A reference in a recent report of the Ministry of
Works to the new Foreign Office is interesting. Not everyone knows that Mr. Bevin and all his satellites are to be moved en masse to Carlton House Terrace. Actually this is only a manner of speaking, for the onset of age, to say nothing of possible political vicissitudes, will have imposed honourable ease on the present Foreign Secretary long before the new Foreign Office is ready for occupation. The site is impressive. The office, I gather, will run the whole length of the terrace, from the house which Mr. Bevin is at present occupying, at the extreme west end, to the old German Embassy adjoining the Duke of York steps. It would be interesting to know how many former Foreign Secretaries have lived in one or other of the houses that will be included. Two in recent times, Lord Balfour and Lord Curzon, occur to the mind at once, but I should not be surprised to find that half-a-dozen more could be added. Naturally, the new
Foreign Office will be known as the Foreign Office. But I should hope that in addition the old name of Carlton House might be revived for it. The old Foreign Office will, when the time comes, be available to relieve the gross overcrowding in Whitehall itself.
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