It seems quite clear that the reaction which has so
greatly affected English counties has been strong in Middlesex. The defeat of the Liberals, or rather of Mr. Labouchere, was at first explained by a theory that the electors, discontented with him, had split their votes between Lord Enfield and Lord George Hamilton. It appears, however, that out of the Tory candidate's 7,850 votes only 256 were split with Lord Enfield, and only 60 'with Mr. Labouchere. As the former headed the poll by 1,343 votes, it is clear that two Tories could have been returned. It is true that a great number of voters stayed away, disgusted with the quarrels between the Liberal candidates, but palliatives of that kind may be repeated about every election. It is far more honest to acknowledge that we morally lost Middlesex, and have to .reconvert the electors.
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