1 OCTOBER 1892, Page 3

The Gladstonians keep the seat for South Bedfordshire, but their

majority has been reduced by more than three-fifths. At the last election, Mr. Flower beat Colonel Duke, the Unionist candidate, by a majority of 1,019 ; the votes being, 4,277 Unionists to 5,296 Gladstonians. At the election on Thursday, on the other hand, Mr. Whitbread received only 4,838 vote?, while Colonel Duke obtained 4,596; and the Radical majority was, therefore, reduced to 242. The " capture of the counties " is far from complete yet.