The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-22

told when the Queen set forth; and there
was unusual animation, The gold sticks
fitted about; there was tuning in the or
chestra: and the foreign ambassadors and
their suites arrived in quick succession.
Prince Esterhazy, crossing bar Of sun
shine. was the most prodigiOus rainbow
OF ell Ee was covered with diamonds
and pearls. and as ne dangled his hat it
cast q dazzling radiance all around
While he was thus glitJeFing and gieam-
ing. people were saying. ] know not now
truly. that he had to redeem those jew
els from pawn, as usual. for the occasion
At haIf-past eleven the guns told that
the Queen had arrived: but as there was
much TO be done in the robing-roCm. there
was d long pause before she appeared \
burst from the orchestra marked her ap-
pearance at the doors. and the anthem 1
Was Clad rang through the Abbey Ey-
erybOdy rose. and the holders OF the first
and second rows of our gallery stood up
so high that I saw nothing Of the entrance
nor the recognition, except the Arch
bishop CO Canterbury reading at one angle
OF the platform. The God Save the Queen
of the organ sweIled gloriOusly forth after
the recognition The reclamation when
the crown was put on her head was very
animated; and in the midst Of Il. in an in
slant of time, the pceresseS were all cor
O4CLGus al DuL Inc 4uiA AIE-lNA < al tlAlN
described In order TO see the enJhrCnlng
I stood on the rail behind cur seats. hold
ing By another rail. l was in n0boGy'S
way, and I could not resist the tempta-
ton. though every moment expecting the
rail would break Her small dark crown
looked pretty, and her mantle of cloth of
gold very royal. She really looked so
small as TO appear punv.
The homage was IS pretty sight as
aDy-lrains Of peers touching her crown
and then kissing her hand Il was IN the
midst OF that process that poor Lord
ROLES disaster sent shock through the
whole assemblage. 1t turned ne sick. The
large. infrm old man was held uD by two
peers and had nearly reached the royal
footstoOl. when he slipped through the
hands of his supporters and rolled over and
over down the steps, lying a. the bottom
coiled up in his robes. He was instantly
lifted up. and he tried again and again,
amid shouts of admiration OF his yalor.
The Queen at length spoke TO Lord Mel
bourne, who stood at her shoulder. and he
bowed approval: on which she rose. lean
ed forward. and held out her hand to the
old man dispensing with his touching the
crown.
Her First Political Advisers.
The men who may be said TO have be-
gun their political careers with Queen
Victoria's accession have made her reign
the successful one II has been. Il has
been beyond measure the most beneficial
reign the English people have ever mad.
while to the world at large It has been
more benefcent than that OF Henry VII or
that Of Elizabeth. When the young
Queen came to the throne she found the
Wings in power. with Lord Melbourne at
the head OF the Government He entered
upon the Premiership in July 1881. under
William, but was obliged TO retire in the
December following He was succeeded
by Sir Robert Peel, the Tory leader. who
held office until April 1885. when he was
in turn succeeded by Melbourne. Soon
after her accession the Queen dissolved
old King Williams Parliament and sum
mOned new one, which assembled on
November 20, 1897
This Parliament contained many of the
great statesmen OF Victoria's reign.
Among them were Sir Robert Peel, Lord
John Russell. who headed the second
Wing Ministry Of the new reign: Lord
Palmerston. whose encroachments On
what even Victoria considered her pre-
TOgatiye she had occasion IN later years
10 rebuke: William E Gladstone. and his
great rival in after years. Benjamin Dis
raeIi; Lord Derby, Grote, the historian
Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer Lord Lynd-
hurst. Lord Broughham. the Irish orator,
O'COnneH and others Of renown during
the last half century. Mr.. Golden and
Mr.. Bright came into the arena later.
and Macaulay and Mr.. Roebuck. who were
left out Of the Queens first Parliament
returned TO Westminster later en-
The political side OF Fictoria's life can
be only outlined here. 1t is the history
OF the administrations that have come
AID gone during her reign Beginning
with Lord Melbourne, the Queen has seen
eighteen changes Of Prime Ministers. The
following table shows the res onsible
heads OF the Government, with the du-
ration Of their several terms Of office: