30 MARCH 1878, Page 3

The Liberals sustained a severe defeat at Worcester on Thurs-

day. The borough has usually been Liberal, and at the last election Mr. A. C. Sherriff beat the highest Tory (Mr. J. D. Allcroft) by 2,284 to 1,958, and the second Liberal was above him by 206. This time, however, Mr. Allcroft received 2,609 votes, and Sir Francis Lycett only 2,155, the Liberals having positively lost ; while the Tories have gained 651 votes, eleven per cent. on the Register, which includes 5,578 names. The total vote, too (4,764), was a heavy one. This is ominous for the next election, which cannot be far off.