The Life of King Edward VII
history--passed off with a smoothness of procedure which, under the
circumstances of sorrow and crowding duties, indicated more than
ordinary powers of concentration and management in the new King, as well
as a most marvellous sentiment and sympathy amongst the people.
Throughout the Empire, as that solemn procession passed along 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 habiliments of mourning. 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 ceremonies had been performed the King issued
a series of Messages 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
my People." It commenced by saying: "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 Empire the extent of the
deep gratitude I feel for the heart-stirring and affectionate tributes
which are everywhere borne to her memory." His Majesty proceeded to
speak of the recent magnificent display by sea and land and the
inspiration of courage and hope which the public sympathy had been to
him during the recent trying days. "Encouraged by the confidence of that
love and trust which the nation ever reposed in its late and
fondly-mourned Sovereign, I shall earnestly strive to walk in her
footsteps, devoting myself to the utmost of my powers to maintaining and
promoting the highest interests of my people and to the diligent and
zealous fulfilment of the great and sacred responsibilities which,
through the will of God, I am now called to undertake."
A second Message was addressed "To my People beyond the Seas." After
referring to the countless dispatches which had been received from his
"Dominions over the Seas" and the universal grief felt throughout the
Empire, the King 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 my constant endeavour to follow the great 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 assemblies throughout my vast Colonial dominions. With
such loyal support, I will, with God's blessing, solemnly work for the
common welfare and security of the great Empire over which I have now
been called to reign."
The next and last of these historic documents was a letter to the
Princes and peoples of India in which His Majesty informed them that
through the lamented death of his mother he had inherited a Throne
"which has descended to me through a long and ancient lineage" and then
proceeded: "I now desire to send my greeting to the ruling Chiefs of the
Native States and to the inhabitants of my Indian dominions, to insure
them of my sincere good 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 Empress in token of her closer association with the
government 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 and made myself acquainted with the ruling Chiefs, the
people and the cities of that ancient and famous Empire. I shall never
forget the deep impressions which I then received and I shall endeavour
to follow the great Queen-Empress, to work for the general well-being of
my Indian subjects of all ranks and to merit, as she did, their
unfailing loyalty and affection."
Following these incidents came the return home of the German Emperor, a
letter of thanks from the King to Earl Roberts for his management of the
military part of the funeral arrangements, and a most enthusiastic
reception to His Majesty and Queen Alexandra during a rapid passage
through London to Marlborough House on February 27th. From this time on,
during weeks of crowded work and the assumption of new responsibilities
and functions, the King received many addresses of mingled condolence
and congratulation. One of the first was from the Royal Agricultural
Society of England which the King 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 made many and many calls upon his time
and thought." 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,
commercial, religious, scientific, official, artistic, benevolent and
literary--expressed their admiration for the late Queen and their
loyalty to the new Sovereign.
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 Majesty made a direct reference to the Housing of the Poor
Question, which he described as one in which "I have always taken the
deepest personal interest." At a meeting of the Mark Master Masons of
England on February 19th, with the Earl of Euston in the chair, the
usual address was passed, and then a letter was read from Sir Francis
Knollys, saying that the King felt it necessary to resign the
Grand-Mastership, but that he would remain a Patron of the Order. Five
days later the King 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 Cambridge, presented by its Chancellor,
the Duke of Devonshire; of the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland, presented by the Right Rev. Dr. Norman Macleod; of the
Corporation of Edinburgh and the Royal Society. Each of the deputations
presenting these addresses was large and distinguished in membership,
and to each His Majesty addressed a brief and tactful speech.
On March 12th another brilliant function was held at the same Palace,
when the King 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, amidst surroundings of state and
splendour, was the reception of over forty addresses from cities,
boroughs, institutions and various public bodies. Included in the list
of deputations presenting addresses were those from the Universities of
Edinburgh, Dublin, Victoria and Wales, the Dutch Reformed Church, the
Baptist Union, the Congregational Union of England 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 Kingdom, the Coal Exchange, the
United Grand Lodge of Freemasons and the Ancient Order of Foresters.
General replies were given to each address and to only a few separately.
Amongst the latter were the Freemasons, to whom the King said: "I have
felt much regret at relinquishing the high and honourable post of Grand
Master which I have held since 1874, and I shall not cease to retain the
same interest that I have felt in Freemasonry." He also expressed great
satisfaction at being succeeded by the Duke of Connaught.
Further addresses were presented in similar state on May 3d. The Roman
Catholic deputation was headed by Cardinal Vaughan and the Duke of
Norfolk and included Lord Llandaff and fourteen Bishops--a brilliant
picture in red and purple and black. Their address was of peculiar
interest and contained the following paragraph: "Your Majesty's life has
been spent in the midst of your people, sharing in their happiness and
prosperity, actively engaged in ameliorating the condition of the lowly
and in promoting their comfort in sickness and suffering. All classes of
the population--the leisured, the professional, the industrial and the
poor--have been the object of your sympathy and interest." A deputation
from the Jews of Great Britain included Lord Rothschild, the Hon. L. W.
Rothschild, M.P., the Chief Rabbi, Sir G. Faudel-Phillips, Sir Edward
Sassoon, M.P., Mr. B. L. Cohen, M.P., and Sir J. Sebag-Montefiore.
Addresses were also presented by the Presbyterian Church of England, and
on behalf of a large number of cities and towns.
Meanwhile, King Edward had been conferring honours or positions upon
some of his old friends and faithful servants, re-organizing his
Household generally for the still more onerous and important work now
before them, and not forgetting to conspicuously reward the best and
oldest servants of the late Sovereign. In this delicate task he showed
his usual tact and consideration. First in this respect, as she had been
for so many years wherever he could properly place her in the front, was
his wife--and to Queen Alexandra was given the first honour of the new
reign in her creation, under special statute, on February 12th, as Lady
of the Most Noble Order of the Garter--the greatest order of Knighthood
in the world. Three days later the Royal Victorian Order in its highest
form--G.C.V.O.--was given to the Duke of Argyll and the Duke of Fife.
Lord Edward Pelham-Clinton, Major-General Sir John Carstairs McNeill,
V.C., Sir Fleetwood Edwards and Sir Arthur J. Bigge, for many years
important members of Queen Victoria's Household, received the same
honour, as did the King's own devoted Secretary, Sir Francis Knollys.
On February 18th, a number of appointments were made to the Household
including Lord Suffield as Lord-in-Waiting with General the Right Hon.
Sir D. M. Probyn, Sir John McNeill, Lord Wantage, V.C., Sir Fleetwood
Edwards and Sir Arthur Bigge as Extra Equerries to His Majesty. General,
Viscount Bridport and General the Duke of Grafton were appointed
Honorary Equerries and Major-Generals Sir Henry P. Ewart and Sir Stanley