Lewis Loyd Michell (later Sir Lewis, 1842-1928) was Rhodes's banker in South
Africa and after his death took over many of his interests. A Minister without Portfolio in
Jameson's Cabinet in the Cape Colony (1904-1905), he was also a director of the British
South Africa Company and a Rhodes Trustee. He published a two-volume
in 1910.
J. Rochfort Maguire (1855-1925), Fellow of All Souls, was an exact contemporary of
Milner's at Oxford (1873-1877) and Rhodes's most intimate friend in college. He worked
for Rhodes for the rest of his life. He obtained the original mining concession (which
became the basis of the British South Africa Company) from Lobengula in 1883, was
Rhodes's representative in the House of Commons for five years (1890-1895),(16) and
his personal representative in Rhodesia or London during Rhodes's absences from either
place. Director of the British South Africa Company for twenty-seven years (1898-1925),
he was president for the last two. His sketch in the
written by Dougal Malcolm.
Of these six men whom Milner inherited from Rhodes, only one was young enough to
become an active member of the Milner Group. This was Sothern Holland, born 1876,
who did become a member, although perhaps not of the inner circle. The other five were
Milner's own age, with established positions and power of their own. They all knew
Milner well and cooperated with him. Even if they were initiates, they played no vital
role in the history of the Milner Group after 1905.
As we have indicated, the character of the secret society and its personnel were
changed after 1902. This was the result of the activities of Lord Milner. The death of
Rhodes and the elimination of Stead gave the organization a much less melodramatic
form while making it a much more potent political instrument. Moreover, as a result of
the personal ascendancy of Milner, the membership of the organization was drastically
changed. Of the initiates or probable initiates whom we have mentioned, Rothschild,
Johnston, Hawksley, Rosebery, Jameson, Michell, and Maguire played little or no role in
the society after 1902. Beit died in 1906, and Garrett the following year. Of the others,
Grey, Brassey, Esher, and Balfour continued in active cooperation with the members of
the Group. The real circle of initiates in the twentieth century, however, would appear to
include the following names: Milner, Abe Bailey, George Parkin, Lord Selborne, Jan
Smuts, A. J. Glazebrook, R. H. Brand (Lord Brand), Philip Kerr (Lord Lothian), Lionel
Curtis, Geoffrey Dawson, H. A. L. Fisher, Edward Grigg, Leopold Amery, and Lord
Astor. Since 1925, when Milner died, others have undoubtedly been added. This circle,
with certain additional names, we shall call the "inner core" or the "inner circle" of the
Milner Group. The history of these men's activities and the evidence which entitles us to
attribute them to the circle of initiates will occupy most of the remainder of this volume.
The changes which Milner made in the Rhodes secret society were not important.
There was no change in goals, and there was very little change in methods. In fact, both
of these were modified more by Lord Lothian and his friends after Milner's death than
they were by Milner after Rhodes's death.
Rhodes and Milner were aiming at the same goals, and had been for twenty-five years, in
1902. They differed slightly on how these goals could be obtained, a difference based on
different personalities. To Rhodes it seemed that the ends could be won by amassing
great wealth, to Milner it seemed that they could be won by quiet propaganda, hard work,
and personal relationships (as he had learned from Toynbee). Neither rejected the other's
methods, and each was willing to use the other and his methods to achieve their common
dream as the occasion arose. With the death of Rhodes in 1902, Milner obtained control
of Rhodes's money and was able to use it to lubricate the workings of his propaganda
machine. This is exactly as Rhodes had wanted and had intended. Milner was Rhodes's
heir, and both men knew it. Rhodes himself said before his death, "They tell me I can
only live five years. I don't mean to die. I want to live. But if I go, there is one man—Sir
Alfred Milner. Always trust Milner. You don't know yet what you have got in him." In
1898, in conversation with Stead, Rhodes said, "You will support Milner in any measure
that he may take short of war. I make no such limitation. I support Milner absolutely
without reserve. If he says peace, I say peace; if he says war, I say war. Whatever
happens, I say ditto to Milner."(17)
The goals which Rhodes and Milner sought and the methods by which they hoped to
achieve them were so similar by 1902 that the two are almost indistinguishable. Both
sought to unite the world, and above all the English-speaking world, in a federal structure
around Britain. Both felt that this goal could best be achieved by a secret band of men