was much struck with the encomiums passed on you by my friend Sir Philip
Malcolm, and of the coincidence, of the Admiralty minute and all the
observations made by that chief, on your conduct. It runs thus,
"acquaint Sir P. M. that their Lordships entirely concur with him in the
opinion he has formed of the conduct of Capt. Yorke during his service
at Karabusa." I see by the _United Service Journal_, that you
sailed for Smyrna on the 8th of January, two days after your letter to
me, and that you were at that port on the 18th, of course this
acknowledgement of your correspondence will go by the Admiralty bag, but
I doubt whether I shall save the packet. It will however be conveyed by
your new Chief, Sir Henry Hotham, who is very desirous to render you all
attention, for in a note I had from him, about a Middy I asked him to
take with him in the _St. Vincent_, he says, "had I been able I
would have fulfilled your wishes with much pleasure in this instance, as
I shall have the pleasure in doing in regard to the captain of the
_Alligator_, and if you have anything to send to him I will take
the charge of it with pleasure." Thus you see, my dear Charles, that Sir
Henry Hotham will be as much interested about you as any of his
predecessors if you desire it, which I am sure you will.

'You may indeed say, or rather exclaim, What changes! The chances now
are that our order in the State (to make use of Lord Grey's words about
his own order), instead of being Lords of the Admiralty will be hewers
of wood and drawers of water, that is, if the Reform Bill passes in its
present shape. For it cannot be denied that it must give a
preponderating bias to that class, namely the L10 householder, which are
by far the most numerous, active, and republican class, who by living in
towns, can be collected for any political purpose at a moment's notice;
who are shopkeepers, citizens, manufacturers, possessing great
intelligence and spirit, and whose business it will be to have the chief