The War Fever in 1854--Attacks on Prince Albert--Aberdeen’s Correspondence with the Queen--The Queen’s Opinion of the Country--“Loyal, but a little mad”--Stockmar on the Constitution--Prince Albert’s Position at Court--The Privileges of a Reigning Queen’s Husband--Debates on the Prince’s Position--The Peace and War Parties--Mr. Cobden’s Influence--A new Vienna Note--A Challenge to Russia--The Russian Ambassador leaves London--Recall of Sir H. Seymour from St. Petersburg--Russian Intrigues with the German Powers--The Czar’s Counter-Propositions--His Sarcastic Letter to Napoleon III.--An Austrian Compromise--Lord Clarendon’s _Ultimatum_ to Russia--The Czar’s Reply--Declaration of War--Omar Pasha’s Victories in the Principalities--The Siege of Silistria--Evacuation of the Principalities--The Rising in Greece--The Allies at the Piræus--The Allies occupy Gallipoli--Another English Blunder--Invasion of the Crimea--The Duke of Newcastle and a Sleepy Cabinet--Lord Raglan’s Opinion on the War--The Landing of the Allies at Eupatoria--Battle of the Alma--Death of Marshal St. Arnaud--Russian Fleet Sunk at Sebastopol--At Balaclava--The Siege of Sebastopol--Battles of Balaclava and Inkermann--Mismanagement of the War--Public Indignation against the Government--Mr. Roebuck’s Motion--Fall of the Coalition Ministry. No writer has described more effectively than Mr. Cobden the sudden change that hurried the country into the military alliance with France against Russia which was made operative in 1854. Suppose, he said, an invalid had been ordered in the spring of 1853 to go to Australia and back for the benefit of his health. When he left home he must have noted that “the Militia was preparing for duty; the coasts and dockyards were being fortified; the Navy, Army, and Artillery were all in course of augmentation; inspectors of artillery and cavalry were reported to be busy on the Southern coast; deputations from railway companies, it was said, had been waiting on the Admiralty and Ordnance to explain how rapidly the commissariat and military stores could be transported from the Tower to Dover or Portsmouth; and the latest paragraph of news from the Continent was that our neighbours on the other side of the Channel were practising the embarkation and disembarkation of troops by night. He left home amidst all these alarms and preparations for a French invasion. But he returns, and, supposing he has not been hearing or giving heed to tidings from Europe, in what condition does he find his country? He steps on shore at Liverpool, and the first newspaper he sees informs him that the English and French fleets are lying side by side in Besika Bay. An impending naval engagement between the two Powers is naturally the idea that first occurs to him; but, glancing at the leading article of the journal, he learns that England and France have