Chapter XI: England in 1845

Borneo and Sir James Brooke--Cession of Labuan to Great Britain--“Constitutionalism” in the Sandwich Islands--State of the Colonies--Unsuccessful Attack on Madagascar--Commencement of the Overland Route to India--Decline in the Popularity of Sir Robert Peel--Rise of Mr. Disraeli and the “Young England” Party--Generous Support of Peel by the Queen and Prince Albert--Offer of the Garter to Sir Robert, which he Declines--Position of the Premier towards the Aristocracy--Increasing Weakness of the Government--Dangerous State of Ireland--Prince Albert on the Political Situation--Visit of the Queen to Belgium and Prussia--Splendid Reception in the latter Country--Speech of the King of Prussia at Bonn--The Illuminations at Cologne--Prince Albert and Baron von Humboldt--Reception of the Royal Visitors in Bavaria, at Coburg, and at Gotha--The Queen at the Native Place of her Husband--Excursion to the Thuringian Forest--Other Incidents of the German Visit--Second Visit of the Queen and Prince Albert to Louis Philippe at the Château d’Eu--Duplicity of the King--Return of the Royal Party to England--Spread of Railway Enterprise in Great Britain--The Railway Mania and Panic of 1845-6--Increasing Strength of the Free Trade Movement--The Potato Disease in Ireland--Threatenings of Famine--Sir Robert Peel and Free Trade--Letter of Lord John Russell to the Electors of the City of London--Ministerial Crisis--Return of Sir Robert Peel to Power 187

CHAPTER XII.

THE MINISTRY OF RENUNCIATION.

The _Times_ Reveals a Secret of State--Mr. Sidney Herbert and Mrs. Norton and the _Times_--A Court Scandal--Peel’s Resignation--Lord John Russell’s Failure to Form a Ministry--Peel Resumes Office--The Ministry and the Queen--The Duke of Wellington and Peel--Disintegration of the Tory Party--Croker’s Correspondence with Wellington--Peel’s Instructions to the _Quarterly Review_--A Betrayed Editor--Peel and the Princess Lieven--Guizot’s Defence of Peel--The Queen’s Conduct in the Great Crisis--How she Strengthened the Position of the Crown--Her Popular Sympathies--Why Peel Changed his Policy--The Potato Rot--Impending Famine--Distress in England--The Campaign of the Free Traders--Scenes at their Meetings--The Protectionist Agitation and the Agricultural Labourers--Sufferings of the Poor--The Duke of Norfolk’s Curry Powder--Meeting at Wootton Bassett--The Queen and the Sufferers 205