GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. (UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.)

Reigning Queen and Empress.

Victoria I., Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India, born at Kensington Palace, London, May 24, 1819, the daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of King George III., and of Princess Victoria of Saxe-Saalfeld-Coburg, widow of Prince Emich of Leiningen. Ascended the throne at the death of her uncle, King William IV., June 20, 1837; crowned at Westminster Abbey, June 28, 1838. Married, Feb. 10, 1840, to Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha; widow, Dec. 14, 1861.

Children of the Queen.

I. Princess Victoria, born Nov. 21, 1840; married, Jan. 25, 1858, to Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, eldest son of Wilhelm I., German Emperor and King of Prussia. (See page 110.)

II. Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, born Nov. 9, 1841; married, March 10, 1863, to Princess Alexandra, eldest daughter of King Christian IX. of Denmark. Offspring of the union are five children: -1. Albert Victor, born Jan. 8, 1864. 2. George, born June 3, 1865. 3. Louise, born Feb. 20, 1867. 4. Alexandra, born July 6, 1868. 5. Maud, born Nov. 26, 1869.

III. Prince Alfred, duke of Edinburgh, born Aug. 6, 1844; entered the royal navy, Aug. 31, 1858; married Jan. 21, 1874, to Grandduchess Marie of Russia, only daughter of Emperor Alexander II. Offspring of the union are four children:-1. Alfred, born Oct. 15, 1874. 2. Marie, born October 29, 1875. 3. Victoria, born November 25, 1876. 4. Alexandra, born September 1, 1878.

IV. Princess Helena, born May 25, 1846; married, July 5, 1866, to Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, born Jan. 22, 1831. Offspring of the union are four children : -1. Christian, born April 14, 1867. 2. Albert John, born Feb. 26, 1869. 3. Victoria, born May 3, 1870. 4. Louise, born Aug. 12, 1872. V. Princess Louise, born March 18, 1848; married, March 21, 1871, to John Douglas Sutherland, Marquis of Lorne, born Aug. 6, 1845, eldest son of the Duke of Argyll. (See page 509.)

VI. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, born May 1, 1850; married, March 13, 1879, to Princess Louise of Prussia, born July 25, 1860. Offspring, a daughter, born January 15, 1882.

VII. Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, born April 7, 1853; betrothed November 21, 1881, to Princess Helena of Waldeck, born Feb. 17, 1861.

VIII. Princess Beatrice, born April 14, 1857.

Cousins of the Queen.

I. Prince Ernest August, Duke of Cumberland, born Sept. 21, 1845, the grandson of Duke Ernest August of Cumberland, fifth son of King George III.; married December 21. 1878, to Princess Thyra of Denmark, born September 29, 1853. Offspring of the union are a daughter, born Oct. 1879, and a son born Oct. 1880.

II. Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, born March 26, 1819, the son of Duke Adolph of Cambridge, sixth son of King George III.; field-marshal commanding-in-chief the British army.

III. Princess Augusta, sister of the preceding, born July 19, 1822; married, June 28, 1843, to Grand-duke Friedrich Wilhelm of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. (See page 160.)

IV. Princess Mary, sister of the preceding, born Nov. 27, 1833; married, June 12, 1866, to Prince Franz von Teck, born Aug. 27, 1837, son of Prince Alexander of Württemberg, and of Claudine Rhéday, Countess von Hohenstein. Offspring of the union are four children:-1. Victoria, born May 26, 1867. 2. Albert, born Aug. 13, 1868. 3. Franz Josef, born Jan. 9, 1870. 4. Alexander, born April 14, 1874.

Aunt of the Queen.

Princess Augusta, born July 25, 1797, the daughter of Landgrave Friedrich of Hesse-Cassel; married, May 7, 1818, to Duke Adolphus of Cambridge, youngest son of King George III.; widow, July 8, 1850.

The Queen reigns in her own right, holding the crown both by inheritance and election. Her legal title rests on the statute of 12 & 13 Will. III. c. 3, by which the succession to the crown of Great Britain and Ireland was settled, on the death of King William and Queen Anne, without issue, on the Princess Sophia of Hanover, and the heirs of her body, being Protestants.' The inheritance thus limited descended to George I., son and heir of Princess Sophia, and it has ever since continued in a regular course of descent.

The civil list of the Queen consists in a fixed Parliamentary grant, and amounts to much less than the income of previous sovereigns. By the Revolution of 1688, the duty of the king to bear the expenses of government out of the State income allotted to him was abolished, and certain portions of the income of the country were assigned to the king to meet the expenses of the royal household. Under George I. this sum amounted at times to 1,000,0007. sterling. If it did not reach 800,000l. the deficiency was covered by Parliament. In 1777, the civil list of the king was fixed at 900,000l., and the income over and above that sum from the hereditary possessions of the Crown passed to the Treasury. Under William IV. the civil list was relieved of many burthens, and fixed at 510,0002.

It is established by 1-2 Vict. c. 2, that during Queen Victoria's reign, all the revenues of the Crown shall be a part of the Consolidated Fund, but that a civil list shall be assigned to the Queen. In virtue of this Act, which received the royal sanction Dec. 23, 1837, the Queen has granted to her an annual allowance of 385,000l. 'for the support of Her Majesty's household, and of the honour and dignity of the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.' By the same statute, the application of this allowance is limited in a prescribed form. The Lords of the Treasury are directed to pay yearly 60,000l. into Her Majesty's Privy Purse; to set aside 231,2607. for the salaries of the royal household; 44,240l. for retiring allowances and pensions to servants, and 13,2001. for royal bounty, alms, and special services. This leaves an unappropriated surplus of 36,300l., which may be applied in aid of the general expenditure of Her Majesty's Court." It is provided that whenever the civil list charges in any year exceed the total sum of 400,000l., an account of the expenditure, with full particulars, shall be laid before Parliament within thirty days. The Queen has also paid to her the revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster, which in the year 1880 amounted to 78,1777., being 1,9917. less than in the preceding year. The salaries, law charges, taxes, charities, and other disbursements in 1880 amounted to 30,9001., and the payment made to Her Majesty for the year was 41,000l., being the same as in the preceding year. The payment to Her Majesty in 1867 amounted to 29,000l.; in 1869, 1870, and 1871 to 31,000l.; in 1872 to 40,0007.; in 1873 to 41,000l.; in 1874 to 42,000l.; in 1875 to 41,0007.; in 1876 to 43,000l.; in 1877 to 45,000l.; in 1878, to 47,6571.; and to 41,000l. in 1879.

The annual grant of 385,000l. to Her Majesty is paid out of the Consolidated Fund, on which are charged likewise the following sums allowed to members of the royal family:-25,000l. a year to the Duke of Edinburgh; 25,000l. to the Duke of Connaught; 8,000l. to Prince Leopold; 8,000l. to Princess Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia; 6,000l. to Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein; 6,000l. to Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne; 6,000l. to the Duchess of Cambridge; 3,000l. to the Grand-duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; 5,000l. to Princess Teck, formerly Princess Mary of Cambridge; and 12,000l. to Duke George of Cambridge.

The heir-apparent of the Crown has, by 26 Vict. c. 1, settled upon him an annuity of 40,000l. The Prince of Wales has besides as income the revenues of the Duchy of Cornwall. Previous to the year 1840, these revenues amounted to between 11,000l. and 16,0001. per annum; but since that period they have greatly risen. The income of the Duchy of Cornwall in the year 1880 was 96,2157., and the sum of 65,2581. was paid over for the use of the Prince of

Wales. In 1867, the sum paid over amounted to 54,9271.; in 1870 to 62,571l.; in 1871 to 62,4847.; in 1873 to 62,5157.; in 1874 to 65,9017.; in 1875 to 67,1417.; in 1876 to 70,3751.; and in 1877 to 96,8601. The Princess of Wales has settled upon her by 26 Vict. cap. 1, the annual sum of 10,000l., to be increased to 30,000l. in case of widowhood. Both the parliamentary grants of the Prince and Princess of Wales are paid out of the Consolidated Fund, which bears a total yearly charge of 156,000l. for annuities to members of the Royal Family.

The following is a list of the sovereigns and sovereign rulers of Great Britain, with date of their accession, from the union of the crowns of England and Scotland :

House of Stuart.

:

House of Stuart-Orange.

William and Mary

1689

1625

William III.

1694

House of Stuart.

The average duration of the reigns of these rulers of Great Britain-exclusive of the period of the Commonwealth, but including the actual reign of her present Majesty-amounting in the aggregate to two and three quarter centuries, has been twenty years.

Constitution and Government.

The supreme legislative power of the British empire is by its constitution given to Parliament. 'The power and jurisdiction of Parliament,' says Sir Edward Coke, 'is so transcendent and absolute that it cannot be confined, either for causes or persons, within any bounds.' And, repeating the words, Sir William Blackstone adds, that it is the place where that absolute despotic power, which must in all governments reside somewhere, is entrusted by the constitution of these kingdoms.' The sovereign is not only the head, but also the beginning and the end-caput, principium, et finis-of Parliament; he alone can summon Parliament; and no Parliament, save on the demise of a sovereign, can assemble of its own accord. Parliament is summoned by the writ of the sovereign issued out of Chancery, by advice of the privy council, at least thirty-five days previous to its assembling. On a vacancy occurring whilst Parliament is sitting, a writ for the election of a new member is issued upon motion in the House. If the vacancy occurs during the recess, the writ is issued at the instance of the Speaker. By

4 Edw. III. c. 14, it was enacted, 'It is accorded that Parliament shall be holden every year once or more often if need be.' Also by 36 Edw. III. c. 10, it was directed, that a Parliament be holden every year if need be.' By 16 Chas. I. c. 1, it was enacted, that if the king neglected to call a Parliament for three years, the chancellor or keeper of the great seal might issue writs for summoning the peers and for the election of the commons; that if the chancellor or keeper should neglect to do it, any twelve of the peers might summon the Parliament; that if the peers should neglect to issue the necessary summons, the sheriffs of the counties and other magistrates respectively might proceed to the election; and should they refuse, then that the freeholders of each county might elect their members, and that the members so chosen should be obliged, under severe penalties, to attend. This Act was deemed such an invasion of the prerogative, that it was repealed on the Restoration by 16 Chas. II. c. 1. But the latter Act contains a provision that Parliament shall not in future be intermitted for above three years at the most. By 1 Will. and Mary, sess. 2, c. 2, it was enacted, that Parliaments shall be holden frequently.' As, however, the Mutiny Act and the Supplies are only granted for a year, the Crown, since the Revolution, is compelled to summon a Parliament annually. By ancient right and usage, lying at the foundation of the constitution, the House of Commons has the exclusive control over taxation, and at its will may grant or refuse Supplies to the Crown.

6

It has become customary of late for Parliaments to meet in annual session extending over the first six months of the year. Every session must end with a prorogation, and by it all bills which have not been passed during the session fall to the ground. Both Houses of legislature must be prorogued at the same time. The prorogation takes place either by the sovereign in person, or by commission from the Crown, or by proclamation. The Lower House appears at the bar, and if the sovereign be present, the speaker reports upon the labours of the session; the royal assent is then given to bills of the closing session, and a speech from the sovereign is read; whereupon the chancellor prorogues the Parliament to a certain day. Parliament resumes business, however, as soon as it is summoned by royal proclamation on a certain day, which may be at a date earlier than the original date of prorogation appointed. Should the term of prorogation elapse, and no proclamation be issued, Parliament cannot assemble of its own accord. The royal proclamation which summons Parliament in order to proceed to business must be issued fourteen days before the time of meeting. A dissolution is the civil death of Parliament; it occur by the will of the sovereign, expressed in person or by com

may