I hope Mr. ASQUITH was justified in assuming that the Sinn Fein excesses were only an expression of the “rhetorical and contingent belligerency” always present in Ireland, and that in spite of them the Convention would make all things right.

Meanwhile the Sinn Feiners have refused to take part in it.  And not a single Nationalist Member dared to denounce them to-night.  Mr. T.M.  HEALY even gave them his blessing, for whatever that may be worth.

Wednesday, October 24.—­The strange case of Mrs. BESANT and Mr. MONTAGU was brought before the Upper House by Lord SYDENHAM, who hoped the Government were not going to make concessions to the noisy people who wanted to set up a little oligarchy in India.  The speeches of Lord ISLINGTON and Lord CURZON did not entirely remove the impression that the Government are a little afraid of Mrs. BESANT and her power of “creating an atmosphere” by the emission of “hot air.”  Apparently there is room for only one orator in India at a time, for it was expressly stated that Mr. MONTAGU, who got back into office shortly after the delivery of what Lord LANSDOWNE characterised as an “intemperate” speech on Indian affairs, has given an undertaking not to make any speech at all during his progress through the Peninsula.

Thursday, October 25th.—­Irish Members have first cut at the Question-time cake on Thursdays, and employ their opportunity to advertise their national grievances.  Mr. O’LEARY, for example, drew a moving picture of a poor old man occupying a single room, and dependent for his subsistence on the grazing of a hypothetical cow; he had been refused a pension by a hard-hearted Board.  Translated into prosaic English by the CHIEF SECRETARY it resolved itself into the case of a farmer who had deliberately divested himself of his property in the hope of “wangling” five shillings a week out of the Treasury.

According to Mr. BYRNE the Lord Mayor of DUBLIN has been grossly insulted by a high Irish official, who must be made to apologise or resign.  Again Mr. DUKE was unreceptive.  He had seen the LORD MAYOR, who disclaimed any responsibility for his self-constituted champion.  Mr. BYRNE should now be known as “the cuckoo in the mare’s nest.”

An attack upon the Petroleum Royalties was led by Mr. ADAMSON, the new Chairman of the Labour Party, who was cordially congratulated by the COLONIAL SECRETARY on his appointment.  Mr. LONG might have been a shade less enthusiastic if he had foreseen the sequel.  His assurance that there was “nothing behind the Bill” was only too true.  There was not even a majority behind it; for the hostile amendment was carried by 44 votes to 35, and the LLOYD GEORGE Administration sustained its first defeat.  “Nasty slippery stuff, oil,” muttered the Government Whip.

* * * * *

[Illustration:  THE UNSEEN HAND.

Bill.  “A FELLER IN THIS HERE PAPER SAYS AS WE AIN’T FIGHTING THE GERMAN PEOPLE.”