At last Sir Sidney Herbert remembered Miss Florence Nightingale, and applied to her for relief. Miss Nightingale was the daughter of a wealthy English country gentleman, who had made nursing a study. At the time of the breaking out of the Crimean war she was engaged in establishing an institution for training nurses after the plan of some she had visited on the continent. To this lady, then, Sir Sidney turned, and she consented at once to take charge of the Scutari hospital. She went out to the Crimea with a corps of thirty-seven ladies, and from the moment of her arrival no further complaints were made about hospital regulations. She restored order as by a stroke of magic, and thousands of sick and wounded soldiers were comforted by the tender nursing of that corps of brave, self-sacrificing women.
The queen, the elder princess, and all the ladies of the court made woolen comforters, mittens, and other warm clothing to be distributed in the army, and their example was imitated by women in every part of the kingdom.
The ministry at home were very much blamed for the lack of organization in the army, and changes were made. Lord John Russell resigned, and wrote to Lord Aberdeen, urging that Lord Palmerston should take charge of the war department. Then the queen wrote to Lord Palmerston, asking him "whether he could undertake to form an administration that would command the confidence of parliament, and properly conduct public affairs." He accepted, and much to his surprise found himself prime minister. Lord Panmure became minister of war.
Meanwhile negotiations for peace were begun at Vienna, and Lord John Russell was sent there to represent England; On the second of March the czar died very suddenly—it was said of pneumonia; but defeat and blasted hopes had much to do with his fatal illness. People outside of Russia did not seem very sorry; and it was ardently hoped that the new czar would be more inclined for peace than his father, but the conference at Vienna failed.
Then Louis Napoleon resolved to go to the Crimea himself, but England interposed to prevent, and he met with discouragement at home also. His next resolution was to make a visit to the queen, and having ascertained that it would be welcome, he named April 16 for the day of his arrival. The empress was to accompany him. The notice was short, but a splendid suite of apartments was quickly prepared at Windsor Castle for the royal guests.
The prince went down to Dover to meet them, but in consequence of a dense fog it was noon before they landed. An enthusiastic welcome greeted England's ally at every point; flags waved from the houses, and triumphal arches had been erected, all festooned with bright banners and flowers. Extracts from her majesty's diary will best describe the arrival at Windsor.
A.D. 1855. "I advanced and embraced the emperor, who received two salutes on either cheek from me, having first kissed my hand. I next embraced the very gentle, graceful, and evidently very nervous empress. We presented the children; the emperor embraced Bertie, and then we went up stairs, Albert leading the empress, who, in the most engaging manner, refused to go first,
