Part 1

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Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

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BELL’S ENGLISH HISTORY SOURCE BOOKS

General Editors: S. E. Winbolt, M.A., and Kenneth Bell, M.A.

FROM PALMERSTON TO DISRAELI

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BELL’S ENGLISH HISTORY SOURCE BOOKS.

_Volumes now Ready. 1s. net each._

=449–1066. The Welding of the Race.= Edited by the Rev. JOHN WALLIS, M.A.

=1066–1154. The Normans in England.= Edited by A. E. BLAND, M.A. [_In preparation_

=1154–1216. The Angevins and the Charter.= Edited by S. M. TOYNE, M.A.

=1216–1307. The Struggle for the Charter.= Edited by W. D. ROBIESON, M.A. [_In preparation_

=1307–1399. War and Misrule.= Edited by A. A. LOCKE.

=1399–1485. The Last of Feudalism.= Edited by W. GARMON JONES, M.A.

=1485–1547. The Reformation and the Renaissance.= Edited by F. W. BEWSHER, B.A.

=1547–1603. The Age of Elizabeth.= Edited by ARUNDELL ESDAILE, M.A.

=1603–1660. Puritanism and Liberty.= Edited by KENNETH BELL, M.A.

=1660–1714. A Constitution in Making.= Edited by G. B. PERRETT, M.A.

=1714–1760. Walpole and Chatham.= Edited by K. A. ESDAILE.

=1760–1801. American Independence and the French Revolution.= Edited by S. E. WINBOLT, M.A.

=1801–1815. England and Napoleon.= Edited by S. E. WINBOLT, M.A.

=1815–1837. Peace and Reform.= Edited by A. C. W. EDWARDS, M.A., Christ’s Hospital.

=1856–1876. Palmerston to Disraeli.= Edited by EWING HARDING, B.A.

=1876–1887. Imperialism and Mr. Gladstone.= Edited by R. H. GRETTON, M.A.

=1563–1913. Canada.= Edited by JAMES MUNRO, Lecturer at Edinburgh University.

_Other volumes, covering the whole range of English History from Roman Britain, are in active preparation, and will be issued at short intervals._

LONDON: G. BELL AND SONS, LTD.

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FROM PALMERSTON TO DISRAELI

(1856–1876)

Compiled by

EWING HARDING, B.A. (Lond.)

Senior Master of the Modern School, Southport

London G. Bell and Sons, Ltd. 1913

INTRODUCTION

This series of English History Source Books is intended for use with any ordinary textbook of English History. Experience has conclusively shown that such apparatus is a valuable--nay, an indispensable--adjunct to the history lesson. It is capable of two main uses: either by way of lively illustration at the close of a lesson, or by way of inference-drawing, before the textbook is read, at the beginning of the lesson. The kind of problems and exercises that may be based on the documents are legion, and are admirably illustrated in a _History of England for Schools_, Part I., by Keatinge and Frazer, pp. 377–381. However, we have no wish to prescribe for the teacher the manner in which he shall exercise his craft, but simply to provide him and his pupils with materials hitherto not readily accessible for school purposes. The very moderate price of the books in this series should bring them within the reach of every secondary school. Source books enable the pupil to take a more active part than hitherto in the history lesson. Here is the apparatus, the raw material: its use we leave to teacher and taught.

Our belief is that the books may profitably be used by all grades of historical students between the standards of fourth-form boys in secondary schools and undergraduates at Universities. What differentiates students at one extreme from those at the other is not so much the kind of subject-matter dealt with, as the amount they can read into or extract from it.

In regard to choice of subject-matter, while trying to satisfy the natural demand for certain “stock” documents of vital importance, we hope to introduce much fresh and novel matter. It is our intention that the majority of the extracts should be lively in style--that is, personal, or descriptive, or rhetorical, or even strongly partisan--and should not so much profess to give the truth as supply data for inference. We aim at the greatest possible variety, and lay under contribution letters, biographies, ballads and poems, diaries, debates, and newspaper accounts. Economics, London, municipal, and social life generally, and local history, are represented in these pages.

The order of the extracts is strictly chronological, each being numbered, titled, and dated, and its authority given. The text is modernised, where necessary, to the extent of leaving no difficulties in reading.

We shall be most grateful to teachers and students who may send us suggestions for improvement.

S. E. WINBOLT. KENNETH BELL.

NOTE TO THIS VOLUME.

In dealing with a period of comparatively recent date, I have been dependent in several instances upon the courtesy of the proprietors of the copyright. I acknowledge with many thanks the kind permission of Mr. Henry Gladstone to quote the extracts from Lord Morley’s _Life of Gladstone_ on pp. 75, 78, 83. I also acknowledge with thanks the kindness of Messrs. Macmillan and Co. for granting permission to reprint the extracts from the _Life of Professor Huxley_ on p. 87, and from Ashley’s _Life of Lord Palmerston_ on pp. 33, 50; of Messrs. Smith, Elder and Co. for the extract from the _Diary of Henry Greville_ on p. 32; of Mr. Edward Arnold for the extract from Leader’s _Life of Roebuck_ on p. 65; of Messrs. Chapman and Hall for the extracts from Reid’s _Life of Forster_ on pp. 81, 89. I acknowledge also with thanks the kind permission of the proprietors of _Punch_ for the extracts on pp. 37, 103; and of the proprietors of _The Times_, _Illustrated London News_, and _Brighton Herald_ for the various extracts from those journals.

I am also indebted to Messrs. Longmans, Green and Co. for permission to reprint the extracts on pp. 12, 25 from the _Greville Memoirs_; also to Mr. John Murray for similar permission to reprint the extracts from the _Letters of Queen Victoria_ on pp. 17, 30, and the _Life of the Duke of Argyll_ on p. 41.

E. H.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE INTRODUCTION v DATE 1856. NEUTRALITY OF THE BLACK SEA 1 1856. AN UP-TO-DATE MAIL STEAMER 2 1857. RUBINSTEIN IN LONDON 3 1857. FIRST DISTRIBUTION OF THE VICTORIA CROSS 4 1857. REINFORCEMENTS FOR INDIA 5 1857. SIEGE AND RELIEF OF LUCKNOW 9 1858. “CONSPIRACY TO MURDER” BILL 12 1858. FORCING OF THE PEIHO RIVER 13 1858. ADMISSION OF JEWS TO PARLIAMENT 16 1858. AN INADEQUATE NAVY 17 1859. VOLUNTEER RIFLE CORPS 18 1859. NAPOLEON III. AND ENGLAND 20 1859. PROGRESS OF VOLUNTEER MOVEMENT 22 1860. COMMERCIAL TREATY WITH FRANCE 25 1860. ANTI-RITUAL RIOTS 27 1860. CHINESE WAR: CAPTURE OF PEKIN 29 1860. THE FIRST BRITISH IRONCLAD 29 1861. GARIBALDI AND THE GOVERNMENT 30 1861. THE BUDGET: ABOLITION OF THE PAPER DUTY 31 1861. BRITAIN AND ITALIAN UNITY 32 1861. LOSS OF THE COTTON-SUPPLY 33 1861. THE CASE OF THE “TRENT” 34 1861. THE AFFAIR OF THE “TRENT” 37 1862. THE PEABODY TRUST FORMED 38 1862. THE “ALABAMA” CRUISER 40 1863. WAR BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH 41 1863. THE BUDGET: EATING THE LEEK 42 1863. DISTRESS IN THE COTTON MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS 44 1863. BRITAIN AND THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA (I.) 46 1863. BRITAIN AND THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA (II.) 47 1864. A POLICY OF MEDDLE AND MUDDLE 48 1864. ENGLAND AND THE ATTACK ON DENMARK 50 1865. THE ATLANTIC CABLE: SCENE IN IRELAND 52 1865. THE FENIAN CONSPIRACY (I.) 55 1865. THE FENIAN CONSPIRACY (II.) 57 1865. DEATH OF LORD PALMERSTON 57 1866. THE CAVE OF ADULLAM 58 1866. SUCCESSFUL LAYING OF THE ATLANTIC CABLE 60 1866. REFORM DEMONSTRATION AT MANCHESTER 61 1867. ATTEMPTED FENIAN RAID AT CHESTER 62 1867. REFORM BILL: THREE CORNERED CONSTITUENCIES 65 1867. ABYSSINIAN CAPTIVES 67 1868. DISRAELI’S “MAUNDY THURSDAY” LETTER 69 1868. ABYSSINIAN WAR: CAPTURE OF MAGDALA 71 1868. DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE IRISH CHURCH 73 1869. IRISH CHURCH BILL: CRITICAL DAYS 75 1870. THE IRISH LAND BILL 78 1870. EDUCATION BILL: THE COWPER-TEMPLE CLAUSE 81 1870. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR 83 1871. MR. LOWE’S BUDGET: THE MATCH-TAX (I.) 84 1871. MR. LOWE’S BUDGET: THE MATCH-TAX (II.) 84 1871. PURCHASE IN THE ARMY ABOLISHED BY ROYAL WARRANT 85 1871. FIRST AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY 86 1871. BIBLE READING IN SCHOOLS 87 1872. THE GENEVA ARBITRATION: THE INDIRECT CLAIMS 89 1872. AN EARLY ELECTION UNDER THE BALLOT ACT 90 1872. THE “ALABAMA” ARBITRATION AWARD 93 1873. REFUSAL OF DISRAELI TO TAKE OFFICE WITHOUT A MAJORITY 94 1873. FIRST LONDON HOSPITAL SUNDAY 98 1874. THE ASHANTEE WAR: FALL OF COOMASSIE 99 1874. FUNERAL OF DR. LIVINGSTONE 103 1874. DISRAELI ON PARTIES IN THE CHURCH 104 1875. THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION 106 1875. PURCHASE OF SUEZ CANAL SHARES (AN OPPOSITION VIEW) 110 1876. DISRAELI’S AIMS IN POLITICS 114 1876. A SPIRITED SPEECH BY DISRAELI 114 1876. THE EASTERN QUESTION: SOME FIERY SPEECHES 115

FROM PALMERSTON TO DISRAELI

(1856–1876)

NEUTRALITY OF THE BLACK SEA (1856).

=Source.=--_Annual Register_, 1856, vol. 98; _State Papers_, pp. 310–312.

TREATY OF PARIS.

ARTICLE XI.--The Black Sea is neutralised; its waters and its ports thrown open to the mercantile marine of every nation, are formally and in perpetuity interdicted to the flag of war, either of the Powers possessing its coasts, or of any other Power, with the exceptions mentioned in Articles XIV. and XIX. of the present Treaty.

ARTICLE XII.--Free from any impediment, the commerce in the ports and waters of the Black Sea shall be subject only to the regulations of health, customs, and police, framed in a spirit favourable to the development of commercial transactions.

In order to afford to the commercial and maritime interests of every nation the security which is desired, Russia and the Sublime Porte will admit Consuls into their ports situated upon the coast of the Black Sea, in conformity with the principles of international law.

ARTICLE XIII.--The Black Sea being neutralised according to the terms of Article XI., the maintenance or establishment upon its coast of military-maritime arsenals becomes alike unnecessary and purposeless; in consequence, His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan engage not to establish or maintain upon that coast any military-maritime arsenal.

ARTICLE XIV.--Their Majesties the Emperor of all the Russias and the Sultan having concluded a convention for the purpose of settling the force and the number of light vessels necessary for the service of their coasts which they reserve to themselves to maintain in the Black Sea, that convention is annexed to the present Treaty, and shall have the same force and validity as if it had formed an integral part thereof. It cannot be either annulled or modified without the assent of the Powers signing the present Treaty.

ARTICLE XIX.--In order to insure the execution of the regulations which shall have been established by common agreement, in conformity with the principles declared above, each of the contracting Powers shall have the right to station, at all times, two light vessels at the mouth of the Danube.

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Convention between the Emperor of Russia and the Sultan limiting their naval force in the Black Sea.

ARTICLE I.--The High Contracting Parties mutually engage not to have in the Black Sea any other vessels of war than those of which the number, the force, and the dimensions are hereinafter stipulated.

ARTICLE II.--The High Contracting Parties reserve to themselves each to maintain in that sea 6 steamships of 50 metres in length at the time of flotation, of a tonnage of 800 tons at the maximum, and 4 light steam or sailing vessels of a tonnage which shall not exceed 200 tons each.

AN UP-TO-DATE MAIL STEAMER (1856).

=Source.=--_Annual Register_, 1856, vol. 98; _Chronicle_, p. 1.

A magnificent iron paddle-wheel steamship the _Persia_, built by Napier and Sons, of Glasgow, for the Cunard Company, has made her trial trip. This ship will be the largest steamship afloat in the world, until another shall have been built which shall surpass her. Such have been the advances made in our ideas of ships, and especially of steamships of late years, that the giant of to-day is the pigmy of to-morrow; and the chief use of these records is to show what was a magnificent ship at the commencement of 1856. The _Persia_ is built of iron; her dimensions are: Length from figurehead to taffrail, 390 feet; length in the water, 360 feet; breadth of the hull, 45 feet; breadth over all, 71 feet; depth, 32 feet; burden, 3,600 tons; diameter of paddle-wheels, 40 feet.

By the Government rule of measure, her steam-power would be equal to 900 horses; according to Watt’s mode of reckoning it would be equal to 4,000 horses at least. The ship is of beautiful model, and combined so as to secure the greatest mechanical strength. Her keel-plates are of sheet-iron, 11/16 of an inch thick; the bottom plates 15/16; up to the water-line, 11/16. She is divided into seven water-tight compartments, besides which she has, in effect, a double bottom. She has two engines and eight boilers. She will afford separate and roomy accommodation for 260 passengers, and will carry a crew of 150 men. Besides splendid saloons and all other requisite apartments for her passengers, she has a bakery, butcher’s shambles, scullery, cow-house, carpenter’s shop, doctor’s shop, ice-houses, bath-rooms, and twenty water-closets. The builders’ calculations as to her speed were not disappointed, for on her voyage round from Glasgow to Liverpool she made an average of more than 16 knots, or 19 miles an hour.

RUBINSTEIN IN LONDON: FIRST APPEARANCE AT A PHILHARMONIC CONCERT (1857).

=Source.=--_The Times_, May 19, 1857.

Of Herr Rubinstein, his compositions, and his performances, we would rather not speak, but just now that there is so much charlatanism abroad, to the detriment of genuine art, silence is not permitted. We never listened before to such music--if music it may be called--at the Philharmonic Concerts, and fervently trust we may never again. So strange and chaotic a jumble as the Concerto in G defies analysis. Not a single subject fit to be designated “phrase” or “melody” can be traced throughout the whole dreary length of the composition; while, to atone for the absence of every musical attribute, we look in vain even for what abounds in the pianoforte writings of Liszt and others of the same school--viz., the materials for displaying mechanical facility to advantage.... As a player, Herr Rubinstein (who, when a mere boy, paid London a visit in 1843–4) may lay claim to the possession of extraordinary manual dexterity. His execution (more particularly when he has passages in octaves to perform) is prodigious, and the difficulties he surmounts with apparent ease are manifold and astonishing. But his mechanism is by no means invariably pure; nor is his manner of attacking the notes at all favourable to the production of legitimate tone. A pianist should treat his instrument rather as a friend than as an enemy, caress rather than bully it; but Herr Rubinstein seats himself at the piano with a seeming determination to _punish_ it, and his endeavours to extort the power of an orchestra from that which is, after all, but an unpretending row of keys, hammers, and strings, result in an exaggeration of style entirely antagonistic to real musical expression.

FIRST DISTRIBUTION OF THE VICTORIA CROSS (1857).

=Source.=--_The Times_, June 27, 1857.

A new epoch in our military history was yesterday inaugurated in Hyde Park. The old and much abused campaign medal may now be looked upon as a reward, but it will cease to be sought after as a distinction for a new order is instituted--an order for merit and valour, open without regard to rank or title, to all whose conduct in the field has rendered them prominent for courage even in the British Army. A path is left open to the ambition of the humblest soldier--a road is open to honour which thousands have toiled, and pined, and died in the endeavour to attain; and private soldiers may now look forward to wearing a real distinction which kings might be proud to have earned the right to bear.

The display of yesterday in point of numbers was a great metropolitan gathering--it was a concourse such as only London could send forth.... A very large space--at least half a mile broad by three-quarters of a mile long--was enclosed on the northern side of the park for the evolution of the troops. On the side of this, nearest to Grosvenor Gate, galleries were erected for the accommodation of 7,000 persons. The station for the Queen was in the centre of the galleries, which formed a huge deal semicircle, enclosing at least one-third of the space in which the troops were formed.... It was evident, from the arrangements made, that it was expected Her Majesty would dismount and distribute the crosses at the table. The Queen, however, did not dismount, but with her charger a little in advance of the suite, with the Prince of Prussia on her right hand, and the Prince Consort on her left, awarded the crosses from her seat on horseback. The form observed was simple in the extreme. The order was handed to Her Majesty, and the name and corps to which each recipient belonged mentioned as he presented himself. The officers and men passed before the Queen in single file, advancing close while she affixed to the breast of each in turn the plain bronze cross, with a red riband for the army, and a blue one for the navy. So quietly and expeditiously was this done in every case that the whole ceremony scarcely occupied ten minutes. There were 61 in all, of whom 12 belonged to the Royal Navy, 2 to the Marines, 4 to the Cavalry, 5 to the Artillery, 4 to the Engineers, and the remainder to various regiments of Infantry. Of all, 25 were commissioned officers, 15 were warrant and non-commissioned officers, and the others privates and common seamen.

REINFORCEMENTS FOR INDIA (1857).

=Source.=--Sir Theodore Martin’s _Life of the Prince Consort_, 4th edit., vol. iv., pp. 78–80. (London: Smith, Elder and Co.)

LETTER FROM QUEEN VICTORIA TO LORD PALMERSTON.

OSBORNE, _July 19, 1857_.

The Queen is anxious to impress in the most earnest manner upon her Government the necessity of our taking a comprehensive view of our military position at the present momentous crisis, instead of going on without a plan, living from hand to mouth, and taking small isolated measures without reference to each other. Contrary to the Queen’s hopes and expectations, immediately after the late war the army was cut down to a state even _below_ the Peace Establishment recognised by the Government and Parliament in their own estimates, to meet the Parliamentary pressure for economy, and this in spite of the fearful lesson just taught by the late war, and with two wars on hand--one with Persia, and the other with China! Out of this miserably reduced Peace Establishment, already drawn upon for the service in China, we are now to meet the exigencies of the Indian crisis, and the Government, as it always has done on such occasions, has up to this time contented itself with sending out the few regiments left at home, putting off the day for reorganising its forces. When the regiments ordered out shall have gone, we shall be left with 18 battalions out of 105, of which the army is composed, to meet all home duty, to protect our own shores, to act as the reserves and reliefs for the regiments abroad, and to meet all possible emergencies! The regiments in India are allowed one company, raised by the last decision of the Cabinet, to 100 men as their depot and reserve!

A serious contemplation of such a state of things must strike everybody with the conviction, that some _comprehensive_ and _immediate_ measure must be taken by the Government--its _principle_ settled by the Cabinet, and its details left to the _unfettered_ execution of the military authorities, instead of which the Cabinet have as yet agreed only upon recruiting certain battalions up to a certain strength, to get back some of the men recently discharged and have measured the extent of their plans by a probable estimate of the amount of recruits to be obtained in a given time, declaring at the same time to Parliament that the militia will not be called out, which would probably have given the force required.

The Commander-in-Chief has laid a plan before the Government which the Queen thinks upon the whole very moderate, inexpensive, and efficient. The principle which the Queen thinks ought to be adopted is this: That the force which has been absorbed by the Indian demand be replaced to its full extent and in the same kind, not whole battalions by a mere handful of recruits added to the remaining ones. This will not only cost the Government nothing because the East India Company will pay the battalions transferred, and the money voted for them by Parliament will be applicable to the new ones, but it will give a considerable saving, as all the officers reduced from the War Establishment and receiving half-pay will be thus absorbed and no longer be a burden upon the Exchequer. Keeping these new battalions on a low establishment, which will naturally be the case at first, the depots and reserves should be raised in men, the Indian depots keeping at least two companies of one hundred men each. [The Crimean battalions of eight companies had eight others in reserve, which, with the aid of the militiamen, could not keep up the strength of the Service companies. In India there are _eleven_ to be kept up by _one_ in reserve!]

No possible objection can be urged against this plan except two: