him--quite failed to
appreciate how funny he had been until his neighbours muttered in
stage-whispers, "_Daily Mail!_" "_Daily Mail!_" Then a wan smile broke
over his own features.

It has been stated in certain newspapers that Mr. CHAMBERLAIN has
refused the Viceroyalty of India in consequence of the weak state of
his health, and that for the same cause he is likely to vacate shortly
the Chancellorship of the Exchequer. All I can say is that on the
Treasury Bench he betrays no outward sign of this regrettable debility
when dealing with critics of the Treasury. It is not easy to puncture
the _aes triplex_ of Mr. BOTTOMLEY, but two words from Mr. CHAMBERLAIN
did it this afternoon.

Sir ROBERT HORNE got a second reading for the Dyes Bill, a measure which
he commended as being necessary to protect what is a key-industry both
in peace and war. Dye-stuffs and poison-gas are, it seems, inextricably
intermingled, and unless the Bill is passed we shall be able neither to
dye ourselves nor to poison our enemies.

_Wednesday, December 8th._--The Agriculture Bill found one
thoroughgoing supporter in the Duke of MARLBOROUGH, an "owner-occupier"
so enamoured of Government control that he desires to see the whole of
the ditches and hedges of England administered out of public funds; and
a host of critics, friendly and otherwise. Lord CHAPLIN, though he
thought the Bill one of the worst ever introduced, declined to vote
against the Second Reading; Lord HARRIS believed that it would make
very little difference one way or the other; Lord RIBBLESDALE, as an
old-fashioned Free Trader, would have nothing to do with it; Lord LOVAT
was of opinion that as an insurance for our food supply it would not
compare with a Channel Tunnel; and Lord BUCKMASTER feared that it would
rather strengthen than allay the demand for land nationalisation. The
Government approached the division in some trepidation and were the
more rejoiced when, in an unusually big House, the Second Reading was
carried by 123 votes to 85.

But for the self-sacrifice of Mr. SPEAKER the Commons would have made
themselves ridiculous this evening. Major ARCHER-SHEE wanted to have
up a certain newspaper for breach of privilege in endeavouring to
dictate to Members how they should vote. He obtained leave to move the
adjournment and would doubtless have provided the peccant journal with
a valuable free advertisement had not Mr. LOWTHER, reckless of his
reputation for infallibility