Shah Sooja into exile. Lord Auckland, the Viceroy of India, had sent
Captain (afterwards Sir Alexander) Burnes on a Mission to Cabul,
and the Ameer had received him hospitably at first, but subsequently
dismissed him from his Court. Lord Auckland thereupon resolved to
restore Shah Sooja, and in the autumn of 1838 issued a manifesto
dethroning Dost Mahommed. Operations were accordingly directed against
him under Sir John (afterwards Lord) Keane, who, on August 6, 1839,
entered Cabul and placed Shah Sooja on the throne. However open to
criticism, the news of this result was enthusiastically received in
England, and Lord Auckland was promoted to an Earldom.

In China a dispute of long standing became acute. With the renewal of
the East India Company's charter, in 1834, the Chinese ports had been
thrown open, and the opium trade became a source of great profit
to private traders. In spite of the prohibition which the Chinese
Government laid on importation of opium, the traffic was actively
carried on, and, as a result of the strained relations which ensued,
Captain Elliot, the British Chief Superintendent, requested that
warships should proceed to China for the protection of British life
and property.

CHAPTER VIII

1839

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

PAVILION [BRIGHTON], _1st January 1839._

MY DEAR UNCLE,--... I don't like your _croaking_ so about damp
climates; if a niece may venture to say such a thing, I might almost
say it is ungrateful to your faithful and attached Belgians.

The Queen-Dowager's letters do tantalize one a good deal, I must
own.[1] You will see that old Lord Clarendon[2] is dead, which makes
our friend Villiers Earl of Clarendon, but I am afraid not with a
large income.

Lord Palmerston has been unwell and obliged to go to Broadlands, where
he still is. He had gone through so much grief and labour, that it was
absolutely necessary for him to recruit his strength. The Normanbys
spent two nights here.[3] Lord Melbourne is the only person staying in
the house besides several of my Court and my suite, and, I am sorry to
say, is not very well; he has also had, I fear, too much business to
do.

Lady Breadalbane[4] is my new Lady of the Bedchamber, and a very nice
person. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Forgive this short scrawl.

[Footnote 1: Queen Adelaide had described the orange-trees and
tropical fruits in the gardens of the Palace of St Antonio