2110-6-8-33

Balliol College Oxford

July 2 [1934?]

My dear John

I've just been reading your little book on that grim Gordon tragedy. Perhaps it might interest you that my uncle Carlingford, who was at one time in the Cabinet & was a close friend of Hartington's, used to say that H. had long wanted to send an expedition to rescue Gordon but that he did not push his resolve to resignation point because he did not want to embarrass Gladstone in his Irish policy - that policy of enforcing law & order which he was so soon to abandon.

I dont mention this to excuse H. He was the reponsible minister - but it illustrates

the way in which entirely independent questions can conflict with one another in our Cabinet system.

What a deplorably weak Cabinet that was!

I am staying at present in the Master's house - but I fear I am absurdly feeble. Something seriously wrong with my lungs.

Yours ever

F.F. Urquhart