at the Foreign Office) discussed my proposal to put Miss Octavia
Hill on my Royal Commission, no woman having ever sat on one; and
Harcourt having refused to sign the Commission if it contained a
woman's name, Mr. Gladstone, Kimberley, and Northbrook sided with
me, and Hartington with Harcourt. Lord Granville said that he was
with me on the principle, but against me on the person. After this
Mr. Gladstone went round, and said that the decision of the Cabinet
was against me. Asquith put several women on a Royal Commission a
few years later, but refused them the precedence to which they were
entitled, and gave every male member precedence before them.'

Mr. Lyulph Stanley was included to represent his sister, Miss Maude
Stanley, whom Sir Charles Dilke had wished to appoint.

Later in the year Sir Charles successfully asserted the principle for
which he was contending, by putting women on the Metropolitan Asylums
Board. Lady Ducie had the honour of the first invitation to serve, and
Sir Charles afterwards added Miss Maude Stanley and others. The question
of qualification was discussed, only to be set aside. The law officers

'knew the women would be knocked off if anyone raised the question,
and in Lady Sandhurst's case this was afterwards made clear; but no
one did raise it against my nominees, and they stayed on for life.'

'March 7th.--I had now had several interviews with Lord Salisbury
and the Prince of Wales about the Royal Commission, and the first
meeting of the Commission itself was held on March 5th.... We really
began our work on March 14th. My work was heavy at this time, with
sittings of the Commission twice a week, for which I had to prepare,
as I did all the examination in chief of the witnesses, and, indeed,