The Pall Mall Gazette published on Tuesday a rumour which
its conductors had received from "Southern France," to the effect that Sir William Harcourt had resigned, and that a Dissolution was immediately at hand. As the Pall Mall Gazette had been right when it announced the early resignation of Mr. Gladstone, the rumour created much excitement, and stirred Sir W. Harcourt to a denial which was at first misunderstood, but which was intended to be peremptory. The Dissolution part of the story has not been denied, but seems to rest upon no foundation, except Lord Rosebery's reported weariness of the situation, and the other rumour ought not to have attracted even momentary belief. Why should Sir William Harcourt, who is fast superseding Lord Rosebery in the public eye, resign, just when he has a chance of a prosperity Budget? He is said to object to the Naval expenditure ; but there is no proof that he does, and still less that, if he did, Lord Rosebery would have the firmness to break up his Cabinet rather than make the shipbuilding of the State a little slower. The public is very tired, no doubt, of the length of the present entr'acte, which is all the more dreary because the lights have been turned down ; but it must wait till the curtain rises. After all, that was a wise old lady who said that she had lived long enough "to be content so long as nothing happened."
