No doubt exists as to the success rtonding Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's debut as the Liberal leader in the House of Commons. The meeting on the eve of the session at the Reform Club passed off without s hitch and Sir Henry's address put spirit into his new followers. He con firmed the good impression this made by his speech in the House on the opening day of Parliament, Tuesday, when he de: lighted his friends, won the respect of his opponents, and somewhat astonished those who had long been familiar with his presence on the Front Benches but had not given him credit torso much reserve power. "CB." will do. Her Majesty's Opposi tion will now be something tore thin a name. Sir Henry Fowler and Sir Edward Grey will probably be his best lieutenants.
The debate on the address opened with China, We are likely to have the subject, now kept well before us in and out of Parliament. Lord Charles Beresford is expected back within a few days, and though Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman raised a laugh at his expense, on. the ground that he was not exuetly the type of a commercial traveller, the information he has acquired will be extremely valuable to those who gave him his mission, and his confidential reports on the naval and military sides of the question, will be at the disposal of the Foreign Office and Admiralty unofficially of course. Wide-spread interest has been taken in the account which have been published of the results of Lord Charles's visit to the Yangtze and his interviews with the Chinese authorities, Yerburgh and the group of member-, China merchants and others acting with him, in the course of the debate rais-d by ed Bartlett expressed satisfaction that since last sesson the policy of coming to an understanding with Russia had been adopted by the Government. He also pressed for the thorough survey of the gorges of the Yangtze river, in order to; establish steam communication along that waterway ind suggested that means should be taken in this country to encourage the study of Chinese for coramercial purposes.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.