10 OCTOBER 1891, Page 18

The desperate effort made by the Gladstoniaus to capture the

seat for South-East Manchester, vacated by Sir James Fergusson's promotion to the Post Office, failed. They had a perfect candidate in Mr. Scott, the editor of the Manchester Guardian, and a man of great local popularity ; but Sir James kept his seat by a majority of 150. As usual, however, at recent by-elections, the poll was higher on both sides, the Conservative list being increased by 378, and the Liberal by 555. The Daily News quotes this as an evidence of the "flowing tide," but one would like to know how far the impression that Home-rule is dead influenced the voters. That will not be the impression at the General Election.