Lord Derby brought up the case of Dr. Hooker on
Monday in a very thin House, it being the eve of the Goodwood meeting, which is more attractive to Peers than discussions about science and art. Lord Derby made, however, a good speech, giving a detailed history of the transactions between Dr. Hooker and Mr. Ayrton, and passing sentence on the latter in these terms :—" Towards the First Commissioner I have no feeling except respect for his undoubted energy and ability, and regret that he should so habi- tually destroy the effect of those abilities by an overweening arrogance, and what seems an inherent disregard of the ordinary courtesies of official life. I cannot but see that his action in this case has been harsh, peremptory, and vexatious to the last degree, and it has not even the poor excuse of being evidence of the zeal for economy so much boasted of." The Duke of St. Albans made a very poor speech in defence of the department, the only point of which was that Sir B. Hall had once wigged the Director of the Gardens ; and Lord Halifax made some inaudible remarks, and then read the final Minute of the Treasury. Altogether the debate was as a political incident a failure, as we imagine it was intended to be, the Tories being heartily desirous that Mr. Ayrton may remain in his present post.
