London 25 February 1870 My dear Fox I dont know that I can add anything worth your reading, to the short tale that is told in one official letter by this mail. We have tried hard, but have made not the least impression on the Government. They are very civil, but have clearly made up their minds finally, and so far as we can judge, mean to take away every soldier from every Colony. The curious part of it is that as far as Canada is concerned no one seems to care a bit about the troops being removed. There is not a sound to be heard of remonstrance from any one connected with that Dominion, and so, though there is an actual insurrection in the Red River settlement, and the Dominion is threatened with secession there, no one seems to care/astraw on either side the Atlantic. Public opinion, therefore, on the general question there is none: and it is, I think, not too much to say that if it were not for New Zealand one would never hear the Colonies mentioned. We came over here under circumstances very adverse to any success. In the first place Ministers here, besides their majority as a party, have had their position enormously strengthened by many events even since Parliament assembled. Their enemies said it would be impossible for them to devise a satisfactory Land Bill for Ireland: but instead of this being the case, their measure has received all but universal praise, and will certainly be passed without much alteration. The education Bill has been equally successful, and other social reforms promised have put the people in good humour. But