special weight in that department.
The cabinet as a body was a machine incapable of being worked by
anything like daily and sometimes hourly consultations of this kind,
'the upshot of which would only become known on the more important
occasions to the ministers at large, especially to those among them
charged with the most laborious departments.'[298] This was not at all
said by way of exculpating Mr. Gladstone from his full share of
responsibility for the war, for of that he never at any time showed the
least wish or intention to clear himself, but rather the contrary. As
matter of fact, it was the four statesmen just named who were in
effective control of proceedings until the breakdown of the Vienna note,
and the despatch of the British and French squadrons through the
Dardanelles in October, opened the second stage of the diplomatic
campaign, and led directly if not rapidly to its fatal climax.

We have little more than a few glimpses of Mr. Gladstone's participation
in the counsels of the eventful months that preceded the outbreak of the
war. To Mrs. Gladstone he writes (October 4): 'I can hardly at this
moment write about anything else than the Turkish declaration of war.
This is a most serious event, and at once raises the question, Are we
to go into it? The cabinet meets on Friday, and you must not be
surprised at anything that may happen. The weather may be smooth; it
also may be _very rough_.' First the smooth weather came. 'October 7. We
have had our cabinet, three hours and a half; all there but Graham and
Molesworth,[299] who would both have been strongly for peace. We shall
have another to-morrow, to look over our results in writing. Some
startling things were said and proposed, but I think that as far as
government is concerned, all will probably keep straight at this
juncture, and as to war I hope we shall not be involved in it, even if
it goes on between Russia and Turkey, which is not quite certain.'
Aberdeen himself thought the aspect of this cabinet of the 7th on the
whole very good, Gladstone arguing strongly against a proposal of
Palmerston's that England should enter into an engagement with Turkey to
furnish her with naval assistance. Most of the cabinet were for peace.
Lord John was warlike, but subdued in tone. Palmerston urged his views
'perseveringly but not disagreeably.' The final instruction was a
compromise, bringing the fleet to Constantinople, but limiting its
employment to operations