ment. [Footnote: It is observable that this guarantee seems to
have said nothing of the internal system of government, and so far to have
been unconditional. It would therefore have gone considerably beyond the
Anglo-Turkish Convention of 1878. It would also have applied to Europe as
well as Asia. It is a commentary on the statement of Mr. Gladstone, in
later days a colleague of Lord Aberdeen, that no statesman whom he had
known in former times would ever have listened to the idea of such an
engagement.] I think no one seems much inclined to agree with him. Such a
guarantee would impose obligations without conferring rights upon us. It
would be a guarantee which would give rise to infinite complications, and
which would embarrass us very much.

Without a guarantee we may succeed in bringing the great States to an
understanding that the distribution of the Turkish territories, in the
event of the falling to pieces of that State, must be a subject for the
decision of a Congress.

Austria has expressed herself very frankly. She is ready to do anything.
She sees the danger and desires to know our view of it. The real view of
France does not seem to be very different; but there is no dependence to be
placed upon a Government trembling for its life. Prussia will be satisfied
with the peace. Her sovereign is very weak, and the Prussians think their
interest is served by the progress of Russia in a direction contrary to
them, and in which she menaces Austria.

The smuggling case is said to tell against Lord Stuart. He writes
unintelligibly, and the French will not trust him--so I shall not be sorry
if we can get rid of him.

With Lord Heytesbury we are all dissatisfied, and have been from the
beginning. There is a Council on Monday, and we have a Cabinet on Sunday at
3, when we are to hear Aberdeen's letter, and may probably have the Treaty.

There seems a determination to effect an armistice by force if the
Conference will not order it in Greece.

We have nine good ships there. The Russians seven bad ones, and the French
two.

Before the Conference can proceed the 10th Article of the Treaty of Peace
must be declared _non avenu_--that which obliges the Porte to accept the
Protocol of March 22--all negotiation upon that Protocol having been
committed by Russia to the French and English Ambassadors, and it having
been expressly reserved to the Porte by us, that her objections should be
fairly weighed.

The French have ta