We cannot deal at length with the Report of the
Joint Committee appointed to consider the accommodation available in the House of Lords when the Sovereign is personally present in Parliament, and the advisability of substituting Westminster Hall, except to express our great regret that they should have reported against the use of Westminster Hall. They propose to rearrange the House of Lords so as to allow places for two hundred and two Members of the House of Commons. This, in our opinion, condemns the recom- mendation on the face of it. If room is found for all the Peers, it is ridiculous to find room for less than a third of the Commons. When the Commons are summoned to the presence of the Sovereign they should be summoned to a place where they can all attend. The arguments used against Westminster Hall seem to us most unconvincing, and we sincerely trust that the House of Commons will absolutely refuse to accept the Report, and will insist upon the use of Westminster Hall. A more splendid and more historic place of meeting for King, Lords, and Commons cannot be found. It is not consistent with the dignity of the Commons to be packed like herrings into holes and corners in the Lords' House.
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