The Letters of Queen Victoria
Chapter 109 : I wish Clem's marriage was no longer a secret, now that it _is settled_, as it is

I wish Clem's marriage was no longer a secret, now that it _is settled_, as it is (forgive my saying it) really a fas.h.i.+on in our family to have these _secrets de la comedie_, when one is almost forced to tell a lie about what is true. I _own_ I dislike these secrets; it was so with poor Marie and with Vecto. Now _adieu!_ dearest, kindest Uncle, and believe me, always, your most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 100: He had a paralytic seizure, and never regained his former health or spirits.]

[Footnote 101: Duc de Montpensier.]

[Footnote 102: Afterwards eleventh Duke of Hamilton: he was married to Princess Mary on 23rd February following.]

[Footnote 103: Sister of the d.u.c.h.ess of Kent and of the King of the Belgians, and the wife of Count Mensdorff.]

[Footnote 104: Alfred, Count Neipperg, who died in 1865.]

[Pageheading: THE CROWN JEWELS]

[Pageheading: PROVISION FOR PRINCESS AUGUSTA]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _11th November 1842._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that he brought under the consideration of your Majesty's servants the questions relating to certain of the Crown Jewels, and the claim upon them preferred by the King of Hanover.[105]

In the course of the discussion it appeared to Sir Robert Peel that there were still some points in respect to this very embarra.s.sing question which required the grave consideration of legal authorities, and that it would not be prudent to take any step, even that of submitting the case to arbitration, without the highest legal authority.

The submission to arbitration might avoid the evil (and a very great one it would be) of public controversy in a Court of Justice, and of public examination of members of the Royal Family on a matter partly of a domestic nature; but on the other hand, great care must be taken that by submitting the case to the award of arbitrators, even should they be nominated altogether by your Majesty, we do not relinquish any _fair_ advantage for the Crown of England which would have accompanied an appeal to the regularly const.i.tuted tribunals of the country.

Your Majesty's Solicitor-General was employed as Counsel for the King of Hanover, and it has been thought therefore advisable to make the reference to the Attorney-General and to the Queen's Advocate.

Sir Robert Peel has attempted to bring every questionable point in the case submitted to them under the consideration of your Majesty's law advisers, and when their report shall be received he will not fail to lay it before your Majesty.

Sir Robert Peel had a personal interview a few days since with His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, on the subject of a public provision for the Princess Augusta on the occasion of her marriage.[106]

Sir Robert Peel thought it advisable to enquire from the Duke of Cambridge, as the impression of the public (of which His Royal Highness is quite aware) is that he has a considerable fortune of his own, independently of his annual allowance from Parliament.

The Duke of Cambridge seemed entirely to share the impressions of Sir Robert Peel that in the present state of the country, and of the public revenue, great caution is requisite in respect to the proposal of a grant of public money as a marriage portion to the Princess Augusta, and that it would be important that in any proposal to be made there should be a general acquiescence on the part of the House of Commons.

As the marriage is not to take place for some time it appears to Sir Robert Peel that it might be advisable to postpone a decision, at least in respect to the particular amount of any provision to be made, till a period nearer to the meeting of Parliament.

A public intimation, or the public notoriety long beforehand of the intention to propose a grant of public money might, in the present temper of the times, interpose additional obstacles in the way of it.

Sir Robert Peel proposes to return to Drayton Manor for a short time, and to leave London to-morrow morning.

[Footnote 105: The King claimed them on the ground that part belonged to the Crown of Hanover, and part had been bequeathed to him by Queen Charlotte. The matter was referred to a Commission consisting of Lords Lyndhurst and Langdale, and Chief Justice Tindal. The two former were divided in opinion, and the Chief Justice died before the award was made. It was not till 1857 that a final decision, substantially in favour of Hanover, was given.]

[Footnote 106: See _ante_, p. 437.

(Ch XI, Footnote 99, 31st October, 1842)]

[Pageheading: SUCCESSES IN CHINA]

_Lord Stanley to Queen Victoria._

DOWNING STREET, _23rd November 1842._

Lord Stanley, with his humble duty, has the honour of submitting to your Majesty an original despatch from Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Gough, received this morning, detailing the triumphant successes which had crowned the exertions of your Majesty's Naval and Military forces in China,[107] and of the completely satisfactory result in the execution of a Treaty of Peace with the Emperor of China, upon terms highly honourable to your Majesty and advantageous to this country.

Lord Stanley learns from Lord Fitzgerald that he is also forwarding to your Majesty, by this messenger, the details which the same mail has brought of the complete and triumphant issue of the campaign in Afghanistan.

Lord Stanley trusts that he may be permitted to offer to your Majesty his humble congratulations upon intelligence so glorious to British Arms, and so important to British interests. It is difficult to estimate the moral effect which these victories may produce, not on Asia merely, but throughout Europe also. At the same moment your Majesty has brought to a triumphant issue two gigantic operations, one in the centre of Asia, the other in the heart of the hitherto unapproachable Chinese Empire. In the former, past disasters have been retrieved; a signal victory has been achieved on the very spot memorable for former failure and ma.s.sacre; the honour of the British Arms has been signally vindicated; the interests of humanity have been consulted by the rescue of the whole of the prisoners; and, after a series of victories, the Governor-General of India is free, without discredit, to enter upon measures of internal improvement, and having established the supremacy of British power, to carry on henceforth a more pacific policy.

In China a termination has been put to the effusion of blood by the signature of a treaty which has placed your Majesty's dominions on a footing never recognised in favour of any foreign Power--a footing of perfect equality with the Chinese Empire; which has obtained large indemnity for the past, and ample security for the future, and which has opened to British enterprise the commerce of China to an extent which it is almost impossible to antic.i.p.ate. It may interest your Majesty to hear that already enquiries are made in the City for superintendents of s.h.i.+ps to trade to _Ningpo direct_.

Lord Stanley has taken upon himself to give orders in your Majesty's name for firing the Park and Tower guns in honour of these glorious successes. A _Gazette_ extraordinary will be published to-morrow, the voluminous nature of the despatches rendering it necessary to take some time lest an important despatch should be omitted.

All which is humbly submitted by your Majesty's most dutiful Servant and Subject,

STANLEY.

[Footnote 107: Chapoo was taken by Sir Hugh Gough in May: in June the squadron, under Admiral William Parker, entered the waters of the Yang-tze, captured Chin-kiang-fu, and were about to attack Nanking, when the treaty was concluded, embracing among other things a payment by the Chinese of 21,000,000 dollars, the cession of Hong Kong, and the opening of the ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo, and Shanghai.]

[Pageheading: VICTORIES IN AFGHANISTAN]

_Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci to Queen Victoria._

INDIA BOARD, _23rd November 1842._[108]

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave most humbly to inform your Majesty that the despatches received from the Governor-General of India announce the results of a series of most brilliant exploits by the armies under Major-General Nott and General Pollock in Afghanistan.

Each of those armies has achieved a glorious victory over superior numbers of the enemy.

The city of Ghuznee has been captured, and its formidable fortress utterly razed and destroyed.

The survivors of the British garrison, which had capitulated in the spring of the year, and who had been reduced to slavery, have been redeemed from bondage.

The splendid victory of General Pollock has been obtained over the army commanded by Akbar Khan in person, on the very spot where the greatest disaster had befallen the British Army on their retreat, and where the last gun had been lost.