Chapter 12: The Final Summit, 1874-80

 

Item 138
Lord Salisbury's concerns
Dep. Hughenden 92/4, fols. 3r-4r

Even before he became Foreign Secretary in 1878 Lord Salisbury was offering advise to Disraeli on the conduct of policy. In this extract from a closely argued eight-page letter written on 23 September 1876, he refers to the impact of the Government's policy on the party's electoral performance, the limits on British policy, and the need to devise methods to protect the Christians in the Turkish Empire. His suggestions included a Minister of State nominated with the consent of the signatories to the 1856 Treaty, who would be involved in the selection of Governors of Bosnia, Herzegovina and Bulgaria. Salisbury believed the best way of resolving current 'perplexities' was 'to come to an early understanding with Russia' and distance themselves from the Austrian stance.