Mr. Chamberlain spoke in the same spirit to the Birming-
ham Liberal Unionist Club on Wednesday. He said that some people appeared to expect that Lord Rosebery would take the opportunity of Mr. Gladstone's resignation to get rid of the worst part of his policy, just as the retirement of the senior partner in a firm is often made the opportunity for a sale of the old stock at a great reduction. Possibly Home-rule might be disposed of as a " remnant " very much the worse for long exposure ; but though anything is possible, it is perfectly obvious that Mr. Chamberlain looks for nothing of the kind, and that he is even less disposed to execute a right- about-face now that Mr. Gladstone is gone, than he was while the great chief remained. Indeed, both he and the Duke of Devonshire spoke of Mr. Gladstone with profound personal esteem and admiration, and treated his disappearance from the House of Commons as an event of the utmost importance which must tend to lower the admiration with which that Assembly is regarded throughout the civilised world. There is no trace in either of them of the feeling that the oppor- tunity may be properly utilised to tempt the Liberal Unionists back to their old colours, now that the sceptre has fallen from Mr. Gladstone's hands.
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