¹ The Queen lunched at Hughenden, 15 Dec. 1877 (the anniversary of Mrs Disraeli's death). Beaconsfield dined and slept at Windsor on 18 Dec., making further visits on 22 and 27 Dec. On 20 Jan. the Queen offered him the Garter, which he declined.

² See above, 7 Nov. 1877. See also John P. Rossi, ‘The Transformation of the British Liberal Party, 1874–1880’ (Transactions of the Ameritan Philosophical Society, 1978), 21.Google Scholar

³ Derby's recently purchased estate, 3m. from Godalming, Surrey.

⁴ ‘Military men decide on truces, not armistices’, argued Beaconsfield to the Queen, 2 Jan. 1878 (M. and B., 212).

⁵ All were present and ‘all at one’ in their reply to Russia (GH, 346).Google Scholar

⁶ Britain's proposal, ignored by Russia, was that the armistice terms should be settled by governments, not by field commanders.

⁷ ‘Some domestic affairs occupied us afterwards’ (GH, ibid.).

⁸ For Carnarvon's speech of 31 Dec. 1877 to S. African colonists, stating there is ‘nobody insane enough to desire a repetition’ of the Crimean War, see T, 3 Jan. 1878; in Hardy's view ‘a Cabinet declaration of peace at any price or nearly so’, with ‘Salisbury … warm in his defence’ and Derby ‘favourable to what was said to be its tenor’ (GH 347Google Scholar). The Carnarvon incident may be linked to Beaconsfield's attempt to separate Derby from Salisbury (Cecil 169–70Google Scholar), and to his renewed efforts to blacken Derby's name by using Col. Wellesley's report on the leakage of cabinet secrets to Russia. See Hardinge, , Carnarvon, iii368–70.Google Scholar

⁹ Italian amb.

¹⁰ Austrian amb.

¹¹ Austrian premier.

¹² Ed. Daily Telegraph.

¹³ Capt. Thomas Hamber, Cons, journalist; former ed. of Standard; ed. Morning Advertiser, 1877–; once close to Disraeli and Salisbury, but d. in obscurity.

¹⁴ Lady Derby.

¹⁵ U.K. amb. to Turkey.

¹⁶ Heinrich VII, Prince von Reuss (1825–1906), German amb. to Turkey 1877–8.

¹⁷ U.K. amb to France.

¹⁸ Col. The Hon. F.A. Wellesley (1844–1931), military attaché in Russia 1871 – April 1878.

¹⁹ Adrianople fell 20 Jan. 1878 (Cecil, 190).

²⁰ U.K. amb. to Russia.

²¹ Russian chancellor.

²² The Speech was agreed ‘not without signs of a difference which may spring up with danger at any critical moment’ (GH 347).Google Scholar

²³ Perhaps gastric flu. On 14 Jan. Carnarvon had been ‘very ill during the last week, in bed much of the time, and now, though better, sometimes scarcely able to crawl from one room to another’ (Hardinge, , Carnarvon ii373Google Scholar). On 18 Jan. the robust Hardy was ‘in perpetual fear of sickness’ (GH, 349).Google Scholar

²⁴ Victor Emmanuel II (1820–78), king of Italy 1861–78.

²⁵ Doctor.

²⁶ At this cabinet ‘Lord Salisbury said then, that, if Lord Derby retired, he must retire too’ (Beaconsfield to the Queen, 12 Jan. 1878, M and B. 219). Hardy noted ‘at one moment I thought there was a break up for Derby and Carnarvon could not be moved but Salisbury averted the disruption by a proposal wh. though dangerous and inefficient was something in the way of the majority’ (GH 348).Google Scholar

²⁷ Derby missed the cabinets of 14, 15, and 16 Jan., communication being maintained by means of Tenterden.

²⁸ 8th Duke (1823–1900), Indian sec. 1868–74.

²⁹ Both changes were made at the Treaty of Berlin.

³⁰ Alfred, D. of Edinburgh (1844–1900) who m. Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, 1874.

³¹ Sophie, Queen of the Netherlands (b. 1817).

³² F. Stanley, diarist's bro.

³³ Appointed amb. to Austria vice Buchanan, 31 12 1877Google Scholar; on leave of absence since late Feb. 1877, though nominally still amb. to Turkey.

³⁴ This became £6m. of which £3m. was spent, according to Northcote's budget speech.

³⁵ ‘… & then ten spoke with absolute unanimity of our duty imposed by good faith & honour’ (GH 350).Google Scholar

³⁶ Derby was offered India, Colonies, Privy Seal, or Lord Presidency, according to Beaconsfield to the Queen, 27 Jan. 1878 (M. and B. 237); GH and Cecil do not allude to the offer.

³⁷ To discuss the Russian peace terms just received.

³⁸ Seen in just that light by Beaconsfield (M. and B. 236).

³⁹ ‘D[erby] was sullen which he showed by going to Carnarvon's old seat instead of that reserved for him as usual next the Chief’ (GH 352).Google Scholar

⁴⁰ Where Hardy saw Austria as ‘troubled but hesitating & not to be depended on’ (28 Jan. 1878, GH 352Google Scholar), Beaconsfield envisaged (16 Feb. 1878) an alliance which could put ‘300,000 men into the field’ if his private negotiations reached ‘a formal conclusion’ (M. and B. 248–9).

⁴¹ Cf. Cecil 195–6Google Scholar for the effect on U.K. opinion of the continuing Russian advance near Constantinople, it not then being known that this was sanctioned by the terms of the armistice.

⁴² William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly (1812–94), Irish Lib. M.P. and postmaster-gen.; cr. peer 1874.

⁴³ Carnarvon had announced the despatch of extra troops to S. Africa to meet the Zulu threat, 31 Dec. 1877 (Hardinge, , Carnarvon ii368).Google Scholar

⁴⁴ 13th Duke (1810–91), anti-Gladstone whig; offered cabinet office, 1874.

⁴⁵ 6th Duke (1810–99), succ. Aug. 1867; lord privy seal 1878–80); anti-Disraeli and a Salisbury supporter; offered Ireland, 1874 (Cecil, 51Google Scholar); previously had only brief experience of minor office.

⁴⁶ His elder bro. the 6th Duke (1815–88) d. unm.

⁴⁷ Irish sec.

⁴⁸ David Robert Plunket, 1st Baron Rathmore (1838–1919), M.P. Dublin Univ. 1870–95, when cr. peer; solicitor-gen. (Ireland) 1875–Mar. 1877, paymaster-gen. Mar. 1880, 1st commr for works 1885–6, 1886–92.

⁴⁹ 3rd E. of Harrowby (1831–1900), styled Lord Harrowby until 1892.

⁵⁰ Frederick, 6th E. Beauchamp (1830–91), lord steward 1874–80, paymaster-gen. 1886–7; from 1874 represented Home Office in Lords; old friend of Disraeli, to whom he lent his London house, Apr. 1880; described by Disraeli as ‘disagreeable’ and ‘quarrelsome’ but considered for Ireland vice Abercorn, 1876; in early 1878, Queen sought his removal for annoying her servants; see Blake, , Disraeli, 690.Google Scholar

⁵¹ W.F. Campbell, 2nd Baron Stratheden and 2nd Baron Campbell (1824–93), s. of whig lord chancellor; succ. to titles 1860 and 1861; not prominent, and d. unm.; by his bro's marriage to Salisbury's niece, on fringe of Cecil connexion.

⁵² George French (d. 1881), judge of supreme court for China Dec. 1877–1881.

⁵³ The Greek army was ordered to invade Turkey late on 1 Feb. It crossed the border on 2 Feb. with 8000 men, meeting no resistance. The Powers were assured (2 Feb.) that the action was temporary and defensive. See Kofos, E., Greece and the Eastern Crisis, 1875–1878 (Thessaloniki 1975), 158–60.Google Scholar

⁵⁴ Now amb. at Vienna.

⁵⁵ Both colleagues of Salisbury at 1876 Constantinople conference.

⁵⁶ Agostino Depretis (1813–87), Italian premier March 1876–8, Dec. 1878–9, 1881–7.

⁵⁷ See below, 9 Feb.

⁵⁸ On 3 Feb. Greece learned that the armistice and preliminaries of peace had been signed at Adrianople on 31 Jan., leaving them to face Turkey alone. Like the Powers, they wrongly feared a Turkish naval attack, which Turkey rejected (5 Feb.). In panic, Greek forces were ordered to halt (5 Feb.), to withdraw (6 Feb.), and were back on Greek soil by 9 Feb. (Kofos, op. cit., 160–72).

⁵⁹ Probably Charles K. Freshfield (1812–91), jt solicitor to Bank of England 1840–69; M.P. Dover 1865–8, 1874–8.

⁶⁰ Derby to Lyons, 6 Feb., and Lyons to Derby, 8 Feb., accepting, in Lord Newton, Lord Lyons (1913), ii125–6.Google Scholar

⁶¹ In support of an idealistic French peace initiative of 5 Feb. by Waddington, Derby's fellow-Rugbeian.

⁶² R. de Martino, counsellor at Italian legation; ‘that talkative Italian’ (D.D. 14 Jan. 1876).

⁶³ Under-sec, for for. affairs.

⁶⁴ Despite U.K. pledges, Greece was not admitted as full member to the Congress of Berlin (Kofos, op. cit., 231–3).

⁶⁵ Adm. Sir G. Hornby (1825–95), c.-in-c. Med. 1877–80.

⁶⁶ W.H. Smith (1825–91), 1st ld of admiralty 1877–80 vice Hunt.

⁶⁷ William Petre, 12th Baron Petre (1817–84), succ. 1850; not prominent in public life.

⁶⁸ Rudolph Feilding, 8th E. of Denbigh (1823–92), succ. 1865; R.G. convert (1850) and lobbyist.

⁶⁹ Converted Sept. 1874.

⁷⁰ Louise, Duchess of Manchester (d. 1911), Hartington's mistress.

⁷¹ Jon Ghika (1817–97), Rumanian premier 1866–7, 1870–1; min. in London 1881–90.

⁷² Sir J.L.A. Simmons (1821–1903), inspector-gen, of military fortifications at war office 1875–80; military delegate to Berlin Congress 1878.

⁷³ The isthmus joining Gallipoli to Turkey.

⁷⁴ Turkish foreign minister.

⁷⁵ Carnarvon declined.

⁷⁶ Peace signed, 3 Mar. 1878.

⁷⁷ See Millman, R., Britain and the Eastern Question 1875–1878 (1979), 587 n.45.Google Scholar

⁷⁸ Charles Bradlaugh (1833–91), radical and freethinker.

⁷⁹ Auberon Herbert (1838–1906), idealist; Carnarvon's bro.

⁸⁰ In Harley St.

⁸¹ German amb.

⁸² R.C. Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala (1810–90), conqueror of Abyssinia 1868, c.-in-c. India 1870–6; cr. peer 1868.

⁸³ Conqueror of Ashanti, 1874. Napier was at once summoned from Gibraltar; preliminary consultations were held with Wolseley (M. and B. 251).

⁸⁴ Old Trinity friend, and fellow-member of Cambridge Apostles.

⁸⁵ C.in-c. Army.

⁸⁶ By a committee. In addition, Cairns proposed a Mediterranean League at this cabinet (Northcote to Queen, 2 Mar, 1878, M. and B. 253).

⁸⁷ ‘Lord Beaconsfield feels convinced that Lord Derby will retire, perhaps not immediately, but in a week's time or so’ (to the Queen, 2 Mar. 1878, M. and B. 253).

⁸⁸ Jane, Lady Ely (1821–90), widow of 3rd M., who d. 1857; lady of bedchamber 1851–89; Loftus, her husband's bro., was amb. to Russia; ‘dearest Jane’ in Disraeli's intimate letters.

⁸⁹ Diarist's favourite dining club, at which he was an almost constant attendant (Speeches, xliv).Google Scholar

⁹⁰ Dutch amb.

⁹¹ Francis, 9th Duke (1819–91), succ. 1872.

⁹² Baron C.B. von Tauchnitz (1816–95), publisher; U.K. vice-consul at Leipzig 1873–95.

⁹³ Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton (1809–85).

⁹⁴ George Smythe, 7th Vt Strangford (1818–57), member of Young England.

⁹⁵ 4th Baron (1817–76), suce. 1837; high churchman and public figure prominent in educational matters.

⁹⁶ Queen's priv. sec.

⁹⁷ The Indian expedition went no further than Malta.

⁹⁸ First mention by Derby of an occupation of Cyprus.

⁹⁹ Otherwise Alexandretta; insalubrious minor port in N. Syria; never occupied (M. and B. 273).

¹⁰⁰ The previous day the premier had written that he would propose to this cabinet ‘immediately calling out the Reserves … and at the same time will direct the Indian Government to send out a considerable force, thro’ the Suez Canal, and occupy two important posts in the Levant’ (M. and B. 262).

¹⁰¹ For a full assessment of the controversy about what occurred at this cabinet, see M. and B. 262–77.

¹⁰² For Derby's destruction (in general) of his cabinet minutes, see M. and B. 264.