5.    England
The epistles were intended for Queen Victoria. The first epistle forms part of the Sura-al-Muluk addressed to kings and Rulers collectively. Kings and Rulers are exhorted to live in peace with one another.

“Fear God, O Kings, and transgress not the ordinances of god, and conform to that whereunto ye are commanded in the Book, and be not of the transgressor. Beware that ye oppose not anyone [even] to the extent of a single mustard-seed, but [rather] pursue the path of justice, for verily it is a straight path. Next, be at peace one with another, and render your armies that your expenses may be diminished …” J.R.A.S. April 1872, pp, 274-275, Prof. Brown’s translation. The second epistle intended for Queen Victoria runs as follows:

“O Queen in Union! Hear the voice of thy lord, the king of (all) creatures from the divine Lote-tree that “here is no god but me, the precious, the wise.” “Lay aside what is on the earth, then adorn the head of dominion with the diadem of thy glorious lord: verily He hath come into the world with his most great glory, and that which was mentioned in the gospel hath been fulfilled.
The land of Syria hath been honoured by the advance of its lord, the king of men … it hath reached as that thou hast forbidden the selling of slaves and handmaids: this is what god hath commanded in the marvellous manifestation, god hath recorded unto thee the reward of this: verily He is the Discharger of the rewards of the well-doers … and we have heard that thou hast entrusted the reins of deliberation into the hands of the commonwealth [i.e. the system of representative government], thou hast done well, for thereby the bases of the edifices of (all) affairs are made firm … O Concourse of kings : verily we see you increasing your expenditure each year and laying the burden thereof on your subjects; this is naught else than a great injustice.” …
Be at peace one with another … if one amongst you arise against another, rise up against him; this is naught but evident justice, thus did we exhort you in the Epistle which we sent before this on another occasion …” J.R.A.S October, 1849, PP. 969-972 and J.R.A.S April 1892, pp. 274-275.

The reference in the last paragraph denotes the first epistle contained in the Sura-al-Muluk addressed to Kings and Rulers collectively, which remains buried in the Sura-al-Muluk.
There is no documentary evidence that the second epistle was ever sent to, and received by, the Queen.
Khayrullah’s statement see (the introduction) that “the Queen deigned the courtesy of reply” is not corroborated by other Bahai sources.

In his introduction to the Materials for the Study of the BÂBi Religion, P. xvii, Professor Browne observes:
“If the statement (see infra) that Colonel (afterwards Sir) Arnold Burrows Kemball, whom British Consul-General at Baghdad about 1859, offered British protection to Baha be true, this would account for the laudatory tone adopted to him in the epistle which he addressed to Queen Victoria”.

That Baha was offered British protection is also confirmed by Shoghi Effendi in God Passes by, P. 131 :
“Nor was the then representative of the British government, Consul Sir Arnold Burrows Kembal, Consul-General in Baghdad, insensible of the position which Baha now occupied. Entering into friendly correspondence with him, he, as testified by Baha himself, offered him the protection of British Citizenship, called on him in person, and undertook to transmit to Queen Victoria any communication he might wish to forward to her. He even expressed his readiness to arrange for the transfer of his residence to India, or any place agreeable to him. This suggestion Baha declined, choosing to reside in the dominion of the Sultan of Turkey.”

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