lls us with horror. The sea was running very high, and
we were just outside what is called The Spit, when we saw a man in
the water, sitting on the keel of a boat, and we stopped, and at that
moment Albert discerned _many heads_ above the sea, including a poor
woman. The tide was running so strong that we could only stop an
instant and let a boat down, but you may imagine our horror. We waited
at Gosport to hear if the people had been saved, and we learnt that
three had, two of whom by our _Fairy's_ boat, and that four were
drowned. Very horrid indeed.

The state of Germany is dreadful, and one does feel quite ashamed
about that once really so peaceful and happy people. That there are
still good people there I am sure, but they allow themselves to be
worked upon in a frightful and shameful way.... In France a crisis
seems at hand. _What_ a very bad figure we cut in this mediation!
Really it is quite immoral, with Ireland quivering in our grasp,
and ready to throw off her allegiance at any moment, for us to force
Austria to give up her lawful possessions. What shall we say if
Canada, Malta, etc., begin to trouble us? It hurts me terribly. This
ought to be the principle in _all actions_, private as well as public:
"Was du nicht willst, dass dir geschieht, das thu' auch einem andern
nicht." ...

I must now conclude. With every good wish, ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: THE BOERS]

_Earl Grey to Queen Victoria._

COLONIAL OFFICE, _25th October 1848._

Earl Grey presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs to inform
your Majesty that no official accounts have been received of the
engagement on the Cape Frontier between your Majesty's forces under
Sir H. Smith and the insurgent Dutch farmers, of which an account
is published in the newspapers.[45] Lord Grey has, however, seen a
private letter, which mentions, in addition to what is stated in the
Government notice in the Cape newspapers, that Sir Harry Smith exposed
himself very much, and was slightly wounded; most fortunately, he was
merely grazed in the leg; his horse was also struck by a bullet in the
nose. A very large proportion of those who were hit by the fire of the
rebels were officers, who appear to have been particularly aimed at.

[Footnote 45: In July, Pretorius, the Boer leader, had in
consequence of the British annexation of territory, expelled
the British Resident from Bloemfontein. _See_ Introductory