NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THERE was nothing in Mr. Bonar Law's speech at Bristol on Thursday night which could surprise the country, for it had already been freely rumoured that the negotiationa between himself and Mr. Asquith on Home Rule bad led to nothing and yielded no hope of a settlement. Yet when those facts are stated in all their baldness by the Unionist leader and appear in black and white on every breakfast table, Englishmen must feel that they have been suddenly brought very sensibly nearer to the terrible abyss of civil war. Those who had hoped against hope have all their optimism dashed. The words which Mr. Boner Law used—used with the most obvious desire to understand and make allowances for the difficulties of the Government—were terrible words. Between us and civil war nothing intervenes but the hope that Parlia- ment will arrive at the last moment at a settlement which they have so far failed even to outline. The prospect opened up by Lord Loreburn's memorable letter that quiet conversations would be able to arrange what could not be arranged in the passion of open debate has been shattered.
