Queen Victoria, 1837–1901.

“In a Palace in a garden—not in a haughty keep, proud with the fame but dark with the violence of ages; not in a regal pile, bright with the splendour but soiled with the intrigues of courts and factions — in a palace in a garden, meet scene for youth and innocence and beauty — came a voice that told the maiden she must ascend her throne.

“Hush! the portals open; she comes; the silence is as deep as that of a noontide forest. Attended for a moment by her royal mother and the ladies of her court, who bow and then retire, Victoria ascends her throne; a girl alone, and for the first time amid an assemblage of men.

“In a sweet and thrilling voice, and with a composed mien, which indicates rather the absorbing sense of august duty than an absence of emotion, the Queen announces her accession to the throne of her ancestors and her humble hope that Divine Providence will guard over the fulfilment of her lofty trust.

“The prelates and captains and chief men of her realm then advance to the throne, and kneeling before her, pledge their troth and take the sacred oaths of allegiance and supremacy.

“Allegiance to one who rules over the land that the great Macedonian could not conquei and over a Continent of which even Columbus never dreamed. To the Queen of every sea and of nations in every zone. Fair and serene, she has the beauty of the Saxon. Will it be her proud destiny at length to bear relief to page 45 suffering millions, and with that soft hand which might inspire troubadours and guerdon knights, break the last links in the chain of Saxon thraldon?”

So wrote Disraeli of the coronation of Queen Victoria, the niece of King William Iv., when at the age of 18 she undertook her royal responsibilities. In her sixty-four years of reign Victoria witnessed remarkable developments in her mighty Empire.

Preceding and subsequent to her ascension to the throne, industrial methods were undergoing great changes. The ingenious devices and labour-aiding appliances then invented explain the vast cities, the huge factories and the complicated machinery of our day.

The Queen married in 1840 Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, the author of the scheme for the first of all Great Exhibitions. Products of industries of all nations were in 1851 exhibited in the Crystal Palace designed for the purpose by Sir Joseph Paxton.

Important Wars.—From 1853 to 1856 the Crimean War, arising from a dispute between Russia and Turkey regarding the guardianship of the Holy Places at Jerusalem and the aggressive designs of the Czar on Turkey, occupied the attention of Britain. The Czar attempted to secure British neutrality, but his offers were rejected, and Britain, allied with France, opposed Russia. Most of the fighting took place in the Crimea. The more famous battles were Alma, Balaclava, made memorable by the charge of the Light Brigade; Inkerman, and the assault of Malakoff Tower. The allied forces won all these battles, and the war.

Following the Indian Mutiny, it was arranged that the power of the East India Company should be transferred to the Crown.

South Africa was the scene of the Boer War of 1899–1900. The suspicion among the Boers that the British Government had been associated with a lawless attack on their freedom, and the ambitions of President Kruger to obtain absolute control over South Africa were the main causes of the war. When the Queen perceived that peace, for which she always strove, could not in this case be maintained, she used her influence with her ministers to conduct the war with promptitude and effect.

On 22nd January, 1901, the great and beloved Queen died at the age of 81 years. Throughout the reign, by exercising her outstanding qualities of courage, sincerity and discretion, she had filled her difficult position with dignity and honour, and her death was the occasion of universal mourning.

On the death of Queen Victoria, her second child and eldest son became King, as Edward Vii. Edward had been educated at Oxford and Cambridge Universities and much care had been taken to train him for his royal post. On ascending the throne His Majesty stated that “he would carry out the duties of kingly office after the noble example of his illustrious mother.”

During his reign great strides were made in science and invention. In aviation such progress had been made that navigable airships were flown in 1909, whilst further improvements in steam locomotives and steamships greatly assisted trade by reducing the time required for transport between the principal centres.

On 6th May, 1910, Edward the Peacemaker passed away. In the Royal Courts of Europe where his knowledge of French and German stood him in good stead, he had enjoyed remarkable popularity which was of great assistance in the maintenance of cordial relationship between the Powers. His courageous spirit, his admiration for every manifestation of heroism, his philanthropic activities, his faculty for business, and his remarkable memory, not only won the affection of the Empire over which he ruled, but made him eminently suitable to represent the nation abroad.