The effort of the Liberals to rescue Salford from the
Tories has been defeated, Colonel Walker, the Tory candidate, having on Thursday polled 8,642 votes, against 8,372 given to his op- ponent, Mr. J. Kay. It is believed that Mr. Kay was injured by his absence through illness ; by the opposition of the publicans, who were annoyed by his approval of the Permissive Bill ; and by his effort to conciliate the Home-rulers, by pledging himself to vote for the Committee of Inquiry into their proposal ; and the latter blunder, as we have argued elsewhere, may have materially influenced the issue. It is evident, nevertheless, that the result, however it may be explained, is a blow for the Liberals, whose principles, in a borough with 22,000 electors, have not taken sufficient hold to induce the electors to forego all minor differences. The Tories are exceedingly jubilant, and the election will, we fear, be found to have strengthened those who, partly without recog- nising the object, are helping the Premier, who recognises it clearly enough, to push this country into war. That is now the serious danger ahead, and it is very serious, while the most deter- mined efforts are being made by all friends of the Ministry to stir up anti-Russian feeling. The Times correspondent telegraphs from Calcutta that the negotiations between Afghanistan and India have been broken off, and that the Viceroy's policy beyond the frontier has failed, the Ameer of Afghanistan being exasperated by our arrange- ments with Khelat. A subsequent telegram through Renter denies that relations between Cabul and Calcutta are strained, and the denial is doubtless correct, India being at least as strong as. Russia, and Afghanistan about as strong as Servia, perhaps not quite so much. It is certain, nevertheless, that Lord Lytton is fidgetting to do something considerable beyond the Passes, and discontented with the old policy of regarding the Himalayas as a political wall, and certain that if he adheres to his views we shall have to extend the empire beyond its natural frontier. That might be unavoidable, in the event of a Russian advance in force, but with Russia fully occupied, and Afghanistan, as usual, full of in- trigues and small civil contests, and Great Britain needing every soldier and ship, the new policy seems a fussy one. Why should we not let things alone till it is time to act with some effect and some dignity ? The " influence " which Lord Lytton, misled by his diplomatic education, hopes to acquire in Khelat and Afghan- istan, and perhaps Persia, will not be half as valuable in the hour of need as a well-organised native corps (ramie or a million saved by reasonable thrift.
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