Weekly News. — 1890-09-18 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

RECORDS OF THE SESSION.  Although the House of Commons has only risen a very few weeks, busy chroniclers have already digested the records of its deliberations, and very interesting records they are. During the session the House sat upon 132 days, or 10 more than in ,1889. The sittings occupied 1,055} hours, as cowl, pared with 1,043 hours last year; so that the House, it will be seen, has lengthened the period of , its labours so as to approximate the eight II iurs working day. lint 1 4 the whole time of the House only about 750 lsure were used for the purposes of debate, marl 3 hi. urn being occupied with formal business, mwst ions, and private bills, while 36 hours were spent in effecting . the 262 divisions that took place. Of the 132 sittings 104 were given to Government business, as against 99 in 1889. The total number of bills introduced was 418, but only 83 lived through all the prescribed stages, and received the ultimate assent of the Queen. The number of speeches delivered to facilitate or retard the progress of the measures introduced,; or for some other purpose best known to the orators concerned, reached the astounding total of 9,586, not including 2,060 corrections, interrogations, and explanations by which speakers were interrupted. Of the 3,979 speeches made by independent members, the largest number were from Dr. Tanner, who succeeded in obtaining the ear of the House on 199 occasions. Mr. Sexton spoke 195 times, Sir George Campbell 187, and Mr. T. M. Healy 178; while Mr. Labouchere, with 104 speeches, was the only remaining member w,wi managed to get into three figures. In the matter of asking questions this distinction was more freely attained. In 1889 5,745 questions were put. This year the questions numbered 6,919, and as there were only 32 gentlemen to answer them the average was considerably over 200 apiece. Mr. Balfour had to reply to 1,150. Of the questioners, Mr. Seaton Was by tar the most active. No fewer than 420 times did he rise in quest of special information. 'f he other members who made their "century' were Dr. Tanner with 364, Mr. Bradlaugh and Mr. T. 11. Healy each with 311, Ir. Cuninghame Graham with 189, Mr. Flynn with 141, Sir George Campbell with 106, and Mr. Dillon with 102. Among the incidents of the session are mentioned six motions of adjournment to discuss matters of urgent importance, 35 applications of the closure, and seven counts out.  The coal-boring operations, which have been undertaken by Sir Edward Watkin, M.l'., close by the entrance to the Channel Tunnol works, will be proceeded with apace in a short. time. For seine months past the. chief engineer has been busy in superintending the manufacture and erection of new machinery for carrying the borings to an additional depth of I,oooft.  - • The Russian Black Sea Fleet has recently suffered several serious accidents. On board the ironclad Sinope a boiler exploded, killing Lieutenant Prince Khilhoff and six men, besides severely wounding four men, and less severely seven others. The vessel itself was also greatly injured. A new gunboat, the Eagle, on her first voyage came into collision with a ship of the -Russian Volunteer Fleet, and received such serious damage that she had to be sent into dock for repair.  When Gambetta died friends were at painsto conceal the fact that the original cause of death was a revolver wound which he received from a lady whom he had stopped from committing suicide. This lady has married a German. and -her 81111. who was baptised by the name of fiambetta's mother, has been taken to be educated in Germany. Some of Gamlietta' a friends offered to defray the cost of her boy's bringing up if she would let him be placed in a French school. This otter has been scornfully refused.