BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKEIVH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11949, 24 January 1901, Page 2

BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKEIVH

Victoria Alesandbina (Queen of Great Britain'and Ireland, and Empress of India), only child of the late Duke of Kent- and of tho Princess Louisa-Victoria of Saxc-Coburg (relict of the Hereditary Prince of Leiningcn, and sister of Leopold, Prince of Saxe-Coburg. afterwards King of tho Belgians), was born at. Kensington Palace, May 24, 1819; her parents, who bad been for some time residing abroad, having hastened to England in order that their child might "bo born a Briton.' Tho Duke of Kent died January 23, 1820, and the general education of the young Princess was directed,. under Iter mother's care, by the Duelte?.? of Northumberland, wife of the third Duke. Until within a few weeks of her elevation to the throne her life was spent in comparative retirement, varied by tours through different parts of the United Kingdom. Queen Victoria succeeded her uncle William IV, June 20, 1F37. as Victoria I, and her coronation was celebrated in Westminster Abbey, June 28, l?3 n . Her Majesty was married February 10, 1840. to his late Royal Highness Prince Albert of Saxe-poburg Gotha, by whom her Majesty had issue(l) H.R.H, Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa, Princess Royal, born November 21,. J340. married January 25, 1858. to H.R.H. the Crown Prince Frederick William of Prussia (he died June 35, 1888); (2) 11. R.H. Albert Edward, Prince of Wale«. born November 9, 164-1, married March 10, l f G3, tho Princess Alexandra of Denmark ! (3) lI.RiH. Princess Alieo Maud Mary, bora Ajiril 15, 181-3, married July 1, 1F62, to Prince Louis of Hesse-Darmstadt (H.R.H. died December 14. 1878): (4) 11.R.1-T. I'rince Alfred Ernest Albert, August 6, 1844, created Duke of' Edinburgh liny 2-1-, 1C66, married January .23, 1574, the' Grand Duchess Mario Alexandrovna, Jister to tho present Emperor of Russia, (H'.tUl. died 30th .Tuiy. 1000); (i) ILR.IT. Princess Helena Augusta .Victoria, born May 26, 1846, married July, 5,' l r 6o, to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstcin; (6) 1T.R.11. Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, horn March 14,1848, married to the Marquis of Lome, March 21, 1871; (7) H.R.H. Prince Arthur William Pat-rick Albert, Duke of Connaught-, born May 1, 1850, married March 17, 1679, the Princess Louise Jfaftaret Alexandra Victoria Agnes, third daughter of Princo . Frederick Chnrlc3 of Prussia; (8) H.R.H. Prince Leopold George Duncan Albert, Duke of Albany, born April 7, 1F53, married April 2, 1882, the Princes? Helen Fredcriea Augusta, daughter of tlio Princo of Waldcek atul Pyrmont (H.R.H. died March 2,8, 1884); and (9) H.R.H, Princess Beatrico Mary Victoria Fcodore, bora April 14. 1857, married July 23, 1885, to Prince Henry Maurice of Battcnberg.' The first domestic grief which her Majesty suffered was tho loss of her. mother, tho Duchess of Kent, lifter a short

illness, March 16, 1861, followed by the snddon death of the Prince Consort, to tho great, grief of the entire Kingdom, December 14 in the same year. Her Majesty's intense sorrow for her irreparable loss, although it has in a great degree disqualified her from appearing in puhlic and at Court ceremonials, and has imposed on her tho habits of a lite of comparative seclusion, has, however, never been allowed by her to interfere with tho performance of her important duties as a sovereign. Neither has it checked the exercise of that anxious* interest which her Majesty has ever sinco her acccssion to the crown steadfastly manifested for the social wclfaro of her people. It is a source of great prido to her subjects, and must doubtless tend in no small, degree to assuago her Alajpriv's abiding grief, that not only in her own vast dominions, but throughout the civilised world, her Majesty's name is novcr mentioned save in terms of sympathy, affection, and respect as a Christian ■ woman and as a Queen. . ■ It would occupy much more spaco than our limits admit to give even a brief outline of tho political events of her Majesty's roign, and we can, therefore, merely glance at its moro prominent features. On succeeding to the throne her Majesty found the Whig and Conservative parlies nearly evenly balanced in the House of Commons. Lord Melbourne and his colleagues continued to hold office until September, 1811, whon ; owing to 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 the Com Laws, he found himself compelled in 1845 to acquicsco in their repeal, which was carried into effect a,t his instance in 1846. The cffcct of this change in Sir Robert Peel's policy caused a disruption in the Conservative party, and led to tho acccssion to power of Lord John Russell, who was succeeded in January, 1852, by the Earl of Dorby. In the following December tho Conservative party, beaten on their own budget, resigned, and gave place to Lord Aberdeen and the Coalition Cabinet, which February, 1855, was dismissed for having mismanaged the Russian war. It was succeeded by Lord Palmerston's fitst Administration, which was defeated on tho Conspiracy to Murder Bill, in March, 1858, and Lord Derby hold power for the second time, until Junoj 1859, when Lord Palmcreton formed his second Cabinet. On his death, October, 1865, the Ministry was remodelled, Earl Russell assuming the post of Premier. His Ministry having decided upon intro>during a Reform Bill, the duty.of conducting it through the TT o\ise of Commons devolved upon Mr GJr,c!j .one. Having been defeated upon an important clause in June, 1866, Ministers resigned. Lord Derby formed his third Administration, and during tho session of 1867 carricd a Reform Bill, thereby settling a- question which had long been a stumbling block impeding the progress of legislation. Tho Conservatives being placed in a minority at the general election of 1863, Mr Disraeli resigned office, and was succeedod as Prime Minister by Mr Gladstone. The chief events of Mr Gladstone's Administration were the disestablishment of the Irish Church, the nassing of the Irish Land Act and tho Elementary Education Act, the abolition of purchase in the army, tho negotiation of the Treaty of Washington respecting the Alabama claims, and the passing of the Ballot Act. At the genercl election of February, 1874, the Conservatives again, came into power, and a new Administration was formed by Mi" Disraeli, afterwards Lord Beaconsfield. By virtue of the power conferred by an act' of Parliament passed in the previous session, her Majesty was, on January 1, 1877, proclaimed Empress of India, by tho Governorsonornl, nt tho durbar at Delhi, before Imperial assemblage of all tho Goverfforß, Lieutenant-governors, heads,of Government, Princes, chiefs, and nobles of India. On tho defeat, of the Conservatives at the general election of 1580, Mr Gladstone formed another Liberal Administration, which continued in oflico until June, 1885, when it was suecccded by a Conservative Government under Lord Salisbury. After tho general election of November, 1855, tho Liberals again came into power, and the spring of 1886 was devoted by Mr Gladstone to tho consideration of the Irish question, His Home Rule Bill, however, met with so much opposition that tho Government decided to appeal to the country, and the result of tho general election of July, 1886, was an immenso Conservative majority. Lord Salisbury's second Government came into power on August 3, 1&86. In April, 1882, an attempt On tho Queen's life was mado at. Windsor by one Roderick Maclean, who after trial was ordered to be confined during,her Majesty's pleasure. "Tho Early Days of His Royal Highness tho Prince Consort," compiled under the direction of her Majesty, by Lieutenant-general the Hon. C. Grey, was published in July, 1667, and was followed, in 1E69, by "Leaves from the Journal of Our- Life in.the Highlands"; and in 1874, by the first volume of Mr (now Sir) Theodore Martin's " Life of H.R.FI, the' Prince Consort," of which the fifth and coneluding volume appeared in 1880. In 18c5 her_ Majesty published a second volume, entitled "More"Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in tho Highlands." In 1887 her Majesty celebrated the jubilee of her _ accession to the throne. A thanksgiving servico was held in West-

mmeter Abbey, and . was attended by her Majesty and all tlie Royal Family, the Indian Princes, the King of Denmark, the King and Queen of the Belgians, tho King of Saxony, the King of the Hellenes, the Crown Prince of Austria, the Crown .1 rince of Portugal, the Infante Don Antonio. of Spain, Prince Ludwig of Baden, the Crown Prince of Greece,' the Grand Duke of Saxc-Woimar, 'the Queen of Hawaii, with her attendants in cloth of gold, and representatives from every nation upon earth. The service in the Abbey was conducted by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury in the presence of 10,000 spectators. Since the jubilee her Majesty lins 'travelled abroad more than formerly,. and has generously patronised music and the drama, on many occasions summoning eminent singers and actors to perform before her at Windsor and even at Balmoral. Sho has paid several visits to Florence or to such places in the south of France asCimiez, and has made prolonged stays there. In 1892 the Queen addressed a letter to the nation thanking her sujjccts for the sympathy thoy had shown her at the timo of the Duke of Clarence's death. Salisbury's Government went out of office m 1892, and the Queen summoned Mr ,i„, net 0 form 11 Cabinet, In March, 1p94, on Mr Gladstone's retirement from office, Lord Roschery became Premier, and some changes took nlace in the Ministry. On her return from Florence in 1594 she was present, at Cobnrg, on April 19, at the marriage of the Grand-Duke of Hesse and Princess Victoria Melita of Coburg, her grand-daushtor. , She spent some time at Coburg, and did not again reach Windsor till April 23. Later her Majesty met with a most enthu'iastic recaption in Manchester, when, on May 2], she opened the Ship Canal in person. The Rosnhery Administration was of very short duration, and oil June 1 21, 1895, the Government was defeated upon a question of the supply of ammunition to the army. The following day Lord Rosebery placed his resignation in tho hands of the Queen, by whom it. was accented. Lord Salisbury was sent for. and duly formed an Administration, his Cabinet. | as ultimately constituted, consisting of no l»ss i than 19 members, of whom 15 were Conscrrn- ; lives and four Unionists. Mr Goschen bej ramo First Lord of the Admiralty, and Mr ; Chamberlain Secretary for tho Colonies. One 1 notable event of the dissolution of 1895 was j the disappearance of' the illustrious j Hon. W. E. Gladstone from parliamentary ! life. During 1595 her Majesty was visited ; bv the King of Portugal, and aho bv the i Shahznda Nnsnilla- Khan, son of the Ame3r i of Afghanistan. In January. 1??6, Prince ! Henry of Battenberg died, having contracted ! a fever in Ashanti. where he went as a volui;- ; teer with the punitive expedition despatched : ,against King Prempoh. The. Queen, who ; '.ras much attached to the Prince, felt, his ' death very keenly. In April a new Order of j Knighthood m instituted. It had long been | considered desirable to create some special m"rk of distinction in order to reward British ; subjects who had rendered important or per- ■ sonal service tn the Sovereign, and the Queen instituted t'-e Royal Victorian Order for that ■ Durpr.se. . Tts peculiar feature is it? division into five c'a°ses. the .first two alone conferring knighthood -upon the recipient. In -Tilly the i Queen invited to Windsor th« Ancient and Honourable Artillery Company of Roston. She held a review of t ho company in the park, ; and thev were permitted to march past fully armed and flvin? t-heir colours. The gracious r manner in wl'ich the Oiieen received them, and the hearty welcome which London accorded them, gave great sal inaction in Ame-' l'ica. About this lime much indignation w." ! aroused in .Unntond by.the cro«l massacre of . Armenians'which was going on in Aria Minor, ' with the nllejed sanction of the Sultan of j Turkey. Manv influent ial ncnple advocated. ; independent action on the part of this erinn--1 try to nut a 'tori +o those horrors, and in the '■ hope of 3ni"lioratini the condition of.the sufj: fercrs the Queen sent, an autoeraph letter to 6 Hie Sul'ai'. reouestin? a special effort in ref spect of the Armenian-difficult v. In Sept tepihey, 1 r 96. the C'/ar and Cwina of RuSia [. pahl a visit to the Queen at, Balmoral, staying f v. fortirghf. T-'nrd SabV'nuv wa<-- cum'm.nn.ed f and honoured bv an audience with'the Czar, t and many political questions, relating more t narticularlv to Eastern affairs, were direusscd. In May, 1897. the Queen passed through Shijff field on her wav to Balmoral, and after oponf iug tho new Town Hall, honoured Messrs f Armstrong's works with a visit, and viewed E the rolling of a steel plate intended as armour t for a battleship.On June 20 her Majesty completed the ■ C sixtieth year of her occupation of the

English Throne, • thus establishing the longest roign of any monarch in the. history of England or of modern Europe. It may bo eaid that the whole world participated in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations which were hold in honour of the event, Tho official programme was begun on Saturday, June 20, with a military tattoo nt Windsor Castle by tho troops of the garrison, and on the same day a roule march through London was made by Imperial and colonial troops. The forco was composed of representatives from all tho colonics, and numbered 2500 officers and men. Tho anniversary of the Queen's acccssion falling upon a Sunday, the day was recognised throughout the Emoire by public thanksgiving services. Her Majesty was at Windsor and attended divine service at St. George's Chapel, the congregation being limited to the Court and those members of tho Royal Family staying at Windsor. At St. Paul's Cathedral there was an immense gathering, including the Prince of Wales and every- Royal personage in London, foreign Ambassadors, colonial Premiers, 50 Peers, ZOO Queen's counsel and members of the' bar, and representatives from all the learned and scientific bodies. Services of a, special character were held in all the principal places of worship of every denomination in England. On Monday afternoon the Queen held a reception, which was followed by a State banquet, In the House of Lords a congratulatory address wag moved by the Marquis of Salisbury and the Earl of Kimberley, and in the House of Commons a similar address was moved by Mr Balfour and Sir William Harcou;t, Amongst the honours announced on that day ware eight peerages and 15 appointments to the Privy Council, including the 11 colonial Promiers, Many creations and promotions in the various orders of knighthood were made. On Tuesday, Diamond Jubilee Day, the prinicpal event of the celobration took plaoe. An immenso procession was organised, comprising representatives of all tho naval and military forces of the Empire. It started from Buckingham Palace, followed by the Queen at 10 a.m. The morning was fine, and dense crowds of spectators lined the whole route, and, thanks to the admirable arrangements of the police, passed off without any serious accident. The novelty and variety of the uniforms, many of which had never been seen before in London, gave a picturesque charm to the procession, The vociferous cheering all along the line left no doubt as to the loyal eentimonts of tho people, the greeting of tho Royal carriages being especially enthusiastic. Her Majesty's carriage was preceded by one containing the Royal grandchildren, and this was followed by a conclave of 40 Princes on horseback, mostly representatives of foreign Kings and Governors. Just before leaving tho Palace the Queen telegraphed to all parts of the Dominion the message, " Prom my heart I thank my beloved people. May God bless them." Upon tho arrival of the Royal Procossion at Temple Bar, the Lord Mayor, Sir F. FaiidelPliillips, and,his deputation, on foot and bareheaded, met the Queen and presented to her the historic sword. Her Majesty touched the hilt, and commanded the Lord Mayor to lead the way into the City. He thereupon mounted his horse and preceded the Queen, bareheaded and holding the sword aloft. The great episode of the procession was the thanksgiving service outside of St. Paul's Cathedral. An immense concourse assembled there, including dignitaries of the churoli in their robos, and City officials. A short service was held, and (he benediction pronounced by the Archbishop of Canterbury; then the whole assembly joined in singing the On Wednesday tho Queen received the addresses, and after: wards the members of both Houses of Parliament at Buckingham Palace. It was remarked at the time that the plain simplicity of tho parliamentary procession, headed by the Speaker in his ancient coach, did honour to the best- traditions of English parliamentarism. Thursday was marked at Windsor by the reception of tho Lords of the Admiralty and of tho Admirals of the foreign warships lying at Spithead. In the evening a carnival procession was held, and the Castle illuminated. In London interest chiefly centrcd in tho Jubilee dinner? given in 56 different districts to over 300,000 people. The scheme had been promoted at the suggestion of the Princess of Wales. Among the subscribers were Sir Thomas Lipton,' who gave £25,000. and the Australian colonies, which sent 20,000 carcases of mutton, Friday was a day of social Royal gatherings. The naval review, which took place on Saturday, .Tune 26, as an historical event was the most striking and important of the national celebrations in connection with the Diamond Jubilee. Between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight was moored the most magnificent and efficient fleet that has ever been got together. The fleet was moored in five lines, each line extending nearly five miles, and with regard to tho ships assembled it is important to point out that no single vessel had ljeen recalled from a foreign station to swell the numbers at Spithead. Tho Prince of Wales, representing the Queen, at 2 p.m. began a procession between the lines, and following him in various vessels were Indian Princes, colonial Premiers, foreign Ambassadors, and memhers of both Houses of Parliament. As the Prince passed each ship a Royal salute was fired, tho whole fleet cheering lustily when the Royal yacht anchored. The illumination of the fleet at night was a perfectly uniquo sight. At a given signal the whole fleet instantaneously burst- info light, every ship being illuminated with lines of incandescent lamps, tracing out the hulls, barbettes, bridges, funnels, antl masts. Just before midnight the Prince again passed down the lines, and again received a Royal,salute. Tho firing of' the guns, combined with the illumination, made an exceedingly grand spectacle. The Quean afterwards expressed to Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon, V.C., the Commander-in-Chief, her entire satisfaction with the management of the review. Tho number of vessels of all kinds was 150, manned by pearly 40,000 officers and men, and representing in money value a sum of £38,000,000. Not only our own, countrymen, but foreigners of all nations were present, and expressed their admiration in no measured terms, and, taken as an exhibition of British naval power, the review made a deep impression upon the mind of Europe.

The -closing period of the Queen's iif e was, to some extent, saddened by the outbreak of the Transvaal war, though it must be added that her Majesty never displayed a finer spirit or a more queenly bearing than during this trying time. Her visit to Ireland in the spring of 1900 was undertaken entirely on her own initiative, in recognition of the gallantry of the Irish troops in South Africa, and she was delighted with her reception in the countrv which she had last visited in, company with her beloved husband. A few months later she wa's called upon to sustain the loss of her second son, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gctba (better known to the Queen's subjects as Duke of Edinburgh), and ere the century elqsed a grandson, Prihce Christian Victor, fell a victim to the war. These painful events may well liavo had a prejudicial effect lipon the Queen's health at her advanced age, but the general body of her subjects heard nothing of an unfavourable character as to her physical condition, and it was hoped that she might still survive for a few years. Her Majesty lived just long enough to greet the twentieth century and the new Australian Commopwealth. In conclusion, it may lie mentioned that her Majesty Ins outlived all those member; of the Houso of Lords who sat there at her accession, and all the member? of her first. Hoiise of ComShe has seen six Arehbi'hons of Canterbury. the same number at York, five bishops of London, and every Episcopal See vacated at least twice. Eleven Lord Chancellors have received the Great Seal at her hands. Ten Prim» Ministers and six Speakers of the Hou=e of Commons have thken office during her reign, and she tins survived every member of her first Privy Council. To find in the closing years of her long reign her people stronger, tier Kmpire wider, and her own person more beloved than ever, is a happier fate than has befallen any of her predecessors.