It seems to me that Lord Francis is unequal to his situation. I wish we had
Hardinge there. He would never go wrong.
Herries told me he thought, after reading the papers I had sent him, that there was more of care for the Company than he expected.
Peel has written a very good letter to Lord F. Gower, telling him that the first thing they must do is to establish an efficient police, to be paid for by Ireland—and of which the officers must be appointed by Government.
August 3.
Saw Hardinge. He has perfected a very excellent system in Ireland by which all the 30,000 pensioners are divided into districts, in each of which is a chief constable who pays them. If they move from one district to another they have a ticket, so that the residence and the movements of all are known. Of 30,000 about 10,000 are fit for duty. Blank orders are ready at the Castle, directing the march of these men upon five central points, where they would be incorporated with the regiments, so that in a few days the army could be reinforced by 10,000 men. There are others who are not very capable of doing anything but mischief if against us. These would be ordered to the garrisons.
I wish Hardinge was in Ireland instead of Lord Francis.
August 6.
Chairs at 11.
Astell does not seem to like my letters relative to the delay in answering despatches from India and in communicating events in India; and respecting the amount of military stores sent to India, and the expediency of enquiring whether their amount could not be diminished. Loch did not say anything. It was an attempt at bullying on Astell's part, which I resisted, and successfully.
August 10.