y justly observes, not be right to continue the war for the
mere purpose of prospective victories. It will, however, be obviously
necessary to continue active preparations for war up to the moment
when a definite Treaty of Peace is signed, in order that the Russians
may not find it for their interest to break off negotiations when the
season for operations shall approach, emboldened by any relaxation
on the part of the Allies induced by too ready confidence in the good
faith of their adversary....

[Footnote 4: See _ante_, 19th November, 1855, note 91.]

[Pageheading: DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE AT PARIS]

_The Duke of Cambridge to Queen Victoria._

TUILERIES, _20th January 1856_.

MY DEAR COUSIN,--Your letters of the 14th and 18th have reached me,
and I am happy to find by them that you approve in conjunction with
the Government with what has been done by me and my colleagues whilst
at Paris.[5] I have given all the messages and carried out all the
instructions as contained in your letters, and I trust as far as
possible I have been enabled to do some good. On the other hand, I
cannot deny that the feelings universally expressed here as to the
prospects of a speedy peace are so different from those felt in
England, that it is extremely difficult to produce any impression in
the sense that we could wish it. France wishes for peace more than
anything else on earth, and this feeling does not confine itself
to Walewski or the Ministers--it extends itself to all classes. The
Emperor alone is reasonable and sensible in this respect, but his
position is a most painful one, and he feels it very much. The fact
is that public opinion is much more felt and more loudly expressed
in this country than anybody in England at all imagines. No doubt the
Emperor can do much that he wishes, but still he cannot go altogether
against a feeling which so loudly expresses itself on all occasions,
without thereby injuring his own position most seriously. I have
written to Clarendon very fully on this subject, and have explained to
him my reasons for wishing to return to England as soon as possible,
now that our military mission is concluded. It is essential that
I should see the members of the Government, and that I should
communicate to them the exact state of feeling here and the views of
the Emperor as to the mode of smoothing down all difficulties. This
can only be done by a personal interview on the part of somebody
thoroughly awar