y country
boats, where it is taken up by the China ships. It might be sent directly
to the sea on the Malabar coast, the distance being 300 miles. There is no
obstruction to the cultivation. The country is under a Ryotwar settlement.
The unequal demand of the Company is very injurious. Their great demand at
some periods encourages cultivation and raises prices exorbitantly--the
next year there is no demand at all. They now purchase by contract. The
contracts are too large for the native merchants, and fall, as jobs, into
the hands of Europeans. Sufficient notice is not given of the contract. The
native merchants have from one lac to one and a half.

Great injury is sustained by the tobacco monopoly. The Company's officers
sell it as retailers. The Government is, as I always thought, practically
in the hands of the natives. They require European co-operation, but if
they combine against their European superior he can do nothing. House at
five. Lord Winchilsea made a violent tirade against the Administration,
without any motion before the House. The Duke made a few observations on
the point of order very quietly, and we rose.

_November 5._

St. James's at half-past one. The clergy of the Province of Canterbury were
there, with their address on the accession. They were not expected, and
there were no gentlemen pensioners. However, they delivered their address
to the King on the throne, and a very good address it was. Peel had to
write the answer in a hurry.

Recorder's report. One man left for execution for a street robbery
accompanied with violence.

The Recorder gave but a bad account of the disposition of the City. The
Chancellor seems a good deal alarmed, and so does Peel. Every precaution is
taken, but I cannot help fearing there is a conspiracy of which we know
nothing. Aberdeen suspects connection with France.

We are to inquire into the circumstances of the fires in Normandy, which
seem very much to resemble ours. We have had one near Godstone, and another
at Fair-lawn, in Kent; the sufferers unoffending persons. The object seems
to be to spread general terror. It is clear that they are effected by the
discharge of some chemical preparation, which ignites after a time. No
watching has any effect. Fires take place where no one has approached.

Goulburn told me he thought Sir G. Murray had said much more than he
intended, purely from want of habit of speaking; still he had done much
injury.

The new Frenc