The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Iii Part 53

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Clarendon._

OSBORNE, _12th December 1856_.

The Queen returns the enclosed letters. Sir H. Bulwer's is a clever composition, showing his wit and powers of writing.

The Queen has never, however, seen anything from him producing the impression that great and important affairs would be safe in his hands.

The mission to Was.h.i.+ngton will be difficult to fill.[61] Is it necessary to be in a hurry about it? Lord Elgin is sure to perform the duties very well, but is his former position as Governor-General of Canada not too high for him to go to Was.h.i.+ngton as Minister?...

[Footnote 61: A complaint had been made by the Government of the United States of the unlawful enlistment in that country of recruits for the English army, and Mr Crampton, the British Minister at Was.h.i.+ngton, had been dismissed. Diplomatic relations were resumed after a suspension of some months; and Lord Napier was appointed British Minister in March 1857.]

[Pageheading: THE MAHARAJAH DHULEEP SINGH]

_Memorandum by Queen Victoria._

OSBORNE, _15th December 1856._

The Queen has seen the Memorandum which the Maharajah Dhuleep Singh has sent to the East India Company; she thinks all he asks very fair and reasonable, and she trusts that the East India Company will be able to comply with them. As we are in complete possession since 1849 of the Maharajah's enormous and splendid Kingdom, the Queen thinks we ought to do _everything_ (which does not interfere with the safety of her Indian dominions) to render the position of this interesting and peculiarly good and amiable Prince as agreeable as possible, and not to let him have the feeling that he is _a prisoner_.

His being a Christian and completely European (or rather more English) in his habits and feelings, renders this much more necessary, and at the same time more easy.

The Queen has a very strong feeling that everything should be done to show respect and kindness towards these poor fallen Indian Princes, whose Kingdoms we have taken from them, and who are naturally very sensitive to attention and kindness.

Amongst all these, however, the Maharajah stands to a certain degree alone, from his civilisation, and likewise from his having lost his kingdom when he was a child entirely by the faults and misdeeds of others.[62]

[Footnote 62: In reply, Mr Vernon Smith stated that he had brought all the Queen's wishes before the Company.]

[Pageheading: MILITARY EDUCATION]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

OSBORNE, _18th December 1856._

In answer to Lord Palmerston's explanation with regard to Colonel Lefroy's[63] appointment, the Queen has to say, that if he is to be made Inspector of Regimental Schools, she has no objection; but she must protest against his being made _Director_ of Education for the Army generally. We want a Director-General of Education very much, but he ought to be immediately under the Commander-in-Chief, if possible a General Officer of weight, a.s.sisted by a Board of Officers of the different Arms.

Education ought to be made one of the essential requisites of an officer, and the reports on his proficiency ought to go direct through the proper superior from the bottom to the top, particularly if selection by merit is to receive a greater application for the future.

If for his military proficiency and moral discipline, an officer is to be responsible to his Military chief, but for his mental acquirements to a Civil department, the unity of the system will be broken and the Army ruined; and this _must_ be the case if the superintendence of the education is separated from the Military command.

The subject of Military Education has, as Lord Palmerston says, often been discussed in Parliament, which expects that some sufficient arrangement shall be made for it. But the mere creation of a place for an officer, however meritorious, to find him an equivalent for one which has to be reduced, can hardly be so called, and may even defeat the object itself. This subject is a most important one, and ought to be thoroughly examined before acting. The Queen understands that the Duke of Cambridge has transmitted to Lord Panmure a complete scheme, which must be now before him. If Lord Palmerston, Lord Panmure, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Prince were to meet to consider this scheme, and the whole question in connection with it, the Queen would feel every confidence that a satisfactory decision would be arrived at.

[Footnote 63: John Henry Lefroy, who now became Inspector-General of Army Schools, was an artillery officer of considerable scientific attainments. Many years later he was K.C.M.G. and Governor of Tasmania.]

[Pageheading: BESSARABIA]

_The Emperor of the French to Queen Victoria._

[_Undated._]

MADAME ET TReS CHeRE S[OE]UR,--Le Prince Frederic Guillaume m'a remis la lettre que votre Majeste a bien voulu lui donner pour moi. Les expressions si amicales employees par votre Majeste m'ont vivement touche et quoique je fusse persuade que la diversite d'opinion de nos deux Gouvernements ne pouvait en rien alterer vos sentiments a mon egard, j'ai ete heureux d'en recevoir la douce confirmation. Le Prince de Prusse nous a beaucoup plu et je ne doute pas qu'il ne fa.s.se le bonheur de la Princesse Royale, car il me semble avoir toutes les qualites de son age et de son rang. Nous avons tache de lui rendre le sejour de Paris aussi agreable que possible, mais je crois que ses pensees etaient toujours a Osborne ou a Windsor.

Il me tarde bien que toutes les discussions relatives au Traite de Paix aient un terme, car les partis en France en profitent pour tenter d'affaiblir l'intimite de l'alliance.[64] Je ne doute pas neanmoins que le bon sens populaire en fa.s.se promptement justice de toutes les faussetes qu'on a repandues.

Votre Majeste, je l'espere, ne doutera jamais de mon desir de marcher d'accord avec son Gouvernement et du regret que j'eprouve quand momentairement cet accord n'existe pas.

En la priant de presenter mes hommages a S.A.R. la d.u.c.h.esse de Kent et mes tendres amities au Prince, je lui renouvelle l'a.s.surance de la sincere amitie et de l'entier devouement avec lesquels je suis, de votre Majeste, le bon Frere et Ami,

NAPOLeON.

[Footnote 64: A settlement with Russia of the disputed Bessarabian frontier was at length decided upon, on lines suggested by the Emperor to the British Government.]

_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._

THE GROVE, _22nd December 1856._

Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and humbly begs to transmit a letter from Lord Cowley, which contains the report of a curious conversation with the Emperor, and which might make a despatch not very unlike Sir H. Seymour's when he reported the part.i.tioning views of the Emperor Nicholas.[65]

It is curious that in both cases the bribe to England should be Egypt.

The Emperor of the French said nothing about the share of the spoils that France would look for, but His Majesty means Morocco, and Marshal Vaillant[66] talked to Lord Clarendon of Morocco as necessary to France, just as the Americans declare that the United States are not safe without Cuba....

[Footnote 65: See _ante_, 9th May, 1854, note 30. The Queen does not appear to have preserved a copy of Lord Cowley's letter.]

[Footnote 66: Minister of War.]

[Pageheading: THE DISPUTE ADJUSTED]

_Queen Victoria to the Emperor of the French._