The Life of King Edward VII
Czar of Russia. Nicholas II. bore the same relationship of nephew to him
that was borne by William II. and, like the other Imperial ruler, came
to bear a similar feeling of respect and regard for his
uncle--sentiments not always felt between relations, royal or otherwise.
It was on August 31st, 1894, that the Princess of Wales received a
despatch from her sister, the Czarina, that Alexander III. was nearing
his end in the far-away Palace of Livadia. As rapidly as train and ship
could carry them the Royal couple travelled to Russia, but only in time
for the prolonged and splendid ceremonial of a state funeral. In this
great and solemn pageant, lasting a week, and extending from Livadia to
St. Petersburg, the Czar and the Prince were constantly together, in the
most intimate relations, at a moment when the former was just
emerging--as yet a young and inexperienced man--into the
responsibilities of perhaps the most difficult position in the world. It
was little wonder if the youthful autocrat of ninety millions took
counsel of his experienced and genial relative, and found in his society
comfort and knowledge and the basis of a lasting friendship. Let Mr. W.
T. Stead in the _Review of Reviews_, of January, 1895, describe the
situation:
It was fortunate for every one that he stood where he did, as no
one outside the Royal Castle could have been to the young Czar what
the Prince was at Livadia, and afterwards. In the long and almost
terrible pilgrimage to the tomb which followed, when the corpse of
the dead Czar was carried in solemn state from the shores of the
Black Sea to the tomb in the Cathedral that stands on the frozen
Neva, the Prince was always at the right hand of the Czar. Alike in
public or in private, the uncle and the nephew stood side by side.
After the first gush of grief had passed, it was impossible but
that thoughts of the relations between the two Empires should not
have crossed the minds of both. These two men share between them
the over lordship of Asia. To the Czar, the north from the Oural
to the far Sagahlien; to the other, the south from the Straits of
Babel Mandeb to Hong Kong. No two men on this planet ever
represented so vast a range of Imperial power as the first mourners
at the bier of Alexander the Third.
At St. Petersburg, the Duke of York joined the mourning group of Royal
personages, and there, on November 26th, the young Czar was married to
his cousin, Princess Alix of Hesse, and a still closer tie of
relationship formed with the Royal House of England. From this time
forward the diplomatic relations of Russia and Great Britain steadily
improved and there has never been any doubt amongst those in a position
to judge that it was very largely due to the close friendship between
the Prince of Wales and his Imperial nephew. In France, and especially
amongst its leading men, His Royal Highness was for long an influential
factor in keeping the wheels of international relations moving smoothly.
Personally popular, his tactful course at critical periods helped
greatly in maintaining official amity. The root of this wide-spread
influence and practical statecraft, in addition to elements already
indicated and covering more directly the personal equation, was well
described by Mr. Smalley in an article already quoted: "First of all,
the impression of real force of character. Next, that combined
shrewdness and good sense which together amount to sagacity. Third,
tact. Add to these firmness and courage, and base all of these gifts on
immense experience of life by one who has touched it on many sides and
you will have drawn an outline of character which cannot be much
altered. Add to it the Prince's constant solicitude about public matters
and his intelligent estimate of forces--which last is the chief business
of statesmanship. Add to this again the effect upon the hearer of
conversation from a mind full, not indeed of literature, but of life; a
conversation of wide range, of acuteness, of clear statement and strong
opinion, of infinite good humour."
To these varied lines of useful statesmanship and personal labour in
which the Heir Apparent was engaged for so many years, may be added the
personal influence which he exercised over men of the Empire from time
to time, and his constant inculcation of pride in country and of
patriotic principle. There will then be seen a total record worthy of
his later place as the hereditary ruler of vast dominions. In the former
connection one incident may be mentioned as told by a correspondent
during the Indian tour: "The Prince's tact is remarkable, and the news
of his friendliness soon spread over India; one officer of great
experience in Indian affairs declared that in asking the Maharajah
Scindia to ride down the lines with him at Delhi, His Royal Highness
performed an act which was worth a million sterling." Upon the latter
point his speeches during forty years to innumerable military
bodies--Militia, Volunteer, or Naval--may be mentioned. His earliest
deliverance of this character was in presenting colours to the 100th, or
Prince of Wales' Royal Canadian Regiment, at Thorncliffe, on January
10th, 1859. His first speech as an officer of the Army was, therefore,
of an Imperialistic character: "The ceremonial, in which we are now
engaged, possesses a peculiar significance and solemnity because in
confiding to you for the first time this emblem of military fidelity and
valour, I not only recognize emphatically your enrollment into our
national force but celebrate an act which proclaims and strengthens the
unity of the various parts of this vast Empire under the sway of our
common Sovereign." The fact that this address of the youthful Prince--he
was not eighteen--was probably revised and approved by the Prince
Consort and the Queen, illustrates how early his education in
Imperialism began, and how far in advance of public opinion the Queen
and her sagacious husband were.
Through the years that followed the Prince of Wales was never backward
in urging efficient military and naval protection for British
interests. Upon the question of the Navy two speeches, delivered in
1899, may be referred to as indicating the patriotic statesmanship of
the Heir of the Throne Speaking at the Middlesex Hospital banquet on
April 12th he said: "In this country it depends on our Navy and our Army
to uphold the honour and _prestige_ of our nation and to protect the
interests which have made it the vast empire it is. I rejoice to think
that Her Majesty's Government have thought fit to increase our Navy. I
realize by your applause how heartily you reciprocate what I have said,
and I believe that this feeling exists not only in this room but
throughout the length and breadth of Her Majesty's dominions. In
strengthening our Navy, God forbid that it should imply in any way that
we threatened other countries--just the reverse--for, in order to be at
peace, we must be strong. Therefore, the best policy is to strengthen
our first line of defence--the Navy. I hope the motto of which our
Volunteers are so proud may ever be retained by the Navy; that of
defence, not defiance." A little later, as President of the Royal
National Lifeboat Institution, he presided over a banquet in London on
May 1st. In proposing the toast of the Army and Navy he declared that
the country owed them much. "I am sure the desire of every Englishman is
to see both in a high state of efficiency and that he does not grudge
putting his hand in his pocket to maintain them, because he knows that
if he has a good fleet and a good army he is safe and the honour of the
Empire is safe."
An incident occurred on April 4th, 1900, which afforded abundant proof
of the popularity of the Prince of Wales and indicated the importance
his position had attained in the eyes of the world. He had been
travelling to Denmark accompanied by the Princess, and his train had
arrived at Brussels _en route_ from Calais to Copenhagen. The carriage
was a special one and was leaving the station at a slow, preliminary
rate when a youth named Sipido jumped on the foot-board of the car and
fired two shots, in rapid succession, point-blank at the traveller who
was just taking a cup of tea with his wife. He was about to fire a third
time, but was seized by the stationmaster, arrested and sent to prison.
The man turned out to be a Belgian, expressed no regret for his
attempted crime, said that he was willing to try again, and stated,
under cross-examination, that his object was to avenge the thousands of
men "whom the Prince had caused to be slaughtered in South Africa." He
was afterwards tried under the laws of Belgium and acquitted. After
sending dispatches to the Queen and the Duchess of York, containing
assurance of safety, the Prince and Princess proceeded on their way to
Denmark.
The event created a profound sensation in Great Britain and throughout
Europe and the British Empire. The first feeling was of astonishment
that one of the most popular members of the world's Royal circle should
be the object of such an attempt; the second that more care had not been
taken by those responsible for his safety in travelling; and the third
was admiration for the perfect coolness and obvious bravery which he
showed during and after the ordeal. Everywhere tributes of sympathy were
tendered in language of unstinted appreciation of the Heir Apparent's
public services and character. Speaking at Acton, on the same evening,
Lord George Hamilton, M.P., said: "What could have induced any foreigner
to raise his hand against the Prince of Wales passed his comprehension.
If there was one individual who had utilized his position and abilities
to promote the welfare of the poorer section of society it was the
Prince of Wales. No kinder, no more philanthropic, no more humane man
existed on the face of the earth." At other meetings which were going
on, sympathetic allusions were made to the event, amidst loud cheers, by
Lord Strathcona, Sir William Wedderburn, M.P., the Earl of Hopetoun, and
Sir Wilfrid Lawson. Telegrams poured in at Windsor and Marlborough
House from every point of the compass. Resolutions of congratulation
were passed in every portion of the Empire during the next few days, and
"God bless the Prince of Wales" rang loudly through the United Kingdom
and many a distant country.
King Leopold of Belgium was one of the first to express his deep regret
at the occurrence; the Governments of Victoria, South Australia, Western
Australia, Queensland, New Zealand, Tasmania, Cyprus, Mauritius and
Barbados, the President of France, the Portuguese Parliament, the Town
Councils of Ballarat and Bendigo in Australia and Durban in South
Africa, the Agents-General of all the Colonies in London, the Australian
Federal Delegates in London, the Masonic Grand Lodge of New Zealand, the
Corporation of London, the Government of Servia, the High Commissioner
for South Africa and the Hon. W. P. Schreiner, Premier of Cape Colony,
the Governor-General of Canada, the Governor of Malta, and some eight