r exhaustion, the Carlists had to cease fighting the
Christinos, as the loyal party was called. The English Government in
the previous year had sanctioned the enlistment of 10,000 men; who,
commanded by Colonel (afterwards Sir de Lacy) Evans, landed at San
Sebastian in August to assist the Christinos. A British auxiliary
contingent was already with the Spanish army, while a naval squadron
under Lord John Hay was active on the coast. Mendizabal was Prime
Minister at the beginning of the year 1836, and was succeeded in May
by Isturitz. Riots took place at Madrid, and Isturitz fled to France;
Calatrava succeeding him, assisted by Mendizabal. The Christino cause
did not much advance during the year.

CHAPTER V

1836

_The King of the Belgians to the Princess Victoria._

_4th March 1836._

MY DEARLY BELOVED CHILD,--You wrote me again a long, _dear_, _good_
letter, like all those which I received from your kind hands. Time
approaches now for the arrival of the cousins, and most probably of
your Uncle Ferdinand also. He has informed me of his arrival for the
7th or 8th; notwithstanding this, I mean to leave everything settled
as it has been arranged. They will set off on the 7th, arrive at Paris
on the 8th, and leave it again on the 12th.... Fernando[1] has still a
very bad cold; change of air is likely to cure that. The stay here has
done Fernando a great deal of good, and it cannot be denied that he is
quite another person. It has given me some trouble, but I have written
down for him everything which he ought to know about the organisation
of a government _in general_, and what will be necessary in specie to
carry on successfully the Government in Portugal.... My inclinations,
as you are aware, would have led me to the East, but certainly the
only thing which reconciles me with my not having done so is that it
has made me to remain near you, and will enable me to see you and to
be useful to you.

[Footnote 1: The Queen's first cousin, Prince Ferdinand (son
of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, who was brother of the
Duchess of Kent and the King of the Belgians), aged nineteen,
who married the Queen of Portugal on 9th April. He was at
this time visiting the King of the Belgians on his way to
Portugal.]

_The Princess Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

KENSINGTON PALACE, _7th March 1836._

... You are very kind, my dearest, best Uncle, to say that "the only
thing which rec