ABSTRACT
The Irishman was Sir Charles Gavan Duffy who in his youth had suffered imprisonment as an Irish patriot and had emigrated to Australia in 1856, disgusted by the failure of his effort to form and keep together an independent Irish Party in the House of Commons. The Conservative was Lord Carnarvon who had been Colonial Secretary twice, first under Derby in 1867, and then under Disraeli in 1878. He was a man with a mind of his own and he had left office on both occasions over a disagreement on policy. He had resigned in 1867 in protest against Disraeli’s Reform Bill and in 1878 in protest against Disraeli’s decision to send the Fleet to Constantinople. The disastrous effect on the temper of the Conservative party was noted at once by the friends of the new policy. Carnarvon wanted to meet the wishes of the Bishops and make a grant to University College.
