The Duke said, as a soldier, and having been in India at the time, he must say he thought the orders of 1828 [Footnote: Orders issued by Lord William Bentinck, abolishing full batta or the larger scale of allowances to the military at stations where half-batta only had been recognised, before the Act of the Bengal Government allowing full batta in consideration of officers providing themselves with quarters.—See Thornton's British India, pp. 221-25.] a breach of faith—but these having been issued, he thought we must stand to them. The general opinion was that as nothing could be said or done till the arrival of despatches, there could be no necessity for deciding.
I mentioned my Supreme Court Bill, which will be ready immediately.
I hope to save—ultimately 60,000 pounds a year in the Supreme Courts.
£
£1,000 on each Judge….. 9,000
1 Judge at Calcutta…… 5,000
1 Judge at M. and B…… 8,000
Recorder's Court……… 8,000
Fees at Calcutta…….. 30,000
———
£60,000
Ireland is put off till Monday, that we may all read the papers. We dine with the Duke to-morrow.
The French oppose all the people we name for the Greek coronet. They have named Prince Charles of Bavaria, and the second son of the King of Bavaria with a regency till he is of age! However, this folly they did not press.
We first named Prince Philip of Hesse Homburg, whom the French would not hear of. Then Leopold! They did not like him. Prince Emilius of Hesse Darmstadt was thought of. The French have suggested Prince John of Saxony, second son of the King, a fine young man, about 28, but unknown. His elder brother too may soon succeed to the throne, and he has no children. Otherwise there is no objection to this Prince.
It seems to me they are running after trifles. Russia adheres to us as to the Prince, or rather remains neutral, thinking I have no doubt that France and England will quarrel about the feather.
The secret instruction which it was proposed to give to the Ambassadors is now abandoned, France having objected. They were to have been ordered to insist upon Turkey taking one of two things of which she was to have ostensibly the pure option. Now they are only clearly to intimate their wish. However, it seems Russia will take a million of ducats less if Turkey will make Greece independent. That is, she will give up a claim to what she cannot get in order to effect that she has no right to ask.
The French Government have, by giving new rates of pension, got 1,600 old officers out of the army, and filled important stations with friends of their own. They think they shall stand.