t they were not without alarm lest there should be a run on
the Bank for gold. Later in the day, however, the funds improved.
In the House of Lords I heard the Duke's explanation of putting
off the dinner in the City. On the whole they seem to have done
well to put it off, but the case did not sound a strong one; it
rested on a letter from the Lord Mayor telling the Duke an
attempt would be made on his life. Still it is a hundred to one
that there would have been a riot, and possibly all its worst
evils and crimes. The King is said to be very low, hating Reform,
desirous of supporting the Duke, but feeling that he can do
nothing. However, in the House of Lords last night the speakers
vied with each other in praising his Majesty and extolling his
popularity. Lady Jersey told me that the Duke had said to her,
'Lord, I shall not go out; you will see we shall go on very
well.'

[12] [Thomas Hyde Villiers, brother of George, afterwards
fourth Earl of Clarendon, died in 1832.]

November 10th, 1830 {p.055}

[Page Head: DISTURBANCES IN LONDON.]

It was expected last night that there would be a great riot, and
preparations were made to meet it. Troops were called up to
London, and a large body of civil power put in motion. People had
come in from the country in the morning, and everything indicated
a disturbance. After dinner I walked out to see how things were
going on. There was little mob in the west end of the town, and
in New Street, Spring Gardens, a large body of the new police was
drawn up in three divisions, ready to be employed if wanted. The
Duke of Wellington expected Apsley House to be attacked, and made
preparations accordingly. He desired my brother to go and dine
there, to assist in making any arrangements that might be
necessary. In Pall Mall I met Mr. Glyn, the banker, who had been
up to Lombard Street to see how matters looked about his house,
and he told us (Sir T. Farquhar and me) that everything was quiet
in the City. One of the policemen said that there had been a
smart brush near Temple Bar, where a body of weavers with iron
crows and a banner had been dispersed by the police, and the
banner taken. The police, who are a magnificent set of fellows,
behave very well, and it seems pretty evident that these troubles
are not very serious, and will soon be put an end to. The attack
in Downing Street the night before last, of which they made a
great affair, turned out to be nothing at all