E-text prepared by
Eric Hutton, Charlie Howard, Ayeshah Ali,
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
()
Transcriber’s note:
On some devices, clicking a blue-bordered image will display it larger and in higher quality.
Table of Contents added by Transcriber.
1837–1838.
Death of William IV.—Princess Alexandrina Victoria summoned to the Throne—Ignorance of the Public about the youngQueen—Her early training—Severance of the Crown of Great Britain and Hanover—Prorogation of Parliament—EarlyRailways—Electric Telegraph—The Coronation—Popular Reception of Wellington and Soult—State of Parties—Resultof General Election—Rebellion in Canada—The Earl of Durham—Debate on Vote by Ballot.
1837–1842.
Lord Melbourne’s services and character—Prevailing discontent of the Working Classes—Its Causes—The Chartists—Riots atNewport and elsewhere—Fall of the Ministry—Sir Robert Peel sent for—The “Bedchamber Question”—Melbournerecalled to Office—The Penny Post—Its remarkable Success—Betrothal of the Queen—Character of Prince Albert—Announcementto Parliament—Debates—Marriage of the Queen and Prince Albert—War declared with China—Captureof Chusan—Bombardment of the Bogue Forts—Peace concluded under the Walls of Nankin.
1841–1846.
Unpopularity of the Whigs—Fall of the Melbourne Ministry—Peel’s Cabinet—The Afghan War—Murder of Sir A. Burnes andSir W. Macnaghten—The Retreat from Cabul—Annihilation of the British Force—The Corn Duties—The Pioneersof Free Trade—Failure of Potato Crop in Ireland—Lord John Russell’s conversion to Free Trade—Peel andRepeal—Rupture of the Tory Party—The Corn Duties repealed—Defeat and Resignation of the Government—Reviewof Peel’s Administration.
1833–1849.
The Churches of England and Scotland—“Tracts for the Times”—Newman, Keble, and Pusey—“Ten Years’ Conflict” in Scotland—Disruptionof the Church—Dr. Chalmers—Rise of the Free Church—Affairs of British India—First Sikh War—Battlesof Meeanee, Moodkee, Ferozeshah, Aliwal and Sobraon—Second Sikh War—Murder of Vans Agnew and Anderson—Battleof Ramnuggur—Siege and Fall of Mooltan—Battles of Chilianwalla and Goojerat—Annexation of the Punjab.
1846–1850.
The Irish Famine—Smith O’Brien’s Rebellion—Widow Cormack’s Cabbages—The Special Commission—Revival of theChartist Movement—The Monster Petition—Its Exposure and Collapse of the Movement—Revolutionary Movementsin Britain compared with those in other Countries—Growing Affection for the Queen—Its Causes—Royal Visit toIreland—The Pacifico Imbroglio—Rupture with France Imminent—Civis Romanus Sum—Lord Palmerston’s Rise—SirRobert Peel’s Death—The Invention of Chloroform.
...