The election at Wigan turned out unfavourably for the Liberals,
though no seat is lost, because there was none to lose. The Liberal candidate, Mr. Lancaster, however, who had supported. the Irish view against coercion, polled only 2,536 votes on Tuesday,. against 2,880 which he polled at the general elections—that is, his poll fell off by 344 votes ; while the Conservative poll rose from 2,946 in April, to 3,005 last Tuesday. Of course, the fall- ing-off was, in all probability, duo to the defection of Liberals who did not approve of Mr. Lancaster's Irish views, and not, as some suppose, to the defection of Irishmen, who, liking Mr. Lancaster's Irish views well enough, did not like the views of the Government to which in general he would tender his sup- port. Mr. Powell, the successful Conservative candidate, has been, on the whole, unfortunate in his election contests. He has, indeed, been three times in Parliament for short periods for different constituencies ; but he has been five times defeated, and when he has succeeded, has twice lost his seat within a very short period.
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