on a
nous faire sur des idees non encore assez muries pour etre le
sujet de Depeches Officielles, je m'estimerais tres honore en
recevant une telle communication de la part de votre Majeste.

Nous allons mettre un peu d'ordre a notre Camp devant
Sevastopol, et en cela nous tacherons d'imiter le bel exemple
qui nous est montre par le Camp Francais. A quelque chose
cependant malheur est bon, et le mauvais etat de l'Armee
Anglaise a donne aux braves et genereux Francais l'occasion de
prodiguer a leurs freres d'armes des soins, qui ont excite la
plus vive reconnaissance tant en Angleterre qu'a Balaclava.
J'ai l'honneur d'etre, Sire, etc. etc.,

PALMERSTON.]

[Pageheading: PALMERSTON AND THE EMPEROR]

_Memorandum by the Prince Albert._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _11th February 1855_.

This letter gave us great uneasiness.... The sort of private
correspondence which Lord Palmerston means to establish with the
Emperor Napoleon is a novel and unconstitutional practice. If carried
on behind the back of the Sovereign, it makes her Minister the Privy
Councillor of a foreign Sovereign at the head of her affairs. How can
the Foreign Secretary and Ambassador at Paris, the legitimate organs
of communication, carry on their business, if everything has been
privately preconcerted between the Emperor and the English Prime
Minister? What control can the Cabinet hope to exercise on the Foreign
Affairs under these circumstances?...

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _11th February 1855_.

The Queen thanks Lord Palmerston for his letter of the 10th, and for
communicating to her the letter which he had addressed upon the 8th to
the Emperor of the French on the formation of the present Government,
the copy of which the Queen herewith returns.

[Pageheading: THE ROEBUCK COMMITTEE]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PICCADILLY, _16th February 1855_. (_Friday night._)

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
begs to state that after he had made his statement this afternoon,
a conversation of some length took place, in which Mr Disraeli, Mr
Roebuck, Mr Thomas Duncombe, and several other Members took part, the
subject of discussion being whether Mr Roebuck's Committee should or
should not be appointed.

Viscount Palmerston is concerned to say that it was not only his own
impression but the opinion of a great numbe