16 JUNE 1888, Page 3

Why the conferring of the Cambridge honorary degrees last Saturday

should have been described as a Unionist demonstra- tion, we do not know. The majority of the degrees conferred were conferred on scientific or on non-political grounds, and amongst the degrees conferred on eminent politicians, was one given to Lord Rosebery, who is generally accounted a rather decided Home-ruler, and another to Lord Acton, who is also understood to be a very influential partisan of Irish Home- rule. For the rest, the number of political Unionists on whom honorary degrees were conferred did not so far outnumber. the Home-rulers, as the Unionists of University rank out- number in general the Home-rulers of the same rank.