I have a letter from Thornton of the 2d of August; the party arrived at Deal on the 27th of July.  Sir James (Craig) bore the passage remarkably well, and he has received the most flattering and satisfactory assurances that his conduct, civil and military, has met with the most unqualified approbation.  Kempt has experienced a very honorable reception:  the duke told him he would give him a carte blanche as to his future destination; he has requested to have a brigade under Lord Wellington, and was preparing to go to the Peninsula.  Thornton does not allude to the probability of its effecting his present post, as he says Kempt writes to you at length, and will tell you of himself.  Ellice[38] has found great difficulty in effecting an exchange.  Dalrymple, Sir Hew’s eldest son, had no objection till he found that the duke set his face against the continued exchange of that post, and that he would not permit it to be made a mere stepping stone for the brevet rank.  He in consequence declined it, and Ellice is on the hunt for a lazy married major of dragoons, who has no objection to obtain it as a fixture.  Thornton has been appointed to a regiment, but he neglects to mention the number, although he enters into a long explanation respecting it, viz. that it is of two battalions, the second in Portugal and the first in the East Indies, but, by a recent regulation, the senior lieutenant-colonel has the option of remaining in command of the second in Portugal if he chooses.  Thornton has obtained leave to go, in the first instance, to his corps in Portugal, so as to endeavour to persuade his senior that India is a more desirable quarter:  if he fails in his rhetoric, he expects shortly to travel that route himself.

The following paragraph is copied verbatim from Thornton’s letter; he is connected with Torrens and in habits of familiar intimacy, so that I am inclined to think he draws his inference from that quarter:  “Pray give a hint in private to Generals Brock and Sheaffe, that if the former were to ask for a brigade at home, or on European service, and the latter to be put on the staff in Canada, I am almost certain they would succeed.”

Lieut.-Colonel Torrens to Major-General Brock.

    HORSE GUARDS, October 17, 1811.

I have had the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 6th of July, and I beg you will be convinced that I should derive much satisfaction from the power of complying with your wishes as far as my situation might enable me to facilitate the accomplishment of the object you have expressed of returning to England.

I have made known your wishes to the commander-in-chief, and his royal highness has expressed every inclination to comply with them.  But until another officer shall join the station, you will be readily aware of the difficulty his royal highness would have in withdrawing you, by leave of absence or otherwise, during the present