Chapter 42 Queen Victoria Critically Ill
Alongside the university's opening, Australia's primary education system—its elementary schools—also began operations.
Compared to the more selective admissions process of the university, enrollment in Australian elementary schools was far more relaxed, practically without requirements.
Unlike higher education, basic education didn't require expensive tuition, and with Arthur already waiving half the fees, most Australians were happy to send their children to school.
More importantly, elementary schools required very little investment aside from teachers and textbooks. Even an ordinary high school graduate could, in most cases, become an elementary school teacher. As a result, the cost of opening primary schools had been reduced to a minimum—building all of Australia's elementary schools cost less than constructing the Australian National University.
On October 21, Arthur once again embarked on a journey to the Isle of Wight.
It had been more than four months since his last visit. In that time, under Arthur's leadership, Australia had begun to show strong signs of development, and national order was largely stabilized.
But at the same time, Queen Victoria's health continued to deteriorate. Although she had lived longer than the three months her private doctors had originally predicted, her life force was clearly waning, and her end was near.
This time, it was Crown Prince Edward who summoned Arthur, traveling all the way from Britain aboard a naval vessel.
When Arthur saw his uncle again, Edward was nothing like the frustrated man of a few months ago. Now, he seemed like a completely different person—glowing with vitality and clearly in high spirits.
Though the bad news regarding Queen Victoria had stolen the smile from Edward's face, the satisfaction and relief in his heart still subtly showed.
"Arthur, long time no see!" Crown Prince Edward greeted warmly, slapping Arthur on the shoulder.
"Yes, Uncle, it's been over half a year," Arthur replied calmly, already calculating Edward's intentions in his mind.
"How's life in Australia treating you?" Edward asked with a smile.
"Very well," Arthur nodded.
…
The atmosphere was a little awkward, but the good news was they soon arrived at the Isle of Wight's port. The warship docked slowly, and both Edward and Arthur disembarked.
This time, no one was there to receive them. Everyone was occupied caring for Queen Victoria, and no one could be spared.
"Come, Arthur, let's go see your grandmother," Edward said with a light chuckle, heading straight for Queen Victoria's estate.
As Arthur entered the estate, he was immediately met with the heavy scent of medicine, accompanied by the pungent smell of disinfectant.
The servants were in a frenzy. Some hadn't noticed Edward and Arthur's arrival, and those who did were waved off by Edward, indicating they needn't bow.
They quickly made their way to Queen Victoria's room, which was already crowded with her children and grandchildren. The queen herself was smiling and speaking warmly with them all.
When she saw Edward and Arthur enter, her eyes lit up and she immediately called out, "Arthur! Come to your grandmother."
At her words, the others quickly made room so Arthur could approach her bedside with ease.
"Arthur, my dear child, how have you been in Australia?" Queen Victoria asked, her hand trembling slightly as she took his, smiling gently.
"I'm doing well, Grandmother. You don't need to worry about me. With the Royal Guards at my side, I'm perfectly safe in Australia," Arthur replied with a reassuring smile.
"That's good, that's good, my child. Poor boy, going off to such a barren and difficult place like Australia… You've suffered," the queen said, gently touching Arthur's forehead with practiced affection.
"Mother, now that everyone's here, why don't we have lunch together? These little ones must be starving by now. Let's eat first, and we can talk more afterward, alright?" said Princess Beatrice, seeing how cheerful the queen appeared and wanting to encourage her to eat.
In recent days, due to her declining physical and mental state, Queen Victoria had barely eaten—sometimes only two slices of bread and a glass of milk a day.
Now that she was in better spirits, Princess Beatrice hoped she might enjoy a proper meal.
At her nod, Beatrice ordered the servants to bring lunch.
Since the room couldn't accommodate everyone at once, most family members went to the dining room next door.
When Arthur prepared to leave with them, the queen quickly stopped him. "Arthur, dine with your grandmother today, will you?"
Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, Arthur couldn't bring himself to refuse. He nodded firmly.
The queen's meal was simple—mashed potatoes, milk, and a few pieces of tender stewed beef, chosen for easy digestion.
"How's the food in Australia? I doubt there's much to enjoy there, especially given that the country can barely sustain itself," Queen Victoria asked as she stirred her mashed potatoes.
"It's not bad, Grandmother. Australia has vast arable land. Even with a growing population, it's still capable of sustaining itself. Although the variety isn't abundant, I have more than enough. But you—living here on the Isle of Wight, so far from everything… Though New Zealand's livestock industry is decent, your food supply still depends heavily on Britain. If Australia had more to offer, I'd send you something regularly," Arthur said apologetically.
"I heard you've recently established a university in Australia. How's that going? Do you need support from Britain?" the queen asked with concern.
"Very well, Grandmother. Given the number of local students and teachers, we're only enrolling 800 students a year for now. This year's admissions have already concluded, and the university is officially operating. So far, it has been a great success. Conservatively, in three years, we'll be producing at least 800 graduates annually. These students will serve in various sectors and help accelerate Australia's growth and development," Arthur said, clearly pleased with the results.
In this era, with universities generally small in scale, the Australian National University—enrolling nearly 1,000 students annually—already qualified as a large institution.
Although its current educational quality wasn't world-class, the students it produced were more than capable of contributing meaningfully to Australia's development.
(End of Chapter)
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