134 Rosebery Prime Minister [1894 



London to protest against the accounts of it published in our news- 

 papers. This, if true, is most important. The Sultan has also pre- 

 sented Abbas with a palace on the Bosphorus, a gift of more doubtful 

 omen. 



" yth March. — It appears that Rosebery has carried the day and is 

 to be Prime Minister. He is an astute Whig of the Palmerston type, 

 and the Radicals have got what they deserve. The policy in Egypt 

 can hardly long remain unchanged, and I should not be surprised to 

 see Rosebery entering on a scheme for the partition of the Ottoman 

 Empire. It cannot well, however, be carried into effect without war, 

 and so I hope that under Providence it may result in the partition 

 rather of that other Empire for the sake of which we in England have 

 sold our old principles of freedom and respect for International right. 

 The Radical jingo is the ugliest feature of our modern politics." 

 Though Lord Rosebery did not remain in office long enough to carry 

 out this plan in person, it was put in practice later by his Under Sec- 

 retary at the Foreign Office, and understudy, Sir Edward Grey, with 

 the result we have all witnessed. 



" 13th March. — Young Aldridge called. He tells me he was at the 

 celebrated review at Haifa when the Khedive was supposed to have 

 insulted the officers. He was staying with these officers, and none of 

 them were aware of anything in the way of a crisis having occurred 

 till three days after it. He says the opinion of the officers of the 

 Egyptian army on the spot was that the Khedive had said nothing but 

 what he had a right to. He had praised the Camel Corps and the 

 artillery and the cavalry, but had criticized the infantry, which in fact 

 had been a bit in disorder. The remarks, whatever they were, had 

 been made half a mile away from the men, and the men knew nothing 

 about them, nor ever would have known except for the newspapers. 

 ' What,' says Aldridge, ' was the Khedive there for if not to make re- 

 marks?' This doubtless reflects the view of the English officers con- 

 cerned, as Aldridge is Broadwood's half-brother. 



" 15th March. — Frank Lascelles is made Ambassador at St. Peters- v 

 burg. It seems but the other day that we were attaches together at 

 Madrid, sharing all things in common ; he deserves his promotion, for 

 he has worked hard for it in many a dull, forgotten post. Another 

 promotion is Rendell's to the House of Lords. He also deserves it for 

 his great humility. 



" 20th March. — Kitchener has just come back from Suakim from a 

 military promenade in the neighbourhood of Tokar, where the country 

 was found green and well watered with streams running and full of 

 wild creatures, ariels and gazelles. All this because for five years the 

 abominable animal, man, has been excluded. All the world would be 

 a paradise in twenty years if man could be shut out. 



