CHAPTER X.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

Winter of '55--Visit of the Czar to the Crimea--State of the British Army--Sufferings of the French--Destruction of Sebastopol--The Armistice--Views of Austria and Russia--And of the Emperor Napoleon--Britain acquiesces in Peace--Walewski's Circular--Austria proposes Peace--Buol's Despatch--Nesselrode's Circular--The Austrian Ultimatum--Russia gives way--The Congress fixed at Paris--The Queen's Speech--Speeches of Clarendon and Palmerston--Meeting of the Congress--The Armistice--An Imperial Speech--The Sultan's Firman--Prussia admitted to the Congress--Birth of the Prince Imperial--The Treaty signed--Its Terms--Bessarabia and the Principalities--The Three Conventions--The Treaty of Guarantee--Count Walewski's Four Subjects--The Declaration of Paris--International Arbitration mooted--The Kars Debate--Debates on the Peace--General Rejoicings--Cost of the War--First Presentation of the Victoria Cross 144