ink it is in these immense
wooden walls that our real greatness exists, and I am proud to think
that no _other_ nation _can_ equal us in _this_....

Now _addio!_ Ever your most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: THE FALL OF CABUL]

_Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci to Queen Victoria._

_10th March 1842._

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave
most humbly and with deep sorrow to lay before your Majesty reports
which he has only within this hour received.

They are to be found in a despatch from the Governor and Council of
Bombay, and unhappily confirm, to an appalling degree, the disastrous
intelligence from Afghanistan. The commercial expresses, which reached
London yesterday, gave to the public some of the details of the fall
of Cabul; and Lord Fitzgerald laments that it is his painful duty most
humbly to inform your Majesty that the despatches just arrived confirm
to their full extent the particulars of Sir William Macnaghten's fate,
and of the fate of that remnant of gallant men who, on the faith of
a capitulation, had evacuated that cantonment which they had defended
with unavailing courage.

In addition to the despatch from the Council of Bombay, Lord
Fitzgerald humbly ventures to submit to your Majesty a letter
addressed to him by Mr Anderson, the Acting-Governor of that
Presidency, with further details of these melancholy events.

The despatches from the Governor-General of India come down to the
date of the 22nd of January (three days previous to the tragical death
of Sir William Macnaghten). Lord Auckland was then uninformed of the
actual state of the force in Cabul, though not unprepared for severe
reverses.

[Pageheading: THE GARTER]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _20th March 1842._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and will
take an opportunity to-morrow of ascertaining your Majesty's pleasure
with respect to the remaining Garter which still remains undisposed
of, as your Majesty may probably think it advisable that the
Investiture of all the Knights selected for the vacant Garters should
take place at the same time.

Sir Robert Peel humbly represents to your Majesty that those Peers who
may severally be considered from their rank and station candidates
for this high distinction, have behaved very well in respect to it,
as since Sir Robert Peel has had the honour of serving your Majesty he
has