On Friday week and on Monday considerable progress was made,
by the help of the closure, with the Committee stage of the Welsh Disestablishment Bill. On the former day no fewer than four clauses (IX. to XII.) were passed, though only two received any discussion. Perhaps the most interest- ing feature of the sitting was a speech by Mr. Gladstone, who moved an amendment for altering the geographical limits laid down in the Bill. Much exception was taken to the Govern- ment's new plan of not including the names of the Coin- missionera in the Bill, but of nominating them subsequently. On Monday the thirteenth clause, which relates to the con- stitution of the new representative Church body, was debated. Various amendments were brought forward, all of them designed to make more precise the provisions of the Bill, which were described by Sir William Anson as being " of studied ambiguity." The Ministerial view, expounded by Mr. McKenna and Mr. Hobhouse, held that it was wiser to leave to the Welsh Church itself the decision as to its future system of government, and relied upon the success of a similar provision in the ease of the Irish Church. The Government's majority during the two days' debate fluctuated between 130 and 115.
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