year dawned very peaceably and happily, the
Queen saying in her Diary, "I never remember spending a pleasanter New
Year's Day, surrounded by our children and dear Mama. It is really
extraordinary how much our good children did for the day, in reading,
reciting, and music."

In the early spring arrangements were being made for the proposed visit
of the Prince of Wales to America. A promise of this visit had been
given to the Canadians during the Crimean War for which Her Majesty's
loyal subjects in the Dominion had levied and equipped a regiment. A
request was then made that Her Majesty would visit her American
possessions. On this being pronounced inexpedient, the Canadians asked
that one of the Queen's sons might be Governor-General. Their youth made
this impossible, and then the promise was made that the Prince of Wales,
as soon as he was old enough, should visit Canada. It was now announced
that this visit should be early in the autumn of 1860, and that it
should be signalised by laying the foundation stone of the new Canadian
Parliament House at Ottawa. It was also arranged that the Prince should
be accompanied by the Duke of Newcastle, Secretary Of State for the
Colonies.

This no sooner became known on the other side of the water than the
President of the United States, James Buchanan, addressed a letter to
the Queen, dated on June 4th (Independence Day), offering a cordial
welcome to the States, and assuring Her Majesty that the Prince would be
everywhere greeted in a manner that could not fail to be gratifying to
the Queen. A reply was sent, in the same friendly spirit, informing the
President that the Prince would return from Canada through the United
States, and that it would give him pleasure to have an opportunity of
testifying in person to the President that the feelings which prompted
his invitation were fully reciprocated on this side of the Atlantic.

After a short visit to Coburg in the early summer, the Prince started
for the New World on the 10th of July, and on the 25th landed at St.
John's, Newfoundland. His arrival caused a fever of excitement. "If all
the Colonies feel towards the Prince as Newfoundland does," wrote one
who witnessed the scenes, "it was a most politic step to have sent him
on this tour." The rough fishermen and their wives were delighted, and
were full of admiration. "God bless his pretty face, and send him a good
wife!" was their most frequent exclamation. The manner of the Pr