In the London County Council on Thursday, the moderates carried
the day for an adjournment of the election of Alder-
men by a satisfactory majority (24),—the number for the adjournment being 66, against 42 for the immediate election. Sir John Lubbock, who headed the poll, was, quite properly, made- temporary chairman, and Lord Rosebery, who stood next, made an admirable speech in favour of proceeding with circumspection, and choosing the men who would be most useful in the Council without any reference at all to party politics. After a warm discussion, the meeting was adjourned to 'Tuesday at 3 o'clock, when the Aldermen will be definitely selected. The discussion seems to promise that the really best names will be selected from the various lists. For our own part, we hope that some of the names on what is generally regarded as the Gladstonian list,—for example, Sir T. Farrer and Mr. Dobbs,—may appear on the list of successful candi- dates, though we hope that the Gladstonian list, which does not-seem to be one that regards efficiency for the office nearly as much as party bias, will not prove to contain the largest proportion of successful candidates. The debating appears to have been a little incoherent and stormy, but a preliminary meeting not under the control of the permanent chairman must be expected to show more signs of fermentation than we hope to see in the future.
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