The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-07-19

We have very high regard for Queen VIC
ToRIA. She stands at the head of the mothers
of England. Her household is q model bouse.
hold. Her Court is an example of propriety and
decorum. There may be too much of ceremonial,
perhaps, to suit our palmer Republican tastes,
but that is to be expected in a country where
royalty-as the blunt Spaniard once Sails
itself but a ceremonial. But State shows, and
all the gilded paraphernalia of regaty are but
the outward trappings Of Queen VICTORIA. Di-
vested of these, she still is, what all the world
admires-a true woman. But the people of Eng
land are not content that their sovereign shall
claim their loyalty on the ground of her admira-
BILE feminine qualities alone. She must realize
for them, in its oftier sense, the proud boast of
old Queen BEss-"Though have the form of a
"woman have the heart of King; aye, and
''of King of England, too" And like the last
OF the TUDoRs, she must be prepared to animate
by her presence, the national spirit in times of
real or imaginary peril. 1t is amusing yet not
wholly uninstructive, TO notice with what fidelity
VICTORIA adapts herself to the customs and preiu-
dices of her subjects. She is a tolerably rood
sailor and takes delight in an occasional dash
OF salt spray; which, to a maritime nation, rest
ing its chief defence upon its ''wooden walls, is
quite praiseworthy accomplishment But this
is not enough. She must have military and
sporting tastes, as well as naval. She must at
tend reviews and races, and although she may not
marshal her battalons, or bet upon the Derby.
she is expected to honor Ascot with her presence,
and to say few appreciative words, indicative
OF her sense of the efficiency of wel-trained
army, and of the importance of field sports in
general, and of horse-racing in particular. What
between these various duties, holding Court
at Windsor, and lscees at St. JAMES, yachting off
the Isle of Wight-autumn journeys to Balmoral
royal progresses Visits 10 the opera-vsits
to the Chrystal Palace-opening and closing of
the Parliamentary session-providing eligible
matches for her marriageable daughters-keeping
watchful eye over her elder sons, and exercising
a careful supervision over her household affairs
1t may be safely asserted that the English
Queen is kept much more busily, and, per-
haps, more usefully employed than Queens
usually are. Happily too, for herself she
is wholly irresponsible for the administration
OF State affairs, in the conduct of which she pos
sesses infinitely less power and influence than the
PRESIDENT of our own Republic. Since the Or
ganization of what may be styled the English
National Guard,'' she has had new duties 70
perform. 1t was but few weeks ago that we had
accounts of her holding leree expressly for the
reception and royal recognition of the superior
officers connected with the volunteer movement.
A little later we heard of her having reviewed
some twenty thousand of these citizen rihemen in
Hyde Park. We have now reports of what che
did and what was done still more recently at the
festival held on Wimbledon Common bv the Ma
uonal lille ASSOCIATION, and how it happened that
she, who had never before drawn trigger in her
life, carried off one of the prizes The story is
quite amusing; but as it carries with it moral.
which those who laugh at it may fail to recognize
we venture 10 reproduce the tale, in part for the
sake of bringing in, what Sir WALTER ScoTT once
APPLY called, 'the mourning coach in the rear of the
marriage procession" We quote from the cor
respondence of the Manchester Guardian: 1t must
be promised that Mr.. WENTWORTH, the inventor of
the celebrated Whitworth gun, and who appears
to have acted as master of ceremonies on the occa-
SON. had previously to the appearance of the royal
party fixed a rife upon a firm mechanical support.
and, after series Of experiments had succeeded
In so adjusting it, that its conical ball could not
fail TO hit the bulls eye of the target at a distance
OF four hundred yards. We will imagine the ROYAL
party arrived. Her MAJESTY steps forward to Mr.
WENTWORTH, and asks him TO explain what she
had to do. Mr.. WENTWORTH places in her hands
scarlet cord, which is attached at the other end
TO the trigger of the rife, and invites her to pull
the end aforesaid. "Wthout the least dlscompo.
"sure, and ''amid the breathless silence of the
Court, her MAJESTY courageousy pulled at the
cord, and then 'anxiousy directed her eve to the
target to observe the result The watchfu marker
after scrutinizng the target, waved his flag. "TAe
q" queen had hit the bulls eyer' and when this
astounding result was announced to her MAJESTY.
we are grayely told that her face was ssuffused with
"a glow of unmistakabIe pleasure and delight
and, OF course, after so successful an exhibition of
Royal skill, she turned to receive the congratu-
" latons of the Royal family But the comedy
was not yet over. One gentleman hurried to the
target, and, after making hastily pencil sketch
OF the exact position of the bullet in the bull eye
returned and presented it to Mr.. SIDNEY HERBERT
OF the War Office, who, in accordance with the
prescribed form of etiquette, presented it to the
PRINCE CoNsoRT who in turn, presented it to the
QUEEN. On seeing what an excellent shot she had
made, her MAJESTY, like any other merry piece
OF Womanhood, burst into a low sverv
laugh OF delight, and the Prince of Wales. and
the Princess Alice, and all the Juvenile members
OF the family--everybody knows that there is a
qul~r full Of them-crowded round the wonderful
olagram, and inspected it with great interest"
NOT satisfied with the pictorial representation.
her Majesty sent for the target ITSELF but as it was
constructed of solid iron, and required eight men
to lift it. she concluded to dispense with it. and
accepted Photographic likeness of it instead To
crown ALL gold medal has be en- struck. T. bich
tne council OF the Association design presenting
10 her Majesty in commemoration O finer excellent
central shot; and the target was subsequently, re-
moved to the royal pavilion, where it is open to
The inspection of visitors, on paying an entrance
fee of one shilling
NOW all this appears like Every admirable
loolng and certainly the Manchester JENKINS
mas unconscously done his best to make the
"hole affair ridiculous. But underlying the
comedy aspect of the matter is another and a ora
yer one which must not be overlooked Tho on
pilcauon OF steam to naval purposes, and the in
ei,'on vi new and Infinitely more destructive
maonlnes ana missiles of war, render the invasion
VI A-HSiu, at tulS uine, a much easier matter
imam 1t was when the first Napoleon organized his
noullafo that purpose at Boulogne. CampbelI
in one Of his finest lyrics, exultingly proclaim.
ed to the world that
Britannia needs no bulwark,
No towers along the Steep"
But if such in reality was the case, the time has
gone by The third Napoleon has re-awakened in
France the old military spirit, and has created a
navy which, in the number of vessels composing il.
falls very little short of that of England and in all
that relates to construction, is equal to the latter
in many respects and in points is believed to
be superb or. In spite of the entente cordiale and
the new treaty of commerce, the English do not
repose any confidence in NAPOLEON III. They
firmly believe that the invasion of "the inviolate
"lsle' is fixed idea with him; and that if the
relations at present existing between the two conn
tries were broken up, his first movement would be
to cross the Channel and march directly upon
London. Acting under Parliamentary instruc-
tons, the commissioners appointed to enquire into
and report upon the condition Of the coast defen-
ces, call for appropriation of from thirty-ve to
forty millions of pounds sterling, for the purpose
of constructing such Notifications as have been
found necessary for the protection of exposed
points; whilst the augmentation of the regular
army has been rendered paoo.,o, 49,, H.. A. r..