Mr. Chaplin made a short speech on Saturday in Knuston
Park, East Northamptonshire, which, if his figures are accurate, deserves to be preserved and widely circulated. He said that up to July 28th last, twenty Members had made 1,326 speeches and asked 1,728 questions in the Session now closing. At ten minutes each speech, that means the con- sumption of 221 hours, without counting the time occupied by the questions. At that same rate of speaking, the 670 Members of Parliament would need a Session lasting as long as a full Parliament to deliver their views on the topics of the last few months,—which obviously means that Parlia- ment is only possible at all if the immense majority of the 670 Members agree to put a bridle on their tongues. Unfortu- nately, it is only a comparatively small majority that are self-denying enough for that patriotic duty.
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