The Home Rule Bill passed its second reading in the
House of Commons on Monday by a majority of 80. The majority for the second reading in 1912 was 101, and 98 in 1913. The number of Irish Nationalists who voted for the Bill on Monday was 75. Thus the Government majority, independently of the Irish Nationalist vote, was only 5. Mr. Asquith was, of course, absent, and so was Mr. Lloyd George, who was ill, but there was much com- ment on the apparently unnecessary absence of Sir Edward Grey. The debate was remarkable for a rather more aggressive speech from Mr. Redmond than any be has delivered lately, and for a new offer from Mr. Bonar Law that, if the Government submitted the temporary Exclusion of Ulster by county option in a definite form, the Opposition would be glad to discuss it. He felt sure that the proposal could not survive even the discussion of the House.
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