HER MAJESTY'S CARTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 17, 21 January 1901, Page 5

HER MAJESTY'S CARTER.

Her Majesty Queen 'Victoria was born at Kensington I'nhii'O on May '■--'<, lsi!), being llh> only child of the Duke of Kent. At that time it did not appear probable (hat the child could ever usceiul the thro no of England; ycfc in the course of v few years Mil! I'rinccss Victoria Alexandrina was the only remaining scion of the Itoyal stock. Her mother was the Princess Louisa Vietbria, of Saxe-Goburg. The Duke of Kent died ion Jan. 2:5, 1820, and the general education ol! the young" Princess was direeled under he,r mother's euro by Hie Duchess of Northumberland, wife of Hie third Duke. Until within a few weeks of her elevation to the throne her life was spout in comparative retirement, varied by lours through different parts of the United Kingdom. She had an admirable home training and was reared under the best English traditions. l r or many years the knowledge of her high destiny was kept from her. The Princess' first appearance' at Court took place on February 24th, 18; U. She made groat strides in music and in languages, and was almost from the first a good linguist. Early ion the morning of .Tune 30th. 1537, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain arrived in haste at Kensington Paiace from Windsor, bearing the intelligence that King William IV. had died.. The Princess was aroused From her sleep to hoar Ihe news which made her Queen of England. The first words the girl of eighteen', now a Queen, addressed to the dignitaries ol' State wore: "I ask your prayers on my behalf," and'they all knelt down 100-ether. At her first PriVy Council the young Queen made her firsf State declaration, which concluded with these'word: "It Svill be my unceasing studytomainrain 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/ The coronation of Her Majesty took place in Westminster Abbey on,') nne 28, ISIiS. and was one of the most brilliant ceremonials ever witnessesd thei'e. The marriage of ihc Queen was the nrxi ovenf o£ inomenl in Ihe career of Hor Majesty. Slie found an excellent husband in he rcousiu, Prince Albert >of Haxe-Coburg, whom the people; learned to reverence as "Albert the Good." The marriage cf the Queen to Prince, Consori took pluce on February 10, 18-11), ii'jd iwcnty-mu' years of wedded lui|)|)iuess followed. Xinc children were born i.o tlie royal pair. Tli'esi! were: Her Koval Highness Victoria Adelaide .Mary Louisa, Princess Koval, born November 21, 1840,1 and married in 18,'jS to the Crown Prince Frederick Win. of Prussia: Prince Albert Edward of Wales, born November !), 1841, and married in 1-SC3 to the Princess Alexandra of Denmark; Prince Alfred (Duke of Edinburgh), who married the Grand Duchess .Marie of [lussia; Hie much lamented Princess Alice Maud Mary, who was born in 1S4I! and died ill 18TS; Princess Helena, bora in IS-HJ, and married to Prince Christian; 11. K.H. Princess Louise, born in IS4S, and married to the Marquis of Lome in is; I; Primv Arthur, Duke of Con naught, bom in IS.'iU,'and married in is7i) io the third daughter of Prince I'Vederiek Charles of Prussia: the Duke of Albany (Prince Leopold), born 1S.">:;, died INW4; and II.R.FT. Princess Beatrice Mary, born IS.V", married- iss.i. io Prince Henry 'Afaurice of

Ijat tenberg. The firsi domestic" grief "which ITcr Majesty suffered was the loss of her mother, the Duchess of Kent, after a wliort illness, March 10, 1801, followed by I he sudden death of the Prince Consort,to the great grief of the whole Kingdom, on December 14 in (he same year. The Prince Consort had during his life exercised a powerful influence for good in the State, and his interest was always beneficially exerted .in the arts, sciences, and manufactures, especially in connection with the great Exhibition of I8">1. At the time of his death he was powerfully assisting to maintain peace between Great P.ritaiu and the United Stales, when it was threatened by the affair of ihe 'Trent.' and ihe outbreak of the American : Civil War. Her .Majesty's intense sorrow for her irreparable loss, although ii has in a, great degree disqualified her from appearing in public, and at court ceremonials, and has imposed on her the habits of a. life of comparative seclusion,lias, however, never been allowed by her to interfere with Ihc performance of her important dulich as a sovereign. Neither has it checked l'he exercise of that anxious inleresl which Her Majesty has. ever

since her accession to (he Crown, steadfastly manifested for the social welfare of her people.

On the fit-si of January, 1577, Her Majesly was proclaimed ICui press? of India by Ihe < !nvcrnor-< ieneral at the .Durbar of Delhi, before an Imperial assemblage of all the Governors, I'riuces and nobles of India.

Ten years later another auspicious cveni delighted the whole of the tingli>h race. 'The jubilee of the Queen's accession to Ihe throne w:is <*cleliraled with great splendour in Dime, 1577, when a special thanksgiving service is-iis iifld iii Westminster Alibey. hi April. iss:>, an aflempt on the Queen's life was made, at Windsor by one Roderick McLean, who, after trial, was ordered to be confined during Her Majesty's pleasure. Of late wars her health has not been of the most robust, as was only natural, owing (o her increasing' age, and she has frequently paid visits to the south of France. In lSi>2 the Queen addressed a letter to the nation, ilia liking- her subjects for the sympathy they had shown her at the time of the Duke of Clarence's death.

The Queen during her long life has seen many political changes and events of great importance in the Councils of the nation. On succeeding to the throne Her Majesty found the Whig and Tory parties nearly evenly balanced in the House of Commons. Lord Melbourne anr his colleagues continued to hold office until September, 1841, when owing 1o their increasing unpopularity, arising mainly from a want of financial ability, or at, least of financial success, they were obliged to give place to the late Sir Robert Peel. Although he was pledged to maintain (he com laws he found himself compelled in 1845 to acquiesce in their repeal, which was carried into effect at his instance in IS4C>. The effect of this change in Sir Robert Peel's policy caused a disruption in the Conservative parly, and led to the accession of Lord John Russell, who was succeeded lit .January. 185?, by the Karl of "Derby. In the following December fhe Conservative parly resigned and gave place In Lord Aberdeen and the ConlHion Cabinet, which in February, 1855, wast dismissed for having mismanaged the. Russian war. It was succeeded by Lord Palemrston's first administration, which was defeated on the Conspiracy |o murder /iill. in Marc, JSSS, and Lord Derby Held power for the second time until June, 1559, when Lord Palmerston formed his second Cabinet.

On his death, November, 18G5, the Ministry was remodelled. Earl Russell assuming the post of Premier. His Ministry having decided upon introducing a Tie-Form Bill, the duty of conducting it through (ho House of Comons devolved upon Mr. Gladstone. Having been defeated on an important clause in June. 1.8(50, Ministers resigned. Lord Derby formed his third administration, and during the session of 38(57 carried a Reform Bill, thereby settling a question which had long been a stumbling block impeding the progress of legislation. The Conservative's, being placed in a minority at the general election of 1808, Mr. Disraeli resigned office, and was succeeded as Prime Minister by Mr. Gladstone. The chief events of Mr. Gladstone's administration were the disestablishment of the "Irish Church, the passing of the. Irish Land Act, and the Elementary Education Act. Hie abolition of purchase in the army, Iho negotiation of the Treaty of Washington respecting the- Alabama Claims, and the passing of the Jinllol Act. At the general elect ion of February, IsT-l, the Conservatives again came info power, and a new administration was formed by Mr. Disraeli, afterwards Lord Beacoiisfiohl. A Liberal administration followed. Some years Inter Lord Salisbury's parly came into ofliee, and remained in power lill 1.598, when the Queen summoned Mr Gladstone to form, a cabinet. in March, ISOt. on Mr Gladstone's retirement from office Lord Roscbory became Premier, and some changes took place in the Minitttry. On the Queen's return from Florence in 1594 she was present at Cobiirg. on Arrril 10, at the marriage of Ihc Grand Duke of Hesse and Prln-

| cess Victoria Melita of Coburg-, her \ granddaughter. She spent some time at Coburg, and did not again reach Windsor till April 28. Later Her Majesty met with a most enthusiastic I reception in Manchester, where, on May :.'!, she opened the Ship Canal in person. Ln 1807 the great Diamond Jubilee, of the. Queen was celebrated in England, and the splendid demonstrations made on that occasion will never be forgotten. Her Majesty has done some literary worlv during her life.- In 1860 she published "Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the. Highlands," and in LSSS an additional volume under the same title, in which she recorded many interesting events of her life at Balmoral. From the period of her jubilee down to the present time .'lor Majesty travelled abroad more than formerly, and warmly encouraged art, music, and the drama.