No. 298.
Mr. Moran
to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
London, February 25, 1874.
(Received March 11.)
No. 452.]Sir: General Schenck, in his No. 569, of the 18th
instant, reported to you the resignation of the Gladstone ministry and the
formation of a new government by Mr. Disraeli. The majority of the new
ministers received their seals of office at Windsor on Saturday, the 21st
instant, and with few exceptions the cabinet offices were filled up that
day. There has been the usual delay in selecting persons for the minor
offices, such as the under-secretaryships, but this work will soon be
accomplished and the organization be completed in all its parts.
The following are the names of the members of the new cabinet so far as at
present known: Mr. Disraeli, first lord of the treasury; Lord Cairns, lord
chancellor; Duke of Richmond, lord president of council; Lord Malmesbury,
lord privy seal; Lord Derby, foreign affairs; Lord Salisbury, India; Lord
Carnarvon, the colonies; Mr. Gathorne Hardy, war; Mr. B. A. Cruss, home; Mr.
Ward Hunt, admiralty; Sir Stafford Northcote, chancellor of exchequer; Lord
John Manners, postmaster-general.
On the 21st instant, Lord Granville communicated the fact of his resignation
of the office of principal secretary of state for foreign affairs to the
legation in a note addressed to General Schenck, and the same day Lord Derby
announced his accession to that post. I inclose copies of these letters and
of my replies dated the 22d instant.
In accordance with the invitation in Lord Derby’s note of Saturday, lie
formally received the heads of the various embassies and legations now in
London, at the foreign office at 3 p.m. yesterday. My interview was of short
duration, and his lordship was courteous and friendly. I told him that I had
no special business to bring to his notice. The only thing in my mind was a
report which you had sent to General Schenck, from the consul of the United
States at Tripoli, about the slave-trade which has, until recently at least,
been carried on between that place and the Levant ports of Turkey and Egypt
via Malta.
[Page 498]
I stated that General Schenck had brought this to Lord Granville’s notice
informally in July last. His lordship expressed surprise at the existence of
such a traffic; but said that he would be glad to receive any information on
the subject I might be pleased to communicate to him.
He described the civil government of Malta as being in a measure locally
independent, and the island as being merely a military station; but promised
to look into the matter after receiving a note from me in regard to it.
* * * * * * *
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 452.]
Earl Granville to
General Schenck.
Foreign
Office, February 21,
1874.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the
Queen has been graciously pleased to accept my resignation of the office
of Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign affairs, and
to confer the seals of that department upon the Earl of Derby.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No. 452.]
Mr. Moran to Earl
Granville.
Legation of the United States,
London, February 22,
1874.
My Lord: In the absence of his excellency
General Schenck, who sailed from Liverpool yesterday for the United
States, on leave for three months, I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your lordship’s note of the 21st instant, announcing that the
Queen has been graciously pleased to accept your resignation of the
office of Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign
affairs, and to confer the seals of that department upon the Earl of
Derby.
At this moment, in closing the term of official intercourse which I as
the occasional head of this legation during the last three years and
upward have had the honor to hold with your lordship, I cannot withhold
the expression of my high sense of the friendship, promptness, and
courtesy by which that intercourse on your part has been uniformly
distinguished. And I feel sure that General Schenck would express the
same sense of your lordship’s urbanity were he here to acknowledge the
receipt of your above-mentioned note.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 3 in No. 452.]
The Earl of Derby to
General Schenck.
Foreign
Office, February 21,
1874.
Sir: I have the honor to acquaint you that the
Queen has been graciously pleased to accept Lord Granville’s resignation
of the office of Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign
affairs, and to confide to me the seals of that department.
I shall be happy to receive you at this office on Tuesday the 24th
instant, at 3 o’clock, in order to confer with you on any business upon
which you may have received instructions from your Government.
I have, &c.,
[Page 499]
[Inclosure 4 in No. 452.]
Mr. Moran to the
Earl of Derby.
Legation of the United States,
London, February 22,
1874.
My Lord: In the absence of his excellency
General Schenck, who left Liverpool yesterday for the United States, to
be away three months, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your lordship’s note to him of the 21st instant, stating that the Queen
has been graciously pleased to accept Lord Granville’s resignation of
the office of Her Majesty’s principal secretary of state for foreign
affairs, and to confide the seals of that department to your
lordship.
To this communication is appended an intimation that your lordship will
be ready to receive General Schenck at the foreign office on Tuesday the
24th instant, at 3 o’clock, in order to confer with him on any business
upon which he may have received instructions from his Government.
As chargé d’affaires ad int. in the absence of his
excellency General Schenck, I beg to offer my felicitations upon this
act of Her Majesty, and to express the readiness with which I shall be
prepared to meet your lordship at the time and for the purpose
designated.
I have, &c.,
