The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-25
Queen NictOria's Reign.

| Victoria attained the longest reign IN
the history Of ENGLAND, and bids fair
TO. continue for many years on the
greatest throne In modern annals adds
special interest to recital of some OF
the notable events Comprehended with
in the peiOd of her brilliant SOY
ereignty. The recital involves repeu-
tion, since something OF like character
was published only few months ago
in commemoration of the hfty-ninth
anniversary of her coronation: but If
familiar the narrative Is nevertheless
fascinating, and without more apology.
we append it.
In the year in which the young Queen
was crowned. 1885, the modern era of
| ocean steam travel was marked by the
steaming of the Great Western to New
York, and the first telegraph line was
! built and operated. The modern post
Office system became a popular institu-
| ton by the penny postage act of 1870,
| the year in which the queen was mar
| ried. Hongk Kong, the great English
commercial port, was taken from
China, and colonial government was
established in New Zealand, in the year
! of the Prince of Wales birth, 1911.
| 1t was in lSi5 thar polar exploration
one of the most active and successful
scientific endeavors of the century,
marked a milestone in the famous eX-
petition of Franklin. The repeal of the
| 60,
compelling after bitter conflict and
much disturbance of ministers, the de-
| parture from EnSland's old policy of
| protection by import duties. The fam
| inc of 1916 included the potato rot in
| Ireland. which had much to do with
Il revival of the violent agitation in
| that country which has disturbed the
| peace for several years. but Daniel
O'Connell died in lS41, and that re-
| crudescence of Irish discomfort sank
into temporary oblivion amid the STIR
| ring events on the continent. the chief
of which was the French revolution Of
| 1913 and the rejection Of the Orlean-
lists, the establishment of the second
I
detat later. which founded the sec
| ond empire
| With these events was connected the
| first international exhibition that was
ever held, in 1851. and in the same year
a tremendous stride in the wealth of
England was made by the discovery of
gold in Australia. Then came the
! Crimean war, which, in its results, laid
| the foundation for the international
| Vaccinations in the east which are to-
day bringing matters to so serious a
| crisis. At the heels of this came the
| Sepoy mutiny and the terrible times
| in India, which led TO that vast ter
ritory being taken by the government
out Of the hands of the old East India
| company. The directors sat for the
last time on Sept. /. 1858. Then Queens
| land was added to- the colonies and op-
| pressive internal duties were abolished
in 1860, and what had been done for
Roman Catholics was done for Jews,
in the entire removal of their disabil-
tiles.
| Queen Victoria paid her first visit to
| Ireland i'm 1861. The Prince Consort
died the same year. EnglaTd's connec-
tion with the American rebellion was
marked by the sailing of the Alabama
| from the Mersey in 1862. In 1867 the
| Dominion of Canada was created as a
| federation, the second reform act was
passed. and the 1900, 600 Abyssinian
| war was fought. In the year follow
ing the transportation of convicts was
stopped by law Then came the Franco
| German war and its results, the COM
plete change in the status of the pope
| in Italy, and the Berlin congress. The
Irish church was disestablished the
| first London school board met. the
Queen was proclaimed empress of In
dia 1S1D. and England took Cyrus
from the Turk. by diplomacy. The
| great Afghan war was ended and the
still disputed occupancy of Egypt be-
gan, in 1882. Troublous times, chiefly
diplomatic and parliamentary in their
character. followed until the queen $
jubilee in 1887. The nearly ten years
since have been full of events still fresh
in the public mind.
Altogether the period has made great.
iy for British honor and human ad-
vancemcnt. The sovereignty of Vic
toria, IL not assertive, has been at least
clean, disnified and in cordial accord
with the humanit!es. She has COM
manded as a woman by personal de-
serving quite as much homage as she
has inherited as queen; and when
this is said there is need of no higher
tribute.