Mr. Ayrton on Thursday expressed formally the annoyance felt by
the public at the Queen's partial retirement from public life and total retirement from London. He objected to the large vote for Palaces, 41,9151., none of which were ever available for dis- tinguished guests, and said the Government was rapidly becoming Republican. This called up Mr. Disraeli, who pointed out that Her Majesty had never exceeded the Civil List, an almost unpre- cedented fact in our history, alleged that there was no palace fit for guests, and hinted that he intended to propose a vote for a new palace at Kensington, a splendid site. Mr. Gladstone demurred almost angrily, saying Mr. Disraeli ought to make a formal pro- posal, and not prepare the public mind in that way. We can tell Mr. Disraeli how to get the cash if he wants it easily enough. Sell Kensington Palace and the land round it, and with the money build a real palace on the site of the black barrack called St. James's. Royal guests do not want to be sent to a remote village like Kensington, but, as he himself admitted, to live in London. He will never get a separate grant, least of all for Kensington, while the Queen remains in seclusion.
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