The other guarantees they talk of are further cessions in Asia, specifically Batoum, or the occupation of Varna, or Silistria, instead of the Principalities.  The latter is worse, and the Turks will probably consent to neither.  They do not value the Principalities, and they know Europe does.[Footnote:  The Principalities, as commanding the lower course of the Danube, were all important to Austria especially.  Thus, occupation by Russia, while it would have been felt as a menace to Central Europe, would have left Turkey a compact state beyond the Danube.]

November 6.

Saw Aberdeen.  He is always gloomy about divisions.  He is afraid of an attack on Foreign Policy.  He thinks the two parties will unite in that.  He hears there has been some approximation between Lord Grey [Footnote:  Lord Grey had been separated from the bulk of the Whig party since their junction with Canning in 1827.] and Lord Holland.  At the same time it is said there is a notion of bringing in Lord Grey.  I suspect this report to have been fabricated by the Ultra-Tories to annoy the King.

He thinks the Duke is annoyed, more particularly at the King’s not treating him well, and at his Government not being well supported.

In fact, however, it is a Government which will not fall, for the King hates the Whigs; the people do not regard them.  He may like the Tories, but he knows they cannot make a Government, and the Duke’s Administration has four-fifths of the country.

Received a letter from the Duke, telling me he had settled Colonel McDonald’s knighthood, and asking me if I should be ready to talk about India on the 13th.  I said about Batta certainly; about India I had rather talk first to Lord Melville and him.

Wrote to the Duchess of Kent telling her a Bengal cavalry cadetship was at her disposal for the son of Colonel Harvey.

There is a very interesting letter from an English officer at Adrianople with respect to the state of the Russian army.  It has suffered and suffers most dreadfully.

I told Aberdeen if I had seen the account of the conversation between Lord Heytesbury and the Emperor Nicholas before I read his proposed letter, I should have suggested that much stress should have been laid upon the effect the downfall of Turkey would have upon affairs in France.

Polignac seems confident he can stand.  He thinks he has the Chambers.  The French behave ill in the settlement of the Greek business, and object altogether to our man, Prince Philip of Hesse Homburg.  They equally object to Prince Frederick of Orange, and to Prince Leopold, whom Russia would have had willingly.  I wonder Aberdeen did not laugh when he was proposed.  They want to settle the thing without a Prince.  I suppose they want a Frenchman.

Aberdeen is for settling Greece as a Power into whose lap the broken parts of Turkey may fall.  He gives up Euboea.  That is, the surrender of Euboea is to be proposed to the Porte, with a frontier limited in other respects, instead of the protocol of March 22.