Zbe (num
THE birth of another Prince—the Duke of York we may presume to call him by anticipation—has relieved every solicitude as to the personal welfare of Queen Victoria, and has given a new security for the direct succession to the Crown.
The Queen was "taken ill" soon after five o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 6th instant ; and her medical attendants, Sir James Clark, Dr. Locock, Mr. Ferguson, and Mr. Brown, Surgeon to the Household at Windsor. were summoned at once. About six o'clock, a messenger was sent to Slough, to direct a summons by the electrical telegraph for the Cabinet Ministers and Great Officers of State : the messenger arrived at Slough in eight minutes; the despatch reached Paddington, and was acknowledged, in three more. At twenty-three minutes past eight o'clock arrived the first special train at Slough, having performed the journey of eighteen miles and a quarter in eighteen minutes: it bore the Duke of Buceleuch, Earl Delawarr, the Earl of Jersey, Lord Lyndhurst, and Sir James Graham. The next conveyed Sir Robert Peel and Lord Stanley, rather slower, to avoid a collision with the first. The third, with the Duke of Wellington alone, travelled the distance in seventeen minutes and a half, and in eleven minutes more the Duke was at the Castle ; Royal carriages having been stationed at Slough to carry on the Ministers. All the Ministers eventually reached the Castle, except the Earl of Liverpool, who by some accident failed to receive his notice. None of them, however, were in time for the actual birth; which took place, without any adverse occurrence, at ten minutes before eight o'clock. In the course of the morning guns were fired at Windsor. at St. James's Park, and at the Tower ; and bells were rung and flags hoisted in every quarter as the news spread. Intelligence of the event was specially sent to all the members of the Royal Family.
The Bishop of London, going down at a quarter-past ten o'clock, met the Ministers returning; and came back with them to town.
Mrs. Perkins, the wet-nurse, whose own lying-in occurred only on Friday sennight, was removed in a close carriage from the Wardrobe Tower to the Royal residence, between ten and eleven o'clock. The daily calls of inquiry at the Castle have been numerous. The Privy Council have issued the usual orders directing public thanksgiving for her Majesty's safe delivery. During the Tuesday, Prince Albert rode out on horseback. In the evening, the Dutchess of Kent dined with his Royal Highness. The Queen and the infant have continued to do well ; such being the tenour of the bulletins down to the last issued.
Previous page
