The times., 1897-03-21

wars, which contribute so much to Oh
struct the progress and to impair the pros
perity of the nations involved therein, tla,
must be regarded as accountable for the
phenomenal development OF Great Britain's
wealth, industry, trade and enlightenment
especially the last 1t is colossal task
even to attempt 10 enumerate the changes
that have taken place since Victoria be-
came queen.
There was no regular or properly or
ganiZed postal service three-score years
ago, and the price paid for the convey
ance OF the mails was enormous, people
being compelled to pay as much as 80 and
40 cents for the transport of a letter for IL
few miles only, 1t was not until 1889
that penny postage" was introduced, and
the success of the scheme, SO widely de-
nounced at that time, may be gathered
from the fact that during the twelve
months which have just been brought to
a close, no less than 2 1923, ,S39,610 let
ters, post cards and parcels have been de-
livered in the United Kingdom, through the
postofrice.
In 1887 there were no railroads and no
steamships. The journey from Liver
pool 20 London was accomplished by
means of coach and four" while the
trip across the Atlantic to New York was
regarded as a quick one if done within
six weeks under sail, in lieu of the six
days which it takes today by steam.
Victoria had been several years queen
before telegraphy had been introduced,
while 1t was not until she had become a
grandnlotherthats submarine communication
with the United States was established.
Photography, electric light, telephones, pho
nographs, etc, were all unknown when she
became queen, and the first entry of an
iron built ship on LIoyd's register was made
when Queen Victoria'S reign was only six
weeks old, while during the threescore
years which have elapsed since then Great
Britains commercial tonnage has increased
by close upon 900 per cent.
1t was not until several years after the
birth of he Prince OF Wales that chloroform
and other anesthetics came into use for
surgical operations, aud, though IS scarce
ly credible, within the memory OF Victoria
surgeons have been obliged, after amputa-
tions, to resort to the same barbarous meth
ods as those practiced in dealing with the
wounded during the battle-Of Trafalgar :
namely, to plunge the bleeding stumps into
hot pitch to stay the hemorrhage.
Thousands upon thousands Of hospitals
and analogous charitable institutions have
been called into existence III the British
empire during the last thre,-scoIe years,
partly through the influence of tie queen
herself, and partly through that of her eld-
est son, the Prince of Wales, the people
having been taught by their illustrious
.uler, and 10y her children as wei, to be-
ieve that the best and surest way to royal
favor was to devote money to the relief
of those of their fellow citizens in want
and misery Thus all through the mem
orable visit of the Prince of Wales TO
India, whenever the native princes in
their excess of enthusiastic loyalty ex-
pressed their intentions of erecting costly
statues and monuments to the queen in
their dominions as memorial Of his stay,
he invariably urged them to devote the
money instead of the construction Of char
table institutions, explaining that ii was
~ relieving the distressed and the less
fortunate of the sovereign's lieges that