The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-08 00:00:00

RIVAL LEADERS.

The London correspondent of the Leeds Mercury says:
"There can be no question as to the fact that the
leadership of the Conservatives is slowly but steadily
drifting into the hands of Mr. Hardy. Night
after night Mr. Disraeli sits silent and moody
on the front Opposition bench, rising only when—as on
Friday evening—some personal attack is made upon
him, and leaving to the late Home Secretary the task of
indicating the policy of his party upon the questions before
the House. On the Irish Church question there cannot,
of course, be a doubt as to which of the two statesmen is
in the more direct accord with the feelings and opinions
of the majority of his party; and the Irish Church being
the question of the hour, it is not unnatural that under
uch circumstances the Conservatives should be disposed
.3 follow the leader who for the time being has their sym-
athies most completely. But already there seems to be
reeping over the party a feeling of listlessness and indiffe-
:ence on this very question of the hour. Mr. Disraeli has
a strong personal following ; and that body is being aug-
naented by those who see how utterly without prospect of
recess is such a policy as that advocated by Mr. Hardy.
Cpon the whole, therefore, no one who studies the present
aspect of affairs can come to the conclusion that Mr.
Disraeli is in any actual danger of losing his hold upon his
Party. It may for a time be weakened; but when the
present 'Crisis has passed away the Conservatives will
undoubtedly return to their allegiance to the only man
who seems able to blend into one harmonious whole the
very discordant elements of which his party is composed.
The Daily Ems, however, considers that the years during
which Mr. Disraeli will retain the leadership of the Con-
servatives in the House of Commons could be numbered
on the fingers of one hand.

The enthronement of the Bishop of London took
place to-day.

A committee has been formed to raise a fund for a
testimonial to the band of rescuers at the recent colliery
inundation.

The Bishop of Salisbury, says the local
journal, " though not quite so well during the last few days,
continues much about the same. The accounts received by
the family on Saturday morning wore 'rather more

forting.'"
The Earl of Sefton has accepted the office of chair-
man of the Executive Committee of the Liverpool Church
Congress. Tho committee has resolved, on the recommen-
dation of tho Bishop of tho diocese, to add " The Church's
Work amongst Seamen " to the list of subjects already an-
nounced.

The Archdeacon of Winchester has stated at a
public dinner that the bishop of the diocese has so far reco-
vered from the attack which he experienced some time ap
as to be able fully to (142ellarge diocesan duties. His speech is
not quite so fluent as it was, but the physicians enterta'n
hopes that Ito may even recover that.
A very melancholy accident is reported from Lossie-
mr,utb, cn tLe coast of Morayshire. Four fishermen went
out a day or two ago in a boat to pursue their calling. The
sea was rough at the time, and it is believed the boat, which
was found on the shore the same day, had been capsized, and
the four men had been drowned.
The Prince of Wales (according to the London
correspondent of the Manchester Guardian) has bad a com-
munication this week- from home which will cause him to
shorten his sojurn in the Levant, as it is
the especial desire
of the Queen that he should return to London by the second
week in May. His visit to the King of Italv, for which
arrangements had been made "ill consequently ?nseckteatl,y be post-
POlaittabil2lMlA94lo9ll. • ,