The polling at the Banffshire election took place on Wed-
nesday, and the result was declared on Thursday. The Gladstonian candidate, Sir W. Wedderburn, was successful, 3,166 votes being given for him, and 2,395 for his opponent, Mr. .T. A. Grant. The analysis of the figures, however, is favourable to the Unionists, and shows, what the general figures of 1892 also showed, namely,—that Scotland is steadily drifting away from Mr. Gladstone. In 188(3, the Home-rule majority in Banffshire was 1,289; in 1892, 869; and now only 771. This is an inclined plane with a very rapid slope. A good deal has been said about the absence of Gladstonian fishermen, weather-bound in the Orkneys; but the total poll seems to make this unlikely. The Gladstonians polled 87$ more votes than they did in 1892, and the Unionists 971 more.
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