ABSTRACT
The history of the secretaryship is closely connected with the history of the transition from government by the King to government by a Ministry. Charles II and James II had ruled as well as reigned. William, though he controlled foreign policy, had in other matters been largely subject to the influence of his Ministers and the pressure of Parliament. In 1782, however, the Opposition, inspired by zeal for efficiency and economy, demanded the abolition of the Colonial secretaryship and the division of duties between two Secretaries only. If the King reluctantly consented to abolish the third secretaryship he was certainly ready to separate foreign and domestic affairs. The position of Prime Minister scarcely allows its holder to perform the executive work of a Secretarial department. It is true that a Prime Minister took the Foreign Secretaryship, but the burden proved too great and the experiment has not been repeated.
