House by the Serjeant-at-Arms.

[Sidenote: Logan.]

Meantime, the unexpected and extraordinary delay in taking the division
had brought back some members from the division lobbies; and some had
actually recorded their votes, and were returning in the ordinary course
to their seats. Among these was Mr. Logan. Mr. Logan peered somewhat
curiously at the angry faces and the shouting figures on the Tory
Benches, and approached them with the view of finding out what it was
all about. His air, somehow or other, suggested--quite wrongly, as it
turned out--to the Tories that he was meditating an assault upon some of
them: and there rose angry cries from them of "Bar! Bar!" This, in
Parliamentary language, means that the member is violating the rule
against any member standing on the floor of the House, except in the
narrow and short interspace which lies between the entrance door and the
bar--a very small bit of free territory. Logan, in his turn, was
exasperated by these remarks, and used some retort. Then there were
renewed cries that he was not in order in standing up on the floor,
together with a multitude of expletives at the expense of his party and
himself. And Mr. Logan thereupon said he would put himself in order, and
sat down on the Front Opposition Bench. In doing so, he certainly did
put himself in order, for a member can take his seat where he likes
during the progress of a division. But this step is what led to the
violent and unprecedented scene which followed. For Mr. Hayes Fisher
immediately caught hold of Mr. Logan by the collar, Ashmead Bartlett, I
understand, followed suit, and thus the first blow was struck.

[Sidenote: Colonel Saunderson hits out.]

It was partly curiosity--it was partly, I have no doubt, indignation--it
was partly the determination to rush to the assistance of a friend--that
led to the moving of the Irishmen from their own seats to the benches
above the gangway, which are occupied by their political opponents. In
making this move they had no intention whatsoever, I believe, of
striking or even hustling anybody, but the result of it was that Colonel
Saunderson was violently pushed and his hat knocked off. I really
believe that the person next him, who gave him the final push, must have
been one of his own friends; but angry, excited, and hot-tempered, he
jumped to his feet. Mr. Austin, an Irish member, was at that moment
standing in the gangway, as innocent of offence as anybody in the