Sixty Years a Queen: The Story of Her Majesty's ReignMaxwell, Herbert, Sir
History
Sixty Years a Queen: The Story of Her Majesty's Reign
Maxwell, Herbert, Sir
Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901
[Illustration: EMERALD LAKE, IN THE CANADIAN ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
The Canadian Pacific Railway, in passing over the "Rockies," opens up
some of the finest scenery in America.]
[Illustration: VANCOUVER HARBOUR, BRITISH COLUMBIA.
The western terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the principal
port on the Pacific coast of British North America.]
[Sidenote: Capitulation of Pekin.]
The Allied Army resumed its march on Pekin; the Emperor's Summer Palace,
a magnificent collection of buildings, treasure-houses, and gardens, was
taken on October 6; on the 12th everything was ready for the bombardment
of the capital, and it was made known to the Chinese Government that
this would begin the following day at noon, unless the city were
surrendered previously. The Emperor had fled, but on the morning of
October 13 the Governor of Pekin capitulated. The Allies entered, and
before noon the English and French ensigns were flying side by side on
the citadel.
[Sidenote: Destruction of the Summer Palace.]
Not till then did Lord Elgin learn the horrible fate of the captives. He
decided at once that exemplary vengeance must be inflicted, but not
according to the traditional custom of reprisals, by inflicting torture
and death on the persons of individuals. No doubt the Chinese officials
would have handed over to him as many vicarious victims as he chose to
demand, but Lord Elgin decreed such a monumental act of indignation as
should never be effaced from the memory of the people of China. The
Summer Palace was the most precious possession of the Heavenly Dynasty.
Therein had been stored the best of the art treasures of many
generations; the ingenuity of architects, gardeners, and craftsmen of
all kinds had been exhausted in erecting and decorating its courts and
pagodas and laying out the fantastic grounds. Lord Elgin ordered its
total destruction. The French and English soldiers were allowed to
plunder it first; jewellery, plate, and other costly articles were
"looted" in immense quantity, and then the whole vast edifice was
delivered to the flames. A monument was set up on the site, bearing an
inscription that this was done as the punishment for national cruelty
and treachery. A Convention between the British and Chinese
Plenipotentiaries was concluded on October 24, and Pekin was evacuated
by the Allied troops on November 5.
[Illustration: THE CITY HALL, WINNIPEG.
Manitoba is a district of enormous farms. The Capital, Winnipeg--known
as Fort Garry until its incorporation in 1873--is one of the "newest"
cities in the British Empire. Its population in 1871 was 241; in 1891,
25,642. It is the centre for the distribution of the produce of Western
Canada.]
[Illustration: _G. H. Thomas._} {_From the Royal Collection._
HER MAJESTY AND THE PRINCE CONSORT AT A REVIEW AT ALDERSHOT, June 1859.
On the left is General Knollys, afterwards Comptroller of the Household
to the Prince of Wales, in command of the troops.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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