The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1886-07-27

y
giant. India has been pacified and
subdued, not without cost and sacri-
fee; Her Majesty is now its EN-
press, and the pdr britannica es-
tablished after the Sikh and Punjab
campaigns and consolidated by the
suppression of the mutiny in Bengal
has illustrated the heroism of the
British race, and secured tho pros
porous tranquility Of over two hum
dred millions of human beings. We
have had our reverses and misfor-
tunes, as in the two Afghan wars
and in some of our campaigns in
South Africa but in the wars waged
during the reign of the Queen British
soldiers in all parts of the world
have uniformly fought with heroism,
endurance, and discipline which
their fathers displayed before them,
and have shown on hundred fields
that the old martial fibre is as tough
as ever in their nature. We have
taken part in one great European
war, and our soldiers stood shoulder
to shoulder in the Crimea with the
sons of their old enemies of Water
loo. At home we have seen political
changes as extensive and as bene-
ficent as have been accomplished in
and fifty years of our history.
When the Queen came to the Throne
the first Reform Bill was only five
years old. 1t was thirty years be-
fore the borough householder was
enfranchised, and the complete en-
reimbursement of the county house.
holder was only accomplished the
other day. But in the meanwhile
the Corn Laws were abolished, Free
Trade has been completely estab-
lished, our tinanciaIsystem has been
reorganised, and, greatest and most
beneficent change of all, education
has been made universal AMI COM
pulsory with the free assent of the
people. The Church of England,
now assailed with hostility which
at least demonstrates the religious
vitality of the nation, has during the
present reign manifested practical
activity and a revival of spiritual
influence which have given it a COM
manding position even in an age
when unbelief has taken militant
form in almost every country but
our own. The Church has withstood
the assaults of Nonconformity and
the disiutegrating effects of the
Oxford movement and its sequel;
and it is what it is now because
Arnold, Newman, Pusey, Stanley,
TAFT, and others too numerous to
name, have given to it, each in his
measure, their spiritual example,
their Christian charity and compre-
hensiveness, their practical wisdom
and sagacious methods of govern
ment. If we glance beyond the seas
we shall descry in every direction
vast and momentous changes which
have taken place during the Queens
reign in the condition and relations
of all the great States of the world.
France has passed from a Monarchy
to Republic, from Republic to
an Empire, and from an Empire to
Reaublic again. She has suffered
one of the greatest and most sudden
defeats in history, and yet she has
renewed her strength with rapidity
which has astonished the world.
Prussia has overthrown Austria,
and, having risen to the hegemony
of the German States, has seen hel
sovereign assume the Imperial
Crown with the assent of united
Germany. Italy has been liberated
and united. Spain has passed
through succession of revolutions
but has nevertheless steadily ad.
vanced in material prosperity. Rus.
sia has extended her Empire in the
East by the absorption of the
Khanates beyond the Caspian, and
now touches the borders of Afghan
istan. Turkey has steadily declined
partly through internal decay,
partly through external attack, but
as her borders recede in Europe
there arise in her place nationalities
to whom, if the ambition of theil
} more powerful neighbours can be
restrained, the future of South
Eastern Europe must belong. Across
the Atlantic the United States hav'
, gone through revolution which ha'
purified the American continen
a from the taint of African slavery
a though at the cost of gigantic civi
!. war. In the Far East Japan ha
h freely assimilated the influences O
!. Western civilisation, and even tn
y Chinese Empire, the time-honoure
i type of political immobility, ha
q begun to show signs Of simila
receptive tendency.
= These ard similar reflection
: crowd upon the miud as soon as W
d begin to think on the strange, event
s ful history of Her Majesty's lon
d and prosperous reign. In many {
a the most striking of these event
g she has borne her personal share
s. on many more her influence, diret
le or Indirect, has been less conspicl
n Gus, though not always less re;
IS and less decisive. In dwelling upo
d the events of her reign, however, {
n the opening of her jubilee ye;
s, invites them to do, her subjects wi
a 4 f..I e 4.