assistance rendered by Canada during the Crimean War, and the
expressed desire of the Canadians to be visited by the Queen
in person and to welcome one of her sons as Governor-General,
it was decided that the Prince of Wales should make a tour
there. During the course of the visit, which was made in
company with the Duke of Newcastle, the Prince opened the
magnificent bridge over the St Lawrence; he subsequently
availed himself of President Buchanan's invitation already
referred to (_ante_, p. 373), and was received with the
greatest enthusiasm at Washington. The Prince returned to
England in November.]

[Footnote 30: Referring to a previous letter, in which the
Queen had informed the King of the Belgians that Prince Albert
had accompanied the Prince of Wales as far as Plymouth.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _31st July 1860_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--... I venture now to confide a _secret_ to
you--the details of which you shall hear verbally from us when we
have the happiness of seeing you in October. It is that _our_ surmises
respecting Louis of Hesse[31] have turned out to be true, and that
we have _reason_ to _hope_ that this _affair_ will be in due time
realised. The feelings are very reciprocal on both sides, though
nothing definitive will be settled till the young people meet again,
probably later this Autumn (_but not in Germany_). Please do not say
anything about it to any one. Your very great kindness and affection
for our children has induced me to mention this to _you_, who moreover
_saw the first dawning of these prospects_.

Dear Mamma starts to-day for Edinburgh--sleeping to-night at York.
With Albert's affectionate love, ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 31: Prince Louis of Hesse, afterwards Grand Duke
Louis IV.]

[Pageheading: TRANQUILLITY OF INDIA]

_Queen Victoria to Earl Canning._

OSBORNE, _2nd August 1860_.

The Queen thanks Lord Canning very much for a most interesting letter
of the 30th of May, giving a most comprehensive and gratifying account
of his progress through her Indian dominions, and of his reception
of the different Princes and Chiefs. Such reception and such kind
considerate treatment of them is, as Lord Canning knows, entirely
in unison with the Queen's _own_ feelings, and both the Prince and
herself have been peculiarly gratified at reading this account, and