The Horncastle district of Lincolnshire has returned Lord Willoughby de
Eresby by an increased majority,-838,—a hundred more than Mr. Stanhope gained in 1892, and on an increased total poll. In 1892, Mr. Stanhope obtained 4,438 votes, while Lord Willoughby now obtains 4,582 (or 141 more). Even Mr. Torr has slightly increased the Gladstonian poll by 44 votes,—from 3,700 in 1892, to 3,744 now. That does not look as if Mr. TO1T'S views on concurrent endowment had alienated the Nonconformist vote. Lord Willoughby's majority is very nearly as large as Mr. Stanhope's majority in 1885 (in 1886 he was returned without a contest), when he beat his Liberal opponent by 865, or 27 fewer than Lord Willoughby's present majority; but the total poll of 1885 was unusually heavy, namely 8,763, while the poll of Thursday, though larger than that of 1892, was less by 437 votes than that of 1885, being only 8,326. On the whole, the election is a great triumph for the Unionists, and Mr. Gladstone will feel it a heavy blow and great discourage- ment.
