_One must_ revere and love such soldiers as those! The account in the _Times_ of Saturday is very correct and good.
I must, however, conclude now, hoping soon to hear from you again. Could you kindly tell me if you could in a few days forward some letters and papers with _safety_ to good Stockmar. Ever your devoted Niece,
[Footnote 58: Prince Albert, in a Memorandum dated the 25th of May, emphasised the difficulties in the way of peace caused by the attitude of Austria, and the possibility of her passing from the one alliance to the other.]
[Footnote 59: He was made a C.B. and a Brevet-Colonel; and also received the Legion of Honour.]
[Pageheading: SUCCESSOR TO LORD DALHOUSIE]
The Queen has received Mr Vernon Smith's letter on the subject of Lord Dalhousie's resignation and the appointment of a successor. She was somewhat astonished that the name of a successor to that most important appointment should for the first time be brought before her after all official steps for carrying it out had been completed. If the selection should now not receive the Queen's approval, it is evident that great awkwardness must arise.[60]
[Footnote 60: Mr Vernon Smith, in reply, referred to the statutory power then existing of the Directors of the East India Company to nominate a Governor-General, subject to the approbation of the Crown.]
The Queen received Mr V. Smith's letter yesterday evening after her return from Chatham. She readily acquits him of any _intentional_ want of respect towards her, or of any neglect in going through the prescribed forms with regard to the appointment in question, neither of which she meant to insinuate by her letter. But she does not look upon the question as one of form. She takes a deep and natural interest in the welfare of her Indian Empire, and must consider the selection of the fittest person for the post of Governor-General as of paramount importance. She had frequently discussed this point with Lord Palmerston, but the name of Lord Canning never occurred amongst the candidates alluded to. The Queen is even now quite ignorant as to the reasons and motives which led to his selection in preference to those other names, and Mr V. Smith will see at once that, were the Queen inclined to object to it, she could not _now_ do so without inflicting a deep, personal injury on a public man, for whose personal qualities and talents the Queen has a high regard.