Chapter I: Front Matter

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Transcriber's note:

[ae] and [oe] are used for the diphthongs/ligatures in (mostly)
French words. (e.g. c[oe]ur, heart; s[oe]ur, sister; ch[oe]ur;
choir).

The original page headings have been retained and moved to
appropriate positions at the beginning of letters and text to
which they refer, so as not to interrupt the flow of the text.
Thus, a long letter may be prefaced by two, or even three
page headings. Likewise, footnotes have been moved to the end
of the appropriate letter, or the appropriate paragraph in the
case of longer pieces of text.

In the text file version, for "See _ante_/_post_, p. xyz", the
date and note number (where applicable) have been given instead
of the page number, for easier reader look-up.

INDEX

Page numbers have been adjusted to allow for the re-positioning
of footnotes. Other (numerous) page numbering errors have been
corrected.

A list of corrections will be found at the end of the text.

From the picture by F. Winterhalter at Buckingham Palace

_Frontispiece, Vol. III._]

THE LETTERS OF QUEEN VICTORIA

A Selection from Her Majesty's Correspondence between the Years 1837 and 1861

Published by Authority of His Majesty The King

Edited by

ARTHUR CHRISTOPHER BENSON, M.A. and VISCOUNT ESHER, G.C.V.O., K.C.B.

In Three Volumes

VOL. III.--1854-1861

London John Murray, Albemarle Street, W. 1908

_Copyright in Great Britain and Dependencies, 1907, by_ H.M. THE KING.

_In the United States by_ Messrs LONGMANS, GREEN & CO.

_All rights reserved._

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXIII

1854
PAGES
The Eastern Question--Attack on the Prince--The French
alliance--The Orleans family--The Reform Bill--The Baltic
command--The British ultimatum--Departure of the Guards--War
declared--Cabinet dissensions--Austrian interests--The
Sultan--Prussian policy--Marshal St Arnaud--Invasion of
the Principalities--Separation of Departments--The Russian
loan--Debates on the War--Prince Albert and the Emperor
Napoleon--The Crimea--Battle of the Alma--Maharajah Dhuleep
Singh--Attack on Sebastopol--Battle of Inkerman--Death of
Sir G. Cathcart--A hurricane--Lord John Russell and the
Premiership--Miss Nightingale's mission 1-62