The Prince of Wales, with a very large suite, starter.
for India on Monday. He received a farewell address from the Corporation of Dover, and was prayed for in many churches, the clergy usually expressing in curious phrase a hope that the visit might be "overruled" for good. As yet the omens are not very favour- able. The Admiralty has spent a very large sum in converting the troop-ship 'Serapis' into a floating palace, and now it is sus- pected that she is unfit for her work. Her boilers prime .so much, that although she occasionally reaches a great speed, it is hazardous to drive her at more than seven miles an hour. That rate would make the programme impossible, and a special officer has been sent to Brindisi to see if anything can be done. If not, the Prince must be ingloriously towed to Bombay by the Osborne.' He clearly has not luck on his side, any more than
Mr. Ward Hunt, who will require all the elephantine sagacity with which Mr. Disraeli credits him to defend himself in Parliament.
