Part 15 (1/2)
On the following day Parliament met in brief Session and the Marquess of Salisbury in the House of Lords and Mr A J Balfour in the Co is fully assured that the House of Lords will share the deep sorrohich has befallen His Majesty and the nation by the lamented death of His Majesty's mother, the late Queen Her devotion to the welfare of her country and her people and her wise and beneficent rule during the sixty-four years of her glorious reign will ever be held in affectionate hout the doled syratulation, in reply, Lord Salisbury spoke with sincere and weighty words as to the qualities and power of the late Queen, her position as a constitutional ruler and her ”steady and persistent influence on the action of her Ministers in the course of legislation and governn the speaker was explicit: ”He has before hireatest example he could have to follow, he has been faeneration, he enjoys a universal and enorn Courts ale of the working of our institutions and the conduct of our affairs”
The motion was seconded by Lord Kimberley as Liberal Leader in the House, and spoken to by the Archbishop of Canterbury In the Con and character of Queen Victoria and to the Sovereign's influence upon public affairs ”In ment the importance of the Crown in our Constitution is not a di factor” Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, the Opposition Leader, seconded the motion, dealt with the late Queen's personal character, referred to Queen Alexandra as having long reigned in the hearts of the people, and paid high tribute to King Edward: ”For the greater part of his life it has fallen to hie part of the ceremonial public duty which would naturally be perfor part in almost every scheme established for the national benefit of the country
Religion and charity, public health, science and literature and art, education, coriculture--not one of these subjects appealed in vain to His Majesty, when Prince of Wales, for strong sympathy and even for personal effort and influence We kno unselfish he has been in the assiduous discharge of all his public duties, we knohat tact and geniality he has been able to lend hireat objects”
The tactful and obviously sincere language of the King's address to his Council had, meanwhile, won the warmest and most loyal commendation in all parts of the E extraordinary in view of the diversity of peoples and interests involved Other es which followed from His Majesty were of the same statesmanlike character To the Arn and as constitutional head, thanking it for the splendid services rendered to the late Queen and describing her pride in its deeds and in being herself a soldier's daughter ”To secure your best interests will be one of the deepest objects of my heart and I know I can count upon that loyal devotion which you ever evinced toward your late Sovereign” On the following day the Navy received a uished services rendered by it during the long and glorious reign of the late Queen and concluding with these words: ”Watching over your interests and well-being I confidently rely upon that unfailing loyalty which is the proud inheritance of your noble Service”
An incident follohich once more showed the tactfulness of character so desirable and in The presence of Willialand, at this particular period, was creating much discussion abroad and his evident friendshi+p for the King, whom he had just made an Ad prolonged conferences--in company on one occasion with Lord Lansdoho had been hastily summoned to Osborne--increased this interest On January 28th the situation was accentuated by the announcement that the German Emperor had been made a Field Marshal in the British Arht of the Garter
In personally conferring the latter honour King Edward made a brief speech in which he expressed the hope that the kindly action of the E to London at this juncture and his own presentation of this ancient Order to the Princewhich exists between the two countries”
Between the ti's accession and the funeral of Queen Victoria, on February 1st, the press and public of the Ereat loss sustained and n There was, in both connections, a curious and striking unanimity, as may be inferred from what has been already stated A few expressions of authoritative opinion about the new King may, however, very properly be quoted here in addition to the referencesthe Queen's death, spoke of the long training undergone by the Prince of Wales, of his wide experience and his acquaintance with the ceremonial functions of Royalty ”Endowed as he is with many of the most lovable and attractive qualities of his enerous disposition, and with a quick appreciation of genuine worth--the nation is happy in the confidence that, in spirit as well as in form, it may count upon the maintenance of that conception of Royalty which is the only one whichadds perfect tact, wide knowledge of men and the business virtues of reat capacity for work”
KINDLY AND LOYAL WORDS
Speaking on January 24th at the City Teational Union of England and Wales, spoke of the King's great opportunities and personal powers ”As Prince of Wales he has played a difficult part with strict sagacity and unfailing good-nature He is a reat compass of mind Let us welcome him with our warmest appreciation” From across the Atlantic came the voice of the Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, in his eloquent speech in Parliament on February 8th: ”We have believed fro, and that the policy which has reat under his predecessor will also be his policy” From the still more distant Melbourne, Australia, caus_ on February 1st: ”In the eyes of his subjects, near and far, he is clothed with the kindliness, the tact, the syence, the political i the e of the Royal tasks His people know that he possesses the anity, the clear vision and the industry which befit the occupant of aas well as exalted position” Fro, and within British dominions the opinions and tributes everywhere partook of one quality--that of trust and confidence in the new Sovereign
During this first week of his reign the hich devolved upon the King was tre and consideration of necessary docu the illness of the Queen was alone a serious task The slight sickness of the Duke of Cornwall and York detached hiiven in many ways, and the presence of the German Emperor increased the burden of discussion and of questions to be dealt with The King also took charge of the large and coements connected with the funeral ceremonies and supervised the immense variety of details with his usual business-like ability and energy This great function, which eclipsed the Jubilee in solemn splendour and exceeded any deht of public sorrow, commenced on Friday, February 1st, when the remains of the Queen were removed from Osborne to the Royal yacht _Alberta_
The coffin was carried by Highlanders and blue-jackets, followed by the King, the Gerht, the German Crown Prince, Prince Henry of Prussia, Prince Christian, the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Arthur of Connaught, Prince Charles of Den, and then Queen Alexandra and the Princesses The _Alberta_ passed across the Solent to Ports warshi+ps, and was followed by another vessel with the Royal mourners on board The st the warshi+ps
On Saturday the body of the late Sovereign was brought from Portston station through arbed, silent andthe entire route, of thirty-three thousand Regular troops and volunteers It was followed by the King, the Ger abreast, the Kings of Portugal and Greece, forty Princes representing every Royal House in Europe, seventeen representatives of the Colonies, a long array of An representatives, the Queen, the Princesses, the King of the Belgians, the Duke of Cae, Lord Roberts, Lord Wolseley The coffin was taken by train to Windsor where, in St George's Chapel, the funeral service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Winchester The actual interment took place on Monday afternoon in the Royal Mausoleureat Queen were laid in death beside those of the husband whose ed obsequies--the most splendid and impressive in history--passed off with a smoothness of procedure which, under the circu duties, indicated e, as well as a st the people
Throughout the E the purple-draped streets of London, funeral services were being held and sermons of sorrow preached in an uncounted multitude of churches darkened with all the habili As the _Standard_ well put it on February 5th: ”The nation is conscious of its debt to the King, whose tactful perception and devoted labour gave it so splendid an opportunity of showing its reverence for the Sovereign who has just passed away The King on his side has found strength and comfort in those eloquent demonstrations of the sympathy of his subjects which have reached him, in innumerable ways, from all parts of his dominions”
Immediately after the last cerees which, for tact and courtesy and kindliness, have rarely been excelled--even by the experienced eloquence of his Royal mother They were all dated February 4th and the first was addressed ”To : ”Now that the last scene has closed in the noble and ever-glorious life of my beloved mother, the Queen, I am anxious to endeavour to convey to the whole Eratitude I feel for the heart-stirring and affectionate tributes which are everywhere borne to her nificent display by sea and land and the inspiration of courage and hope which the public sy days ”Encouraged by the confidence of that love and trust which the nation ever reposed in its late and fondly-n, I shall earnestly strive to walk in her footsteps, devotingthe highest interests of reat and sacred responsibilities which, through the will of God, I ae was addressed ”Toto the countless dispatches which had been received frorief felt throughout the E spoke of the ”heartfelt interest” always evinced by the late Sovereign in the welfare of Greater Britain, in the extension of self-government, in the loyalty of the people to her Throne and person, in the gallantry of those who had fought and died for the Empire in South Africa He concluded as follows: ”I have already declared that it will be reat example which has been bequeathed to me In these endeavours, I shall have a constant trust in the devotion and sympathy of the people and of their several representative assehout my vast Colonial dominions With such loyal support, I will, with God's blessing, solereat En”
The next and last of these historic documents was a letter to the Princes and peoples of India in which His Majesty inforh the lamented death of his mother he had inherited a Throne ”which has descended to e” and then proceeded: ”I now desire to sendChiefs of the Native States and to the inhabitants of ood will and affection and of my heartfelt wishes for their welfare” He spoke of his illustrious predecessor as having first taken upon herself the direct administration of Indian affairs and assumed the title of Eovernment of that country; referred to the loyalty of its people and the services rendered by its Princes in the South African war and by its native soldiers in other countries; and concluded in the following expressive words: ”It was by her wish and with her sanction that I visited India andChiefs, the people and the cities of that ancient and faet the deep impressions which I then received and I shall endeavour to follow the great Queen-E of my Indian subjects of all ranks and toloyalty and affection”
Following these incidents came the return ho to Earl Roberts for his ements, and a most enthusiastic reception to His Majesty and Queen Alexandra during a rapid passage through London to Marlborough House on February 27th Fro weeks of croork and the assu received ratulation One of the first was fro had done so much to aid as Heir Apparent The President, Earl Cawdor, in speaking to the Council on February 6th, referred to ”the keen personal interest which the King had ever taken in all that related to the welfare of the agricultural interests of the country at large, and especially of the Royal Agricultural Society They had ht” Canterbury Convocation referred to the pending visit of the Duke and duchess of Cornwall and York to Australia, New Zealand and Canada The County of Derby the Royal Society, the Benevolent Society of St Patrick--all sorts of organizations, political, financial, coious, scientific, official, artistic, benevolent and literary--expressed their admiration for the late Queen and their loyalty to the new Sovereign
[Illustration: A GROUP AT SANDRINGHAM PALACE
The favourite residence of King Edhile he was Prince of Wales The King is at right of the centre, and the Duke of Cornwall and York, now King George V at the left side of the picture]
[Illustration: THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, WESTMINSTER]
[Illustration: THE HOUSE OF LORDS At Westminster, where the Peers of the Real capacity]
[Illustration: THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT AT OTTAWA The cornerstone was laid by King Edward VII in 1860]
RECEPTION OF LOYAL ADDRESS
On January 13th the King received, in state, at St James's Palace, the Corporation of London and the London County Council In response to the addresses His Majestyof the Poor Question, which he described as one in which ”I have always taken the deepest personal interest” At a land on February 19th, with the Earl of Euston in the chair, the usual address was passed, and then a letter was read fro felt it necessary to resign the Grand-Mastershi+p, but that he would re received at St James's the loyal address of the University of Oxford, presented by its Chancellor, the Marquess of Salisbury; of the University of Cae, presented by its Chancellor, the Duke of Devonshi+re; of the General asseht Rev Dr Norh and the Royal Society Each of the deputations presenting these addresses was large and distinguished in membershi+p, and to each His Majesty addressed a brief and tactful speech
On March 12th another brilliant function was held at the sa received addresses from the Convocation of Canterbury, presented by the Archbishop, and that of the Northern Convocation presented by the Archbishop of York; the University of London, the English Presbyterian Church and the Society of Friends Eight days later the great event in this connection, as of state and splendour, was the reception of over forty addresses frohs, institutions and various public bodies Included in the list of deputations presenting addresses were those froh, Dublin, Victoria and Wales, the Dutch Reforland and Wales, the National Council of the Evangelical Free Churches, the Cities of York, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Belfast, Cardiff, Exeter, Chester and Doncaster, the Bank of England, the Royal Asiatic Society, the Incorporated Law Society of the United Kingdoe of Freemasons and the Ancient Order of Foresters