West Coast Times TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1901. The QUEEN.

West Coast Times, Issue 11805, 22 January 1901, Page 2

West Coast Times TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1901. The QUEEN.

As we write a cable reaches us saying that the Queen is hi extremis, that in a few hours' time she will have breathed her last. On Sunday night intelligence came of the low state of her ■ health, that sbe was suffering from a nervous aud physical collapse, and that the Royal Family had been sent for. Her grandson, the Em. peror of Germany, hurriedly left his capital, where celebrations of the twobundredth anniversary of the b'uth of the Prussian monarchy were taking place, iv order to be present during the last hours of the gracious lady to whom all the Courts of Europe had repeatedly, looked for counsel and guidance. In all probability tl^e Great Destroyer has reached Osborne, her pleasant residence in the Isle of, Wight, before now, and the whole of Europe, the whole oi! the civilized world, will be sorrowing at the loss 'of one of the greatest sovereigns of this as of any other

Victoria Alcxaudrina, the only child of the Duke o£ Kent, third son o£ Guorge 111 Avas born at Kensington Palace on May 24th 1819. The death of GeorgeIV" without legal issue, the improbability of Wlliam \Y having legal heirs, caused tho union ot the Duke of Kcut with Prin. jess Lo«i. u a of JSaxe-Cobnrg fco be regarded with extreme interest, and when her accouchement, was expected the Princess lookup her residence in England, so that the future monarch should be born on English soil. The Duke of: Kent died nine months .if ler the birth o£ his little daughter, ami thenceforth she was recognised by Ihe English people ;n Lhoir future .sovereign.

Of her childhockl'd days much has been j said and much written.' A sweet engaging little girl, she was uaruf uily trained so that she might bw licted for her high position, but without at Qr3C a knowledge of tho destiny that awaited her. That was to come after. Many stones, many little incidents of the life of the Princess have been told from time to time, all tending to show the sweetness of her disposition, the generosity of her nature. It was not until she had outgrown her first childhood, had become a reflective little maiden that her future clestiuy was made known. A little book showing the ; Hue of descent and the names of the Royal personages according to tbeir right of succesbion was so placed that she could see it. The book was looked at with the idle curiosity of a child until she saw, to her -amazement, that hcv own name appeared the lirst on the list, that she would bo Quoeu of England when har uucle, tie King, was no more. Full of her discovery she ran to her mother, who assured her of its truth and did not neglect the opportunity of still further impressing upon her a sense of the duties she would haye 1 to fulfil. A sweet aud engaging child, the budding beauties of her mind were gradually unfolded as she entered upon maidenhood, and all who had the privilege of knowing her intimately speak of the tender solicitude she displayed for the wants and feeiing,% of others. Gradually, also, the romance of life entered into her being, and though oh this matter the chronicler is silent— for obvious reasons — ono person in particular, a young Scottish.noblemau,is mentioned, and hid love story celebrated in a ballad which . gained the popular ear for many decades, though seldom heard now.

Tho great event of her life, if wo except her marriage, took place on J uno 20, 1837, when she succeeded her Uncle William TV on the Throne, tho coronaLion ceremony being performed in Westminster Abbey, a little more than a year afterwards— on Juno 28, 1838. [lor Ministers now began to look about for a

suitable consort for her the choice of Royalties not being very large. She wasgiven her own choice of selection within this limited circle and that choice fell upon her cousin, Prince Albert of SasaOobdrg Gotha. In this case it was for the Queen to show her preference, and the young Prince, thus encouraged, presented his suit.

For twenty one years thej 7 enjoyed a life of idyllic happiness. The Queen wished to raise her consort to the Throne beiide herself, with the title of King, but the Duke of • Wellington dissuaded her. "Believe me, Madame,' he siid :> if these English people find ie so easy to make a King, they may learn that it is also easy to unmake one." The wisdorc of the advice impressed itself upon the Queen "and she did not persevere with her wishes. During those busy, happy years nine children were born, all of whom lived te adult age, were married and had children, and of whom three are now dead. ' The first to die was the ' Frincesa Alice on December 14tb, 1878 ; then Prince Leopold on March 28th, 1884, and finally Prince Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg, whose death, a few weeks ago, is within the memory of all. But long before the first of her children had gone " co that bourne from which no travslier returns " she suffered the irreparable loss of her husband, which took place on Deceiiber 14th, 1861, nine months after the death of hor mother. This double loss had a most momentous effect on the Queen's life. Tho death of her husband caused a cloud to settle over her, to cover her with amantle from which she was never freed . For many yeirs she lived in seclusion, attending to all her official duties as Sovereign, and to those

other and uo- less important cares which the of Ler family and the wellbeing of her people promoted, but shutting herself from all other pursuits which claimed pleasure as their only object-.

If as a daughter, a wife, and a mother she was all that could be desired, uo less could it be said of her in the attributes necessary as the constitutioaal Head of oneoE the greitest uatiouß the worldhas seen. In the earlier years of her reign, influenced,' perhaps, by tli;i habits of thought which- her husband had brought with him from Germany, there was too much tendency -to foveru dirucfc.jnstead of through her responsible Ministers. The English constitution causes everything to be done in the name of the Sovereign .md as if the Sovereign is supreme. The young Queen was somewhat disposed to take things literally and •to decide ou measures and to choose Ministers according to her own preferences rabh'cr than as fclu; dominant party in the IToiise of Commons desired. This personal exercise of power led t<» friction and at lasL almost, to deadlock : and then, the Queen gave way. She had learnt her lesson and she never forgot it. And so, in the course of years, she was oDUtimt to ach through her responsible Ministers, Hot as Ihe ornamental iignre-heaii, as some have thought, j but as- the great controlling forco iv Butish policy. An. l as tine rolled on her | Ministers found that' they had much to learn from her ; tint it: thoy were great j Statesmen — ami m;my oi : the-n uncloubt- j I edly were —she was as great if not greater thau all. And thin, by the rare quality

of perfect tact, v rare grip o£ home and foreign politics, and a singleness of purpose in seeking the good of her people, and that only, the country ha-s been blessed with a higher degree of prosperity, less war, aii<l a greater measure of social reform than has signalised any other ' similar period of national life. , [ Nor was her influence confiued to her \ own country. The Sovereigns of Europelooked up to, admired aud respected her. More than ouce it baa happened that when her Ministers wore engaged in difficult negotiations with foreign coun • tries, negotiations which iuvol veil friction aud portended rupture, tho personal influence of the Queen on the Sovereign of tho country concerned has caused tho clouds to be dissipated aud the political atmosphere to resume its wonted serenity.

A committee meeting of the First Westiand Rifles was held ou Saturday evening last to make arrangements for the annual company ciuup, which commences on Thursday next, and thoy also decided to givo a social dance to Lieut. M'Gregor and the troopers returning from South \frica. A committee consisting of the following were appointed to carry it out : — The officers, Sergts Schultz and Wallace, Bugl. Greauey, Corpls Parkhill and Walker, Pvts Free aud Andrewes. Tenders close at noon to-day at tho Secretary, Mr Wild's office, for 2 miles of tunnelling for head race for tho Westiand Water Supply Electric Power and Hold Dredging Company Ltd, Tho Westiand llospit.il Trustees iuvito tenders for painting root at the Hospital. Specifications nuy he seen at tho office, whoro tenders close at 4 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. A Wellington telegram says tint in the Supreme Court Mr .Justice IM wards granted a rule nisi for the 'ssue of a writ of habeas corpus iii the Lillywhifce cise. Tho rule to be returnable at the first sitting iv banco after the Ions? vacation which terminates on the 31st iuhl.

A inerong of the Hokitika Harbor .Board was convened for noon yesterday for the purpose of formally approving of the annual statement of accounts. The members present were Messrs Wade "(voted to the Chair), Churches and Holtoes and the Collector of Customs (Mr Hidings). As the accounts have noi ', i been audited an adjournment was made ! to Feb. sth at 3.30 p.m. j

The Hokitika School Committee meet thi3 evening at half past seven to recommend a pupil teacher for appointment by die Education Board. .There are several applications for the vacant position.

A Racecourse 1 elegraph Office will be opnn at Gere on Wednesday and Thura'-,-day, 23rd and 24th inst. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We have received from Mr J. F. Kitto, of Cromwell, Otago, a copy of his " Practical Dred Neman's Manual ". Mr. Kitto is thoroughly versed in his subject, having much practical experience in dredging work, aud be has embodied in his manual a great deal of matter which is of vital 'mportance to dredgemasters. His own knowledge has been gained in the Molyneaux. and Kawarau 1 . liveTs, during the last twenty years, so he writes of that which he knows. Jt is a work which should be in the hands of everyone connected with the working ot a dredge.

A Maori," Joe, Williams, with several aliases, was sentenced at New Plymouth to 12 months on ch:irge3 of victimising twe clergymen and (tradesmen, with false pretences. There is a charge against the same accused for forging ' the Hon J. Carroll's name to a cheque for £600. The case was adjourned to the 28thl

A Nelson telegram says that Mr Francis Hamilton, head of the firm of E. Ruxton and Co., Ltd., died yesterday morning, aged 60. The deceased was well kuown io most parts of the Colony, of which he had been resident for nearly forty years. He was formerly in business in Ofc'jgo and Greyraouth, in the last named he was first assented with Mr G. W. Nichol, who went to the Bluff, and subsequently joined forces with Mr J.imes hamiltou, now a broker on the Melbourne Stock Exchange. Nearly 20 years ago he bought a Nelson business, and he has resided there since. He has been in failing health for some years, andjwas confined to bed for tho last three weeks. Deceased was very popular. He was. a member of the Nelson L.md Board, an' bad" just received his oppointmant to the Board of College Governors. He was for many years Treasurer and member of the Board of Managers of the .Nelson Presbyteriin Church. .He leives vine sons an;l four daughters.

The Vatican authorities have decided (says the Melbourne " Argus" ) to destroy their magazine of arraa. Ever since the Pope was deprived of his temporal power the arms of tho Papal soldiers have been stored away, to be in readiness for future use whenever the head of the church is reinvested with sovereign ,aulhority. As that event seems to grow further off than ever, and as his Holiness's lethal weapons are. getting out of date, a council of cardinals has* decided that the whole armoury oC slaughter should be 'di«posed of. It win j found later on that' they were so useless no one would purchase them, and it has therefore bepn decided to burn the wooden j narfcs and to soil the metal for old iron,.' out of which' may Some day be dvolve 1 I the Scriptural ploughshares and pruning hooks. . ■ i Tho Spectator lias boon publidhiin/ cor ; rsspondenc'O «» iha acute eyesight of savages, eailor,-*, &.(; and ono corru-ipondertt records un experience* lie had in Montenegro, where the men have, geneially, an oxtraordinary range of vision. " I had a horseboy, aged about 10, b->rn in Pod^oritza,.wbo could see with Uio naked cvo ' tho moons of Jupiiur. „ Uiurfati excellent field-glass, by Rosy, of a magnifying power of thirty 'diameters, with -which 1 wus fiblo to test tho accuracy of his vision, by making him give rre tho relative positions of the rauons on paper." The Spectator adds as a foot-note t l iat it knows a Loudon citizen who has a similar power of sight.

Although Sir Arthur Sullivan willingly undertook to writfe tho music "for Kipling's , %; Absent-minded Beggar "—and gave the tee to the War Fund— it was not long (says a wrJter in Mr Clement Scott's journal, the "Free Lincc") before he repented c>f his bargain. For days he could not hammer out an air that would fit the words, and he told a friend of the writer's that he had never in his life bad a set of versos tf-afc gave him so much trouble. " 'Pay ! pay ! pay ! ' " he exclaimed, with an air of comic distraction; " how, in the name of all that's poetical, cau one write music to such stuff ? I've hardly had a wink of sleep for a week , through chiuking about it." And when the music was finished Sir Arthur frankly confessed that it was the worst he had ever written, and declared that he would rather 'write a whole Savoy opera than undertake such a task again. Sir Arthur Sullivan, it is understood, has not died a rich man, for although during the earlier days of the Savoy he nnde a large income (23,000 a year "for some years), he lived his lifej spent rQyally t and dispensed to charity with true Celtic liberality. At Leeds, where his fee as a conductor 'was a. tar« £200, he entertained members of i the Royal family, and he more than j once wont from London to, rehearsal by special train,- likewise returning. At onq time he leasf (1 uu estate in Norfolk, besides a liveiside cottage at Walton, and a house neai* Monaco. He also had racehorses, but was unfortunate-

How fondly rests a mother's gaze Upon her children dear; .. • She loves them for their pretty ways, Aivl always likes them near. j She tends them iv theiiMroubles, too, ! He? care soon makes thetp fewer, j Aud for a cold knows what to do She gets Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.

' Jn opening the Co operative Dairy Factory at Havelock, the Hon C. H. Mills, * says the Dunedin Star's special cori'es-J- ' X pondent, gave some interesting information with a view of showing the great development of the dairying industry during the last ten yesrs hi 1890, tha Colcny had fifty factories which produced 75 267c\vt of buHer and choose valued at £207,087 ; while last year (1900) 250 factories, with 210 skimming stations, produced 274,514cwt of butter and cheese, valued at £558,219. In 1890. Taranaki had only twelve davy factories, which produced 94883tvt of. butter, valued at £33,258, and 81cwt of cheese, valued at £172 ; while in 1900 that district had 101 ■'factories with 5». skimming stations, which produced 80,226cwt of butter, valued at £345.3:52, and ■ 25,884cwt of cheese valued at'i!54,130. 1 Among a party of 30 returning CauAdians from South Africa who visited Liverpool recently, and were entertained by the Mayor, was Private Molloy, who was shot through the temples and completely blinded at Bronkburst Spruit. He made a speech in which he said that he had no regrets for the past, believing that a man. having pursued the. course he thought right had no business to have any regrets, whatever conaequfinces ensued. It looked unfortunate to have all his hopes and aspirations cut down, but he would go bravely onward with a calm heart and a ssrene mind. He then called for three I cheers for the Queen.

Mr J ohn Loveday of the Bulli Moan tains N.S.W., who suffered for four years with acute gravel, writes to the llliwara Mercuvy, N.S.W., that he had been completely cured of his complaint by the internal use of SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT. He also states that he has found tho Extract (Sander and Sons) a cure for rheumatism and remarks that in publishing these facts he has no other object in view than a pure desire to benefit suffering humanity. Dr. W. Oaborne, Cottageville, Ky, writes— * I use SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT as a spray for nasal catarrh, low fever, asthma, etc., with great success. I find this preparauou superior to 'a) ochers." Dr. A. Bruegman, Hartwell, Nebr., says— "l have used SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT- in pneumonia and incipient phthisis and have met with cho most b'vppy results, I have practised over thirty-four years, and I cau candidh say this— "SANDER'S EXTRACT is one of the grandest preparations I ever chancsd to meet." Dr. Stahl, Gutbrie, Ok, writes — "I have used various preparations of Eucalyptus, but I get better results from SANDER & SONS' EXTRACT than from any other. These a,nd simila? 1 testimonials prove indisputably the superiority of SANDER & SONS' EUCALYPTI EXTRACT over any other, and we suggest to tho public to take oare to <ret it- SANDER AND SONS', The prevailing epidemios influenza, to soughs aud colds are being successfully aoped 3ifch by Chamberlain's Cough Remedy which is proving of gre& service i aUaying the irritation and restoring the. iff eror-» to health. ForaaleatWilJ* ims fVediooJ Flail rtk! W^u.iafl Dru' ? RJl.— A. VT • FIOniLINE JFOB THi£ ±'££TH AND BREATH A few drops of the liquid "Floriline* sprinkled on a wet tooth-brush produces a pleasant lather, which throughly cleanses the teeth from all parasites or impurities, hardens the gums, prevents tartar, stop? decay, gived to tho teeth a peculiar pekrly Whiteness- and a delightful fragance to the lirealh. ll removes all unpleasant odour arsing from decayed teeth or tobacco smoke. *' The Fragrant Floiiline,' being composed hiparta of honey, and sweet herbs, ia delicious to the taste, and the greatest toilet; riis. co very of the age. Price 2s (5d of all Chemißt'i find Perfumers. Wholesale depot, 3SL, F.nWi'j/'lon road London F.n^lund.— Apvt. CLARKE'S 841 PILLS are warranted to nre ({ravel, Paius in die back, and all. kindred complaints. Free from Mercury Established upwards of. ,'jQ years. In boxes 4s 6cl each, of all Chotnists aud Patent Medicine Vendors throughout the VYorkl. Proprietors, tho Lincoln and .ViidHu'l Counties L>my .(inrnpany, Lin. olti Knsfland — Aovt