Monday, May 14th.—­No longer will the FIRST SEA LORD be distracted from his primary duty of strafing the Hun by the necessity of looking after supplies.  That function will now be discharged by an hon. and temp.  Vice-Admiral, in the person of Sir ERIC GEDDES, late hon. and temp.  Major-General and Director of Transportation to the Army in France, and now Shipbuilder-in-Chief to the nation.  Everyone seemed pleased, with the notable exception of Mr. HOGGE, who cannot understand why all these appointments should be showered upon Sir ERIC GEDDES, when there are other able Scotsmen still unemployed.  A late hon.  Admiral of the Fleet, now residing at Potsdam, is believed to share Mr. HOGGE’S objections.

The hardships endured by the criminal classes when they are so unfortunate as to get into prison always strikes a sympathetic chord in the gentle breast of Mr. EDMUND HARVEY.  His latest discovery is that they are allowed the use of writing-paper not more than once a month; and for the rest of the time have to entrust their literary compositions to the unsympathetic surface of a slate, with the aid of a probably squeaky slate-pencil.  Could JOHN BUNYAN have written The Pilgrim’s Progress under such conditions?  The question opens up a vista of speculation as to the influence of environment upon the creative faculty; and it is not surprising that Mr. BRACE was unable to answer it offhand.

In ordinary times the Financial Secretary of the Treasury is the most important Member of the Government outside the Cabinet.  Under the present regime he is not a member of the House at all.  It is true that Mr. BALDWIN takes his place as Parliamentary whipping-boy to the CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER with much grace and good humour; but that does not satisfy hon.  Members, who want a more substantial object for their daily castigation.  The debate on this subject revealed a sharp division of opinion between Mr. EDWIN MONTAGU and Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL.  COUSIN EDWIN, as an ex-Secretary of the Treasury, did not think the House had suffered any serious loss through being unable to cross-examine that official direct.  COUSIN HERBERT was shocked at this revolutionary sentiment coming from his kinsman.  If it were accepted there was no logical reason why even the Chancellor of the Exchequer should have a seat in the House.  Why, indeed, have Ministers at all?  A row of gramophones, ranged along the Treasury Bench and supplied with officially prepared records, would satisfy all legitimate curiosity.

Tuesday, May 15th.—­I forget how many weeks ago it is since Mr. BONAR LAW announced that the Government were going to make one more effort to settle the Irish Question, and that in due course the PRIME MINISTER would announce their proposals.  Since then events have conspired to produce successive postponements.  Mr. LLOYD GEORGE had to go to France—­for the War refuses to stop even though Irishmen decline to encourage it—­Mr. REDMOND fell ill, Archbishop WALSH indited a postscript, and an election in South Longford suggested doubts as to whether Nationalist M.P.’s were really the Irish nation after all.  Nevertheless there is a plan; and it is to be communicated, but in the first instance to the leaders of Irish parties only, and then, if they please, to the Press, and finally, perhaps, to the House of Commons.