After the successful conclusion of the war with Aldjazair, diplomatic overtures were made to France to exchange some of the captured land for French colonial claims and or £. A deal was brokered where the inland lands annexed by England would be turned over to the French for a large sum of money. Funnily enough that exact same month a number of new railroads and factories were constructed in Britain under generous government subsidy. This was the measure of the times. The economy of Britain surged ever forward in front of the rest of the world. Generous credit terms provided by the government provided for cheap money that was used to build factories.
The efficiency and scale of the economy meant England’s products were so cheap in relation to foreign competitors that British firms could in virtually any market on earth undercut the local producers and take control of the market. This was the nature of Britain’s empire in the 1800’s. Except for the white colonies and India and the bordering regions, England did not directly that much. While she used to have formal direct control of her empire, case in point the American colonies. After their successful rebellion against the United Kingdom it found it could reap all the trade benefits without the cost of directly ruling and thus spending considerable sums. The Royal Navy stood ever vigilant on the waves ensuring Britain’s commerce could get into any port in the world. It also kept the sea lines clear of any pirates or anyone else with designs on British merchantmen. The British economy guarded by the Royal Navy was the greatest in the world and truly spanned the globe.
In the government of the United Kingdom a disturbing split had occurred between the Prime Minster Lord Russell and his foreign sectary, Lord Palmerston. Many saw that Palmerston was too powerful his positon and exerted too much control over official policy. Many MPs of the Whig party had become fed up with him. Although not many knew it, Palmerston had forced the Aldjazair war on the Russell ministry, this move had angered the proponents of indirect empire while supporters of the direct empire school of thought supported Palmerston. All in all the political situation in England towards the end of 1851 was not quite as rosy as the economy or state of the Empire would have you believe. Something could trigger a crisis in the Russell government. But would could cause a popular ministry to fall?
The beginning of the end for Russell’s premiership would not be in England but in France of all places. With an elected President in office, Louis Napoleon launched a coup against the government of France. He then proceeded to install himself as President of France. While this instability in France has hardly unexpected after the closeness of the previous election, the British government’s reaction or lack there forth would provide the ground for which Palmerston would unknowingly bring down the government. While the newest Bonaparte solidified his grip on power in France, cabinet members in England were caught flat footed. No one knew what to say or do. Enter Palmerston. While at a party in the French embassy in London, he expressed to the French ambassador in London, without the concurrence of his colleagues, his personal approval of that act.
It was this simple off hand remark that resulted in the most unlikely governments to come to power in England. After this so called gaffe by Palmerston, Lord Russell was forced to act. He finally saw how skillfully Palmerston maneuvered him into the Aldjazair war and then sidelined him from finding out how it was begun without his approval. Palmerston had grown all too powerful and the Prime Minister knew all too well that now was the time to act before it became too late. On December 1st 1851, Lord Palmerston resigned from the cabinet. Many knew that the resignation was a face saving measure and that he had been forced out. Lord Russell may have thought his problem solved but it was far from it. For in booting out Palmerston, he allowed him to speak against the government. Palmerston did just that. By December 15th enough Whig MPs and Tory MPs had been convinced by Palmerston to vote against the government. When the Russell government introduced a new bill into the house it was soundly defeated and Russell resigned as Prime Minister. All because of the French.
The new ministry was led by the Earl Derby of the conservative party. This was one of the most interesting governments the Westminster system could produce, minority government. This meant that Derby had a plurality of support not a majority of support from the MPs in the house. This meant his government could fall at anyone vote on a bill. His government’s first session in power opened in February 1852. Northing controversial was passed as he had to please his own party and cater to Whigs who were close to the Tories in their stances. This meant that every bill was mild and middle of the road not much happened in England.
But in Africa new developments occurred that would change the United Kingdom for ever. In Africa, England ruled South Africa directly and a fair number of claims along the coasts of Africa. France had a similar standing except they ruled Algeria and Tunisia. This began to change on July 4th 1852, in the Lower Cameron region, three British trading posts dominated the coast, and on July 4th the era of direct empire began. England claimed her first colony on the Dark Continent. Africa and the world would never be same again.
Area under to come under direct rule is highlighted in red, also note the alliance in effect with Portugal.
While this new back England helped prop up the Tory ministry, the evitable happened. In November a bill was narrowly passed, this signaled the death knell for the government and as the next bill came to vote the government fell and a new government was formed.
It was led by the Earl of Aberdeen a moderate Tory who broke with the party with the Peelites after the free trade bills of the 1840s. It was he who lead a coalition ministry of Peelite Tories and Whigs. Both Russell and Palmerston where in the cabinet and members of the coalition but how it would play out between these two adversaries was uncertain.
Earl of Aberdeen’s Cabinet:
Lord Aberdeen - First Lord of the Treasury
Lord Cranworth - Lord Chancellor
Lord Granville - Lord President of the Council
The Duke of Arygll - Lord Privy Seal
Lord Palmerston - Secretary of State for the Home Department
Lord John Russell - Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
The Duke of Newcastle - Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Sir James Graham - First Lord of the Admiralty
William Ewart Gladstone - Chancellor of the Exchequer
Sir Charles Wood - President of the Board of Control
Sir William Molesworth - First Commissioner of Works
Sidney Herbert - Secretary at War
Lord Lansdowne - Minister without Portfolio
The Inner Cabinet( Includes the Prime Minster):
Lord Palmerston - Secretary of State for the Home Department
Lord John Russell - Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
The Duke of Newcastle - Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Sir James Graham - First Lord of the Admiralty
William Ewart Gladstone - Chancellor of the Exchequer
Sir Charles Wood - President of the Board of Control