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III. Public Opinion and Foreign Policy: The British Public and the War-Scare of November 1870

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

W. E. Mosse
W. E. Mosse
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
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Extract

In its issue of 18 November 1870, the Liberal Daily News drew the attention of its readers to a remarkable recent change in the attitude of the British public towards the affairs of Europe.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , March 1963 , pp. 38 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1963

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References

1 Daily News, 18 November 1870.

2 For the story of the denunciation of the Black Sea Clauses cf. Mosse, W. E., ‘The End of the Crimean System’, The Historical Journal, IV, no. 2 (1961).Google Scholar

3 It is, of course, worth noting that the divisions of opinion on foreign policy did not wholly follow party lines. Thus John Bright, almost certainly, would have approved of the views and would have supported the proceedings of Stanley during his tenure of the Foreign Office in 1866/8.

4 This was before details of the Russian step were known in the editorial offices

5 The Times, 14 November 1870.

6 Telegraph, 14 November 1870.

7 Standard, 15 November 1870.

8 Morning Post, 15 November 1870.

9 Daily News, 15 November 1870.

10 The Times, 16 November 1870.

11 Morning Post, 16 November 1870.

12 This was to be the keynote of Disraeli's attack on the policy of the Gladstone administration.

13 Standard, 16 November 1870.

14 Pall Mall Gazette, 16 November 1870.

15 For Granville's note of 10 November, cf. W. E. Mosse, loc. cit. 170.

16 The Times, 17 November 1870.

17 Morning Post, 17 November 1870.

18 The Prussian headquarters in France.

19 Pall Mall Gazette, 17 November 1870.

20 Telegraph, 17 November 1870.

21 Daily News, 17 November 1870.

22 Morning Post, 18 November 1870.

23 Standard, 18 November 1870.

24 Saturday Review, 19 November 1870.

25 Spectator, 19 November 1870.

26 During the crisis Consols, which had previously stood at 93 dropped to 91 7/8 and even below. On Friday 18th, markets opened ‘in the midst of increased excitement, and a further heavy fall occurred in all descriptions of securities’ (cf. The Times, 12–21 November 1860).

27 Lord Cairns in House of Lords, 14 February 1871, Parl. Deb. CCVI, C. 244.Google Scholar

28 It had been held up until such time as Gladstone should consider opportune.

29 Bright to Gladstone, 17 November 1870, Add. MS. (in the British Museum, London), 44112, fo. 161.

30 The same to the same private, 17 November 1870, Ibid. fo. 157.

31 Granville to Gladstone, 18 November 1870, The Political Correspondence of Mr Gladstone and Lord Granville, 1868–76, ed. Ramm, A. (1952), 1, 160. Russell, the following day, whilst declaring himself opposed to war ab irato, expressed the view that Britain should seek to secure the withdrawal of Gorchakov's dispatch. Failing that, she must propose to Turkey to send part of the Mediterranean fleet (‘which I hope is strong’), the Turkish squadron in the Bosphorus and part of the Austrian fleet now in the Adriatic into the Black Sea. The vessels would stand by there but without taking any action, until Russia should try to return to ‘the plan of the Empress Catherine of taking Constantinople by sea’ (Russell to Granville, 19 November 1870 G[ifts and] D[eposits] in the P[ublic] R[ecord] O[ffice], London, 29/79).Google Scholar

32 Gladstone to Granville, 19 November 1870, Ibid. 161. The facts alluded to by Gladstone were those connected with the Russian claim that the Treaty of Paris had already been repeatedly violated in relation to the passage of naval vessels through the Straits and, especially, in relation to the Roumanian Principalities, cf. Mosse, W. E., ‘England, Russia and the Roumanian Revolution of 1866’ in The Slavonic Review, XXXIX,. no. 92 (December 1960) [hereafter quoted as W. E. Mosse (2)].Google Scholar

33 Secretary of State for War.

34 Granville to Gladstone, 20 November 1870, Ibid. 161.

35 President of the Poor Law Board.

36 First Lord of the Admiralty.

37 Granville to Gladstone, 21 November 1870, Ramm, op. cit. 163.

38 Gladstone to Granville, 19 November 1870, Ibid. 161.

39 The Times, 19 November 1870.

40 Ibid.

41 Ibid.

42 The Queen to Granville, telegram, 20 November 1870, R(oyal) A(rchives) at Windsor Castle, H4/97. I have to acknowledge the gracious permission of Her Majesty the Queen to make use of material from the Royal Archives.

43 The Times, 21 November 1870.

44 The Times, 22 November 1870.

45 Morning Post, 23 November 1870.

46 Daily News, 22 November 1870.

47 Ibid.

48 There is nothing new under the sun.

49 Standard, 23 November 1870.

50 The Times, 22 November 1870.

51 The Times, 24 November 1870.

52 The Times, 22 November 1870.

53 Ibid.

54 Ibid.

55 Morning Post, 23 November 1870.

56 On the 19th, the British Ambassador had telegraphed from St Petersburg: ‘I venture to recommend that no armed demonstration should take place until next week…. I am not without hopes that an answer will be given to your note stating that it was not intended to carry out the declaration without the assent of the Powers and expressing a desire to negotiate in conference or otherwise’ (Buchanan to Granville, 19 November 1870, FO 65/802, no. 472, reporting telegram).

57 Gladstone to Granville, 22 November 1870, Ramm, op. cit. 165f.

58 Granville to Gladstone, 23 November 1870, Ibid. 167.

59 The Russian Ambassador.

60 Gladstone to Granville, 23 November 1870, Ibid. 166f.

61 Cf. W. E. Mosse, loc. cit. 176 ff.

62 On Friday, 25th.

63 Gladstone to Bright private, 28 November 1870, copy Add. MS. 44539, fo. 171.

64 Bright to Gladstone private, 28 November 1870, Add. MS. 44112, fo. 169.

65 Standard, 22 November 1870.

66 Rylands in House of Commons on 30 March 1871, Parl. Deb. CCV, c. 919.Google Scholar

67 Russell to Granville, 16 November 1870, P.R.O. G.D. 29/79.

68 The Times, 16 November 1870.

69 Granville in the House of Lords, 14 February 1871, Parl. Deb. CCVI, CC. 247f.Google Scholar

70 Mr Gilpin in House of Commons, 30 March 1871, Ibid. ccv, c. 940.

71 For the attitudes of the powers, cf. W. E. Mosse, loc. cit. 176ff.

72 Standard, 23 November 1870.

73 Daily News, 17 November 1870.

74 Edward A. Freeman in the Daily News, 22 November 1870.

75 Mr Gilpin in the House of Commons on 30 March 1871, Parl. Deb. ccv, cc. 940f.

76 Standard, 23 November 1870.

77 Gladstone to Granville, 23 November 1870, Ramm, op. cit. 166 f.

78 Standard, 23 November 1870.

79 Edward A. Freeman in Daily News, 22 November 1870.

80 Daily News, 22 November 1870.

81 Bright to Gladstone private, 17 November 1870, Add. MS. 44112, fo. 157.

82 Edward A. Freeman in Daily News, 22 November 1870.

83 Daily News, 22 November 1870.

84 The Queen to Granville, telegram, 20 November 1870, RA H. 4/97. Cf. also the same to the same, 20 November 1870, The Letters of Queen Victoria, 2nd series (London, 1926), 11, 85f.Google Scholar

85 Telegraph, 17 November 1870.

86 Edward A. Freeman in Daily News, 22 November 1870.

87 Bright to Gladstone private, 17 November 1870, Add. MS. 44112, fo. 157.

88 The Queen to Granville, 20 November 1870, QVL, n, 85f.

89 J. A. Froude in The Times, 19 November 1870.

90 Disraeli in House of Commons, 9 February 1871, Parl. Deb.CCVI, C. 84.Google Scholar

91 Bright to Gladstone private, 17 November 1870, Add. MS. 44112, fo. 157.

92 Ibid.

93 Disraeli in the House of Commons, 9 February 1871, Parl. Deb. CCVI, C. 84.Google Scholar

94 Mr Rylands in House of Commons, 30 March 1871, Ibid. ccv, c. 922.

95 Disraeli in House of Commons, 9 February 1871, Ibid. CCVI, C. 85.