There was much row in the streets yesterday; but all occasioned by attacks upon the police, and attempts to rescue pickpockets.  The Guards were called out rather hastily.  Colonel Rowan who commands the police has begged they may be left to themselves.  They are quite strong enough.

Cabinet dinner at Lord Rosslyn’s.  No House of Commons people there.  The Prince of Orange is come.  He has written to the King, and is to see him to-morrow.  It seems there are 7,500 men in the citadel of Antwerp, which can only hold 2,000, and has provisions only for two months.  The forts of Lillo and Liefkenshoek are ill-garrisoned; so is Breda, and so is Bergen-op-zoom.  The Dutch have not 4,000 men in the field near Breda.  The question is, whether the evacuation of the citadel of Antwerp would not be advisable for the purpose of getting out the 7,500 men.  It seems that if Flushing be held, the Scheld is of no use.  The Conference respecting Belgian affairs meets to-morrow, Talleyrand being sole representative of France.  The first object will be to establish an armistice.

After dinner we had some conversation respecting the debate in the Commons of last night.  Peel is disgusted at not being supported by the three Cabinet Ministers present, who knew the whole subject which had been so often discussed in Cabinet—­yet not one of them rose to answer Brougham.  The Duke is very angry with them, and says he shall take an opportunity of advising Peel in their presence never to rise till Brougham has spoken, let others be abused as they may.  If the three mutes will not speak, it is clear they will not remain in very long.

I consider a debate to be a battle, in which the chief should be able to put every man into the fight, as he would every battalion, with a view to the ultimate object; he himself being the reserve.

November 4.

It seems Sir G. Murray did speak last night, but he went further than he intended on Reform, and so rather damaged our position as a Government.

Office.  Saw Mr. Sullivan.  He seems a sensible, liberal man.  His evidence would be a death-blow to the government of the Company.  He says the cotton of Coimbatore is carried to Tinnevelly and thence to Madras by country boats, where it is taken up by the China ships.  It might be sent directly to the sea on the Malabar coast, the distance being 300 miles.  There is no obstruction to the cultivation.  The country is under a Ryotwar settlement.  The unequal demand of the Company is very injurious.  Their great demand at some periods encourages cultivation and raises prices exorbitantly—­the next year there is no demand at all.  They now purchase by contract.  The contracts are too large for the native merchants, and fall, as jobs, into the hands of Europeans.  Sufficient notice is not given of the contract.  The native merchants have from one lac to one and a half.