markable
victory at Central Hull, Commander KENWORTHY might reasonably
have expected that his entry into the House would have produced an
uproarious scene of demonstration and counter-demonstration. But there
was nothing of the kind. The jubilant "Wee Frees," of course, cheered
as one man, but the volume of sound produced was not appreciably
greater than if one man had cheered; and the crowded Coalitionists
sat gloomily silent, though no doubt they thought a lot. The gallant
Commander has already introduced one pleasing innovation into the
procedure of the House, for, before signing the Roll, he nodded
cheerfully to the ladies in the Gallery, as if to say, "But for you
I shouldn't be here!"

Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN, who at Question-time had regretfully
admitted that the Government were withdrawing soldiers from
agriculture at a moment when they were particularly required, now
moved the Second Reading of the Bill which is intended to give them
the chance of going back to the land in perpetuity. In spite of his
warning that the cost of the land to be acquired was a comparatively
minor part of the expense, Members vied with one another in
denouncing the iniquity of allowing the land-owner to get the present
market-value of his property; and the landlords' representatives
themselves hastened to declare that such a preposterous notion
never entered their heads. The Bill was read a second time without
a division. I don't suppose it will provide land for anything
approaching the eight hundred thousand soldiers who are said to
be pining for it; but it ought to satisfy the relatively small
proportion who, after hearing about the trials and hardships of
a small-holder--no forty-eight hours' week for him!--retain their
agricultural aspirations.

_Tuesday, April 15th_.--In a couple of hours the Lords disposed of
several Bills, enjoyed a scientific debate on neurasthenia--described
by a correspondent of Lord KNUTSFORD as "a gas escaping from
people"--discussed the prices of milk and cheese, and still found time
for the consideration of their own procedure. Lord CURZON said the
suggestion that the House should sit on more days in the week had not
been favourably received. Friday would not do, as their Lordships went
out of town on that day, and Monday was equally inconvenient, as they
could not contrive to get back by then. To earlier sittings the LORD
CHANCELLOR objected on behalf of his legal colleagues. So it looks as
if ther