ticularly anxious on this subject, which
is, he may truly say, constantly in her thoughts, as is everything
connected with her beloved troops, who have fought so bravely and
borne so heroically all their sufferings and privations.

The Queen hopes before long to visit all the Hospitals at Portsmouth,
and to see in what state they are.

_When_ will the medals be ready for distribution?

[Pageheader: LORD DALHOUSIE RESIGNS]

_The Marquis of Dalhousie to Queen Victoria._

OOTACAMUND, _14th March 1855_.

The Governor-General presents his most humble duty to your Majesty;
and in obedience to the command, which your Majesty was pleased to lay
upon him, that he should keep your Majesty acquainted with the course
of public events in India, he has the honour to inform your Majesty
that he has now felt it to be his duty to request the President of
the Board of Control to solicit for him your Majesty's permission to
retire from the office of Governor-General of India about the close of
the present year.

The Governor-General begs permission respectfully to represent, that
in January next, he will have held his present office for eight years;
that his health during the last few months has seriously failed him;
and that although he believes that the invigorating air of these hills
will enable him to discharge all his duties efficiently during this
season, yet he is conscious that the effects of an Indian climate have
laid such a hold upon him that by the close of the present year he
will be wholly unfit any longer to serve your Majesty.

Lord Dalhousie, therefore, humbly trusts that your Majesty will
graciously permit him to resign the great office which he holds before
he ceases to command the strength which is needed to sustain it. He
has the honour to subscribe himself, your Majesty's most obedient,
most humble and devoted Subject and Servant,

DALHOUSIE.

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Clarendon._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _14th March 1855_.

The Queen returns the letter and Despatches from Vienna. They don't
alter her opinion as to our demands. Every concession in form and
wording ought to be made which could save Russian _amour-propre_; but
this ought in no way to trench upon the _substance_ of our demands, to
which Austria must feel herself bound.[47]

[Footnote 47: As has already been stated, the "Four Points"
were the basis of the negotiations at Vienna; the third
alone, which the Allies