Visit of the Prince of Prussia to England--Christening of Prince Alfred at Windsor Castle--Second Visit to the Highlands in the Autumn of 1844--Louis Philippe in England--His Reception at Windsor--Interchange of Courtesies between English and French Officers--Opening of the New Royal Exchange by the Queen--Letters of her Majesty and Prince Albert on the Occasion--Scientific Progress: the Electric Telegraph, Photography, Lord Rosse’s Telescope, the Thames Tunnel, and Arctic Exploration--Tractarian Difficulties in the Church--Purchase of Osborne by the Queen--Visits of her Majesty and the Prince to Stowe and Strathfieldsaye--Opening of Parliament by the Queen (Feb. 4th, 1845)--Financial Statement of Sir Robert Peel--Reduction and Abolition of Duties--Acrimonious Debates on the Proposed Queen’s Colleges in Ireland, and the Increase of the Maynooth Grant--Retirement of Mr. Gladstone from the Ministry--Admission of Jews to Municipal Offices--Results of Sir Robert Peel’s Financial Policy--Economy in the Royal Household--Project for Making Prince Albert King Consort--The Chief Command of the Army 170 CHAPTER XI. ENGLAND IN 1845. Borneo and Sir James Brooke--Cession of Labuan to Great Britain--“Constitutionalism” in the Sandwich Islands--State of the Colonies--Unsuccessful Attack on Madagascar--Commencement of the Overland Route to India--Decline in the Popularity of Sir Robert Peel--Rise of Mr. Disraeli and the “Young England” Party--Generous Support of Peel by the Queen and Prince Albert--Offer of the Garter to Sir Robert, which he Declines--Position of the Premier towards the Aristocracy--Increasing Weakness of the Government--Dangerous State of Ireland--Prince Albert on the Political Situation--Visit of the Queen to Belgium and Prussia--Splendid Reception in the latter Country--Speech of the King of Prussia at Bonn--The Illuminations at Cologne--Prince Albert and Baron von Humboldt--Reception of the Royal Visitors in Bavaria, at Coburg, and at Gotha--The Queen at the Native Place of her Husband--Excursion to the Thuringian Forest--Other Incidents of the German Visit--Second Visit of the Queen and Prince Albert to Louis Philippe at the Château d’Eu--Duplicity of the King--Return of the Royal Party to England--Spread of Railway Enterprise in Great Britain--The Railway Mania and Panic of 1845-6--Increasing Strength of the Free Trade Movement--The Potato Disease in Ireland--Threatenings of Famine--Sir Robert Peel and Free Trade--Letter of Lord John Russell to the Electors of the City of London--Ministerial Crisis--Return of Sir Robert Peel to Power 187 CHAPTER XII. THE MINISTRY OF RENUNCIATION.