Wars in Queen Victoria’s Reign
We will now sing in thoughtful strain
Of wars in Queen Victoria’s reign.
The Russian bear did ages lurk,
All ready for to spring on Turk,
For Russian statesmen did divine
That they should conquer Constantine,
But like a greyhound after hare
The Lion did drive back the Bear,
And made it feel the British rule
At gates of strong Sebastopol.
Then insolent was Persia,
Till Lion had to dictate law,
And while engaged in scenes like these
He was attacked by the Chinese,
And for this outrage all so wanton
He then resolved to seize on Canton.
But soon there came a dismal cry
Of slaughter’d Britons from Delhi,
The Bengal Tiger sick with gore
Did tremble at the Lion’s roar,
But Britain got a serious shock
By losing of brave Havelock,
But Campbell ’mid a numerous foe
Full quick these armed hosts did o’erthrow,
In Abyssinian dungeons vile
Lay captives of Great Britain’s isle,
But soon the tyrant Theodore
Lay sadly weltering in his gore.
The savage tribes of Ashantee
From British troops did quickly flee,
In Afghan and Zulu wars
Many did find their deadly scars;
In the land of the Pharaohs
The Christians suffered cruel woes,
Till in Alexandria Bay
The British iron clads did display,
The mighty power they did wield,
While their steel sides from harm did shield,
And British army on the land
Marched bravely o’er the burning sand,
And Arabi found ’twas useless labor,
His strong trench of Tel-el-Kebir,
Egyptians did not wish to feel
In their breasts cold British steel,
Their great power was soon laid low
And Wolseley entered Grand Cairo.
Egyptians now no more revile
The Christians on the banks of Nile.
We have sung three heroes’ names.
Havelock from the land of Thames,
And Campbell from the banks of Clyde,
And Wolseley from Liffy’s side,
When rose, thistle, shamrock unite
They do prove victors in the fight,
Now Britain once more does command
Respect alike on sea and land,
But now may wars forever cease
And mankind ever live in peace.