re merite_. I am happy to see that you escaped
a ministerial crisis; the peril was great, and it would have been
dreadful for you at such a moment.

Albert made a fine long speech, I see.[9] Did he read it? _ex
tempore_, it would have been very trying. I trust we may come to that
unity of mankind of which he speaks, and of universal peace which our
friend Richard Cobden considers as very near at hand; if, however,
the red benefactors of mankind at Paris get the upper hand, _universal
war_ will be the order of the day. We are so strongly convinced of
this that we are very seriously occupied with the means of defence
which this country can afford, and we imagine that if we are not
abandoned by our friends, it will be impossible to force our positions
on the Schelde.

I must now quickly conclude. Remaining ever, my beloved Victoria, your
devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 7: _I.e._ "only."]

[Footnote 8: He was President in 1848.]

[Footnote 9: At the Mansion House banquet to the Commissioners
for the Exhibition of 1851. See quotation from it in Sir T.
Martin's _Life_, vol. ii, p. 247.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th March 1850._

The Queen approves these drafts, but thinks that in the part alluding
to M. Pacifico, should be added a direction to Mr Wyse to satisfy
himself of the _truth_ of M. Pacifico's statements of losses before
he grounds his demands upon them.[10] The draft merely allows a
sub-division of the claims, but takes their validity for granted.

[Footnote 10: Don Pacifico claimed L31,500--L4,900 being for
effects destroyed, and L26,600 in respect of certain claims
against the Portuguese Government, the vouchers for which he
stated had been destroyed by the mob which pillaged his house.
His valuation of the various items was of the most extravagant
description.]

[Pageheading: SPEECH BY PRINCE ALBERT]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _26th March 1850._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Albert made a really beautiful speech the other
day, and it has given the greatest satisfaction and done great good.
He is indeed _looked up to and beloved_, as _I_ could _wish_ he should
be; and the _more_ his _rare qualities_ of mind and heart are _known_,
the _more_ he will be understood and appreciated. People are much
struck at his great powers and energy; his great self-denial, and
constant