The Foreign Office vote was taken on Monday, when Mr.
Ponsonby made wide and gloomy criticisms. The Secretary of State answered defending the present diplomacy that is conducted by responsible ministers at Geneva. The intercourse between ministers is certainly good for them, and we agree that it makes for speed which is sometimes desirable, but it is necessarily spasmodic, and it does not make it easier for the regular diplomats to carry on the work that is demanded of them. Sir Austen Chamberlain also encouraged us all by the hopeful way in which he spoke of the Naval Conference. The Government, he said, regard the question of total tonnage as unimportant, but would limit " the number of ships which have the most aggressive character." Tuesday was devoted to a depressing discussion of the coal industry. On Wednesday the Pensions vote was taken without any contentious debate.
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