ndon, or rather to clog it with insuperable objections. But Mr.
Gordon has brought them back again, and on August 12 all was right, but no
Plenipotentiaries sent. The Russians were said to be moving on Adrianople.
They had not above 35,000 men. There is a very bad account from Smyrna of
the state of the population in Asia. In fact the Duke of Wellington's
prediction is fulfilled. The Turkish Empire is breaking to pieces. By Lord
Heytesbury's account the Russians are very desirous of peace, and very
apprehensive that a popular tumult may put an end to the Sultan. It is
impossible to see the end of the calamities which would occur, complicated
as they would be, if such an event as the dissolution of the Turkish Empire
took place.

The new French Ministry is changing the municipalities. They hope to
succeed at the next elections. Lord Stuart considers M. de la Bourdonnaye
as the real head.

Polignac very prudently rests on his oars as to Greece, and properly
observes it is idle to make protocols here when the march of events may
have altogether changed the state of things before the protocols arrive.

_September 8._

Office at 11. Went to the Duke. He read to me a long letter he had written
on the question of the six regiments, in which he entered at length into
the state of the Indian army such as he knows it to be, and concludes in
favour of a revision of the line I had adopted with his approbation. He
said the Government of India was wrong--every line of the proposed letter
abstractedly right; but there was to be considered the expediency of
writing it.

I have written a letter to Lord W. Bentinck, stating confidentially the
grounds of the change of opinion as to the disbanding of the six extra
regiments. I added, 'However, such an event will not happen in your time,
nor I hope in mine,' or something to that effect.

_September 11._

Chairs at 11. Read to them the Duke's letter on the six regiments. Told
them I had written a private letter to Lord William to relieve his mind
from the censure intended for former Governments (a very small portion of
which is chargeable on him), and to caution him against similar errors.
Gave them the alteration I had intended to make in the draft respecting
pensions granted to King's soldiers enlisted into their army. They will
consider it.

_September 14._

Read the papers containing the correspondence with the local Governments
respecting the provision of stores in Indi