22 JUNE 1878, Page 2

The election for Southampton terminated yesterday week in the success

of the Conservative candidate, Mr. Alfred Giles, by a majority of 248, over the Liberal candidate, Mr. H. M. Bompas, Q.C. (2,552 against 2,304 votes), so that the Conservatives retain the seat. At the last election a Liberal headed the poll, Sir Frederick Perkins polling 2,724 votes against 2,534 given for Mr. Russell Gurney, who obtained the second seat, and defeated Mr. George Moffatt, the second Liberal candidate. In the new election Mr. Giles polled eighteen more votes than Mr. Russell Gurneypolled on the last occasion, while Mr. Bompas did not poll quite so many as Mr. George Moffatt, the defeated Liberal candidate of the former contest. Evidently, however, the poll itself was a poor one, and the election rather languidly regarded on both sides. At Rochester, on the other hand, the Liberal candidate (Mr. Otway) came in by a majority of 280 (receiving 1,284 votes, against 1,004 given for Mr. Seton-Karr, the Conservative can- didate). In this case both the Liberal and the Conservative can- didate increased the poll of 1874, but the Conservative gain was a few votes more than the Liberal gain.