her side the mainstay of her life--the best, wisest, and kindest of husbands. The Queen wishes to express at the same time, on the part of the Princess of Wales, her feelings of heartfelt gratitude, for she has been as deeply touched as the Queen by the great and universal manifestation of loyalty and sympathy. The Queen cannot conclude without expressing her hope that her faithful subjects will continue their prayers to God for the complete recovery of her dear son to health and strength.” CHAPTER XVII. THE “ALABAMA” CLAIMS. Thanksgiving Day--The Procession--Behaviour of the Crowd--Scene in St. Paul’s--Decorations and Illuminations--Letter from Her Majesty--Attack on the Queen--John Brown--The Queen’s Speech--The _Alabama_ Claims--The “Consequential Damages”--Living in a Blaze of Apology--Story of the “Indirect Claims”--The Arbitrators’ Award--Sir Alexander Cockburn’s Judgment--Passing of the Ballot Act--The Scottish Education Act--The Licensing Bill--Public Health Bill--Coal Mines Regulation Bill--The Army Bill--Admiralty Reforms--Ministerial Defeat on Local Taxation--Starting of the Home Government Association in Dublin--Assassination of Lord Mayo--Stanley’s Discovery of Livingstone--Dr. Livingstone’s Interview with the Queen--Her Majesty’s Gift to Mr. Stanley--Death of Dr. Norman Macleod--The Japanese Embassy--The Burmese Mission--Her Majesty at Holyrood Palace--Death of Her Half-Sister. During the first weeks of 1872 the convalescence of the Heir Apparent seemed to obscure all other topics of political interest. The anti-monarchical agitation, which Sir Charles Dilke had fomented, not only by his votes in Parliament, but by his speeches in the country, suddenly subsided, showing that the sentiment of affectionate regard which had linked the Crown and the nation together in the past, was not to be destroyed by political factions who were trading on the temporary and local estrangement of the Queen from her subjects in the capital. Faction, indeed, was for the time silenced throughout the land, and the Queen soon saw that it was the universal desire of the nation that the recovery of the Prince, which had saved the country from much anxiety as to its future under a Regency, should be celebrated by a solemn public function. It was therefore announced in the middle of January that the Queen would proceed in State to St. Paul’s Cathedral on as early a day as could be fixed after the 20th of February, to return thanks for the recovery of her son. Ultimately Tuesday, the 27th of February, was fixed for the ceremony.