⁷⁵⁶ The Lords set up a committee to inquire into the working of the Land Act after a debate on 24 February: Hansard, CCLXVI, cols 1501–1502. Gladstone protested that it was too soon to decide if the Act was a success.

⁷⁵⁷ In fact, Granville had informed Salisbury on 25 February that the Cabinet would accept the proposed committee but not one sitting judicially on the administration of the Act by the Commissioners (Granville to Gladstone, 26 February 1882: Ramm, 1962, I, p. 346). The report, a scheme for land purchase, was very much a landlords’ scheme. See Hammond, J.L., Gladstone and the Irish Nation (London, 1938), pp. 257–258Google Scholar.

⁷⁵⁸ Heated debate in the Commons on the Resolution on the Operation of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, first night: Hansard, CCLXVI, cols 1729–1798.

⁷⁵⁹ Henry Gerard Sturt (1825–1894), 1st Baron Alington (1876), Con. MP for Dorchester (1847–1856) and for Dorset (1856–1876).

⁷⁶⁰ Rowland Winn (1820–1893), Con. MP for Lancashire North (1868–1885), Lord of the Treasury (1874–1880), created Baron St Oswald (1885).

⁷⁶¹ Clôture was a process for bringing a parliamentary debate to a rapid end. It was introduced in the Commons in 1881 to overcome the delaying tactics of Irish members over the Coercion Bill.

⁷⁶² The Protection of Person and Property (Ireland) Act, more popularly known as the Coercion Act, which came into law on 2 March 1881, gave the Government wide powers of arbitrary arrest and detention. It was strongly opposed by the Irish members. After forty-one hours of debate in the Commons, the Speaker declared a closure, much to the surprise of the House. See T.P. O'Connor, Memoirs of an Old Parliamentarian, 2 vols (London, 1929), I, pp. 172–173.

⁷⁶³ An attempt to assassinate the Queen had been made by a deranged man outside Windsor Station on 2 March. See Longford, E., Victoria R.I. (London, 1964), p. 446Google Scholar.

⁷⁶⁴ A meeting at Queen Street, especially ‘summoned to express the sentiments of the craft at the attempt upon the life of Her Majesty’ (‘The freemasons and the Queen’, The Times, 16 March 1882, p. 10).

⁷⁶⁵ Robert James Loyd-Lindsay (1832–1901), Con. MP for Berkshire (1865–1885), created Baron Wantage (1885), a prominent Freemason.

⁷⁶⁶ Samuel Jones Loyd (1796–1883), 1st Baron Overstone (1849), economist and banker, Whig MP for Hythe (1819–1826). Overstone was Lindsay's father-in-law.

⁷⁶⁷ The meeting followed on from one at Salisbury's the previous day. Hicks Beach was to call on Gladstone on 8 May to submit the Government's Irish policy to Parliament's scrutiny.

⁷⁶⁸ On 7 May, news came through of the murder of Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish (1836–1882), the newly appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Thomas Burke, his under-secretary, in Phoenix Park, Dublin. See J. Bailey (ed.), The Diary of Lady Frederick Cavendish, 2 vols (London, 1927), II, p. 325; Corfe, T., The Phoenix Park Murders: conflict, compromise and tragedy in Ireland, 1879–1882 (London, 1968), pp. 184–188Google Scholar.

⁷⁶⁹ The Arrears Bill was aimed at Irish land holdings valued at £30 and under. Where the tenant paid one year's arrears and could demonstrate an ability to pay more, the Government would pay the landlord half the arrears and the rest would be cancelled. The money for the scheme was to come from the Irish Church Fund and the Exchequer.

⁷⁷⁰ At the end of May, ironclads had been sent to Alexandria and Port Said to protect British lives and property. Riots and massacres took place in Alexandria, resulting in the deaths of fifty Europeans. Salisbury suggested that the British fleet should take action against the perpetrator, Colonel Arabi (see Shannon, Gladstone, II, pp. 298–301). For Salisbury's speech, see Hansard, CCLXX, cols 1217–1220.

⁷⁷¹ After the Egyptian authorities had refused to dismantle the forts commanding Alexandria harbour, the British fleet bombarded the positions. This was followed by the burning of the city, and serious disorders took place. See Knaplund, P., Gladstone's Foreign Policy (New York and London, 1935), pp. 184–185Google Scholar.

⁷⁷² After the meeting, Salisbury wrote to Cairns, who was abroad, that two colleagues had sent messages voicing their opposition and that there was only one speaker at the meeting who demurred to the amendments as being too strong. ‘They, however, consented to my proposals, I pledging myself that, if they forbore to oppose the second reading and carry these amendments, I would, in any event, vote for them to the end’ (Cecil, III, p. 52). The bill was read for a third time the same day.

⁷⁷³ Robert Bermingham Clements (1847–1892), 4th Earl of Leitrim (1878).

⁷⁷⁴ Arrears of Rent (Ireland) Bill, second reading: Hansard, CCLXXII, cols 1919–1957.

⁷⁷⁵ On 31 July, Salisbury had moved his amendment in the Lords. It was agreed to by 169 to 98 votes, as well as a second amendment, by 120 to 45. Derby wrote in his diary, ‘The two Houses are now committed to opposite opinions on this bill, & it is certain that the Commons will not give way on the main points at issue. What is to come next?’ (Vincent, Derby, IV, p. 451).

⁷⁷⁶ William Nevill (1826–1915), 1st Marquess of Abergavenny (1876), Conservative Party manager.

⁷⁷⁷ Edward Bootle-Wilbraham (1837–1898), 2nd Baron Skelmersdale (1853), 1st Earl of Lathom (1880), Lord Chamberlain of the Household (1885–1886, 1886–1892, 1895–1898).

⁷⁷⁸ Carnarvon told Cranbrook, ‘I much fear a desertion in a large body of our men or so large an abstention as to give us a very small majority. Either would be a great blow’ (Carnarvon to Cranbrook, 5 August 1882: Cranbrook Papers, HA3 T501/262).

⁷⁷⁹ Carnarvon's pessimism deepened in subsequent days. To Cairns he declared, ‘I am extremely anxious that if possible you and he [Salisbury] should find a common ground of agreement as to the course to be taken. No evil could be so great for the Party as that the leader in the House of Lords should seem at variance with those whose opinion is regarded as is yours’ (Carnarvon to Cairns, 8 August 1882: Cairns Papers, TNA, PRO 30/51/8, fo. 28). Cairns left for Scotland on 9 August ‘and thus avoid[ed] the possibility of being a dissentient if present’ (Cairns to Carnarvon, 9 August 1882: CP, BL 60768, fo. 54).

⁷⁸⁰ Salisbury's amendments were rejected in the Commons on 8 August. The final vote of the Upper House was arranged for 10 August and the Peers’ meeting was held at Salisbury's that morning.

⁷⁸¹ Edward Donough O'Brien (1839–1900), 14th Baron Inchiquin (1872), Lord Lieutenant of Clare (1879–1900).

⁷⁸² Salisbury described the meeting to his wife. ‘Carnarvon and Cranbrook said they would vote with me, but – This went on for some time. At last I begged them to divide – those who were for resistance to one side and those who were against it to the other [. . .]. In all about twenty supported me. On the other side there were sixty. Of course, in this state of things it was useless going to a division of the House’ (Cecil, III, p. 54).

⁷⁸³ Instead of a division in the Lords, a voice vote was taken, with Salisbury, Carnarvon, and Cranbrook being among the few peers to call out ‘Not-Content’ (see A. Roberts, Salisbury: Victorian titan (London, 1999), p. 270; Hansard, CCLXXIII, cols 1328–1343).