false position in which they now were in the Mediterranean.

Count Heyden at the end of January blockaded Candia on pretexts arising out
of the state of Greece. In three weeks from that time he rested his
interception of the Egyptian vessels near Candia on the necessary exercise
of his rights as a belligerent. Lièven, when first spoken to, disavowed
Heyden. He now changes his tone, and it is evident that Russia now for the
second time breaks her word. The French do not behave much better. They
have 6,000 men in the Morea, and mean to keep them there notwithstanding
their engagement to withdraw their troops as soon as the Egyptians were
embarked. To be sure, they say if we insist upon it they will withdraw
them.

I have always been for getting out of the treaty. We have been dragged
along very unwillingly--we have been subjected to much humiliation. We seem
to me to have gained nothing by all our compliances. We have been led on
from the violation of one principle to that of another. Our position has
discouraged Turkey. We have been made the tools of Russia, and have been
duped with our eyes open. I think the sooner we get out of this false
position the better, and there is no time so favourable for us to hold
strong language as this, when by the settlement of the Catholic question we
are really strengthened, and when all foreign Powers believe we are yet
more strengthened than we are. The Duke is certainly for getting out. He
has long wished it.

A paper of Peel's was read suggesting the difficulties in which we should
still be placed by our moral obligation towards the Greeks, and by our
reasonable fear that on the principles of the Greek Treaty, to which we
have unfortunately given our adhesion, Russia and France may combine and
make a partition treaty. My expectation is that Russia and France would