_House of Commons, Monday._--In Committee of Supply at last; Home-Rule
Bill laid aside for day or two awaiting Third Reading. Meanwhile
trifle of ten millions to be voted for the Navy. Members generally,
taking into account the long grind of the Session, regard opportunity
as favourable for making little holiday. Benches occupied chiefly with
Admirals, Captains, Secretaries to the Admiralty and ex-Secretaries,
with the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER and his predecessor thrown in;
also ALPHEUS CLEOPHAS, silent through debate on Home-Rule Bill, has a
few words to say. Imposing demonstration on bench behind ex-Ministers.
HANBURY in corner seat representing Youth at the Prow; at the other
end sits Experience at the Helm, the part taken (not for this time
only) by TOMMY BOWLES. Midway sits the Blameless Blushing BARTLEY.
Always blameless. To-night blushing, since Mr. G., accidentally as
casual observers take it, with prophetic soul as one of his hearers
well knows, referred to him just now as "the honourable baronet."
Effect upon BARTLEY striking and wholesome. Did not once thereafter,
up till stroke of midnight, open his lips. Sat in pleased meditation,
brooding over the prospect of a censorious world, some day in the
near future, hailing him as B. B. K., a title assumed by the Unhappy
Nobleman who long ago languished from the public ken.
After midnight spell broken; BARTLEY, Bart., woke up, vigorously and
indiscriminately objecting to progress with any business on paper.
Meantime HANBURY and TOMMY had made up for any remissness on part of
their esteemed colleague. TOMMY arrived early on the scene, deck-laden
with cargo of Blue Books and Reports; sufficient in weight and bulk to
sink a less trim-built wherry.
[Illustration: DOOMED!] Piled them up on either side of him. "In
laager," as UGHTRED SHUTTLEWORTH ruefully said, glancing across the
table at his adversary.
[Illustration: Bowles as the Walrus.]
"Have looked forward to this day with keen anticipation," said TOMMY.
"Have dropped a word in season occasionally in debate on Home-Rule
Bill, I admit. But it's to Committee of Supply I have looked forward
for full opportunity of serving my QUEEN and country. Now here we
are in Supply, and here we rest for a week or two. I feel like the
Walrus."
"How's that?" I asked, fearing for a moment that much talking had made
TOMMY mad.
"Don't you remember? Haven't you been _Through a Looking-Glass?_
'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes, and sticks, and sealing-wax,
Of cabbages, and kings.
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings.'
You bet that somewhere in the icy north that Walrus had been
accustomed to sit on the Opposition benches in Committee of Supply.
Couldn't otherwise have so accurately described situation."
_Business done._--In Committee of Supply.
_Tuesday._--BURNIE burning with curiosity to know whether 'tis true,
as boldly rumoured, that Duke of CONNAUGHT has been appointed to
chief command of Army at Aldershot? If so, on what grounds?
CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN with strategic brevity answered that appointment
had been made in accordance with principle of selection of the
fittest. House, moderately full at moment, received the explanation
with much less enthusiasm than might have been expected. This
encouraged gentlemen below gangway to persist in divers enquiries
designed to illustrate, and perchance establish, C.-B.'s position.
ALPHEUS CLEOPHAS joined in hunt; particularly anxious to know what
experience in real fighting the new Commander had enjoyed? "He was
in command of brigade in Egyptian expedition," said C.-B., making an
involuntary sword-pass at ALPHEUS.
"Yes," persisted that matter-of-fact person; "but will the right hon.
gentleman tell us how near or how far away from the real fighting the
Duke of CONNAUGHT stood?"
No authentic record being in archives of War Office, SECRETARY OF
STATE declined to commit himself to reply. Later, in Committee,
ALPHEUS staggered Civil Lord of the Admiralty with enquiry as to
steam-launch built at Portsmouth dockyard for Duke of CONNAUGHT "at
the expense of the people." "What has become of that launch?" ALPHEUS
asked, fixing ROBERTSON with gleaming eye, as if he suspected he might
have it concealed somewhere about his person. ROBERTSON tremblingly
answered that he knew nothing about it. ALPHEUS not by any means
mollified; means to bring up whole subject in Committee on Army
Estimates.
_Business done._--Over four millions voted on Navy Estimates by some
twenty or thirty Members representing House of Commons.
_Wednesday._--Mr. G. made fine speech to-day, moving Third Reading of
Home-Rule Bill. Benefited immensely by compression; only an hour long;
but full of meat and matter. Long grown accustomed to these supreme
efforts of Perennial Youth. A series this Session which, in respect of
eloquence, vitality, and force, will stand comparison with any equal
number delivered in what was (erroneously it now turns out) regarded
as his prime.
More interesting as an episode was the reappearance on the
Parliamentary stage of a DISRAELI. CONINGSBY has sat in House for full
Session; wisely abstained from imprudence of young Member of to-day,
who takes the oath at four o'clock and catches the SPEAKER'S eye
at ten. Now, in these closing days of Session, on seventy-ninth day
debate Home-Rule Bill, CONINGSBY modestly thinks "the time has come
when they _shall_ hear me."
House did so with pleasure. Only a small gathering. Mr. G. absent,
which was a pity. On the 7th of December, 1837, Mr. G., sitting on
back bench on Conservative side, lifted up "a fine head of jet-black
hair, always carefully parted from the crown downward to his brow," to
listen to an earlier maiden speech delivered by an elderly young man,
"ringed and curled like an Assyrian bull," his violet velvet waistcoat
garlanded with gold chains. Across the bridge of fifty-six years a
marvellous memory might have recalled this figure had the ex-Member
for Newark to-day been in his place to look across the House at
the dapper young man, with quiet self-possessed manner, who, having
considered this Government Bill, had come to the conclusion that it
is "a measure born in deceit, nurtured in concealment, swaddled in the
gag, and thrust upon the country without the sanction of the people."
The old Disraelian ring about that phrase. House sees again D'ISRAELI
the Younger; only Younger than ever. But that is a reproach CONINGSBY
may outlive.
_Business done._--Third Reading of Home-Rule Bill moved.
_Saturday_, 1.30 A.M.--Eighty-second day of debate on Home-Rule Bill.
After being "gagged" through all those days and nights of ruthless
talk, a House crowded on every Bench, filling galleries and thronging
Bar, opens wide its mouth and cheers announcement that Third Reading
been carried by 301 votes against 267. When House is unanimous,
its unanimity wonderful. Everybody agreed to shout for
joy--Ministerialists because majority was 34, Opposition because it
isn't 38.
"Thank you, TOBY," said Mr. G., when I congratulated him on the end
of the long job; "I expect we're all glad it's over. Excuse me, but I
just want to drop the Bill in the post for the Lords."
[Illustration: Finished at Last!]
Crowd waiting outside Palace Yard caught sight of him as he tripped
along. A ringing cheer woke echoes of the stilly night; Mr. G.
escorted home in triumph to Downing Street.
"Dear me!" said the Member for SARK. "Now I wonder how many of those
who are now cheering Mr. G. helped fifteen years ago to break his
windows?"
The Member for Sark always thinks of cheerful things.
_Business done._--Home-Rule Bill read Third Time.
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