Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury.
Osborne, 22nd March 1859.
The Queen thanks Lord Malmesbury for his communication of yesterday, which she received this morning. She quite approves the steps taken by the Government,23 and concurs in Lord Malmesbury's views. If the understanding about a Conference first of the five Powers, and then of the Italian States with them, could be so far come to that France and Austria agree with us upon the conditions on which it is to take place, we need not wait for Russia's proposing it. She is evidently playing, as she always does, a double game, and from Sir John Crampton's24 letter it appears that she never meant to propose a Congress, but merely to accept one, for ulterior objects.
Footnote 23: An attempt to obtain the disarmament of Austria and Sardinia, and a proposal to obtain the co-operation of France, in guaranteeing to defend Sardinia against invasion by Austria for five years, unless Sardinia left her own territory. On the 23rd, Lord Malmesbury wrote that all the great Powers, except Austria, had agreed to a Congress upon the conditions laid down by the British Government.
Footnote 24: English Ambassador at St Petersburg, formerly Minister at Washington; see ante, [p. 219]. He had succeeded to the baronetcy in 1858.
Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury.
Osborne, 27th March 1859.
The Queen trusts that Lord Malmesbury will act with the utmost circumspection in answering the many telegrams crossing each other from all directions respecting the proposed Congress. An understanding with Austria on every point ought, if possible, to precede our giving our opinion to France or Russia. If they can once get the Powers to agree upon a point upon which Austria disagrees, they have won the game, and the Emperor can proceed to his war, having a declaration of Europe against Austria as his basis.
Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury.
Buckingham Palace, 12th April 1859.