There have been two by-elections during the past week, one
in Ireland and one in Kent. The Irish election, held on Monday, was in South Belfast, the vacancy being caused by the death of Mr. Johnston, the champion of ultra-Protestant- ism. Mr. Dunbar-Buller stood as the official Conservative candidate, but he was opposed by Mr. Sloan, a, working-man candidate of the most extreme Orange, anti-Ritualist, and anti. Roman Catholic views. Mr. Sloan was by calling a Protestant open-air lecturer. The contest, which was thus between two Unionists, was waged with great fierceness, and Mr. Dunbar- Buller was hardly able to obtain a hearing at any of his meetings, so high did feeling run. In the end Mr. Sloan was elected by a majority of 826, he polling 3,795 and his opponent 2,969 votes. Mr. Sloan, besides being a Protestant lecturer, is a total abstainer and a member of the Amalgamated Union of Labour. His exact position in the labour world is said to be that of a sub-contractor for the cementing of ships' floors in Messrs. Harland and Wolff's ship-yard.
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