room he applauded Lord Brecknock for his manly conduct in expressing his adhesion to Sir George Cockburn; with whom (though still differing on the great principle) his Royal Highness had now entirely reconciled himself personally, and he hoped these three would come and dine with him at Bushy next Thursday, being his birthday. It is plain that he does not mean to honour me with an invitation, and I shall not be surprised to find that I am become his béte noire, for he must have one; a result however as to which I fortunately am quite indifferent, as long as there is no just reason for it. His Royal Highness is apparently very ill; he is certainly in great pain, he thinks from gall-stones; a disease which, though very painful, is not, I believe, at all dangerous. His Royal Highness is making very large promotions on going out, and I need hardly say that the shorter the interregnum is, the more convenient and agreeable it will be to all parties. Ever, my dear Duke, your most attached J. W. CROKER. P.S.-I ought to add that his Royal Highness said that he was delighted at being out of office; that nothing would induce him to return; that he looked upon the character of a flag officer of the fleet as a much higher one than that of Lord High Admiral. This, your Grace will see, was still harping on the pretension to independent military authority. His Royal Highness gives his conduct as many colours as the rainbow, but independent power was his real object. SIR, Mr. Alexander Turnbull* to Mr. Croker. Toulon, 16th August, 1828. I had the honour of writing to you a few days ago on my arrival here, and I fully expected to be able to announce the departure of the first division of the expedition yesterday, according to the positive order of the King; but about midday the wind rose strongly from the north-west, which, although fair, has prevented the few troops and horses still remaining on shore from embarking. The wind still blows with increasing violence, and it is probable that the expedition will not be able to sail before to-morrow evening. As soon as it sails I shall endeavour to send you an exact note of the ships of war and troops of which it is composed. I will now mention generally that there are on board about 9000 men, of which a very small proportion is cavalry. The regiment of cavalry that was expected will sail with the second division, and it is supposed that about 3000 to 4000 troops will also form part of it. There are only about one hundred lancers, and some hundred horses and mules of the artillery train that accompany the present division. The General-in-Chief has published an address to his troops, of which I have the honour of enclosing a copy. I have the honour to be, &c., ALEXANDER TURNBULL. This gentleman was then British Consul at Marseilles. [ENCLOSURE.] Division d'Expédition. Au Quartier-Général à Toulon, ce 13 Août, 1828. Soldats ! De concert avec ses Alliés votre Roi vous charge d'une grande et noble mission: vous êtes appelés à mettre un terme à l'oppression d'un peuple célèbre. Cette entreprise qui honore la France, à laquelle tous les cœurs généreux applaudissent, ouvre devant vous un carrière de gloire, que vous saurez remplir; j'en ai pour garant les sentiments et l'ardeur qui vous animent. Pour la première fois depuis le 13me siècle nos drapeaux, aujourd'hui libérateurs, vont apparaître aux rivages de la Grèce. Soldats! la dignité de la couronne, l'honneur de la patrie, attendent un nouvel éclat de vos triomphes; dans quelque situation que les évènements vous placent, vous n'oublierez pas que de si chers intérêts vous sont confiés. Des privations, des fatigues vous attendent; vous les supporterez avec courage; vos chefs vous en donneront l'exemple. Le Lieutenant-Général, Pair de France, Commandant en Chef la division d'expédition. You will be glad to see what passed respecting the Duke of Clarence's resignation. After the last letter from the King, and the Duke's answer to me, we both went to Windsor for the birthday, on the 12th August; and as it was obvious that he had misunderstood (willingly or otherwise) the King's last letter to me, I begged his Majesty to speak to him, and explain it; which the King did, in presence of the Lord Chancellor. The Duke then let out the truth, viz., that he would not remain in office unless Sir George Cockburn was removed. The King spoke to me upon the subject after dinner. I told his Majesty that it was impossible to remove Sir George Cockburn, first, because he had done no more than his duty; and next, because the whole Council would follow him, excepting Owen, who admitted that the Duke was in the wrong, but thought that Cockburn ought to have spoken to him instead of writing. The King replied, "It is Captain Spencer, or rather Lady Spencer, who does all the mischief, and my poor brother is the victim." He is quite right. I this morning received an account that Cockburn had mentioned to Captain Spencer that which I had always kept secret, excepting to the King, viz., that the Council would all have retired with Cockburn. The Duke then sent for Cockburn, shook hands with him; and for Clerk and Brecknock, told them that they were very much in the right, that he approved of the conduct of them all; and he asked them all to dine with him at Busby Park next Thursday!! The fact is, that Captain Spencer found that they had got upon very bad grounds; and as soon as he advised the Duke to be reconciled with Cockburn and his Council, he is so. I understand he now says that he is a military officer only; and that he prefers to be the first flag officer of the fleet to being Lord High Admiral. Believe me ever yours most sincerely, WELLINGTON. To the Earl of Aberdeen. [ 990. ] MY DEAR LORD ABERDEEN, Cheltenham, 17th August, 1828. I would give Itabayana a positive refusal to communicate to him the object or intention of our mission to the Brazils. It is very right to inform him that we consider the abdication by the Emperor his master to be complete and final. We may allow him to embark his provisions, and his arms and gunpowder on condition that he will give assurances that they are not going to Madeira. But if we impose this condition we must state the reason, viz., that till Don Pedro has declared his own intentions, we do not intend to allow his subjects or the subjects of his daughter to carry on war from England against Portugal; and that, at all events, whatever may be his intentions in respect to Portugal, we do not intend to allow the Portuguese monarchy in Europe to be further weakened by the seizure of its remaining colonies by the Emperor of Brazil, or by their being revolutionised. Lieven's pretending that Capo d'Istria is not a Russian is excellent. If he is not a Russian, why does he not remain in Greece? But the truth is that he is a Russian minister and will remain in Greece; that is, if any civilised being can there remain, and Capo d'Istria himself is not afraid. It was reserved for these times to falsify documents and to make false reports to attain political objects. There can be no doubt that the questions read by us at the Conference, as put by the Reis Effendi to Monsieur de Zuylen, and his answers, must have been the genuine questions and answers. They were the original documents sent by him to Mr. Stratford Canning or to Lord Cowley. If those produced by Prince Lieven are different they must be fabricated; and that for the purpose of driving this gentleman out of his office because he tells the Porte and his. government and us the truth!! I really think that Bagot ought to be informed how this matter stands; and that we ought to let Prince Lieven know that we think the Russian account of these queries is fabricated, and that the proceeding in respect to this minister, founded as it is upon our communication to the Conference of a confidential paper, is rather a harsh one, to say the least of it. I quite agree about the orders respecting the transports. The way in which I look at the case of the slaves is this. We cannot prevent the return of Ibrahim to Egypt till they are restored, as we shall thereby injure the Morea and defeat our own purpose. We cannot go to war with Mehemet Ali to force him to restore the slaves; the only resource is then to buy them, if we must have them. Have them we must, or we shall have more trouble in Parliament than the slaves are worth; more particularly as the French, having at their disposal 80 millions of francs, are ready for everything. But I would recommend great caution and circumspection in the whole of this proceeding. I would first call on Capo d'Istria to furnish lists of persons supposed to be in captivity in Egypt, and then upon Mehemet Ali to give up the named in that list without ransom, in consideration of our sending home his army. should insist upon his giving up every one in the government or any of its establishments. We should likewise insist upon his accounting for those stated to be in Egypt in the list from Capo d'Istria, and to answer whether they are there or not, and if in Egypt, by whom detained. We must then open negotiations with each individual, with the assistance of the influence of Mehemet Ali, and all this under threat of blockade, if he should not comply. The two Consuls at Alexandria should be entrusted with these negotiations jointly. If they should persons At all events we the possession of proceed separately they will bid against each other, and each slave will cost us his weight in gold. Ever, my dear Lord Aberdeen, &c., I return Mr. Croker's letter. WELLINGTON. To the King. [991.] Cheltenham, 18th August, 1828. As I have occasion to send your Majesty a messenger upon another subject, I transmit your Majesty the letters which I have addressed to his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, and those which I have received from his Royal Highness since I attended your Majesty at Windsor. They leave the affair exactly where it then stood. Which is submitted to your Majesty by your Majesty's most dutiful and devoted subject and servant, [ENCLOSURES.] WELLINGTON. The Duke of Clarence to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. DEAR DUKE, Bushy House, 13th August, 1828. In consequence of having had yesterday a most gracious interview with his Majesty, who considers his letter to your Grace, which was forwarded to me, as not a positive acceptance of my resignation of the office of Lord High Admiral, I must state to your Grace, that on the most mature and deep considerations of all that has passed in my official capacity since the 10th of last July, I cannot, either to the advantage of the King and the country, or with honour to myself, continue as the Lord High Admiral, if Sir George Cockburn is to continue one of my Council. I have the less difficulty in thus plainly stating my earnest wishes for the removal of this officer from any future communication at my Council Board, because his Majesty and the Lord Chancellor are fully in possession of my sentiments, and of my determination not to remain if Sir George Cockburn is not removed from being one of the members of my Council. I remain, dear Duke, yours truly, SIR, II. WILLIAM. [992. ] London, 13th August, 1828. To the Duke of Clarence. The Lord Chancellor informed me of his conversation with. your Royal Highness at the Royal Lodge; and it increases the VOL. IV. 28 |