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been a great help in educating people everywhere, by giving them new and useful ideas.

You will probably often hear it said that Queen Victoria was only a figurehead, and had nothing to do with the gov5 ernment, which was carried on by Parliament and the Cabinet. This, however, is not true; for while Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, that is, to say, a kingdom ruled by the laws of the land, and the king cannot do anything against the law, he can do much with it. 10 Although not a genius, Victoria was so well educated and painstaking that it was she who suggested many of the improvements which took place while she was queen.

In the government she had many prime ministers besides Lord Melbourne; for you must know that the British min15 isters resign their office just as soon as the greater part of Parliament does not approve of what they propose to do. Then the king asks the principal man in the opposition party to be his minister and to select men for a new Cabinet. These members stay in office just as long as the 20 prime minister has the good will of the House of Commons; but when he goes, they go too.

Victoria's prime ministers were these noted men: Melbourne, Peel, Russell, Derby, Aberdeen, Palmerston, Gladstone (the Grand Old Man), Disraeli (Lord Beacons25 field), Salisbury, and Rosebery. These ministers little by little brought about many reforms, among which is a law allowing Jews to be members of both houses of Parliament. Another says that the Irish people need no longer pay taxes for the support of the Church of England, which so few 30 of them attend.

SOME WARS IN VICTORIA'S REIGN *

H. A. GUERBER

If you were to hear all the great and important things which happened during this, the longest and most glorious reign in English history, it would take a very long time and a much bigger volume than this is now to tell 5 you about them. There were so many great artists, writers, scientists, statesmen, inventors, and discoverers that the last half of the nineteenth century is often called the Victorian Age.

While Victoria sat on the throne of Great Britain, there 10 were many disturbances. When she began her reign, the people who had been suffering from hunger wanted some of the laws changed. The reformers got up a charter, which they said had been signed by five million people, and, marching into London, they rolled it into Parliament 15 in a tub.

The demands of the Chartists, as the charter-signers were called, frightened the people, and many took upon themselves the office of policeman to keep the mob in order. The changes the Chartists had asked for, although 20 not granted then, were gradually brought about by a few great statesmen, such as the ministers already named, and Wilberforce, Brougham, Cobden and Bright.

Changes were made in corn, navigation, and trade laws; for Great Britain now has free trade; that is, goods are 25 brought into the country without the payment of duty.

*From Guerber's "Story of the English." Copyright, 1898, by American Book Company. Used by permission of the publishers.

Queen Victoria always took a very lively interest in all state matters, and in many cases felt great regret for the numerous wars fought during her reign. Among these were several wars in Afghanistan, fought either against 5 the natives or against the Russians, who quarrelled with the British about the frontier.

nese.

Then there were also a number of wars with the ChiThe first of these wars is, I am sorry to say, not to the credit of the British; for they forced the Chinese to 10 let them have the island of Hong Kong, so as to sell all the opium they wanted to the natives, for whom it is even worse than rum. In another war, an English general, who is generally known as "Chinese Gordon," put down a Chinese rebellion, and in reward received from the emperor 15 a mandarin's yellow gown and some gay peacock feathers, these being among the Chinese, like the Order of the Garter among the English, a mark of especial honor.

In India the British waged two wars against the Sikhs, defeated them, and took possession of their territory, 20 the Punjab. Next they fought against the Burmese, and took possession of Lower Burma. In 1857, broke out the terrible "Indian Mutiny," or the revolt of the sepoys. These sepoys were native soldiers who had been trained to fight by British officers. When new rifles were introduced, 25 and they had to use greased cartridges, the sepoys fancied that the British wanted to make them do what their religion forbade; that is, to say, touch grease taken from their sacred animal, the cow, or from the hog, an animal the least contact with which, they fancied, made them unfit 30 to enter heaven.

The officers tried to pacify the men by telling them that they could either grease the cartridges themselves with anything they pleased, or use other guns; but it was too late. The revolt spread from Meerut to Delhi, Cawnpore, 35 and Lucknow. Everywhere the British were killed without

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mercy, and at Cawnpore men, women and children were cruelly butchered and cast into a well, after they had heroically defended themselves for many a day.

A brave general named Havelock fought like a tiger to 5 reach Cawnpore in time to save his countrymen; but he got there too late. In spite of the awful heat, he next hurried on to Lucknow, where he found the English still alive. But there were so many women and children that he could not fight his way out with them. He therefore 10 joined them in their heroic resistance, which was kept up until a brave Scotchman named Campbell came marching to the rescue, just as one of the women had dreamed.

When the English heard the Scotch bagpipes in the distance, playing "The Campbells are Coming," they almost 15 died of joy. Lucknow was relieved; but Havelock, worn out by his heroic exertions, soon breathed his last. The mutiny was put down, and India was taken away from the East India Company, and placed under the rule of the queen, who was crowned Empress of India in 1877.

20

Since the "Indian Mutiny" there have been a few other revolts, which have quickly been put down. But railways telegraphs, schools, and colleges are making rapid changes, in India, where there are more than two hundred million people, speaking many different languages, practicing many 25 religions, but all subject to the British government.

Great Britain also fought one war in Europe, against Russia a war of which you will hear a great deal. It is called the "Crimean War," and it was during this contest that, owing to a mistaken order, the Light Brigade made 30 the gallant charge at Balaklava (1854). Their prompt obedience, their courage, and the death of nearly the whole company, have made them forever famous. If you want to hear what dangers they braved, you had better read Tennyson's poem, "The Charge of the Light Brigade,” 35 and then you will see why every one admires them.

While the British soldiers were making their names famous in the Crimean War, an Englishwoman, Florence Nightingale, nursed the sick and the dying with such devotion that the men kissed her shadow on the wall as she 5 passed by. Thanks to her exertions, and to those of the kind nurses whom she directed, many lives were saved, and since then hospitals for wounded soldiers have been much improved.

HELPS FOR STUDY

In what year was Queen Victoria born?

At what age, then, was she crowned?

What is the meaning of the oath repeated by the peers of the realm at the coronation?

Where is Saxe-Coburg-Gotha?

Why was Prince Albert called the "Prince Consort"?

What were some of the improvements that were established after Victoria came to the throne?

When was the first "world's fair" held?

What is the "Crystal Palace”?

What is the government of Great Britain?

What were some of the reforms brought about by Queen Vic-~ toria's prime ministers?

What is said of Queen Victoria's reign?

What is the "Victorian Age"?

Who were the "Chartists"?

How were some of the changes the reformers had asked for brought about?

What is the meaning of "free trade"?

What were some of the wars of Victoria's reign?

What were some of the causes of these wars?

Who were the "Sikhs"? The "sepoys"?

Read Whittier's poem, "The Relief of Lucknow."
What was the East India Company?
Why was the "Crimean War" so called?

Balaklava (bäl-ä-klä'vä)

Brouhgam (brö'am)

Disraeli (diz-rāli)

VOCABULARY

Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (saks

kō'berg-gō'tä)

Sikhs (seks)

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