, and the daily
increase of military strength of France and financial exhaustion of
Austria, that it would not be morally defensible to try to restrain
Austria from defending herself while she still can.

Count Buol's proposal to continue negotiations during the fight
sounds strange, but ought not to be altogether put aside. The King of
Sardinia's assumption of the Government of Tuscany[28] and military
occupation of Massa-Carrara form gross infractions of the Treaties of
1815 and international law, and can hardly be left without a protest
from us.

Has Lord Derby heard that a Russian Fleet is expected soon to appear
in the Black Sea? The Queen has just heard it from Berlin, where it is
supposed to be certain, and it would explain Lord Cowley's report
of (the Queen believes) Prince Napoleon's[29] account of the Russian
engagements, which are admitted to contemplate a junction of
the French and Russian Fleets to defend the Treaty closing the
Dardanelles.

[Footnote 28: See _ante_, Introductory Note to Chapter XXVIII.
The Duchy of Modena and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany were in
revolution, and the Duchy of Parma soon followed their example.]

[Footnote 29: See _post_, 1st May, 1859, note 30.]

[Pageheading: FRANCE AND RUSSIA]

_The Earl of Derby to Queen Victoria._

ROEHAMPTON, _1st May 1859_.
(_Sunday night_, 12 P.M.)

... Lord Derby entirely concurs in your Majesty's opinion that no
credit is to be attached to the denials of the French or Russian
Governments in regard to the engagements subsisting between them.[30]
It is very easy to convey denials in terms which are literally true,
but practically and in spirit false; and Lord Derby has no doubt but
that France is well assured that in any case she may rely upon the
tacit assistance, if not the active co-operation, of Russia; and that
both Powers are using their utmost endeavours to excite troubles
in the East, as well as in Italy, as the result of which France may
gratify her cherished designs of ambition in the latter, while Russia
carries on her projects of aggrandisement in the former. This is a
lamentable state of affairs; but it is Lord Derby's duty to assure
your Majesty that no Government which could be formed in this country
could hope to carry public opinion with it in taking an active part,
as matters now stand, in opposition to France and Russia, if in truth
they are acting in concert, as Lord Derby believes that they are. Al