16 APRIL 1881, Page 2

On Monday the Liberals were badly beaten at St. Ives,

Mr. Ross, the Conservative, winning by a majority of 102 (462 against 360) over the Liberal candidate, Mr. Pendarves. Last April, Sir Charles Reed beat Mr. Ross by a majority of 48, so that there has been a considerable turn in the tide. St. Ives, however, has almost always been Conservative, except at moments when a new Liberal tide was runuing very strongly indeed. In November, 1868, it returned a Liberal. But in February, 1874, in December, 1874, and in March, 1875, it returned a Conservative,—on the first occasion by a majority of no less than 319, and even on the last occasion by a majority of 108. St. Ives, so far as it has a political mind of its own, appears to be Conservative ; but when feeling in the country is flowing very strongly the other way, it defers to the feeling of the country.