War with Russia Declared

And breathe a prayer, head bowed and bare, for a blessing on the blade

That never was drawn lightly, ne'er ignobly down was laid.”

During the afternoon of that never-to-be-forgotten day, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Princess Alice, Prince Alfred, and the Princesses Helena and Louise heartily enjoyed the diversions provided at Astley's Theatre. The pieces played were "the new, grand and romantic hypo-drama of 'The Woodman's Horse,' or 'The False Knight,' and the pantomime Billy Button's Journey to Brentford."

Only ten days later (March 10) the Queen, accompanied by Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and Prince Alfred, journeyed to Spithead for the purpose of reviewing the Fleet.

France and England were now arming simultaneously. On March 28 war against Russia was formally declared with all the pomp and circumstance which only the venerable survivors of the Great War remembered. Military spectacles like that of February 28 now became frequent, and the Queen notes in her Journal that "The last battalion of the Guards and the Scottish Fusiliers embarked to-day. They passed through the courtyard here [Buckingham Palace] at seven o'clock this morning. We stood on the balcony to see them. The morning was fine, the sun was shining over the tower at Westminster Abbey, and an immense crowd collected to see the fine men, and cheered them immensely. It was with difficulty they marched along. They formed up, presented arms, and then cheered us very heartily, and went off cheering. Many sorrowing friends were there, and one saw

the shaking of many a hand. My best wishes and prayers be with them all."

Never did Prince Albert give more striking proof of the possession of a cool head and a sound judgment than at this critical juncture, but a cloud of mistrust and suspicion seemed to darken men's minds, and once more he became unpopular. In the result he again triumphed, but Queen Victoria was almost in despair when she wrote to the ever-faithful Stockmar: "That you should be absent when we are tried in the basest and most disgraceful manner, and when the Prince is being badgered for weeks by the ultras of both parties, is very unfortunate."

On May Day a juvenile ball took place at Buckingham Palace, in celebration of the birthday of Prince Arthur. The invitations numbered two hundred and sixty. At a quarter to nine o'clock the Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, Prince Alfred, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Prince Arthur, the Duchess of Kent, and the Duchess and Princess Mary of Cambridge, entered the Throne room, which was arranged for dancing, and immediately commenced with a quadrille. The Royal Princesses wore dresses of white tulle over white silk trimmed with apple blossom and wreaths of the same. The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred wore Highland dresses. The Lords Ronald and Albert Leveson Gower,t sons of the

Lord Ronald Gower, born August 2, 1845, and well known as an artist, author and critic. A Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. Alive in 1906.

↑ Born November 21, 1843; died, December 23, 1874. Albert Leveson-Gower was two years the senior of his younger brother Lord Ronald. He died at the age of thirty-one, two years after

A Birthday Juvenile Ball

Duke and Duchess of Sutherland; the Marquess of Douglas, son of the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton; the Marquess of Lorne,t and the Lords Walter and Archibald Campbell §, sons of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, and other youthful scions of the Scottish aristocracy wore Highland costume. Her Majesty's private band provided the music, and supper was served in the State diningroom. The Queen (despite all her cares and anxieties) wrote a cheerful letter to the Premier (Lord Aberdeen) "commanding" his presence to see "a number of happy little people, including some of his grand-children, enjoying themselves." One of the Gordon grand-children of 1854 ultimately succeeded to the title, but perished at sea while serving as a common sailor, while his brother was killed at Cambridge by the bursting of a gun.

It was about this time that Prince Alfred, now in his tenth year, wrote the exercise, reproduced on the next page, from the autograph collection frequently referred to.

On Saturday, May 13, the Royal Albert was launched from the Woolwich dockyard in the presence of the Queen, the Princess Royal and Prince Alfred. The bottle of wine used by the Queen for the baptism of the ship was decorated with roses, shamrock, and thistles. Then came one of those fortnights of spring-time at Osborne,

his marriage to Miss Grace Abdy, sister of Sir F. Abdy. His only son, Mr. F. N. Leveson-Gower, was until the present year M.P. for Sutherland.

Afterwards twelfth Duke of Hamilton, born March 12, 1845, died May 16, 1895.

+ Now Duke of Argyll. See ante, pp. 211 and 217.

Born July 30, 1848; died May 2, 1889.

§ Born December 18, 1846. In 1906 heir presumptive to the Dukedom of Argyll,