ould be open to the hostile criticisms of the Press during the
whole summer and autumn, the effect of which might even endanger its
ultimate success....

Should your Majesty be otherwise advised, Lord Derby will be ready to
give the Bill his personal support, but he would be wanting in candour
if he did not frankly state to your Majesty the serious apprehensions
which he should entertain as to the result. Such an unreserved
expression of his opinions is the only and very inadequate return
which he can make to your Majesty for the gracious confidence with
which your Majesty has honoured him, and for which he feels most
deeply grateful.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's most dutiful Servant
and Subject,

DERBY.

[Footnote 33: The Queen had sent to Lord Derby a copy of her
Memorandum, _ante_, May, 1856, a letter from Lord Palmerston to
herself on the same subject, and the sketch of a Bill drawn
up by the Lord Chancellor to give effect to her wishes. On the
25th of June 1857, the title of "Prince Consort" was conferred
on Prince Albert by Royal Letters Patent. "I should have
preferred," wrote the Queen, "its being done by Act of
Parliament, and so it may still be at some future period; but
it was thought better upon the whole to do it _now_ in this
simple way."]

[Pageheading: RETIREMENT OF LORD HARDINGE]

_Viscount Hardinge to Queen Victoria._

15 GREAT STANHOPE STREET, _10th July 1856_.

Field-Marshal Viscount Hardinge,[34] with his most humble duty to your
Majesty, is conscious that his power of serving your Majesty in the
high position of General Commanding-in-Chief has ceased in consequence
of the state of his health, which leaves him no other course to pursue
than that of placing in your Majesty's hands the resignation of his
office, the duties of which his sudden and severe illness has rendered
him incapable of performing.

Lord Hardinge cannot take this step without thanking your Majesty for
the great consideration and support which he has at all times received
at a period of no ordinary difficulty, and which have impressed him
with such sentiments of gratitude as can only cease with his life.

All of which is most humbly submitted to your Majesty by your
Majesty's dutiful and devoted Servant,

HARDINGE.

[Footnote 34: A great review of the troops lately returned
from the Crimea was held in most unfavourable weather at
Alder