NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE most memorable General Election of modern times is practically concluded, for, writing on Friday, we are able to give the effect of the pollings in over six hundred constitu- encies. Up till Friday afternoon the supporters of the Government elected, including the Labour men, but ex- cluding the Nationalists, numbered 396; and the Unionists only 145. This means that the Government will have a raajmity of over 100, even if those Labour Members who do not call themselves Liberals, and all the Nationalists, are counted as hostile and as permanently voting with the Unionists; and of over 60 above all comers,—that is, assuming that the Labour men of all shades of opinion must be reckoned as opposed to the Government. If, on the other hand, all the Labour men and the Irish are reckoned on the sideof the Govern- ment, the Ministerial majority will be something approaching 350, or the greatest ever recorded. In view, however, of Mr. Chamberlain's speech at Halesowen, and other indications, it may be safer to assume that the Nationalists and the Labour extremists will ultimately work with the Opposition. Such a combination will still leave the Government a sound working niajority.
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