"MY DEAR MR. GLADSTONE,--While I have written to Lord Palmerston and Lord Granville to thank them for the favour they have publicly shown me, I cannot but feel that my chief acknowledgments for the very handsome and gratifying manner in which my services have been recognised must be due to yourself, who, from first to last, have lent me your powerful aid in my efforts to perform the duties committed to me, and have given to all my suggestions and representations a kind, candid, and careful consideration. "Believe me, &c., "ROWLAND HILL. "The Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, "&c., &c., &c." To the above letter Mr. Gladstone replied as follows:-- "11, Carlton House Terrace, June 15th, 1864. "_My dear Sir R. Hill_,--The support you have had from me has been the very best that I could give; but had it been much better and more effective, it would not have been equal to your deserts and claims. "I sincerely hope you are deriving much benefit from a lightened mind, "And remain, "Always sincerely yours, "_W. E. Gladstone_." Amidst the above transactions some events occurred of no small interest to myself; the first being that I had the gratification of receiving from the University of Oxford the honorary degree of D.C.L.;[241] and the second an address voted at a town's meeting at Liverpool, followed by a valuable presentation of pictures. I will also mention here that, a year later, the town of Longton presented me with two fine china vases, specimens of its manufacture. About a week after the date of Mr. Gladstone's letter I had the honour of receiving the Albert Gold Medal of the Society of Arts from the hands of the Prince of Wales.[242] Some time afterwards I received a letter from the Treasury stating that their lordships had "cordial satisfaction in giving directions to the Paymaster-General to issue to me the amount of the Parliamentary grant, £20,000."