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Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 6, 13 October 1871, Page 2

Telegram after telegram repeats the statement that the health of her Majesty Queen Victoria is far from satisfactory. These statements would not be published without cause, and although nothing is said to cause alarm to the Queen’s loyal subjects, who pray that she may long be spared to us, yet viewing the uncertainty of human life, it may not be out of place to glance at the fact that when death overtakes the present Sovereign of the British Doiniuions, a great step will probably be made by the more democratic portion of the inhabitants to curtail the privileges of Royalty. Many of our readers are doubtless aware that ibe Crown revenues are for the most part the propci ty of the nation, and that will) the commencement of cacli reign a civil list is voted to support the dignity and necessary establishments of Royalty, If we remember rightly, this civil list was fixed at. the commencement of the Queen’s rc’gn at L 385,000 per annum, of which L 60,000 only goes to her Majesty’s privy purse. The estates of Balmoral and Osborne are the Queen’s private property, purchased by herself with her own money, but the rest of the Royal residences, including stately Windsor, are national

property, and in them the Sovereign has only a life interest. There can be no disguising the fact, that the heir apparent to the throne —the Prince of Wales—is not so popular with the people at large as his royal mother. She is endeared to the nation by the excellent example she. has given of a virtuous and useful life, while her son and heir seems not to be a pattern of all that is desirable in one so near to the throne. At Ins accession there will doubtless be a great struggle with the masses to curtail the civil list, and therejis much reason to think that a much smaller sum will be voted at the commencement of the next reign. Day by day attempts are being made to lessen the power and privileges of the Peers, and no minister that we remember has gone so far in this direction as the present Premier. Whether these steps are in the right direction or the reverse is a subject upon which opinions greatly differ; but we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that the influence of hereditary institutions is diminishing. The termination of Quean Victoria’s reign will, unless we are much mistaken, mark an important epoch in the history of England. In these colonies, where practically there is universal suffrage and one man is looked upon as good as another “ and a great deal better,” as an Irishman said, it may not individually concern us how the old country wonld be affected by the demise of the Queen. All Englishmen, however, throughout the world love the old country, and endeavour to carry with them wliereever fate calls them the spirit of her institutions, her religion, her liberty and her laws—although in a somewhat democratic manner ; and to the great majority of them a feeling of regret will arise on hearing of any political blow having struck her. Wo trust that Queen Victoria may yet live many years ; but when she is called upon to give up her earthly crown, we may rest assured that her successor will not find it sit upon his brow as lightly as it has done upon hers. The crown which the Norman William won and bequeathed is now Victoria’s, but who can say whose it will be a few years hence ? That England may ever flourish, and that die may continue to retain the most intimate and affectionate relation with the colonies, especially those of Australasia, is the wish of all of her children who are true to her ; and if we are to look forward, as seems probable, at no distant date, to great and radical changes in her system of polity we trust that sufficient may be preserved of her ancient landmarks to prevent anarchy and confusion, but that a great popular struggle is likely to follow upon the death of our present Queen there can scarcely be any doubt whatever.