I found on arriving here the general opinion to be that the Declaration of the Duke of Brunswick, although tardy and ungracious, and although couched in such obscure terms as to be hardly intelligible, would nevertheless be accepted. The Hanoverian Minister spoke to me in this sense, and the Committee which is to report to the Diet on the Declaration and which consists of the President, the Prussian, the Bavarian, the Saxon, and the Baden Ministers, has determined by three against two to recommend that the satisfaction be deemed sufficient. The minority, however, (Prussia and Baden) are very strong in their sense of the insufficiency of the atonement, and I was informed last night by the Hanoverian Minister that he had received fresh instructions directing him to require a more complete and less exceptionable submission on the part of the Duke of Brunswick to the sentence of the Diet. Before my conversation with Baron Stralenheim had ended, we were joined by the Baden Minister who expressed strongly his opinion of the insufficiency of the satisfaction, and stated his intention and that of more who thought with him to urge their view of the subject on the Diet. He ended by saying: ‘We are now going to put ourselves forward in opposition to Austria and to draw upon ourselves her ill will for you and for your cause. Will your Government support us and see us through?’

I replied ‘I am in this affair the Auxiliary of the Hanoverian Minister, and therefore to him I must refer you.’

Reports may possibly reach Your Lordship of disturbances in this Capital, and as more importance may be attached to them than they deserve, I beg leave to enclose the Berlin State Gazette of the 19th Instant from which you will find that the little that has passed here has arisen principally from the misconduct of a Police Officer upon the occasion of a trifling quarrel between some of the lower Classes in the neighbourhood of the Royal Palace in the evening of the 16th. A report was spread on the following day that the Palace would be attacked by the Populace in consequence of which a crowd collected before dark in that quarter but from its general description evidently more from motives of curiosity than from any other. Half the Garrison was however immediately ordered out, the crowd increased, and in the confusion and attempts of the Soldiers to disperse the People several well dressed Persons received Sabre and bayonet wounds. No Symptoms of disaffection were shewn except a few hisses from boys and some of the lower Classes, twenty or thirty of whom were arrested. After eleven O'Clock not a soul was seen in the streets except the Military.

I am apprehensive that I shall be able, but very inadequately, to satisfy the desire which Your Lordship will naturally feel to learn something, from my personal observation, of the state of things in this Country at this interesting period of its history; if however I fail, in giving you much information, I trust that the shortness of my Residence here, and the expediency of my keeping somewhat in the background, until the return of the King enabled me to present my Credentials, will be a sufficent excuse.

Three days of the last week have been devoted here to the Third Centenary Commemoration of the Publication at the Diet of Augsburg of the Articles of the Protestant Faith as adopted by Luther and his Followers.

On this occasion whatever of Party Zeal the existence of a Catholic Family on the Throne keeps alive here, was called into action.

A Drunken Riot originating in some insult offered to a Bust of Luther which took place on the first night, occasioned much alarm to the Authorities of this, at other times, very peaceable Town, and the Military were called out to disperse the crowds assembled.

An Officer is just arrived with an official account of the death of the Grand Duke of Baden which took place this morning at a quarter past three o'clock. The Officer will return direct to Carlsruhe.

I have not the slightest doubt that as soon as ever the King of Bavaria receives this intelligence, that he will give orders to take such steps as he deems necessary for laying claims to the succession of Sponheim.

The great events which have recently taken place in France have excited the interest of this Government and Court, as much as they appear to have done all parts of Europe.

There was in the beginning a great display of popular feeling in the towns of Munich and Augsburg in favour of the insurrection of the people of France against the late overstrained exercise of the Royal Prerogative in that Country, so much so that His Bavarian Majesty's attention was drawn by some of his Courtiers near his person to this sudden ebulition of political sentiment, with a view to induce him to take measures for its suppression.

I have taken great pains to procure an accurate account of the Finances of this country, a task of some difficulty as the subject is purposely (as it is supposed) involved in obscurity by the Government. I believe however that the accuracy of the enclosed may be relied upon, and I shall take care from time to time to apprise Your Lordship of any new measure, or of any variation which may occur in the system.