accustomed in the south. It had been
discontinued in the north to avoid displeasing the Orangemen.

The captain sent for the Lieutenant-Colonel Blair, who was at first
disobeyed, but he placed a drum to have a drum-head court martial, and then
they marched. The Duke says it is, and always has been, the worst regiment
in the service. It ran away at Salamanca and exposed him to being taken
prisoner. It has always been unmilitary, and from the same cause, a
disposition to seek popularity on the part of its officers. Hardinge
proposes embarking it at once for the West Indies. The Duke prefers
bringing it to Dublin, where there are other regiments to keep it in order,
and soon sending it to England, and by detachments at no distant period to
Botany Bay. They do not expect there will be any further exhibition of
mutinous spirit. The only mischief of this is the effect at this time.

There have been apprehensions of an attempt to scale the Pigeon House, and
a full garrison has been ordered into it, with directions to add to its
defences on the seaside so as to protect it from escalade.

Hardinge can bring twenty guns together in a very short time, at any point
in Dublin. He talks of arming the students in Trinity College in the event
of an explosion.

They rather expect an explosion about the 18th or 19th, when probably there
will be the first meeting of the new Association.

This it will be the first object to put down by the Act of 1829. The
meeting to petition for the repeal of the Union will be permitted.

Hardinge is quite himself on horseback. The only fear is that he should be
too lively. Peel seems to think he is; but it is a great comfort to have
him there instead of Lord Francis Leveson, who was always wrong.

The King of the Netherlands has called his States at the Hague, the
Constitution requiring them to meet this year in Belgium. He takes
advantage of the provision in the Constitution which permits him to call
the States in Holland in case of war. They fear the loss of Antwerp. The
Prince of Orange thinks things look better.

The Netherland Ambassador is much annoyed at the refusal of pecuniary
assistance; but, as was expected, the Dutch have got their money, only
paying a little more for it.

Our depots are only 160 strong. We have hardly a battalion. One or two at
least of those which were going abroad will be retained for a time.

The Duke of Brunswick does not much like abdicating. The Duke of Welli