VICTORIA’S SIGNATURE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 474, 24 May 1890, Page 4

VICTORIA’S SIGNATURE.

IT 13 STILL FIRM AND GIVES NO EVIDENCE OF IIER ADVANCING AGE. James Burbank, ex-member of the Canadian Parliament, is at the Hoffman House in company with a party of wealthy Canadians who are going South on a pleasure trip. According to Mr Burbank the Canudians are a happy, prosperous people, so well satisfied with English rule and with such great love for Queen Victoria that they will never think seriously of annexation. He told many interesting facts about the Queen’s signature. ‘The Queen’s signature to State documents,’ said he, ‘ is still a model of firmness ancl legibility, no sign of her Majesty’s advancing age being discernible in the boldly - written “ Victoria R,” which she attaches to such papers as have to bear the royal autograph. The question of the signing of state documents in England became one of great importance in the last months of George IV.’s reign. During this period His Majesty was in such a debilitated state that the writing of numerous autographs was an impossibility, and, under these circumstances, a short Bill was hurriedly passed through Parliament authorising the King to affix a fac-simile of his autograph by means of an inked stamp. It was also provided that George should, before stamping each document, give his verbal assent to it in a modified form. The Duke of Wellington was in office at the time, and it was his duty to lay certain documents before the King for his approval. . One day the Iron Duke, noticing that His Majesty was stamping the papers before him without repeating the prescribed verbal formality, ventured te enter a respectful but firm protest. “‘Your Majesty forgets to repeat the verbal formality.” • “ Hang it, what can it signify ?” replied the King in an irritated voice. “•Only this, sir,” replied the Duke, “ that the law requires it.” * George IV. said no more, but at once began to repeat the requisite formality as he stamped each of the documents,’