mstances,
should they arise. Lord John Russell is certainly not prepared to say
that a case may not arise when the interests of Great Britain might
require that she should give material support to the Emperor of the
French. But he considers such a case as very improbable, and that
the fear of such an alliance will prevent Austria from disturbing the
peace of Europe.

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _2nd December 1859_.

The Queen was extremely sorry to find from Lord John Russell's letter
of yesterday that he contemplates the possibility of our joining
France in a fresh Italian war or demonstration of war against Austria,
which the Queen had put entirely out of the question. If the Emperor
of the French were allowed to believe in such a possibility, he would
have it in his power to bring it about, or obtain a just cause
of complaint against us, if we abandoned him. It would be just as
dangerous and unfair towards the Emperor to mislead him in this
respect as it would be for the Queen to conceal from Lord John that
under no pretence will she depart from her position of neutrality
in the Italian quarrel, and inflict upon her country and Europe the
calamity of war on that account.

[Pageheading: SIR JAMES HUDSON]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _6th December 1859_.

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter recommending Sir
James Hudson[78] as the Second Representative at the Congress of
Paris. The Queen must decline sanctioning this selection. Lord John
Russell has in his last letters avowed his conviction that England
cannot again remain neutral in an Italian war, and his opinion that
she ought to support France and Sardinia by arms if Austria were to
attempt to recover her supremacy by force. Lord Cowley wrote on the
29th ult. that Prince Metternich declared that Austria kept her Army
ready because she could not permit either the military occupation
of the Duchies by Sardinia or their annexation to that kingdom. Lord
Palmerston sent to the Queen yesterday evening the copy of a letter he
wrote to Count Persigny urging the Emperor Napoleon by every argument
he can find to consent to this annexation, even to the length of
assuring him that such a state would always be obliged to lean on
France.

The Queen cannot help drawing her conclusions from these facts, and
feels more than ever the great responsibility resting on her, to
preserve to her