Lord Salisbury, who was at Royat, in the Auvergne, when
he received the Queen's summons, was expected in town yesterday. It was said that he wished to confer with his old colleagues before going down to Osborne, whither the Queen proceeded, of course, just at the moment of the crisis. It is believed that Lord Salisbury would be quite willing to serve under Lord Harrington, were Lord Harrington willing to accept the post of Prime Minister. But it is not generally supposed that Lord Hartington is willing either to form a Government which must lean chiefly on Conservative support, or to enter a Coalition Government at the present moment. And unless the Queen earnestly desires his aid, it is not probable that he will be included in the new Government. The reasons which Lord Hartington alleges for standing aloof, are understood to be that the country is not prepared, and especially that the Liberals of the country are not prepared, for a Coalition Government ; that it would be interpreted as a conversion of Lord _Harrington to Conservatism, not as a temporary expedient for the firm government of Ireland ; and that if he accepted office in a Coalition Government, it might even be quite possible that he would lose his seat for Rossendale, were his seat con- tested. Above all, Lord Hartington is anxious to be understood as adhering unreservedly to his old Liberal creed.
