to
confer this government upon a General Officer belonging to the Royal
Artillery or Engineers. There is some difficulty in making a selection
from the officers of these Corps, because, from their retiring only by
seniority, they seldom attain the rank of General Officer while
they are still in possession of sufficient strength and activity for
employment. Lord Grey, however, believes from the information he has
been able to obtain, that Sir Robert Gardiner might, with advantage,
be appointed to this command, which he therefore begs leave to
recommend to your Majesty to confer upon him. Lord Grey has had no
communication with Sir R. Gardiner, and is entirely ignorant whether
he would accept this employment.[46]

[Footnote 46: Sir Robert Gardiner, K.C.B.. was appointed
Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar on the 21st of
November, and held that post till 1855.]

[Pageheading: ITALY AND AUSTRIA]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _27th October 1848._

The Queen has not yet acknowledged the receipt of Lord John Russell's
communication of the views of the Cabinet on the Italian affairs.[47]
She is very glad that the Cabinet should have considered this
important question, and that she should have received an assurance
"that she will not be advised to have recourse to forcible
intervention." The Queen understands this principle to apply to
Lombardy as well as to Sicily, and that, of course, "forcible
intervention" will not only be avoided as to British means, but
likewise as to French means, with British consent and concurrence.
Though Lord John Russell does not enter so much into particulars with
regard to the opinions of the Members of the Cabinet as the Queen
might have wished, she infers from the proposition that Lombardy
should be constituted separately under an Archduke, that the idea of
making it over to the King of Sardinia is finally abandoned.

[Footnote 47: Lord John had written to the effect that, while
no definite decision had been arrived at with regard to Italy,
it was thought by the Cabinet that every means should be used
to induce Austria to give up Lombardy to an Austrian Prince,
as most conformable to the interests of Austria herself. The
question of Sicily (he added) was more difficult, but if no
agreement could be arrived at by amicable negotiation, the
Cabinet would not be disposed to advise the Queen to have
re