would
now wish to consult Lord Lansdowne on the propriety of offering
to Lord Palmerston to exchange the Foreign Office for the
Lord-Lieutenancy of Ireland.[2]

As Lord John Russell has always approved in the main of the foreign
policy of Lord Palmerston, he could only make this offering in a
mode honourable to Lord Palmerston--that is to say, for instance, by
offering him at the same time an English Earldom, or an English Barony
with the Garter. Nor could he proceed in the matter without Lord
Lansdowne's concurrence.

[Footnote 2: Hostilities were in progress between the Sicilian
insurgents and their Sovereign. An agent for the former
came to England to purchase arms, but was informed by the
contractor to whom he applied that the whole of his stock had
been pledged to the Ordnance Office. Lord Palmerston, without
consulting the Cabinet, allowed this stock to be transferred
to the insurgents. The matter became public property, and the
Premier brought it before the Cabinet on the 23rd of January,
when, somewhat unexpectedly, the Foreign Secretary consented
to make an apology to the Neapolitan Government; so that the
crisis terminated for the time.]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _22nd January 1849._

The Queen has just received Lord John Russell's letter and enclosures,
the contents of which have deeply grieved her, as the honour of her
Government has always been nearest to her heart. She feels deeply the
humiliation to have to make an apology to the Government of Naples,
which stands so very low in public estimation, and she naturally
dreads the effect this disclosure about the guns will have in the
world, when she considers how many accusations have been brought
against the good faith of this country latterly by many different
Governments. Of course they will all consider their suspicions and
accusations, however absurd they may have been, as justified and
proved.

The Queen supposes that the proposition Lord John makes to her about
moving Lord Palmerston to Ireland is the result of his conviction that
after this disclosure it will be no longer to the advantage of the
public service to leave the direction of the Foreign Affairs in these
critical times in Lord Palmerston's hands. The Queen will be anxious
to see Lord John upon this subject. All she wishes for is, that
matters may be so managed as to reflect the least possible discredit