Thus there being no Irish Leader on the premises, and hardly any Irish Members, had a rare chance for attending to British business.  CHANNING brought on question of working Overtime on the Railways; moved Resolution invoking interference of Board of Trade.  Question a little awkward for Government.  Couldn’t afford to offend Railway Directors, yet wouldn’t do to flout numerous body of working-men, chiefly voters.  Proposed to shelve business by appointment of Select Committee.  Opposition not going to let them off so easily.  Debate kept up all night, winding up with critical Division; Government majority only 17.

“And this,” said OLD MORALITY, with injured look, “after PLUNKET’s brilliant oration on the time-tables of the London and North-Western Railway Company!  If he’d only illustrated it with magic-lantern, things would have gone differently.”  But he was obstinate; said there would be difficulty in arranging the slides, and so rejected proposal.

Business done.—­CHANNING’s Resolution about Overtime on Railways negatived by 141 Votes against 124.

* * * * *

HOMAGE TO SIR JAMES HANNEN.

Sir,—­As the recognised organ of the legal profession, will you permit me to address you?  It is common knowledge that within the last few days the Right Honourable Sir JAMES HANNEN has been raised to a dignity greater than that he has been able to claim for the last eighteen years, when he has sat as President of the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice.  On leaving the Court in which so many of us were known to him, he was kind enough to say, “Those eighteen years had been eighteen years of happiness to him, chiefly arising from the advantage he had had in having before him habitually practising in that Court Barristers who had felt that their part was just as important as his in the administration of Justice, and who had assisted him enormously.  Without their assistance, his task would have been an arduous one, whereas it had been, as he had said, an agreeable one.”  As I personally have had the honour of appearing before his Lordship for many years, I think that it is only right that I should make some acknowledgment of this kind recognition of my services.

It is quite true that I have felt, as Sir JAMES HANNEN suggests, that my part (humble as it may have been) has been just as important as his in the administration of Justice.  But it is gratifying to me beyond measure to learn that my invariable custom of bowing to his Lordship on the commencement and conclusion of each day’s forensic duties—­which has been the limit of my “habitual practice” in the Probate Division—­should “have assisted him enormously.”  I can only say that, thanks to his unvarying kindness and courtesy, my daily recognition of his greetings from the Bench, instead of being an arduous task, has ever been an agreeable one.  I have the honour to remain, Sir, your very obedient servant,