Army has gone on
more rapidly than could have been expected at this particular time of
year, and in a fortnight or three weeks from this time will proceed
still more rapidly; the ten thousand Militia to be immediately
embodied will be as much as could probably be got together at the
present moment without much local inconvenience; but if that number
should be found insufficient, it would be easy afterwards to embody
more. But, if the recruiting should go on successfully, that number
of Militiamen in addition to the Regulars may be found sufficient.
Viscount Palmerston begs to assure your Majesty that there is no wish
to make savings on the amount voted for Army Services, but, on the
other hand, it would be very inconvenient and embarrassing to exceed
that amount without some urgent and adequate necessity....

[Footnote 32: He died of cholera at Delhi, on the 5th of
July.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

OSBORNE, _22nd August 1857_.

In answer to Lord Palmerston's observations on our Military
preparations, the Queen must reply that, although Lord Palmerston
disclaims, on the part of the Government, the intention of making a
saving on the Army estimates out of the fearful exigencies caused by
the Indian Revolt, the facts still remain. The Government have sent
fourteen Battalions out of the country and transferred them to the
East India Company, and they mean to replace them only by ten new
ones, whose organisation has been ordered; but even in these, they
mean for the present to save four Companies out of every twelve. The
Queen, the House of Lords, the House of Commons, and the Press, all
call out for vigorous exertion, and the Government alone take an
apologetic line, anxious to do as little as possible, to wait for
further news, to reduce as low as possible even what they do grant,
and reason as if we had at most _only_ to replace what was sent out;
whilst if new demands should come upon us, the Reserves which ought
now to be decided upon and organised, are only then to be discussed.
The Queen can the less reconcile herself to the system, of "letting
out a little sail at a time," as Lord Palmerston called it the other
day, as she feels convinced that, if vigour and determination to
get what will be eventually wanted is shown by the Cabinet, it will
pervade the whole Government machinery and attain its object; but that
if, on the other hand, people don't see what the Government really
requ