ately failed, and Oxford was committed, after
trial, to a lunatic asylum. In July, the prospect of an heir being
born to the throne led to the passing of a Regency Bill, naming Prince
Albert Regent, should the Queen die leaving issue; the Duke of Sussex
alone entered a formal protest against it.

Afghanistan continued unsettled, and Lord Auckland's policy seemed
hardly justified by the unpopularity at Cabul of Shah Sooja; Dost
Mahommed still made efforts to regain his position, but he ultimately
surrendered to Sir William Macnaghten, the British Envoy at Cabul.
The disputes with China continued, and hostilities broke out; British
ships proceeded to China, and Chusan was captured.

In France an attempt against the Government was made by Louis
Napoleon, who landed at Boulogne in a British steamer, was captured,
and sentenced to life imprisonment. More serious difficulties between
this country and France arose out of Eastern affairs. The Four Powers,
England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, had addressed an ultimatum to
Mehemet, requiring him to evacuate North Syria, France declining to
take part in the conference on the subject. An Anglo-Austrian army
undertook to eject him, St Jean d'Acre was stormed, and France thrust
into a position of unwilling isolation. Thiers, who had been made
Minister, expected that Mehemet would be able to retain his conquests,
and for a time it looked as though France would interfere to protect
him. Ultimately, in spite of some ostentatious preparations in France,
peaceful counsels prevailed, and Thiers found it advisable to retire
in favour of Guizot.

In Holland, William I. (then sixty-seven) abdicated in favour of his
son, the Prince of Orange (William II.). The need of a younger
and firmer ruler was the reason officially stated in the Royal
Proclamation. The real reasons were probably the King's attachment
to the Roman Catholic Countess d'Oultremont, whom he now privately
married, and the humiliation he felt at the unfavourable termination
of the Belgian dispute.

CHAPTER IX

1840

_Queen Victoria to the Prince Albert._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _11th January 1840._

STOCKMAR is here; I saw him yesterday and to-day, and have begged him
to explain to you _all the Court affairs, and the affairs concerning
the Treaty_, in my name. He will explain to you the Treasury affair,
and will do it much better than I should. I am very happy to see him
again, and to have him here; he can give