The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-05-28 00:00:00

THE ANNUAL MEET OF BICYCLISTS

AT HAMPTON COURT.

THE QUEEN' S BIRTHDAY.

On Tuesday (24th Her Majesty the Queen attained
her 62nd birthday, an age which has been exceeded by
11 only of the sovereigns of England, dating from the
Norman Conquest—namely, Henry 1., who attained
67 years; Henry 111., 65 years; Edward 1., 67 years;
Edward 111., 65 years; Queen Elizabeth, 69 years;
James 11., 68 years; George 1., 67 years; George 11.,
77 years; George 111., 82 years ; George IV., 68
years; and William IV., 72 years.
On the 20th of June next Her Majesty will have
reigned over this kingdom for 44 years, a period which
has been exceeded by four English sovereigns only—
namely, Henry 111., who reigned 56 years; Edward
111., who reigned for 50 years; Queen Elizabeth, who
reigned 45 years; and George 111., whose reign ex-
tended to 60 years.

Queen Victoria stands fourth in point of age among
the reigning monarchs of Europe, her older contem-
poraries being—William 1., Emperor of Germany and
King of Prussia, aged 84; William 111., King of the
Netherlands, aged 64; and Christian IX., King of
Denmark, aged 63. Her Majesty's reign, which has
nearly lasted for 44 years, is only exceeded in length
by that of one living sovereign—the Emperor of
Brazil, who ascended the throne on April 7, 1831,
more than six years before her Majesty's accession.
The Queen's surviving descendants number 33—
namely, 4 sons, 4 daughters, 8 grandsons, 16 grand-
daughters, and one great grand-daughter, the Prin-
cess Feodora Victoria of Saxe-Meiningen, born
May 12, 1879.

Windsor was gaily decked with flags on the occasion
of her Majesty's birthday, a large ensign floating from
the Town-hall flagstaff. The bells of St. George's
Chapel and of the parish and neighbouring churches
pealed at intervals during the day, and a royal salute
was fired by the Royal Bombardier in the Long Walk,
and salutes were also fired at Fort Belvedere, Virginia
Water. In the evening Her Majesty's tradesmen
dined together at the "White Hart" Hotel, under
the presidency of the Mayor of the borough, Her Ma-
jesty contributing venison to the banquet. The occa-
sion was also celebrated with the usual honours at
many other places throughout the kingdom.

The anniversary of the Queen's birthday was
celebrated in Dublin with all the customary honours.
Flags were displayed in some of the leading streets,
the banks and most of the public offices were closed,
and the day was generally kept as a holiday. The
chief feature in the celebration, however, was the
usual Review in the Phoenix-park, which attracted a
very large attendance, not merely of the professional
and commercial classes, but of the populace, who
always view a military spectacle with the utmost
pleasure. The day was splendidly fine throughout,
and the Park, with its picturesque surroundings,
looked fresh and brilliant.

In noticing the Queen's birthday, the Daily Chronicle of
Tuesday remarks:—
To-day the Queen completes her sixty-second year,
Only three European Sovereigns can. claim to be her
seniors—namely, the Emperor William, who has
started on his eighty-fifth voyage Found the sun ; the
King of the Netherlands, who is nearly half-way
through his seventh decade; and Christian IX. of
Denmark, who has reached his grand climacteric.
Her Majesty's reign of nearly forty years, how-
ever, has been longer than that of any living
ruler, with the exception of the Emperor of Brazil,
who seems to have proved that it is not in-
variably true that "uneasy lies the head that wears
a crown," for he has worn his with tolerable comfort
for a period of half a century. Sovereigns do not as
a rule attain to an age much beyond sixty. Only
eleven occupants of the Throne since the Conquest
have exceeded the age which the Queen reaches to-
day, and not more than four have enjoyed a longer
reign. One of those tour was Queen Elizabeth, whose
name is endurably associated with her period. The
same distinction promises to be the lot of Queen
Victoria. In our future history, the Victorian age
will probably be no less illustrious than the Eliza-
bethan. It has been a period of social and political
changes, which we cannot but believe have been
for the better, and that, accordingly, a decided
advance has been made towards that "far off
Divine event" of which Mr. Tennyson speaks. Re-
markable discoveries which cannot fail to have a
powerful effect upon the future history of civilisation
have also marked the period of Her Majesty's life-
time. The triumphs won by science have scarcely
been more remarkable than the victories achieved in
art and literature. The condition of the people has
undoubtedly been more satisfactory during the present
reign, in spite of periodical depression, than it was at
any previous period in our annals. While Her Ma-
jesty has outlived every contemporary European
Sovereign but three, her throne has remained secure
amid the stirring events which have resulted in the
overthrow of others. During her lifetime many States
and Kingdoms have disappeared, and Empires have
risen and fallen in a manner which suggests that
thrones are not amongst the most endurable institu-
tions upon earth.

The Standard has the following very appropriate leader
on the Queen's Birthday :--