Council, relative to the
future conduct of the war, was held in the evening.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _24th April 1855_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Many thanks for your kind letter of the 19th and
20th, by which I am glad to see that you were well. Our great visit
is past, like a brilliant and most successful dream, but I think the
effect on the visitors will be a good and lasting one; they saw in our
reception, and in that of the whole Nation, nothing _put on_, but a
warm, hearty welcome to a faithful and steady Ally. I think also that
for Belgium this visit will be very useful, for it will increase the
friendly feelings of the Emperor towards my dear Uncle, and towards a
country in which England takes so deep an interest.

The negotiations are broken off, and Austria has been called upon
to act according to the Treaty of the 2nd December. She intends, I
believe, to make some proposal, but we know nothing positive as yet.
In the meantime I fear the Emperor (I mean Napoleon) _will_ go to the
Crimea, which makes one anxious.... Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th April 1855_.

The Queen has read the letter of Lady ---- to Lady Palmerston, and now
returns it to Lord Palmerston.

She has to observe that it has been with her an invariable rule
never to take upon herself the office of sitting in judgment upon
accusations or reports against private character. No person therefore
can have any reason to suppose that she will by marked neglect or
manner appear to pronounce a verdict upon matters in which she is not
the proper Court of Appeal.

[Pageheading: THE EMPEROR'S LETTER]

_The Emperor of the French to Queen Victoria._

PALAIS DES TUILERIES, _le 25 Avril 1855_.

MADAME ET BONNE S[OE]UR,--A Paris depuis trois jours, je suis encore
aupres de votre Majeste par la pensee, et mon premier besoin est
de Lui redire combien est profonde l'impression que m'a laissee son
accueil si plein de grace et d'affectueuse bonte. La politique nous a
rapproches d'abord, mais aujourd'hui qu'il m'a ete permis de connaitre
personnellement votre Majeste c'est une vive et respectueuse sympathie
qui forme desormais le veritable lien qui m'attache a elle. Il est
impossible en effet de vivre quelques jours dans votre intimite sans
subir le charme qui s'attache a l'image de la grandeur et du bonheur
de la fa