The Queen since her arrival in Town has heard that the answer from Austria declining our mediation has some days ago been communicated to Lord Palmerston. The Queen is surprised that Lord Palmerston should have left her uninformed of so important an event. The Queen has received Lord Palmerston's letter respecting the proposal to mediate on the part of the central power of Germany,[40] and does not see why that power, which has a responsible Government, is to be precluded from taking part in a negotiation because the Archduke John might be friendly towards Austria--whereas the French republic, which had in public documents espoused the Italian Cause, is to be a party to it. Neither France nor England are neighbours to or directly interested in Lombardy, whereas Germany is both.[41] [Footnote 40: See _ante_, p. 188, note 35.] [Footnote 41: Lord Palmerston's object, in which he ultimately succeeded, was, by obtaining the French Government's co-operation in mediating between Austria and Piedmont, to prevent the aggressive party in France from maturing any designs on Italy.] [Pageheading: AUSTRIA AND ITALY] _Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._ ON BOARD THE _Victoria and Albert,_ ABERDEEN, _7th September 1848._ The Queen must send the enclosed draft to Lord John Russell, with a copy of her letter to Lord Palmerston upon it. Lord Palmerston has as usual pretended not to have had time to submit the draft to the Queen before he had sent it off. What the Queen has long suspected and often warned against is on the point of happening, viz. Lord Palmerston's using the new _entente cordiale_ for the purpose of wresting from Austria her Italian provinces by French arms. This would be a most iniquitous proceeding. It is another question whether it is good policy for Austria to try to retain Lombardy, but that is for her and not for us to decide. Many people might think that we would be happier without Ireland or Canada. Lord John will not fail to observe how very intemperate the whole tone of Lord Palmerston's language is. _Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._ BALMORAL CASTLE, _13th September 1848._ MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I yesterday received your dear and kind letter of the 9th (it having arrived in London only the day before), which is very quick, and I thank you much for it. The Schleswig affair at Frankfort is _very_ unfortunate, and there seems a lamentable want of _all_ practical sense, foresight, or even _common_ prudence.[42] The poor Austrians seem now to accept the (to me _very_ doubtful) mediation. It reminds me of the wolf in the lamb's skin. _Nous verrons_, how matters will be arranged....