10 MAY 1873, Page 1

A Conservative has been returned for both Bath and Glouces-

ter this week, each seat being a loss to the Liberals. At Bath -the Licensed Victuallers had combined against Mr. Murch (who would not promise to vote against the Permissive Bill), and possibly their influence turned the scale. Lord Chelsea obtained 2,251 votes against 1,991 for Mr. Murch. It is said that there were 160 promises given to Mr. Murch which must have been broken ; that is, in 160 cases voters wished to rank as Liberals who were at heart Conservative. At Gloucester, Mr. Robinson, the Liberal, was beaten by Mr. Wait, the Conservative, by 83 votes. In neither case does the Ballot seem to have produced- abstention from the poll. At Gloucester the vote was larger than at the general election, and at Bath very nearly as large. If indifference had increased, it was o!,117 to the point of preferring an indifferent member to a good member; and not to the point of feeling no preference at all.