NEWS OF THE WEEK
WE said in 1874 that the Liberal party had been smitten hip and thigh, from Dan even unto Beersheba. It is too early to say this positively of the Tory party of 1880, as we write, but all the omens now promise the Liberals an even greater majority than the Tories then gained. The net Liberal gain of Wednesday was 16 seats, of Thursday, so far as we now know, 18,—making 34 in all, which count for 68 on a division. In other words, if we gained no more seats in England and Wales, there would be a balance of some ten or twelve votes on a division over and above the number necessary to neutralise the Tory majority, and this would be in addition to the gains in Scotland and Ireland, which are certain to be considerable. But it is far from likely that, with the current running so strongly as it is, there will be no farther Liberal gains. We shall be surprised if, when the -account is reckoned up, the party majority is below 60, and not surprised at all if it is nearer 80. The policy of brag and bluster is dead.
