The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-18
Special TO The Times.l

LONDON, Nov. Sit is reported that
Lord Sal sburys rare Visit 20 batlo'aA
was occasioned by the fact that proposals
he had made TO the Queen for the recon
s,ruction of the ministry had not met with
Her Majesty's approval If Tie Initial suss
gestion was that Lord LanSdoWne eShoald
20 TO the Foreign Oitice, CONSERVATION
in the Royal Council Chamber is easily
understood 1t finds echo in all classes OF
the community when the Queen mssslt-
ing concerning the appointment Is ON
cailv announced. II there was one thUns
certain in the expectations with which ie-
construct on was regarded. 1t was in the
matter Of the final dismissal OF Lord Lans-
downe Under his direction the War oi-
flee had broken down in hopeless tasnlon
that in grave crisis threatened the safety
Of the Empire There were times IN Eng
isl, history when War Minister with
such a record beh nd him would have peer
i!npea chel!
TO ,i,e amazement Of everybody. Lore
Lansaowne leaves. Pail Mall not for Tn
seclusion Of q failure, but for promoter
to the highest office IN the Ministry mex
TO the Premier!
There is q cyn:cism about this procedure
that. using the word In its prinl tive sense
excites admiration. Only Lord Saltsbur'
would have thought Of such q thing Oni'
he dared do it! His contempt Tor pub
lie opinion is one OF the rare pa sions Q
!
platform, speaking at time, howeve.
critical he cannot Withstand the tenpt5
ton to flash forth one OF those sentence
that have come to De known as his 1nds
cretions' This IS bad enough in lis way
But later the phrases can. be more or less
successfully explained away, either o.?
Lord Salisbury or his friends. There is no
expa:ring away Lord Lansdowne al the
FOREIGN Office. Attemnts are made In
the direction OF assertion that ne VIII De
there merely as q figure-head. the Premier
retaining in his own hands the personal d.
rection of foreign affairs. That or Itself
is not a convenient or constitutional
ARRANGEMENT. II it were otherwise Lord
Salisbury might. at least. have selected
for the dignity and emolumenIS some other
4,>--, 40 vast conspicuous failure among
his collea CUES.
FIGURE HEAD" THEORY
If the fieure-head theory be accented il
removes the only ground of satisfaction
! u.s. ,>,,h'fc Hnd n tI,e new a--a reer,ant. Il
has long been matter OF protest by pub
| lic.sts that Lord Salisbury Should for so
l. long have retained the dual office OF
Premier and Foreign Secretary. Mr.. Clad
! stone. whose constitutional instincts were
acute alwavs protested against an ar
rangenaent for which no precedent IS found.
lord Salisbury cstabl shed his fame as a
Statesman at the Fore Office. So. Ssd Mr..
| Canning Lord Aberdeen and Lord Pal
| merston. Yet when in turn thew came to
! Inc PremiersIlio each resigned the foreign
| seals TO a colleague. According TO const'-
| ...tinnal ueaee and modern practice. the
Foreign Minister may have his decis ons
controlled and If need he. overru!ed, only
| nv the Premier. II the two ministers cam
| not agree anpea1 is made not as in other
! "a ses, to the judgment of the Cabinet.
| hut 10 the arbitraInent of the sovereign.
| 4 historical case in point was sunni ed
| --a-r,- ;.o,f nr,,tn-v TO. r-,en Lord
! John Russell was Premier and Palmerstor
! E-r,--n:-, Ser-r.-.- ~
| The two ministers differing, the Queen
| interposed and administered to Lord raj
| me-son terrible wisg1ng. Obviously
| s,,ch wholesome restraint was not. possible
whist Lord Salisbury held In his GRASP
| the Premiership and the post OF For Ign
Secretary. Nor will 'be onerati II. as
reported. Lord Lansdowne Is to be merely
| a co-onetedf head clerk at the Foreign
Office
| II Is now accented as ss tiled thar what
ever c,,enges nav follow on THIS Arst
| rove M- chamberlain wifi remain at
the Colonial ONCE. It IS evidence sof the
| rrsp.ng effect OF his strong nersona.ity
that many OF the critics Of Lord Ttans-
downe.s appointment console themselves
with the, reflection that things might
have been worse. As one puts it,.'I IS
| at least a. subject for IA trtotic 2 :
tion that the Foreign Scarf sry n ~ 40