The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-11-23 00:00:00

IMP3RTANT CA UNET COUNCIL

A Cabinet Council assembled in Downing.street at two
o'clock on Friday afternoon. All the ministers were
present except Mr. Dodson, who left Locdon on Thurs-
day night for Belmont. The Council broke up about half -
past four. Lord Granville attended the F,reign-ritlice for
some time after the Cabinet meeting. Lord Itosebery
had an interview with Mr. Gladstone on Fri-I.y morning.
I Mr. Fonter called on the Premier half-an•hour before the
Cabinet met, but left soon afterwards, and raturn d
shortly after two o'clock. In consequence of the reports
already published respecting a division in the Cabinet,
much importance was attached in political circles to the
Cabinet Council on Fnday. It was generally rumoured
during the morning that any diversencies of opinion
which had existed had disappeared. The Press Associa-
tion is enabled to state from direc • official sources that the
statements are correct. The Cabinet Council held on
Friday was exclusively devoted to the question of
coercion. In a comparatively brief sitting the question
was settled, a perfect unanimity being att Lined. It is
understood that, itl the opinion of the Cabinet, no
necessity exists at present for the early summoning of
Parliament or for the adoption of coercive
measures. It is settled that, although Parliament will be
formally prorogued from the Sitn inst. ti • date in
January, it will not meet the n for despatch of business
unless 1110IDO unforeseen or extraordinary circumstances
should arise. The decision, however, against adopting
coercive measures is not to be considered as unalterable,
The Ministers have simply determined that no circum-
stances have yet arisen which cannot be met by the
or hoary law and the executive p .wers at the disposal of
I:overnnient, and that so far nothing is to lie anticipated
which cannot be thus Fast. The Cabinet Councils will he
continued for at least another week, and will be devoted
to the consideration of the Irish land measures, the out-
lines of which as previously indicated are before the
Cabinet The meetings of the Cabinet after the &Mourn-
ment from this week will be resumed in the second week
of January.

WAR STORKS FOR 11AsUTOLAND.
By request, and at the cost of the Colonial Government
of the Cope of Goo I Hope, the ‘var Department is
supplying from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich the stores
necessary for the operations of the colonist against the
rebel natives in Baeutoland. About four millions of ball.
cartridges for the Ma UM-Henry rifle, and a propor-
tionate quantity of shell and ammunition for the Bald
artillery, have been drawn from the arsenal magazines,
and handed over to the contr ictor for the Colonial
Government for conveyance to their destination. The
first portion will be embarked on board the Donald
Currie steamer Elizabeth Mtrtin, at Gravesend, for
Capet ivro, and most of the remainder has been lent by
liarze to Nine Elms, thence to be sent on by rail to
Southampton, and forwarded to the Cape by the mail
boats of the Union Company. The full cost of these
stores and all expenses attending their transit will be
charged against the colony.