The Stock Exchange has twice been affected in the last
seven days by a rumour that Lord Beaconsfield had resigned. The rumour was first spread on Saturday, and on Thursday it became so strong that the Times of Friday inserted in a prominent place an oddly- worded denial. It thought it "needless to deny a rumour so im- probable," but did deny on authority that there were any dissensions in the Cabinet. It is needless to point out that" dissensions "and Lord Beaconsfield's retirement have no necessary connection whatever. The cat may quit "the Happy Family" from an in- digestion, without any one having a right to say that it had quar- relled with either the hawk, the mouse, or the owl. Lord Beacons- field, however, caa keep secrets as well as Mr. Disraeli, and his retirement will doubtless, when it occurs, be revealed, as his peerage was, as a bolt out of the blue.
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