30 JUNE 1877, Page 2

Mr. Ward Hunt has gone to Homburg, with so bad

ea attack of gout that his friends fear he may have to retire from the Cabinet. Such a necessity would be much re- gretted in the House of Commons, where Mr. Hunt is, a favourite, and will certainly be postponed till it is quite certain that the Homburg waters are not likely to restore him speedily to working health. It is rumoured that if he did resign, Sir Michael Hicks Beach might probably succeed him at the Admiralty, in which case Mr. Plunket would be very probably selected to fill up the post of Irish Secretary. Mr. Ward Hunt, however, it is hoped, will quickly defeat the gout, and render such complexities of arrangement unnecessary.