rston had suggested co-operation
by England and France in obtaining the dismissal of the
Neapolitan Minister of Police as an _amende_ for an
affront offered to this country, to be enforced by a naval
demonstration, coupled with a demand for the liberation of
political prisoners.]

[Footnote 76: The Hon. Sir William Temple, K.C.B. [_d._ 1856],
only brother of Lord Palmerston, Minister Plenipotentiary to
the Court of Naples.]

_Lord Panmure to Earl Granville._[77]

[_Telegram._]

_10th September 1855._

Telegram from General Simpson, dated Crimea, nine September, one
eight five five, ten nine A.M. "Sebastopol is in the possession of the
Allies. The enemy during the night and this morning have evacuated
the south side after exploding their Magazines and setting fire to the
whole of the Town. All the men-of-war were burnt during the night with
the exception of three Steamers, which are plying about the Harbour.
The Bridge communicating with the North side is broken."

War Department, tenth September, one eight five five, four forty-five
P.M....

[Footnote 77: Minister in attendance at Balmoral. The Queen
and Prince occupied their new home for the first time on the
7th of September; it was not yet completed, but, the Queen
wrote, "the house is charming, the rooms delightful, the
furniture, papers, everything, perfection."]

[Pageheading: FALL OF SEBASTOPOL]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BALMORAL CASTLE, _11th September 1855_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--The great event has at length taken
place--_Sebastopol has fallen!_ We received the news here last night
when we were sitting quietly round our table after dinner. We did what
we could to celebrate it; but that was but little, for to my grief
we have not _one_ soldier, no band, nothing here to make any sort
of demonstration. What we did do was in Highland fashion to light
a _bonfire_ on the top of a hill opposite the house, which had been
built last year when the premature news of the fall of Sebastopol
deceived every one, and which we had to leave _unlit_, and found here
on our return!

On Saturday evening we heard of one Russian vessel having been
destroyed, on Sunday morning of the destruction of another,
yesterday morning of the fall of the Malakhoff Tower--and _then_ of
_Sebastopol!_ We were not successful against the Redan on the 8th,
and I fear our loss was considerable. Still