The Life of King Edward VII
number. The troops were under the supreme command of Colonel Biscoe, and
the Royal Naval Brigade included four thousand sailors from twelve of
Britain's most modern cruisers. It was a sight such as had never been
witnessed in Canada before and the review eclipsed in effect the
previous military spectacle at Toronto; while the environment of great
fortifications and a harbour full of war-ships enhanced the character of
the scene. Near the Royal pavilion was a stand containing six thousand
school children who sang patriotic songs.
After the review the Duke presented colours to the 66th Princess Louise
Fusiliers and was informed by the Lieutenant-Governor that H.R.H. the
Duke of Kent had conferred a similar honour upon the Regiment in the
early part of the preceeding century. His Royal Highness then handed the
war medals to the South African veterans and presented a sword of honour
to Major H. B. Stairs. In the evening a state dinner was given by the
Lieut.-Governor at Government House when occasion was taken by the Duke
to present the Hon. Dr. Borden with the medal won by the gallant son who
had lost his life in South Africa. A Reception was held afterwards in
the Provincial Buildings amid scenes of striking beauty and brightness.
The city and fleet were brilliantly illuminated and the spectacle one of
the most beautiful of the whole Canadian tour. The next day was Sunday
and was spent very quietly on board the _Ophir_. At night the Duke dined
with Vice-Admiral Bedford on board his flag-ship. On the following
morning the Royal visitors left the shores of Canada in their yacht,
accompanied by the fleet of battleships and with the cheers of many
thousands of people, the roar of guns and the sound of bands playing on
sea and shores, echoing out over the waters of the harbour.
THE ROYAL FAREWELL TO CANADA
Before leaving Halifax, and under date of October 19th, the Duke of
Cornwall and York sent a communication to the Earl of Minto expressive
of the regret felt by the Duchess and himself at bidding farewell to "a
people who by their warm-heartedness and cordiality have made us feel at
home amongst them from the first moment of our arrival on their shores."
He referred to the loyal demeanour of the crowds, the general
manifestations of rejoicing and the trouble and ingenuity displayed in
the illuminations and street decorations. They were specially touched by
the great efforts made in small and remote places to manifest feelings
of kindness toward them. "I recognize all this as a proof of the strong
personal loyalty to the throne as well as the deep-seated devotion of
the people of Canada to that unity of the Empire of which the Crown is
the symbol." Thanks were tendered to the Dominion Government, the
Provincial authorities and municipal bodies and to various individuals
for the care and trouble bestowed upon the varied arrangements. Of the
Militia His Royal Highness spoke in high terms. The reviews at Quebec,
Toronto and Halifax had enabled him to judge of the military capacity of
the Dominion and of the "splendid material" at its disposal. Their
hearts, he added, were full at leaving Canada and their regrets extreme
at having to decline so many kind invitations from different centres.
"But we have seen enough to carry away imperishable memories of
affectionate and loyal hearts, frank and independent natures, prosperous
and progressive communities, boundless productive territories, glorious
scenery, stupendous works of nature, a people and a country proud of
its membership in the Empire and in which the Empire finds one of its
brightest offspring."
On the way home Newfoundland was visited and an enthusiastic reception
given by the people of St. John's and the Government of the Island. The
usual addresses, decorations and functions followed and then the _Ophir_
steamed away over the last stretch of ocean in this long, strenuous and
memorable Royal progress of over fifty thousand miles on sea and land.
When in sight of English shores again the King and Queen and the Royal
children, accompanied by the Channel squadron of thirteen warships, met
the travellers and escorted them to Portsmouth. After eight months of
separation the Royal family of three generations were again together.
The popular welcome at Portsmouth was brilliant and enthusiastic as well
it might be. As the _Times_ put it on November 1st--the day of the
arrival home--"The Duke and Duchess have made the greatest tour in
history; they have accomplished an act of high statesmanship without
statecraft but by simple arts which are better than any statecraft; they
have been under many skies and seen many strange, lovely and impressive
sights; they have been greeted and acclaimed by many peoples, races and
languages." In his speech to the Civic deputation waiting upon him on
the following day His Royal Highness stated that their journey had
covered thirty-three thousand miles by sea and twelve thousand five
hundred by land. "Everywhere we have been profoundly impressed by the
kindness, affection and enthusiasm extended to us and the universal
declarations of loyalty to the Throne; and by the conscious pride in
membership of our great Empire which has constantly displayed itself."
A dinner was given by the King and Queen on board the yacht _Victoria
and Albert_ in honour of the Royal travellers' return and, in the course
of a speech of welcome, His Majesty referred to the cordiality and
loyal enthusiasm of their reception everywhere. "The accounts of their
receptions, regularly transmitted to me by telegrams and letters and
amply confirmed in my conversations to-day, have touched me deeply and I
trust that the practical result will be to draw closer the strong ties
of mutual affection which bind together the old Motherland with her
numerous and thriving offspring". The special train was then taken to
London and from Victoria station to Marlborough House the Royal couple
drove through numerous crowds of cheering people and gaily decorated
streets, with little Prince Edward beside them--for the first time
making a public appearance and accepting the acclamations of the public
with becoming gravity. It was a triumphal ending to a triumphant
progress. A sort of climax to this termination was afforded, however, in
the great banquet given by the Lord Mayor of London at the Guild Hall on
December 5th, to him who had been created Prince of Wales on the 9th of
November preceding by his father the King. There were only four
toasts--the King, proposed by Sir Joseph Dimsdale, the Lord Mayor and
chairman; Queen Alexandra and the Royal family, responded to by the new
Prince of Wales; the Colonies, proposed by the Earl of Rosebery and
responded to by Mr. Chamberlain; the Lord Mayor and Corporation proposed
by the Marquess of Salisbury.
Besides the speakers and the members of the Royal suite during this
famous tour there were present the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Mrs.
Chamberlain, Lord James of Hereford, Mr. John Morley, Lord Knutsford,
Lord and Lady Tweedmouth, Lord and Lady Lamington, Lord Brassey, Lord
Avebury, Sir Frederick Young and many other interesting or important
personages. The speech delivered by the Prince of Wales was one which
startled England from its directness of statement and its eloquence of
style and delivery. It was not merely a clear, or good description of
the tour; it was the utterance of one who was both statesman and
orator. His Royal Highness referred to the historic title which he now
bore, to the voyage, unique in character and rich in experience, to the
loyalty, affection and enthusiasm of the greetings everywhere, to the
special characteristics of the visit in each country. He analysed
Colonial loyalty as being accompanied by "unmistakable evidences of the
consciousness of strength; of a true and living membership in the
Empire; and of power and readiness to share the burden and
responsibility of that membership". He spoke of the influence of Queen
Victoria's life and memory, of the qualities of the sixty thousand
troops whom he had reviewed, of the openings for better commercial
interchange. "I venture to allude to the impressions which seemed
generally to prevail among our brethren across the seas that the Old
Country must wake up if she intends to maintain her old position of
pre-eminence in her Colonial trade against foreign competitors". The
need of more population in the Colonies was referred to and an urgent
appeal made to encourage the sending out of suitable emigrants. "By this
means we may still further strengthen, or at all events, pass on
unimpaired, that pride of race, that unity of sentiment and purpose,
that feeling of common loyalty and obligation which knit together and
alone can maintain the integrity of our Empire".
CHAPTER XX.
The King and the South African War
No event in many years has created such keen interest amongst, and been
so closely followed by, the Royal family of Great Britain as the war in
South Africa. Apart from Queen Victoria's natural and life-long dislike
of the horrors of war, there was the earnest sympathy which she felt in
the last two years of her reign with thousands of her subjects who had
suffered in the loss of husband, or brother, or father, or friend; and
the womanly sorrow which she herself felt for the many promising young
officers whom she had personally known or liked, or whose relations and
friends had been upon terms of intimacy with members of the Royal
circle. The matter was still more brought home to her, in a personal
sense, by the death of her grandson, Prince Christian Victor, who, after
months of hard campaigning and with the reputation of an able, modest
and hard-working officer, succumbed in the autumn of 1900 to enteric
fever, and was buried, at his own request, upon the South African veldt.
But these personal considerations had never been so potent with the
Queen as had her broader sympathies for her people, and there can be no
doubt the gloomy days of Colenso and Spion Kop told severely upon the
sensibilities of a Sovereign who was as proud of the nation's position
and as keen to feel national humiliation, or sorrow, as was the humblest
and most loyal of her subjects. And the fact that her duty to the people
and the Empire lay in supporting her Ministers and pressing, if
necessary, for a still more vigorous prosecution of the struggle, could
not but have its effect upon the constitution of a Queen who felt her
responsibilities very keenly and who was an aged woman as well as a
great ruler.
Where she could help in keeping behind her Ministers a united people
Queen Victoria did her utmost. Early in March, 1900, the Royal
recognition of Irish valour in South Africa, shown in the order to the
soldiers of the Empire to wear the Shamrock on St. Patrick's day, was as
tactful and wise a step as statesmanship ever initiated. The ensuing
postponement of Her Majesty's spring visit to sunny Italy and her
prolonged stay in Dublin during the month of April were pronounced
appeals to Irish loyalty. Her Christmas present of chocolate to the
troops in the field, her ever-thoughtful telegrams, and occasional
letters and speeches upon public occasions, were also of great value to
the cause of national unity and action in differing degrees. Meantime,
the Duke of Connaught had volunteered early in the period of trouble
which eventually developed into war, but the Queen did not wish him to
go to the front and, though he had offered to waive his rank and
seniority in order to do so, his mother's wishes, of course, prevailed.
DUTIES OF THE HEIR APPARENT
The Prince of Wales was exceedingly active during this period in paying
every possible compliment to departing troops, in welcoming home the