'Mr. Gladstone and Lord Granville being against all commercial
treaties, I for good ones and against bad ones, and Chamberlain for
punishing Italy for her conduct to us.' [Footnote: 'March 5th,
1883.--We turned to Tariff Treaties: Lord Granville and Mr.
Gladstone wishing for a general and abstract declaration against
them, and I, with support of Childers, urging most strongly the
other view. The proposed declaration was a gratuitous piece of
folly, for we were not called on to say anything at all.']

When the proposed treaty with Spain, and the changes in duties which it
would involve, were before the Cabinet on November 10th,

'I am afraid I played upon Mr. Gladstone's favourite weakness (next
to praise of Montenegro)--namely, abuse of the Customs, a department
for the routine of which he always had a perfect loathing.'


III.

Queen Victoria's demand for investigation into the housing of the poor
[Footnote: See Vol. I., p. 509.] had led to prompt administrative
action, planned by Sir Charles before he left for his Christmas holiday.

'While I was at Toulon there were issued from the Local Government
Board the circulars on the Housing of the Working Class, which I had
prepared before leaving London.... One circular, December 29th, 1883
... called on the Vestries to make use of the powers which they
possessed for regulating the condition of houses let in lodgings.
Another, December 30th ... called attention to their powers under