The contest in West Aberdeenshire has ended in a fresh
triumph for the Liberal candidate, but the Conservatives have apparently gained ground, since the Conservative on this occasion, Colonel Lines, of Learney, polled 813 votes, whereas Mr. Ross, on the last occasion, polled only 326; and the Liberal on this occasion, Lord Douglas Gordon, polled only 2,343 votes, while the last Liberal Member, Mr. MacCombie, polled 2,401. Thus the Conservative vote was increased by 487 votes, and the Liberal diminished by 58. However, the true explanation is, we believe, that Colonel lnnes was, for a Conservative, a popular candidate, while Mr. Ross was com- paratively unknown to the constituency. Furthermore, it appears that if Colonel Jones did make a considerable advance on the last Conservative candidate, it was by virtue of avowing his dislike to the Royal Titles Bill, and telling the constituency that had• he been in the House of C OMMODA, he would have opposed it. Hence it would seem that even the Conservatives of the East of Scot- land cry off from any suspicion of Imperial tastes.
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