Sir S. Northcote cannot be very happy in his mind.
He has to produce an additional Budget, and as he has been .spending in the Mediterranean with both hands, and has to provide for South-African expenses, and the revenue is sink- ing, it must necessarily be a large one. He may, it is .calculated, have to ask for nearly £9,000,000, and possibly more, for large transports are gathering at Malta, to convey the Sepoya to some unknown destination. He is, therefore, uneasy, and Mr. Childers's question on Thursday did not soothe him much. Mr. Childers wanted to know when the Sup- plementary Budget would be ready, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer declined to tell him. He must wait for the negotia- tions at Berlin. He thought that these were so far advanced -that he might make up his accounts in a fortnight, but still he -could not definitely say. Perhaps he is also waiting for a decision as to the dissolution. Threepence a pound, say, on tea,
added to pay for fireworks, would not greatly conciliate the electors.
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