3 FEBRUARY 1912, Page 3

While noting the Times forecast we must record that Friday's

Daily Chronicle also has a forecast of the Bill which differs in many essential particulars. It declares that the Irish Parliament will have full control over the Customs, but subject to provisions safeguarding Free Trade; that the subsidy to Ireland will be £2,000,000 a year for fifteen years (this is apparently regarded by the Daily Chronicle as a posi- tive saving to England), and at the end of the fifteen years the subsidy will somehow turn into an Irish contribution towards Imperial expenditure. Clearly the Cabinet holds that the age of miracles is not passed. There is to be a Second Chamber in Ireland (is not this a misprint for "Preamble " P) and appar- ently no " In-and-Out " clause. If we must back one of the two, we are inclined to put our money on the Times forecast as the more reasonable. But perhaps, after all, that ought to be considered a ground for suspecting it.