458 CHOICE OF GUARDS OR LINE FOR YOUNG OFFICERS. decline your kind invitation, and George desires his best and kindest reminiscence. Believe me, dear Duke, ever yours very sincerely and truly, ERNEST. [ 2114.] MY DEAR SIR, To Mr. Charles Hungerford Pollen. Stratfield Saye, 21st November, 1832. I have received your letter desiring that the name of your son, Charles Hungerford Pollen, should be inserted in the list of candidates for purchase of a commission in the Grenadier Guards. The candidates are very numerous indeed, and the chances of obtaining the commission very few. As you tell me that you are not much acquainted with military affairs, I would venture to suggest to you that, as this young gentleman is your youngest son, and probably not very rich, whether it would not be advisable to place him in a regiment of the Line rather than in the Guards. The officers of the Guards, particularly those of the junior ranks, are not paid enough to defray the expense of their lodgings. The price of their commissions is very large, according to the Regulation, and their mode of life is necessarily extravagant. I venture to suggest these points for your consideration. I served in the Line and in the Dragoons, and there is no military advantage whatever acquired by service in the Guards. Both my sons commenced in the Line. I had Lord Charles removed to the Guards in order that he might have an opportunity of being out with larger bodies of troops; but he would have had the same opportunities in the Line in Dublin, at Gibraltar, or anywhere else. Believe me, &c., WELLINGTON. The Earl of Rosslyn to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY DEAR DUKE OF WELLINGTON, St. James's Square, 22nd November, 1832. I have been desired by Holmes to relate to your Grace the substance of a letter from Dr. Bowring to Edward Ellice, which he showed to Holmes. had taken his party against the present French m and his following it was supposed that there thirty against the Ministers in the Assembly Nov. 1832. VARIOUS REPORTS. 459 It appears that the French government is moving up an additional corps of 40,000 men to reinforce the army in Belgium. I understand indirectly from Zuylen de Nyevelt that there is an understanding that the French shall not attack from the town, and that Chassé shall not fire upon it as long as it is not made subservient to the siege. From the same quarter from which we before received intelligence from Van de Weyer's mission, which has usually been pretty correct, Bonham has to-day heard that they are afraid the Prussians will attack Venloo, and that a large corps of Belgians, to be supported by 40,000 French, are to be moved up for its protection. I could not learn whether those French were part of the first army now in Belgium, or to consist of the reserve before stated to be ordered to march. I hear from several quarters that Leopold most exceedingly dislikes this increase of the French force, which naturally enough gives him no small alarm. Van de Weyer's friend went so far as to say that they even believed that the first gun would be fired before Venloo rather than Antwerp. The Dutch loan has filled, and they have plenty of money. This came from Zuylen. Holmes said he understood that the dissolution would not take place till the 7th December. It is very difficult to estimate all the consequences of the overthrow of the existing administration in France; but the probability is that Odillon Barrot will be at the head of that which succeeds it, and it greatly increases the probability of war. The Belgians certainly fear that war is impending, and that the symptoms of it are daily increasing. I believe that our Ministers begin to be aware of the difficulties with which they are surrounded, and to be awakened to a sense of their danger. The Speaker told me that he had intelligence that a new batch of peers would come out immediately, and that some of the substitutes of those to be promoted were to be sent off to canvass their places in their stead to-night. If so, we must hear of it on Monday. I do not trouble you with the reports of yesterday, viz. that Prussia and the German Confederation had proposed to take temporary possession of Venloo, Antwerp, and all the territories to be exchanged or mutually restored, and to hold them till a final settlement of the treaty of peace; the French army in the meantime evacuating Belgium without any farther proceeding. It was said that our government was happy to back out of the scrape upon those terms, but it was supposed the Doctrinaires dare not acquiesce in it. There are two other reports, so foolish as to be worth noticing only to show the extravagant absurdity of the rumours in circulation-one that Parliament was to be dissolved this week in disregard of the registries, from the fear of being obliged to re-assemble it in consequence of war; the other, that Lord Frederick FitzClarence was to be appointed MasterGeneral of the Ordnance. This last came to Greenwood's office, from some of the department. I need not add that Holmes does not wish to have any of the names 460 PROBABLE RESULT OF THE INVASION OF HOLLAND. quoted with reference to his intelligence. A day or two must confirm or disprove the news. I shall be in town till Tuesday, and will be attentive to pick up whatever I can that can tend to throw any light upon these interesting matters. On Tuesday I go to Hatfield for two days, and on the 30th I am to be at Baring Wall's, to meet the Jerseys, where I flatter myself I may have the good fortune to meet your Grace. I could have wished that your success in Hampshire had been more certain and more declared; but the increasing spirit of dissatisfaction with the war, which manifests itself in all quarters, cannot fail to assist you greatly. If I can do anything for your service, I trust you will not hesitate to send me your commands. Yours faithfully, ROSSLYN. [ 2115. ] To the Earl of Rosslyn. Stratfield Saye, 23rd November, 1832. Many thanks, my dear Lord Rosslyn, for your letter. I told you that I was convinced that the French army was not strong enough. Leopold will swallow 40,000 more. The question is, Who is to pay? It is impossible to calculate what will be the turn of any proceeding so foolish and unnecessary as this war, or what its result. I think that the French expect that it will leave them at war with the whole continent of Europe, excepting Spain and Portugal; that England will slip out of the scrape, and remain neutral, and keep Spain and Portugal in a state of neutrality, if not of revolution. I think this the most probable result of all that is going on. I have not seen anything yet which gave me reason to believe that the Prussians would strike a blow. The French have certainly refused to consent to their taking possession of Venloo until they, the French, should have the citadel of Antwerp. But who will say what will happen after the citadel will fall, if there should be 90,000 Frenchmen and 30,000 Belgians in Belgium, and a Prussian army on the Meuse? Will the French appetite for war, even the stomach of the Doctrinaires, be gratified by the capture of Antwerp? I am not asked to Mr. Baring Wall's. I don't think that I could leave this till the affairs of the election will be entirely settled. Believe me, &c., WELLINGTON. Nov. 1832. REPORTS FROM THE CONTINENT. The Earl of Rosslyn to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. My dear Duke of Wellington, 461 St. James's Square, 24th November, 1832. Presuming that your Grace is desirous of hearing all the reports that obtain, and aware that there is scarcely anything too absurd and too extravagant to be incredible, I send you the news Bonham has heard from the same person from whom he had his former intelligence. It is stated that Maréchal Gerard was proceeding to occupy the city of Antwerp with his army, when the Belgian government objected to it. Evain, the Minister of War, went to him, and said that, although a Frenchman, he could not as a Minister of Belgium advise Leopold to consent to the occupation of the city, because he was sure it would be disagreeable to England. Gerard said in that case he must halt his army, and wait for instructions. In the meantime a messenger was sent to London, and Talleyrand and Van de Weyer went to Palmerston, who answered that Gerard was right, and he saw no objection. He communicated with Lord Grey, who concurred in Palmerston's answer, but from the importance of the case they sent to Brighton, and have obtained from the King a letter approving of the proceeding. This, of course, disproves the existence of an agreement to save the town, and I should think, if it be true, must force Chassé to destroy the city. There is also another report that the Belgian government had undertaken to provide materials for the siege, and arrange the commissariat; that the total of fascines and gabions ready was not more than three thousand, and that the arrangements for provisions on the march had signally failed; that our Ministers here rated Van de Weyer for the neglect, and spoke very angrily of the backwardness of Leopold's government. The accounts of to-day contradict those of yesterday and the day before respecting Dupin, who is now said to have agreed to take office. The Ministers boast loudly that they are sure of a commanding majority in the next Parliament against Conservatives, and Irish and Radicals. The addresses are coming in, and I believe the public feeling is strong against the war, with almost all the respectable middle classes in the country. Yours faithfully, ROSSLYN. SIR, To the Duke of Cumberland. [ 2116.] Stratfield Saye, 25th November, 1832. Since I wrote to your Royal Highness to remind you of your intention of coming here, we have had reason to believe that the Parliament would be dissolved early in December. It is reported that Lord Grey had mentioned the 2nd December to one person, others have mentioned the 4th, and others the 7th as the day of the Dissolution. It is quite certain that the [2117.] 462 PREPONDERANCE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. Government have appointed their committee for the manage- we shall Considering that these will take place nearly in every large town in the kingdom, and that travelling will be at that moment impracticable, and moreover that everybody will be more or less occupied, I am induced to think that it would be most expedient that your Royal Highness should postpone your visit to Stratfield Saye till after Christmas. In respect to the elections themselves I have in general good accounts. I am sorry to say, however, that my opinion is not at all altered in respect to the effect of the Reform Bill. In truth the country is at this time divided into the same parties as it was two hundred years ago. Unfortunately the King and his government have, by the alteration of the law and the operation of the new law, given the preponderance to the democratic party. I doubt that the country can continue to maintain its institutions, to protect the property of its subjects and their interests, and to maintain its policy and its power under a government situated as ours must be under the new law. I don't understand what is passing abroad just at present. All parties appear to be incurring the greatest possible risk, and expense far beyond the means of any, for objects of trifling importance. Every Power in Europe wishes for peace; none more than France. Yet all the armies are on foot-all for no object. I did not know that your Royal Highness intended to prosecute the 'Satirist.' I thought that it was the Times.' I have, &c., To the Earl of Rosslyn. WELLINGTON. Stratfield Saye, 25th November, 1832. MY DEAR LORD ROSSLYN, |