l CHURCHILL was forthcoming from the Treasury Bench. Mr. BALFOUR
made ample amends to-day for the omission. There is something in the
personality of his critic--memories of Lord RANDOLPH, perhaps--that
seems to put on extra polish on Mr. BALFOUR'S rapier when he deals with
him. Who that heard it will ever forget his inimitable description of
the then HOME SECRETARY superintending--"with a photographer"--the
historic Siege of Sidney Street? This afternoon his sword-play was
equally brilliant; and there was even more force behind the thrusts. If
there had been delay in the progress of the new Dreadnoughts why was it?
Because his right hon. predecessor had diverted the guns and
gun-mountings intended for them into his new-fangled monitors. He had
boasted of his own rapid shipbuilding. It had indeed been rapid--so much
so that some of the vessels thus hastily constructed had now been
remodelled. Coming to the proposed "remedy"--the recall of Lord FISHER
to the Board of Admiralty--Mr. BALFOUR assumed a sterner tone. He
reminded the house that Lord FISHER had been accused by his present
champion of not having given him clear guidance or firm support over the
Gallipoli Expedition. Colonel CHURCHILL'S present opinion of Lord FISHER
was totally inconsistent with that which he had expressed a few months
ago: possibly they were both remote from the truth. But it was an
amazing proposition that the Government should be asked to dismiss Sir
HENRY JACKSON, an officer who was everything that Lord FISHER according
to Colonel CHURCHILL was not. He himself would not yield an inch to such
a demand.

Spontaneous debate has never been the Colonel's strong point. His
oratorical engines are driven by midnight oil. Wisely, therefore, he did
not attempt an elaborate _replique_ to Mr. BALFOUR'S "sword-play," but
contented himself with a brief restatement of his case.

_Thursday, March 9th._--Prophets swarm in both Houses of Parliament, but
the House of Lords is unique in possessing one who confines himself to
subjects which he has at his fingers' ends and whose prophecies have a
habit of coming true. What Lord MONTAGU OF BEAULIEU does not know of the
petrol engine, and its use on land or sea or in the air, is not worth
knowing. Seven years ago he warned his countrymen of the bomb-dropping
possibilities of the new German air-ships. A little later he pointed out
that it was very doubtful if dirigible balloons could be successfully
attacked by gun