say they are rather increased than otherwise. I will not
trouble your Royal Highness now with any details; but if I might be
honoured with an audience at any hour after the Levee to-morrow, I
shall perhaps be able to make a more satisfactory report, and at all
events to explain the state of affairs more fully.

In the meantime, it may save Her Majesty some trouble if I request
that your Royal Highness will have the goodness to lay before Her
Majesty the enclosed list of Appointments which, subject to Her
Majesty's approval, I have arranged in the course of this day. The
Admiralty List found its way most improperly into some of the morning
papers before I was even aware that the Duke of Northumberland had
finally obtained the assent of the Officers whom he had selected.

As it is possible that the Queen may not be acquainted with the name
of Colonel Dunne, I have the honour of enclosing a letter respecting
him which I have received from Lord Fitzroy Somerset, since I had
intimated to him my intention of submitting his name to Her Majesty,
and which is highly satisfactory.

I must beg your Royal Highness to offer to the Queen my most humble
and grateful acknowledgment of the kindness which Her Majesty has
evinced in endeavouring to facilitate the progress of the Household
arrangements.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Royal Highness's most obedient
Servant,

DERBY.

[Pageheading: LOUIS NAPOLEON]

_Memorandum by Queen Victoria._[18]

THURSDAY, _26th February 1852._

Lord Derby came to Albert at half-past three, and Albert called me in
at a little after four....

Lord Derby told us he meant to proceed as speedily as possible
with the defences of the country, and that his plan for the Militia
entirely coincided with Albert's plan (viz. he (Albert) wrote on the
subject to the Duke of Wellington, who _did not_ like it),[19] and
meant to try and avoid all the objections. On his observing that
no one had entirely understood the Government Bill, I said that the
Government had not even been allowed to bring it in, which was a most
unfair proceeding; upon which Lord Derby reiterated his professions
of this being no preconcerted plan of his Party's, but that it was
"symptomatic"; he, however, was obliged to own that it was rather hard
and not quite fair on the late Government.

I then explained to him the arrangement respecting the drafts from the
Foreign Office going first to him before they came to me, a