Why seven hundred nobody knew. TIM might have put it at eight hundred or a thousand; but he is, above all things, a moderate man.
SPEAKER ruled PRINCE ARTHUR'S procedure strictly in order. SQUIRE OF MALWOOD, coming to rescue of Ministers, admitted it was a course invariably taken under former Ministry. TIM took his stand on the British Constitution; put his protecting arms round his affronted Sovereign; declined to budge, and the master of many legions surrendered.
The same through long sitting, which closes at this moment with dawn surprising the blushing East. On successive questions--the suspension of twelve o'clock rule, the SPEAKER leaving Chair without question put, Chitral, and a long series of formal motions in Supply--TIM delivered innumerable speeches; took in all ten divisions. Once, House being cleared for division, he, in conformity with quaint requirements of the moment, remained seated with hat on, contesting points of order with SPEAKER. Alone he did it. Although from fifty to a hundred Members went out to vote with him, none felt capable of joining in his masterly controversy with the masterful SPEAKER.
[Illustration: Tim takes the leading part in the performance of _Much Ado about Nothing_, by the John Daly Company.
"We shall stay here at least a month; and he (Benedick) heartily prays some occasion may detain us longer."
Hard lines for new SPEAKER; in Chair for nearly twelve hours, incessantly on the watch. But, as SARK says, the game has for him been well worth burning the candle at both ends. To-night's sitting has finally established his position in the Chair.
_Tuesday._--SARK, whose knowledge of SHAKSPEARE is extensive and peculiar, goes about humming:--
Ban, ban Caliban. Got new House Commons; Get new Chair_man_.
This accomplished to-night in simplest fashion. Two hours discussion of Limerick's flash of humour in having elected to represent it in Parliament a gentleman languishing in one of Her Majesty's prisons. This disposed of, House went into Committee of Supply. But as yet we have no Chairman. MELLOR'S unrequited labours closed with life of last Parliament. SARK always says justice never done to MELLOR.
"A painstaking, upright, courteous gentleman," he testifies. "Much too good for obstruction's daily food in Chair of Committees. If he had a fault tending to incapacitate him for Chair, it was the extreme geniality of a nature that made him shrink from giving pain. He came into office at an epoch of exceptional difficulty. LYON PLAYFAIR had bad time when he was hampered by well-organised, ruthless obstruction led by PARNELL. Obstruction to the Home-Rule Bill throughout first session of MELLOR'S chairmanship not less ably led, for JOE, not yet come to Imperial estate, was much to the fore. It was certainly not less ruthless; numerically was in treble force. To obfusticate the Chairman was easiest, most effective way of delaying progress of Bill through Committee; MELLOR suffered accordingly. The order of things should have been reversed. MELLOR should come to Chair to-day. LOWTHER should have had his job in Session of 1893. JAMES W. is endowed in marked degree with the quality of phlegm invaluable to Chairman in troublous times. What worried sensitive nature of MELLOR would have flurried him no more than bucket of water cast over a duck's back."