Mrs. C. goes up with me, to stimulate the workmen in our house.

We hope to return here by the end of the week-for the remainder of the month at least, by about which time the Clanricardes will be over, and will perhaps join us here.

The time at which I thought of coming to you is the first week of November, previous to your going up to town. If this weather or anything like it lasts, I presume you will return again to Walmer. In that case, if Ly. L. does not go up to town, we may journey together. Let me know if this arrangement (I mean the time which I propose for my visit) suits you.

Ever sincerely yours,

GEO. CANNING.

[A letter of no great interest, which discusses the voting to be expected at the next election for the Irish Representative Peerage, and also the state and nature of the press of work at the Foreign Office.]

MR. HUSKISSON TO MR. CANNING.

Paris: October 17, 1825.

My dear Canning, I am just returned from a private audience to which the King had appointed me this morning. In the course of it he adverted to most of the subjects of great interest which now engage the attention of this Government. Upon the most material of them I shall endeavour

to give you the substance of what he said.

After some expressions of personal kindness to myself and an inquiry after your health, he began by assuring me with much earnestness, and from his manner I have no doubt with equal sincerity, that the first object of his wishes was to prevent, if possible, any interruption of the general peace. France, he believed, was in a course of prosperity; England, he believed, still more so; but that the prosperity of both countries might be deeply affected should war break out in any quarter. He saw nothing near home which could at all lead him to apprehend such a calamity, but he was full of fear in respect to Greece.

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Unless the conflict in that quarter could be put into some train
of settlement, that ere long the means of adjustment would no
longer be within the reach of those who were most anxious and
most interested to prevent the renewal of war.
Those means,
he said, still exist, and are mainly in the hands of England and
Russia. France was certainly a great Power, but from many
circumstances the preponderating influence in respect to the
affairs of Greece belonged to the Cabinets of London and
St. Petersburg. It was for them to take the lead in devising
some plan for putting an end to a state of things pregnant with
so much danger. France would be ready to throw her weight
into their scale in furtherance of any project for that purpose,
and to join with the other Powers of Europe in declaring to the
contending parties, that their differences must be put into a
train of amicable adjustment. This declaration, he said, is the
first step towards an arrangement, and without it the danger of
war is imminent. Russia, he was afraid, would not, perhaps could
not, temporise much longer. The country, the army, were clam-
orous for war, and the Emperor might find it necessary to yield.

In short, the King was very anxious to press upon me the urgency of the danger, and the extreme importance of some immediate effort being made to avert it. He would be glad, he said, of any compromise which might be thought fair and reasonable. Let such a compromise, he added, become the joint demand of all the Great Powers, and it must be entered upon. Without such a demand he should almost despair of the peace of Europe being long preserved.

I confined myself to stating generally to his Majesty my entire conviction that the English Government were as anxious as that of France to contribute to maintain peace, and that they would be very glad to adopt any measures, which appeared calculated to avert the danger which his Majesty apprehended from the continuance of the Greek contest; that it would be a fortunate thing if, without violence, the contending parties could be made sensible of the necessity of an approximation, and with that view of entering into explanations either directly or though the intervention of other Powers, but that as far as I was informed both the belligerents had hitherto decidedly and pertinaciously disclaimed any such disposition.

The King said, 'Unless they can be brought into a better temper (and of this the best chance is to be found in a joint effort of all the Great Powers) the worst consequences will

ensue.'

I had before heard from Granville that Damas is equally alarmed; but as the King dwelt upon this point so earnestly and returned to it again at the close of my audience, I think it not impossible that they have some information which leads them to fear that Russia will not much longer be passive, and that this joint effort is their last resource now that they find that the campaign is likely to terminate without any material progress having been made towards the subjugation of Greece, which was probably the result which both France and Austria had expected from it.

I have not time to enter upon the other topics of the King's conversation, which related to Spain, Spanish America, Cuba, and St. Domingo, upon all of which his sentiments were very much in unison with the professions of Villèle. Nothing could be more reasonable and conciliatory than the King's language upon all these points.

The most remarkable circumstance, perhaps, in this part of his conversation was his telling me that, whatever predilection he might retain for those principles and institutions of the monarchy which prevailed before the Revolution, and however much he had wished for a long time to see them restored, he felt the necessity of governing according to the circumstances in which France was now placed; that he had acted decidedly upon that feeling during the three last years of his brother's reign, and that he should continue so to act; that this was the true explanation of the step which he had taken in respect to St. Domingo and in other instances, which were disapproved of, he was well aware, by many of his most attached friends, and that he wished the King of Spain would take a lesson from France in this respect. Her true interest, he said, is in Cuba, and the internal amelioration of Spain itself making with her other possessions the best arrangement in her power. To his present Minister, he added, who was the Minister of his brother, he had continued his confidence because he appeared to him to act with system and intelligence, upon the wise principle of

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reconciling the circumstances, in which France was placed after the restoration, with the permanent interests of the monarchy. He appeared to me determined to stick by Villèle, and Villèle (however threatened by different parties) appears equally resolved to stick by his office.

In the course of the conversation the King repeated more than once, 'I am speaking to you from myself as to an old acquaintance,' and it was only in reference to the Greek question that upon taking my leave he said, 'When you see Mr. Canning tell him my sentiments.'

I had other topics to mention, but they will keep till we meet in town.

Ever truly yours,

W. HUSKISSON,

[Reports the general effect of a confidential conversation with Charles X. of France.

The conversation ranged over all manner of topics of foreign affairs; the Greek insurrection; the occupation of Spain; Cuba, San Domingo, &c.; but it is reported as chiefly turning on the Greek question and the Spanish question, though more particularly the former of the two.

The King of France manifested a lively anxiety to impress on Canning's friend and colleague, his Majesty's desire to preserve the peace of Europe in view of the difficulties in connection with the Greek war. He recognised the predominant influence of Russia and Great Britain in the matter, and insisted on the urgency of an end being put to the conflict.

Mr. Huskisson surmised that his Majesty and the French Government had intelligence of a threatening activity of Russia in the matter, and no doubt the facts that the Emperor Alexander, approaching the termination of his life, and stimulated by the want of success of the Turkish arms, had given symptoms of unusual impatience; and that the French Government were aware that Lord Strangford had left London for St. Petersburg, and Mr. Stratford Canning for Constantinople, only four days before, each with instructions from Canning (to what effect the French Government was ignorant) on the Greek question, aroused keen solicitude at Paris as to the eventual result of these instructions, and the position in which France might be left if the views of the great Liberal Foreign Minister of England eventually prevailed.

There is no greater tribute to Mr. Canning's power than the

French King's anxiety to persuade him of the genuineness of the declarations of Liberal policy professed by the French Government.]

MR. CANNING TO THE KING.

Foreign Office: October 19, 1825.

Mr. Canning, in submitting, with his humble duty the accompanying copy of a letter for your Majesty's gracious perusal, humbly entreats your Majesty to believe, that he does not presume to entertain the slightest wish or expectation, that your Majesty should condescend to express any opinion upon the subject to which it relates. But in the very embarrassing situation in which that subject is placed, (by no fault of anyone but through its own intrinsic difficulties), Mr. Canning is, above all things, anxious that your Majesty should be informed, (if your Majesty will deign to receive such information), of any step taken by Mr. Canning individually upon a question, upon which your Majesty's confidential servants do not offer to your Majesty any collective opinion.

The letter to Mr. Plunket was shown by Mr. Canning to Lord Liverpool, before it was sent to its destination.

Mr. Canning has always intended humbly to lay it before your Majesty. But he has deferred doing so till now, partly because he has had of late to trouble your Majesty with so many voluminous official Papers; and partly because he wished to be enabled, at the time of laying the letter before your Majesty, to state to your Majesty that not only Mr. Plunket, but Lord Wellesley, concurred in its contents, and would co-operate with Mr. Canning for the attainment of its object.

Mr. Canning has now received from both the strongest assurances of such concurrence and co-operation.

For himself, Mr. Canning begs leave most humblv to assure your Majesty that, however impossible it would

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