Wars In Queen Victorias 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 Grey hound after Hare, The Lion did drive back the Bear, And made it feel the British rule, At gates of strong Sebastapool, 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 slaughtered Britons from Delhi; The Bengal Tiger, sick with gore, Did tremble at the Lion's roar, But Briton's got a serious shock By losing of brave Havelock, But Campbell, 'mid a numerous foe, Full quick these armied hordes 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 Ashanteee From British troops did quickly flee. In Afgan 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 breast 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 here have sung three heroes' names, Havelock from the land of Thames, And Campbell from the banks of Clyde, And Wolseley from Liffey'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.