her sleep must give way to that !' It did ; and to prove that she did not keep them waiting, in a few minutes she came into the room in a loose white nightgown and shawl, her nightcap thrown off, and her hair falling upon her shoulders, her feet in slippers, tears in her eyes, but perfectly collected and dignified. Lord Melbourne was immediately sent for, and the Privy Council summoned to assemble at Kensington at 11 o'clock. At that hour the Queen, with the Duchess of Kent, entered the council chamber, attended by her officers of state, and took her seat on a throne erected for the occasion." The Queen was married to Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg on February 10th, 1840, and after 21 years of a happy married life he passed away a victim to enteric fever. The issue of the marriage was (1) Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa ; (2) Albert Edward ; (3) Alice Maud Mary (died Dec. 14, 1878); (4) Alfred Ernest Albert (died 30 th July. 1900) ; (5) Helena Augusta Victoria ; (6) Louise Caroline Alberta; (7) Arthur William Patrick Albert ; (8) Leopold George Duncan Albert (died March 28, 1884) ; (9) Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore. Her Majesty was in the 82nd year of her age at the time of her death, and had reigned 63 years and seven months ; this is the longest reign of any Sovereign in the history of England. It is interesting to note that the next longest reign was that of her grandfather, George 111, who died in the 82nd year of his age, and reigned 59 years and three months. This, however, was the only resemblance there was between the two raonarchs, for George 111 continually insisted on interfering in the government of the nation, and it is largely due to his sacrificing the public interest to h|s own self-will that Great Britain, to-day, has to regret that the United States are not still part of the British Empire. Queen Victoria, on the other hand, while upholding the highest traditions of monarchy has tactfully carried out her constitutional duties with a noble wisdom and a wise discretion, cernmenting the bonds of loyalty to her throne and family, and adding a splendour to her reign which, for centuries yet to come, will stand out in brilliant contrast to those of her predecessors. No European monarch has been so imbued with the spirit of the age, in which she lived, nor had so comprehensive a mental grasp of ohe great truth that the powers of the Crown are held in trust for the people, and are the means and not the end of Government. This enlightened policy has earned for Queen Victoria the glorious distinction of having been the most constitutional monarch the world has yet seen Doubtless in taking this broad minded view of her duties to the people, she owed much to the wise statesmen who gathered at her Councils. Those of whom the greatest poet of the Victorian era wrote : — And statesmen at her Councils met Who knew the season's when to take Occasion by the hand, and make The bounds of freedom wider yet. By shaping some august decree, Which kept her throne unshaken still, Broad-based upon her people's will, And oompasß'd by the inviolate sea. Not only has her public life been above praise, but her private life as wife and mother have won for her the respect and admiration of all peoples, of every nation under the sun. Tp epitomise even the leading incidents of her long and illustrious reign, would occupy many volumes, and in a ' short article such as this they cannot even be enumerated. Briefly, it may be

said, however, that the reign of no other monarch, in the future, is likely to be so filled with such marvellous developments as those which have been made during the Victorian era, in material progress, in arts, in science, and in literature. If we glance backwards to the crude civilisation which existed, when the Queen came to the throne, it seems little less than a fairy tale, worthy of the Arabian Nights, that so many wonders should have been brought to pass during the reign of one monarch. If our material progress has been great, so also has that of our nation as an empire-builder. During the Queen's reign of sixty-three years, kingdom after kingdom, country after country, and colony after colony have been added to her possessions ; daily has been added thereto 173,800 acres from sunset to sunset, or at the rate of 100,000 square miles a year ! At the time of her death, Queen Victoria reigned over an empire which eclipsed in magnitude and splerdor even the magnificent kingdoms vainly dreamt of by the Great Alexander, when sighing for fresh worlds to conquer. In truth, Queen Victoria reigned over an empire the greatest the world has ever seen, occupying one-fourth of the globe, and the glories of Carthage and of Imperial Borne pale their ineffectual fires and wax. dim, in comparison. It is interesting to note that Queen Victoria, in the course of her speech on her accession to the throne in 1837, made the following weighty remarks : — " I place my firm reliance upon the wisdom of Parliament, and upon the loyalty and affection of my people. I esteem it also a peculiar advantage that I succeed to a sovereign whose constant regard for the rights and liberties of his subjects, and whose desire to promote the amelioration of the laws and institutions of the country, have rendered his name the object of general attachment and veneration. Educated in England, under the tender and enlightened care of a most affectionate mother, I have learned from my infancy to respect and lov* the constitution of my native country. It will be my unceasing study to maintain the .Reformed religion as by law established, securing at the same time to all the full enjoyment of religious liberty ; and I shall steadily protect the rights, and promote to the utmost of my power the happiness and welfare, of all classes of my subjects." During the course of her long life these sentiments formed the basis of conduct, upon which Her Majesty reigned over her people. The Queen is dead, and to-day throughout the world a nation sorrows for the loss of her of whom Tennyson wrote, in 1851, with the vision of a prophet : — Her court was pure, her life serene, God gave her peace ; her land reposed ; A thousand claims to reverence closed In her as Mother, Wife, and Queen. The poet, in these few words, haß briefly immortalised the chief attributes of Queen Victoria's greatness and purity of character, during her life and reign. No nobler, grander, yet more simple epitaph, for a monarch, than v these four lines have ever been written by the pen of man ; and the essence of their truth lies in the genuine sorrow felt in the hearts of Queen Victoria's subjects, wherever the British flag flies to-day.

A shooting match between volunteers and ex-volunteers will be fired at the Brace Rifles range on February 9th. Mr F. G. Wayne, late stock inspector at Milton, left Milton for Hawked Bay on Tuesday. Mr Wayne has not yet been appointed to any particular distriot, but it is expected that his headquarters will be at Hasting. There is no doubt that it will take people a long time to realise that we are being reigned over by a. King, instead of by the Queen. Some curious mistakes are likely to occur wherever the Queen's name , has been used in State documents and in churoh services. A Hartlepool dealer purchased an old print for threepence and sold it to*a woman far sixpence. Upon getting it home she removed the back to olean the picture and out dropped seventeen £5 notes. She told her neighbors, and upon it coming to the ears of the dealer who sold the woman the picture, he sued in the County Court for the recovery of the money, but lost the case, Trroper Harris, of the Woodville district, writing to the ' Examiner,' says :— Every corps in South Africa that I have seen reckon that they are the smartest and best fighters. So they are, if one could only believe what the generals say. After every fight the corps are formed up, and the general pulls their legs for about a quarter of an hour. Some months ago banking circles were seriously affected by the failure of Dumbeli's Bank in the Isle of Man. This was the chief bank in the island. Its collapse was utterly unexpected, and led to serious trouble in the many families which had placed utmost confidence in it. la and around Douglas there were not a few premature deaths, and several oases of lunacy arising from it. It was generally thought chat the management had baea of a criminal kind. When the liquidator took possession and examined the books, the evidence was felt to warrant the prosecution of Mr C. B. Nelson, a leading director, Mr J. Shimmon, manager of the Head Office, Douglas, and Messrs J- D. Rodgers. W. and H. Aldred, auditors of the bank. The trial has recently taken place, with the result that the directors and the manager have received five years' imprisonment, Mr Rodgera 18 months, W. Aldred 12 months, and H. Aldred six months. Mr Bruce, the chief manager, would also have been included, but anfortunately a very serious affliction came upon him, and before the final trial his decease took place. I have it upon the authority of an eminent Dutch financier (says the London correspondent of the ' Irish Times ') that Mr Kruger's ho^rd of gold in Europe is even larger than is generally supposed, though the estimates made of it have been decidedly liberal. When the ex-President settles on the Continent, he will have at his disposal, depc sited at Dutch bankers alone, the enormous sum of six millions sterling. In addition he will have at his command various sums banked n Belgium France, and Germany, amountipg in the aggregate to as much again. This vast accumulation of capital is, it need scarcely be said, not iotended to provide for Mr Kruger's personal wants, which are small, but will be devoted mainly to the conduct in all parts of the world »f a persistent agitation against this country on every possible subject, with the aim of securing eventually the restoration of independence to the Transvaal and Orange River Colony. and the Bopremacy of the Boers in South Africa. WINTER WINDS need have no terrors for yon. It's winds and rains may give you Coughs and Colds. If you propose getting rid of your troubles quickly, safely, & pleasantly, BENJAMIN GUM is all you require. It soothes inflamed surfaces and tender membranes ; loosens hard phlegm and causes free expectoration ; breaks up the hardest cough, and allays tickling and irritation of the throat. Suits old or young. Children like it. Benjamin Gum — Price 1/6. and 2/6, everywhere Wholesale agentß, Kempthorne Prosaer and Co., N.Z. Drug Co. Ltd. Sole Proprietors, LOASBY'S WAHOO MANUFACTURING Co., (Ltd ), Dunedin. MEMORANDA. Tenders invited for grazing 44 acres.

Tbere are 7,000,000 cats in the United Kiogdom. British railwayß employ direotjy 900,000 people. Tbere are 1700 betela in Switzerland, and the receipt! of the hotelkeepera amount to £5,000,000 a year. The beßt medicine known Ib SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT, ita eminent powerful effects in coughs, colds, Inflaenza, the relief is instantaneous. In serious oaaeß, and accidents of all kinds, be they wounds, burns, Boaldings, braises, sprains, it 1b the safest remedy— no swelling no inflammation. Like surprising effects produced in croup, diphtheria, bronchitis, Inflammation of lungs swelling, &c, ditrrhcea, dysentery, diseases, of the kidneys and urinary organs. SANDER & SON B EUCALYPTI EXTRACT is in use at hospitals and medical clinios all over the globe ; patronised by His Majesty the King of Italy ; crowned with medalß and diplomas at International Exhibition, Amsterdam, Trußt in this approved artiole and reboot all others'' Ten pounds of good lead ore give* 7 to of lead. Two tons of coal are used to produce three tona of lead. In healthy ye>rs in England the air travels at an average rate of 4J miles an hour ; in unhealthy, 3£ miles. The provinoe of Manitoba, almcs; the same size as Great Britain and Ireland, has only 210,000 io habitants. It is Perfectly Reliable <* We have sold many different cough remedies, but none has given better 'satisfaction than Chamber lain's," sasa Mr Charles Holzhaur, Druggist, Newark, N. J. •' It is perfectly safe and can be relied upon in all cases of coughs, colds or hoarseness. Sold bj JamM Gray and Sons, Milton.