ence of
Sebastopol, both as to ammunition and provisions, were
becoming exhausted, and a supreme effort was to be made,
by massing more Russian troops in the Crimea, to inflict a
decisive blow on the besieging forces of the Allies. Early on
the morning of the 16th of August Prince Gortschakoff attacked
the French and Piedmontese at the River Tchernaya. The attack
on the left was repulsed by the French with the utmost spirit
and with very little loss; while the Russian loss, both in
killed and wounded, was severe. The Sardinian army, under
General La Marmora, were no less successful on the right. The
news of this victory did not reach England until the Queen and
Prince had left for their visit to Paris.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

[OSBORNE, _7th August 1855_.]

The Queen has read Sir B. Hall's[70] letter, and must say that she
quite concurs in the advantage resulting from the playing of a band
in Kensington Gardens on Sunday afternoon, a practice which has been
maintained on the Terrace at Windsor through good and evil report,
and she accordingly sanctions this proposal.[71] [She would wish Lord
Palmerston, however, to notice to Sir B. Hall that Hyde Park, although
under the management of the Board of Works, is still a Royal Park,
and that all the Regulations for opening and shutting gates, the
protection of the grounds and police regulations, etc., etc., stand
under the Ranger, who alone could give the order Sir B. Hall proposes
to issue....][72]

[Footnote 70: First Commissioner of Public Works; afterwards
Lord Llanover.]

[Footnote 71: The Government granted permission for the
Band to play, but the practice was discontinued in 1856.
See _post_, 1st June, 1856, note 31.]

[Footnote 72: The portion of the letter within brackets was
struck out of the draft by the Queen.]

[Pageheading: VISIT TO PARIS]

[Pageheading: ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

ST CLOUD[73] _23rd August 1855_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I do not intend to attempt any description, for I
have no time for anything of the sort; besides, I have no doubt you
will read the papers, and I know good Van de Weyer has written _au
long_ to you about it all. I will therefore only give in a few words
my impressions.

I am _delighted_, _enchanted_, _amused_, and _interested_, and think
I never saw anything more _be