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[ 1014. ]

equally with the Duke of Clarence, thought that I could not consent to alter the terms of the patent.

As for his Protestantism I don't so much mind it.

I wish that the Chancellor would speak out to the King.

Believe me, &c.,

WELLINGTON.

To the Right Hon. Robert Peel.

Cheltenham, 26th August, 1828.

MY DEAR PEEL,
I return Dawson's letter. A Mr. Pleman, who is here,
has just sent me a letter from him of the 22nd, containing the
same sentiments and opinions as he has given you. Dawson
should recollect that he is the servant of the government; that
he is supposed as the Secretary of the Treasury to be in my
confidence; and as your brother-in-law to be in yours. He
should be a little more cautious.

I likewise return Lord Anglesey's letter. He is conducting himself in a very extraordinary manner. I understand that his whole conversation and every answer he gives to an address contain some insinuation or invective against the government. He has been repeatedly heard to say that his hands were tied up by the ministers, otherwise he would do everything that was wished. He declared openly that he would not have accepted office, and would afterwards have resigned, if Lord Holland and Sir John Newport had not advised him first to accept and then to stay.

I think that you had better enquire whether it is true that he intends to disarm any of the yeomanry; otherwise the order might be given and even partially carried into execution, or resisted, previous to our knowing anything about the matter.

Upon referring to your letter I see that you have written to Lord Francis, which will answer the purpose.

I saw the commencement of your letter respecting the schemes for the improvement of Ireland; but I did not see the end of it. There was nothing in it to which anybody could object. I wish you would send it to me.

Ever yours, &c.,

WELLINGTON.

To Mr. William Allen.

[1015.]

DEAR SIR,

Cheltenham, 26th August, 1828.

I have received your letter respecting the settlement of Sierra Leone; and I assure you that you cannot desire more than I do to discontinue the enormous expenses incurred at Sierra Leone, and in general upon the coast of Africa; expenses which exceed in amount the whole annual value of the trade, import as well as export, between this country and those settlements.

I have frequently looked into the detail of those expenses; and I confess that I don't agree with you in thinking that they can be diminished by the diminution of the Staff, or the expense of the military establishments, as long as it is necessary to maintain European troops at Sierra Leone, or in the Gambia. On the contrary, my opinion is that if European troops are still required in those settlements, whether for the purposes of defence, of police, of preventing slave trade, or of protecting lawful commerce, humanity requires that the expense should be vastly increased.

It is not fair that the State should employ its subjects as officers and troops in such unwholesome climates without taking care of them, by affording to them good barracks and hospitals when they may fall sick, and good wholesome food; and the care and superintendence of officers capable of taking charge, of commanding them, and keeping them in order.

I can answer for it that the Ordnance and Barrack Departments are not only not too large, but not large enough to perform the duties of these departments, if the State require at these stations European troops.

If these troops are not required, it is my opinion that the whole of the establishments of Commissariat, Barracks, and Ordnance may be discontinued.

Then in respect to the appointment of a civilian as governor, I have reason to know that one cannot be found trustworthy and capable, who will go to that climate unless a salary should be given to him, and establishments formed quadruple the amount in expense of those now existing. The last appointed governor could not have existed upon his salary if he had not been a military officer, and had not been besides paid as superintendent of liberated Africans. I am very much afraid then, my dear

Sir, that you will find these hopes of economy disappointed, unless we should at once withdraw the European troops; and I assure you that nobody will rejoice more sincerely if this can be done than I shall.

Ever, dear Sir, yours most faithfully,

WELLINGTON.

The King to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington.

Royal Lodge, 26th August, 1828.

MY DEAR FRIEND, I have just written to Lord Hill, in consequence of the unexpected and sudden death of poor Sir Henry Torrens being reported to me, to acquaint him of my intention that Sir Herbert Taylor should be his successor. I am sure that neither you, nor Lord Hill, nor myself, nor indeed the whole army, can have a difference of opinion as to the propriety of this appointHis long service as Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief (my late for ever regretted brother), and in which place he succeeded the late Sir Henry Torrens when he was appointed Adjutant-General, entitle him; while by the correctness of his conduct, as well as the amiable tone of his manners to every one, he gained and ensured to him the affections, goodwill and respect of the army. One word more; besides, it is a real pleasure to me to have him at the head of my own Staff.

ment.

This appointment of Sir Herbert Taylor to be Adjutant-General will, of course, vacate the office of Surveyor-General to the Ordnance, and I thought you would be glad to have the earliest information of it.

Always your sincere friend,

G. R.

The Lord Chancellor to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington.

MY DEAR DUKE OF WELLINGTON, Wimbledon, Tuesday, 26th August, 1828. It will give great pleasure to Lady Lyndhurst and myself to accept your invitation for Tuesday next, 2nd September. The King is not very comfortable upon the subject of the Duke of Clarence.

Ever yours,

LYNDHURST.

The Earl of Aberdeen to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington.

MY DEAR DUKE,

Foreign Office, 26th August, 1828.

I send you the copy of a despatch which goes to-day to Mr. Bosanquet, on the subject of the conduct of the Spanish authorities at Coruña towards the Belfast steam-packet. It is entirely founded upon the opinion of the King's Advocate, and has been delayed so long, from that opinion not

having been received. I also send you the copy of a letter which I have written to M. de Palmella, in which I hope your sentiments will be correctly expressed. It appeared to me desirable, before sending it, that it should be seen by the King's Advocate, in order that we may be quite safe in the matter of law. He has read it therefore, and says it is perfectly right.

I have looked at the enclosures of Sir Edward Codrington's despatch, to which you have alluded; and, although the whole business is not very intelligible, I presume that what is intended is this: the party to be tricked is the Sultan. Mehemet Ali and M. Drovetti, the French Consul, are supposed to have made an agreement by which the Pacha engages to send transports for his son, if he can do so without exciting the anger of the Porte. He is, therefore, in the pretended absence of the blockading squadron, to send out his fleet for the purpose avowedly of provisioning the fortresses of the Morea; but this fleet is to be met with and conducted by a douce violence to Navarino, where Ibrahim and his men are to be embarked for Alexandria. The whole of this scheme is too clumsy for the Porte to be the dupe of it; and it seems more likely that the Pacha is endeavouring to deceive M. Drovetti, upon whom, by the way, I do not know that any great reliance is to be placed. At all events, the French expedition will put an end to the contrivance, as, if Ibrahim be not actually gone, his evacuation of the Morea will be a bonâ fide transaction, as he will then act from compulsion. We shall also have done right in procuring transports, without compromising the Pacha of Egypt at all.

You will see by one of Lord Cowley's despatches to-day that M. de Zuylen appears to have executed our commission perfectly well, in informing the Reis Effendi of the cause of Sir Edward Codrington's recall. The displeasure of the Reis Effendi, in consequence of this communication, is not so apparent from the letter of M. de Zuylen as it is represented to have been by the Internuncio, in the observations made to him. As Bagot has mentioned this subject, in his last letter to me, of the complaint made against M. de Zuylen, I have thought it might be useful to write to him privately on the subject, in order that the King may be in possession of the circumstances of the case, and that he may know what we think of M. de Zuylen. You will see from my letter to Bagot, what seems to me to be the probable origin of this affair; and this opinion is founded very much on what I have learnt from M. Falck.

Believe me, my dear Duke, ever most sincerely yours,

ABERDEEN.

The Right Hon. Robert Peel to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY DEAR DUKE, Whitehall, 26th August, 1828.

I think the best plan will be that we should come to you to dinner at Stratfield Saye on Tuesday.

I had not received your letter of the 24th when I wrote to you last night by the messenger. You understand the King's looks as well as any one, and would not have mistaken his manner towards Ellenborough at the Council yesterday.

I am not sure whether you have written to Lord Anglesey respecting Lord Dunally. Being doubtful, I have written to him myself, informing him that I have had a note from you, in which you mention his Majesty's approval of Lord Dunally.

Turn in your mind the enclosed from James Daly before we meet.

Thomas Martin (Dick Martin's eldest son) will not submit to pledge himself to oppose the government. Shee (a son of Sir George Shee, and a follower of Palmerston), will take the pledge. Now if we were sure that Martin would succeed against Shee without much commotion I should earnestly advise on public grounds that the King should execute his intention of making Daly a Peer. I have written confidentially to Gregory, who is a Galway man, to ask his opinion as to the probability of Martin's

success.

It is not safe to ask the father any question of any kind.
Ever, my dear Duke, most faithfully yours,

ROBERT PEEL,

Lord FitzRoy Somerset to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington.

MY DEAR LORD,

Horse-Guards, 26th August, 1828.

I send you a copy of a letter which I have just received from Sir Herbert Taylor, announcing the King's intention to appoint him Adjutant-General, Sir William Keppel Colonel of the Queen's, and Major-General Macdonald Colonel of the 67th.

The letter from the King to Lord Hill is now in my hands, and will be forwarded by this night's post, if his Lordship should not make his appearance before that hour.

Sir William Keppel is already Governor of Guernsey, and has held the 67th Regiment seventeen years, fifteen of which it was on the Indian establishment. He is therefore not a little fortunate in getting another regiment serving in India.

Your most faithful and affectionate

FITZROY SOMERSET.

It being six o'clock and there being no tidings of Lord Hill, I have thought it best to open and copy the King's letter, intending to send the original to Lord Hill, and keep the copy for his information should he arrive here before it reaches his country-house.

The King's letter contains a very high encomium upon Sir Herbert Taylor, and states his intention to appoint him Adjutant-General. It states also that his old and much-esteemed friend, Sir William Keppel, appearing anxious to be removed to the Queen's, he has felt great pleasure in gratifying his wishes; and that a regiment being vacant on such an occasion, Lord Hill will probably coincide with his Majesty in thinking that Major-General Macdonald should fill up that vacancy.

There is also a postscript lamenting Lord Hill's illness.

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