s to a settlement.

[Footnote 23: Commanding the Mediterranean Fleet.]

[Footnote 24: British Envoy at Athens.]

[Footnote 25: _See_ Introductory Note for 1850, _post_, p.
231.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF QUEEN ADELAIDE]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _11th December 1849._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Thank you much for your kind letter of the 6th;
you will have received mine of the 4th shortly after you wrote. I
know _how_ you would mourn with us over the death of our beloved Queen
Adelaide. _We_ have lost the kindest and dearest of friends, and the
_universal_ feeling of sorrow, of regret, and of _real_ appreciation
of her character is very touching and gratifying. _All_ parties, _all_
classes, join in doing her justice. Much was done to set Mamma against
her, but the dear Queen ever forgave this, ever showed love and
affection, and for the last eight years their friendship was as great
as ever. Ever yours affectionately,

VICTORIA R.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

TO CHAPTER XIX

The Ministry were still (1850) able, relying on the support of Sir
Robert Peel, to resist the attacks of the Protectionists in the House
of Commons, though their majority on a critical occasion fell to
twenty-one; but they were rehabilitated by the discussions on foreign
policy. One Don Pacifico, a Portuguese Jew, a native of Gibraltar and
a British subject, had had his house in Athens pillaged by a mob; he,
with Mr Finlay, the historian, who had a money claim against the Greek
Government, instead of establishing their claims in the local courts,
sought the intervention of the home Government; Lord Palmerston, whose
relations with the Court were even more strained than usual, resolved
to make a hostile demonstration against Greece, and a fleet was sent
to the Piraeus with a peremptory demand for settlement. The House of
Lords condemned this high-handed action, but a friendly motion
of confidence was made in the Commons, and Lord Palmerston had an
extraordinary triumph, by a majority of forty-six, notwithstanding
that the ablest men outside the Ministry spoke against him, and that
his unsatisfactory relations with the Queen were about to culminate in
a severe reprimand.

Sir Robert Peel's speech in this debate proved to be his last public
utterance, his premature death, resulting from a fall from his horse,
taking place a few days later; Louis Philippe, who had been living
in retirement at C