On Taesday week Parliament meets, the Whips on both sides are already mal their arrangements, The Conse Benches will be considerably thinned by Upwards of twenty Unionist re in South Africa or on the the front and others at the base 53 hem are Lord Stanley, one of the "Whips," and Sir Ellis mead-Bartlett, and his brother Mr. Burdett-Courts, the last named a" 10 make himself acquainted with the various means adopted for dealing with the wounded. The loss of members will not, however, seriously embarrass the Govern: ment. They will Gud among the Opposition a good many members who will sap-port a Vigorous prosecution of the war even more warmly than many of the Unionists, and who will favour the policy of post: poning toa more convenient season er oisins of the policy of the Government and the conduct of the War Ottice. Sir Matthew White-Ridley, the Home See tary, is not one of the orators of his party, but speaking at Blackpool yesterday delivered a telling defence of the Govern ment, and especially of Mr, Balfour, little indiscretions at Manchester ko severely dealt with by journal which usually Support the Government.
Matthew declares, and no one can doubt his word, that the Government have, in their preparations for the war, been guided. absolutely by the best expert advice at their command. So far as the Cabinet goes this will to a large extent absolve them from the blame of mistakes that have been made; but it does not absolve the permanent officials of the War Office and the heads of the army, nor does it answer the point that the preparations ought to have been begun much earlier, and the only defence Sir Matthew can urge on this point is thi rely it was the duty of cur Government earnestly Inbour for peace, even when peace se of enthu: mixture of troops—home and colonial—for the seat of war hut everything that had previously occurred was totally. eclipsed by the remarkable demonstrations which secured on Saturday morning when the first batch of the ity of London Imperial Volunteers marehed through London to entrain for Southampton, Indeed, owing to want of foresight on the part of the military and_ police authorities, the patriotism of London!
almost too much for the citizen sol-Some of them found it absolutely impossible to struggle through the surging crowds which filled the whole route from Bunhill Fields to Nine Elms. Although the march, or what should have hee the march, began at st six a raw, cold, pitch morning the people had turned out in thousands to see the first hndy of volunteers leave England to fight the battles of their country the trials which the men had to endure nds of their well-meaning but most injudicious admiers must have been a zend preparation for the hardships of ea As the volunteers str: the Embankment in twos and threes, after the hour when the spe should were stre: their kits almost torn off their wicks, and nearly all were loaded up with cigar boxes and other presents forced upon them by tke crowd. For the depar ture of the second hatch to-morrow due preeuttions are to be taken. The mien are to spend the night in barracks at West. minster, much nearer to the station, the route tu which will be kept clear for them.
Some of the men who left last Saturday had, after receiving the citizenship of London at the Guildhall on Friday afternoon, subsequently attending a great vice at St. Paul's, and then supping with the Benchers in the Hall of the Iuner Temple, spent the rest of the night ay the Covent Garden Fancy Dress Bull, to which all had received free invitations. They were undoubtedly a fine body of men, most of them used to a life, if not of luxury at least of comforts, which will form decided contrast to the lot of a private soldier on campaign which they are about te experience.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.