The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Iii Part 34

We are _now_ most anxious that not a moment should be lost in following up this great victory, and in driving the Russians, while still under the depressing effect of their failure, from the Crimea!

[Footnote 80: He now became Duke of Malakhoff, and a Marshal of the French Army.]

[Pageheading: ATt.i.tUDE OF AUSTRIA]

_Earl Granville to the Earl of Clarendon._

BALMORAL, _14th September 1855_.

MY DEAR CLARENDON,--I was sent for after breakfast. The Queen and the Prince are much pleased with the draft of your Despatch to Naples; they think it good and dignified. With respect to the draft to Lord Stratford, instructing him to recommend to the Porte an application to the Austrian Government for the withdrawal or diminution of the Austrian troops in the Princ.i.p.alities, I have been commanded to write what the Queen has not time this morning to put on paper. Her Majesty does not feel that the objects of this proposed Despatch have been sufficiently explained. It does not appear to Her Majesty that, in a military point of view, the plans of the Allies are sufficiently matured to make it clear whether the withdrawal of the Austrian Army would be an advantage or a disadvantage. If the Allies intend to march through the Princ.i.p.alities, and attack Russia on that side, the presence of the Austrians might be an inconvenience. If, on the other hand, they advance from the East, it is a positive advantage to have the Russians contained on the other flank, by the Austrians in their present position. Looking at the political bearing of this move, Her Majesty thinks that it will not fail to have an unfavourable effect on Austria, who will be hurt at the Allies urging the Porte to endeavour to put an end to an arrangement entered into at the suggestion, or at all events with the approval, of the Allies. It cannot be an object at this moment, when extraneous circ.u.mstances have probably acted favourably for us on the minds of the Emperor of Austria and his Government, to check that disposition, make them distrust us, and incline them to throw themselves towards Russia, who now will spare no efforts to gain them. Her Majesty sees by your proposed Despatch you do not expect the Austrians to comply with this demand. Even if they consented to diminish the numbers of their Troops, they would do so only to suit their own convenience, and such diminution would in no ways decrease the evils of the occupation. Lastly, the Queen is of opinion that if such a proposal is to be made, it ought not to be done through Lord Stratford and the Porte, but that the subject should be broached at Vienna and the Austrian Government asked what their intentions are; that this would be the more friendly, more open, and more dignified course, and more likely than the other plan of being successful. Her Majesty, however, doubts that any such demand will be acceded to by the Austrians, and believes that their refusal will put the Allies in an awkward position.

This is, I believe, the pith of Her Majesty's opinions--there appears to me to be much sense in them--and they are well deserving of your and Palmerston's consideration. Yours sincerely,

GRANVILLE.

[Pageheading: LIFE PEERAGES]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BALMORAL, _19th September 1855_.

The Queen has to thank Lord Palmerston for his letter of the 16th. The want of Law Lords in the Upper House has often been complained of, and the Queen has long been of opinion that in order to remedy the same without adding permanently to the Peerage, the Crown ought to use its prerogative in creating Peers for life only. Lord Lansdowne coincided with this view, and Lord John Russell actually proposed a "Life Peerage" to Dr. Lus.h.i.+ngton, who declined it, however, from a dislike to become the first of the kind. Mr Pemberton Leigh has _twice_ declined a Peerage, but the Queen can have no objection to its being offered to him again.[81]...

[Footnote 81: See _ante_, vol. ii., 25th January, 1851, note 1.]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PICCADILLY, _20th September 1855_.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty....

A Blue Ribbon has become vacant by the death of the late Duke of Somerset, and Viscount Palmerston having communicated with Lord Lansdowne and Lord Clarendon on the subject, would beg to submit for your Majesty's gracious consideration that this honour might be well conferred upon the Duke of Newcastle, who has been the object of much undeserved attack, though certainly from inexperience not altogether exempt from criticism, and who since his retirement from office has shaped his public course in a manner honourable to himself, and advantageously contrasting with the aberrations of some of his former colleagues.[82]

Your Majesty must no doubt have been struck with the vast acc.u.mulation of warlike stores found at Sebastopol. That there should have remained there four thousand cannon, after the wear and tear of the Siege, proves the great importance attached by the Russian Government to that a.r.s.enal over which your Majesty's Flag is now triumphantly flying.

[Footnote 82: He had gone out to the Crimea, and entered Sebastopol with General Simpson. The Duke did not at this time accept the Garter, which was bestowed on Earl Fortescue. See _post_, 26th November, 1855, note 98.]

[Pageheading: DISTRIBUTION OF HONOURS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BALMORAL, _21st September 1855_.

The Queen is anxious to mark her sense of the services of the Army and Military Departments at home by conferring the rank of Field-Marshal on Lord Hardinge, who, from his position as Commander-in-Chief, and his long, distinguished services, has a strong claim to such an honour. Moreover, Marshal Vaillant receiving the G.C.B., whilst it has been thought more prudent not to accept the _Legion d'Honneur_ for Lord Hardinge, makes it the more desirable. The Prince is now again the only Field-Marshal in the Army, which has always had several. The Queen thinks that Lord Combermere, being the second senior officer of the whole Army, a full General of 1825, might expect not to be pa.s.sed over when Lord Hardinge is made. The only other General of distinction and seniority might be Lord Strafford, but he is only a full General of 1841. On this point Lord Palmerston might consult Lord Hardinge himself. If he and Lord Combermere alone are made, the honour is the greater for him.[83]

The Queen thinks likewise that Lord Panmure ought to receive a mark of favour and approval of his conduct on the occasion of the Fall of Sebastopol; either the Civil G.C.B. or a step in the Peerage--that of Viscount.[84]

Lord Palmerston would perhaps, without delay, give his opinion on these subjects to the Queen; the honours she would wish then _personally_ to bestow upon the recipients, and she thinks the arrival of the official Despatches the right moment for doing so.

[Footnote 83: Lord Hardinge, Lord Strafford, and Lord Combermere were all made Field-Marshals.]

[Footnote 84: He received the G.C.B.]

_The Prince Albert to the Earl of Clarendon._

BALMORAL, _21st September 1855_.

MY DEAR LORD CLARENDON,--The Queen wishes me to send you the enclosed letters, with the request that they may be sent by messengers to Coblentz.[85]

I may tell you in the strictest confidence that Prince Frederic William has yesterday laid before us his wish for an alliance with the Princess Royal with the full concurrence of his parents, as well as of the King of Prussia. We have accepted his proposal as far as we are personally concerned, but have asked that the child should not be made acquainted with it until after her confirmation, which is to take place next Spring, when he might make it to her himself, and receive from her own lips the answer which is only valuable when flowing from those of the person chiefly concerned. A marriage would not be possible before the completion of the Princess's seventeenth year, which is in two years from this time. The Queen empowers me to say that you may communicate this event to Lord Palmerston, but we beg that under present circ.u.mstances it may be kept a strict secret. What the world may say we cannot help. Ever yours, etc.,

ALBERT.

[Footnote 85: The Prince and Princess of Prussia were then at Coblentz.]

[Pageheading: PRINCE FREDERICH WILLIAM]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BALMORAL, _22nd September 1855_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I profit by your own messenger to confide to _you_, and to _you alone_, begging you not to mention it to your children, that _our_ wishes on the subject of a future marriage for Vicky _have_ been realised in the _most gratifying_ and _satisfactory_ manner.

On Thursday (20th) after breakfast, Fritz Wilhelm said he was anxious to speak of a subject which _he_ knew his parents had never broached to us--which _was to belong to our_ Family; that this had long been his wish, that he had the entire concurrence and _approval_ not only of his parents but of the King--and that finding Vicky _so allerliebst_, he could delay _no_ longer in making this proposal. I need _not_ tell you with _what_ joy _we_ accepted him _for_ our part; but the child herself is to know nothing till _after_ her confirmation, which is to take place next Easter, when he probably will come over, and, as he wishes himself, make her the proposal, which, however, I have little--indeed no--doubt she will gladly _accept_. He is a dear, excellent, charming young man, whom we shall give our dear child to with perfect confidence. What pleases us greatly is to see that he is really delighted with Vicky.

Now, with Albert's affectionate love, and with the prayer that _you_ will give _your_ blessing to this alliance, as you have done to ours, ever your devoted Niece and Child,