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 India.  It is hardly credible, yet it is true, that till within these few years the Medical Board indented upon England for drugs which were produced in India!  From Madras as late at 1827 they indented for file handles and blacksmiths’ tongs!  From Bombay in 1826 for wooden canteens and triangles!  It is evident the local Governments have never displayed any energy.

September 16.

Received from the Duke his ideas on the subject of a campaign against Ava.  He would hold the great Dagon Temple at Rangoon, but only for the purpose of having vessels in the river to co-operate with the army.

September 17.

To-day has been an idle day.  I have done nothing; but I have taken exercise, and so acquired health, without which I cannot do business.

September 20.

Met Mr. Conyngham of the Foreign Office.  He told me the Turks were ready to make the required concessions.  Of the disposition of the Russians nothing seems known.  R. Gordon has of his own authority ordered up Sir Pulteney Malcolm from Vourla to the Dardanelles.  I suppose to carry away Englishmen and their property in the event of an insurrection or of some terrible catastrophe at Constantinople.

Lord Stuart, as I suspected, gives no opinion as to the probable result of the political contest in France.

I had a letter from the Duke respecting half-Batta.

September 24.

Cabinet room.  Read all the letters from Petersburg, Paris, Berlin, and Constantinople during the last fortnight, and the despatches sent during the last month.