given.[16] No answer has yet been received, and Lord Aberdeen would
think it right not to make the summons until Austria has declared her
intention; but the Cabinet appears to desire that the letter should be
sent to-morrow evening.

The period fixed for the complete evacuation of the Principalities is
the 30th of April.

As it cannot be supposed that the Emperor of Russia will listen to
such a demand as this, immediate hostilities must be expected, with
all their consequences.

[Footnote 15: This summons to evacuate the Principalities, and
an ultimatum to a similar purport from Paris, were delivered
to the Czar on the 14th of March; on their receipt the Czar
intimated that he did not think it fitting (_convenable_) that
he should make any reply. His decision was known in London on
the 24th.]

[Footnote 16: The attitude of Austria caused great perplexity.
Count Orloff had gone to Vienna to obtain a pledge of
neutrality in the event of war, but refused to give the
Emperor Francis Joseph satisfactory assurances as to the
Czar's future policy, and, in particular, as to the evacuation
of the Principalities at the close of the war. The Austrian
Government accordingly announced its intention of acting as
circumstances might dictate, but subsequently limited the
assistance which it now expressed itself willing to give
to England and France in insisting upon the evacuation, to
diplomatic support.]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _26th February 1854._

The Queen has received Lord Aberdeen's letter of this day.

To be able to form a judgment on the important question to which it
refers, the Queen would require to be furnished with the exact terms
of "the general assurance" which Austria has given with respect to it.
The Queen, however, does not doubt for a moment that the gain of a day
or two in making the summons to Russia could not be compared to the
advantage of being able to make the summons conjointly with Austria.
She must therefore wish that the answer to the telegraphic message
should be awaited before the messenger is sent off.

[Pageheading: DEPARTURE OF THE GUARDS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _28th February 1854._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--... The news from Austria are quite excellent,
and much more than we had any reason to expect. It will make a great
diff