have been revelling at Covent Garden where the Ring music drama—completely dominates the Opera. An imitation of the Bayreuth plan of breaking up the performances by allowing longer intervals between the parts has been successfully introduced. It was w distinct novelty to see in the restaurants of the Strand enthusiasts dining and discussing the score of Wagner's Music together with the menu. Nothing but a general chorus of praise has been forthcoming for the manner in which the Cycle of the Ring is b given in London. Madame Wagner will herself be present at the performances next week, Herr Mottl as conductor has increased "his fame, and the artistes, notably Miss Marie Brema, Herr vou Rooy and Madame Schumann Heink, are carrying out the composer's ideas and the traditions: of Bayreuth with admirable fidelity and impressiveness.
10th June. are im. each Group in the Chamber, and you will get half-a-dozen totally' different estimates. The official version is that the Republicans number 254, or 4 more than in the old Chamber, whereas the Radicals and Socialists claim a considerable number of. the new members officially classified as Republicans. What. is certain is that the lukewarm Republicans, or Rallids, have gained several seats, that ten are held bya new group called Nationalists, and that Algeria has returned Mr. Drumont and three other anti-Semitic All these features tend to make majority. more precarious than s before. It is true that the two high priests of Socialism, MIN. Jaurés and Guesde, have been defeated, but so have two Ministers, MIN. Lebon (Colonies) and Delpeuch (Posts and Telegraphs). All this uncertainty promises badly for a settlement of the Niger questi pecially as the newspapers are to protest against the reported proposal to abandon Boussa to England, With M. Paul de Cassagnac, M. Paul Dérouléde, and M. Billevoye, the editor of the Patric, all in the Chamber, perfidious Albion is likely to pass many " bad quarter of an hour.
THE SOCIALIST LEADER, The Chamber of Deputies will miss MI. Jaurts, His talents as an orator were only equalled by his performances as an interrupted. It was amusing to see him when a reactionary opponent was speaking Jaurés' cherished convictions. "The deputy for Carmatx would boxing by fidgetting about in his seat. Then he would wave his arms in frantic disapproval. Finally he would hound up and cut short the orator's flow of language with a high-pitched ejaculation which could be distinctly heard above all the din his friends were. making. Then M. Brisson, the President, would interpose and xy, very paternally; "Come, M. Jaurés, no one with your talents need interrupt Readers of M, Zola's last book, find an admirable portrait of ures in the deputy Mege. There erable demand fur tickets for 'HE FIRST SITTING OF THE CHAMBER, and those who obtained them were disappointed. The entertainment provided was fully up to expectations and re flected the utmost credit on all concerned, as the newspaper reporters say. The principal item on the programme was the election of President. During the clec~ tion contest M. Brisson had openly supported the candidature of his Radical friend M. Goblet. The Government mediately resolved to oppose HI. Bris-son's re-election as President of the Chamber. M. Paul Deschanel was pit forward as the candidate of the Moderates and Renetionaries, and the ballot gave him a majority of one vote, the fixures being, Deschanel 27, Brisson 276. When the figures were announced a Radical deputy rose and asserted that one of the ballot balls had fallen out of the urn and had not been counted. This was the signal for a fearful uproar, and for about half-an-hour the legislative assembly was a perfect pandemonium. Honourable members did not actually assault each other but in all other respects the entertainment was as exciting as the most fastidious spectator could have desired. Eventually it was found necessary to adjourn until seven o'clock, when, at the request of M. Des-chanel himself, it was decided to lave a second election on the following day. The result was that M. Deschanel was again elected, this time by a majority of four.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.