d been promised by the King
under his hand within the last month. This was rejected on the part
of Lord Liverpool, but the person who communicated this to me, and
who had it from Bloomfield himself immediately on his leaving Lord
Liverpool, told me that on this point Bloomfield said he should
make his stand. No private secretary is to be appointed with the
rank of Privy Councillor; Mr. Watson is to remain to arrange the
King's papers, and to lay them before his Majesty. The Privy Purse
not named. Thus far I tell you as knowing distinctly, and from the
very best authority, the facts. On what ground the dismissal has
taken place I cannot tell you more than common report, which varies
and invents ten thousand different reasons--one that there was a
large sum to be accounted for in the expenses of the Coronation,
incurred for diamonds. The whole of these expenses were referred to
an auditor, and Bloomfield was summoned to give an account of these
diamonds; his answer was that they had been furnished by order of
the King, and his directions were to place them on the Coronation
account. Whether they were so applied he could not say, but took it
for granted they were. It was not, however, so proved; and the
King, considering such a disclosure, or rather explanation, on the
part of Bloomfield as a breach of confidence, made it the ground of
his dismissal. There may or may not be some truth in this report;
but depend upon it, the measure has arisen from an intrigue in the
party now governing at the Pavilion. For my own part, I think
nothing can augur worse for the Government than this very bout. I
am quite confident Bloomfield was devoted to this Government, and I
am also sure that no new nomination of private secretary takes
place, because in such an event the Ministers must have a voice,
and no one could be appointed but under the sanction of Government.
There is a large party of Opposition gone down to Brighton this
week--Duke of Devonshire, Lord Lansdowne, &c. &c.

I will endeavour to communicate with Parnell, but he evidently
avoids me, and depend upon it he will not commit himself until he
finds which party prevails. Plunket is arrived, and is actually at
this moment in the next room with Wynn. We have not much fear in
our quarter of the Board of Control on Thursday, which I suppose