Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/158

* VICTORIA. 122 VICTORIA FALLS. the assumption bv Victoria of the title of Em- press of India (187G), Afghan War (18T8-80), Zulu War (1879), Transvaal War (1880), and the virtual establishment of British domination in Egvpt (1882). the struggle for the reconquest of Nubia for Egvpt (1884-98), the conquest of Burma (188.3). Aslianti War (1896), the great Boer War (begun in 1899), Australian federation (1900-01). The reign of Victoria witnessed an extraordinary development of Imperial Britain as shown in the growth and political organiza- tion of the Canadian, Australian, and African colonies. For many years the agitation for home rule in Ireland was the main feature of internal politics. Victoria is preeminent among sover- eigns by her personal character. She "for many years . . . exerted an almost unbounded moral control over the larger policies of the British Empire. She was industrious and me- thodical, patient and tactful, with a memory that was a great storehouse of knowledge of things past and present." The leading feature of the Victorian epoch was ''the new conception of the British monarchy which sprang from tjie de- velopment of the colonies and dependencies of Great Britain, and the sudden strengthening of the sense of unity between them and the mother country. The Crown after 1880 became the living symbol of Imperial unity, and every year events deepened the impression that the Queen in her own person typified the common interest and the common sympathy which spread a feeling of brotherhood through the continents that formed the British Empire." Queen Victoria was married, February 10, 1840. to her cousin, Albert, Prince of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha. second son of the then reigning Duke. Although the union was not at the time greatly approved of by the Queen's advisers and subjects, it proved a most felicitous one. marked by a degree of mutual affection rarely found in marriages of state. The Prince Consort died December 14, 18GI; Victoria never ceased to mourn him. To them were born four sons and five daughters : The Princess Royal, Victoria, born November 21. 1840, married January 25, 1858, to Frederick William, who in 1888 became Fred- erick III,, Emperor of Germany of brief reign (died 1901) ; Albert Edward, now King of Great Britain, born November 9, 1841, married ^larch 10. 1863, Priiicess Alexandra Caroline, eldest daughter of Christian IX,, King of Denmark; Princess Alice, born April 25, 184.3, married July I, 1862, Prince Frederick William of Hesse (died 1878) ; Prince Alfred, l)i>rn August 6. 1844, created Duke of Edinburgh, IS66, married .lan- uary 23, 1874, Jlarie. only daughter of the Em- IK'ror of Russia (died 1901): Princess Helena, born Jlay 25, 1846, married in I86G to Prince Christian of Denmark; Princess Louisa, born March 18, 1848, married in 1871 to the Marquis of Lome: Prince Arthur, born May 1, IS.'iO, created Duke of Connanght, 1874, married in 1879 Princess Louise Marguerite of Prussia; Prince Leopold, born April 7, 1833, was created Duke of Alliany, 1881, and married to Princess Helena of Waldeck in 1882 (died 1884) ; Princess Beatrice, born .April 14. 1857, jnarried, 1885, Prince Henry of Battenbcrg, In her seclusion from public life after the death of the Prince Consort, and as later testi- T)iruii;ils of h(*]' jiflcction for lii?n. 'i('tnri;i ';n]inr- vised the publication in 1867 of The Early Days of His Royal Highness, the Prince Consort; published in 1868 Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands ; supervised a second Life of the Prince Consort in 1874; adding in 1884 More Leaves from the Journal, etc. Among the almost numberless biographies, me- moirs, and sketches of Queen Victoria the most .serviceable is Lee, Queen Victoria ( London and New York, 1903). Others include Ward, iSeif/n of Queen Victoria (London and Philadelphia, 1887), a series of essays on various phases of the Vic- torian era; Holmes, Queen Victoria, ISlO-l'JOl (London, 1901), a revision of his sketches of 1897; Macaulay, Life and Reign of Queen Victoria (ib., 1887) ; Smith, Life of Her Majesty Queen Victoria (ib., 1886) ; Wall, Fifty Years of a Good Queen's Reign (ib., 1887) ; Wilson, Life and Times of Queen Victoria (ib., 1888) ; Jeaffreson, Victoria, Queen and Empress (ib., 1893) ; Arnold, Victoria. Queen and Empress: the Sixty Years (ib.. 1897) ; Tooley, Personal Life of Queen Vic- toria (ib., 1897). " VICTORIA. Adel-'vide M.^vrie Lvise (1840- 1001). The oldest daughter of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, who at the age of seventeen years was married to Prince Frederick William of Prussia, subsequently Frederick III. (q.v. ). After his death she retired to her country place, Friedrichshof. near Cronberg, where she remained until her death. VICTORIA, GuAD.LUPE (1789-1843). The first ilexican President, who changed his name of JIanuel Felix Fernandez during the wars of independence. Born at Durango, he joined the revolutionary movement of 1810, was promoted to be general, figured conspicuously in the revolt which deposed the Emperor Iturbide in 1823, and was elected President in 1824. This position he filled with distinguished success until the out- break of the civil wars in 1828-29. At the ex- piration of his term of office he retired to private life. VICTORIA CROSS. The most highly prized decoration of the British military and naval ser- vices. It was instituted by royal warrant, dated January 29, 1856, and iironuilgated in the otlicial Gazette on February 5th. It is a IMaltese cross in shape, and is made from cannon captured in the Crimeaii War, ju'incipally at Sebastopol, the design on the obverse side consisting of the royal crest, a crowned lion, beneath which is the in- scription 'For Valour.' Non-conuuissioned offi- cers and men, and such commissioned officers as may have risen from the ranks, who have been awarded the Victin'ia Cross receive an annuity of t'lO, which, under special circumstances, may be increased to i!50. The ribbon is blue for the naval service and red for the military. Civilians acting in a volunteer capacity are eligible for the medal, which from (he lime of its origin to the close of the Boer War in 1902 h;id been granted to about 500 men, including three civilians and one army chaplain. See Plate of Orders. VICTORIA EMBANKMENT. Sec Thames F.MIlANKMKN'r. VICTORIA FALLS (native name Mosi-ma- Tvni/'i. Tlumdcring Smoke), . magnificent cataract on the middle Zamliezi in Rhodesia, a few mill's I>elov (he Kwiindo conllucnce (Map: