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 circumstances 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. Lushington, 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