XVII 1905. A WOLF IN CUMBERLAND JUBILEE OF A.D.C.—GRILLION'S CHOSEN Speaker-VISIT XVIII THE SPEAKER--HIS DUTIES AND POSITION-INTER- DEATH OF MY MOTHER-THE SUFFRA- GETTE AGITATION-HORATIO BOTTOMLEY- VERY LONG SESSION-VISITS OF RUSSIAN AND TURKISH DELEGATIONS-TRIP ON A SUBMARINE FINANCE BILL-DEATH OF LORD SELBY XXI 1910-1911. MADRID-POLITICAL PARTIES AFTER THE ELECTION-CONSTANTINOPLE-DEATH OF KING EDWARD-EFFECT ON POLITICS-CON- FERENCE OF LEADERS—ANOther DissoluTION XXII 1911. OUR SILVER WEDDING-THE PARLIAMENT BILL THE CORONATION-ANGRY SCENES IN THE COMMONS-WEAKNESS OF THE PARLIAMENT ACT-DEATH OF LORD ONSLOW-SOME BROOK- FIELD STORIES-RIVIÈRE PAINTS MY PORTRAIT XXIII 1912-1913. DEATH OF MY FATHER-HOME RULE BILL WE LEAVE HUTTON JOHN-TURBU- LENCE IN THE HOUSE-DEATH OF LORD PEEL -FATE OF WOMEN'S VOTE-VISIT TO CHRIS- TIANIA-CAT AND MOUSE BILL-SUFFRAGETTE DISTURBANCES-THE MARCONI SCANDAL- 1914. EXCLUSION OF ULSTER DEBATES-EXCITED SCENES IN THE COMMONS-LORD RAYLEIGH'S PORTRAIT DEATH OF MR. JOSEPH CHAMBER- LAIN-TROUBLES IN ULSTER-BUCKINGHAM PALACE CONFERENCE-WAR DECLARED-HOME XXV 1915-1916. SONS BADLY WOUNDED-VISITS TO FRANCE-ZEPPELINS OVER SUFFOLK-BATH- DEATH OF SIR CHANDOS LEIGH SIR DAVID ERSKINE RESIGNS-COMPULSORY SERVICE— FIRST SECRET SITTING-MISTAKEN FOR A SPY-THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE-FOOD XXVI 1917. ELECTORAL Reform ConFERENCE REPORT -REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL- VISIT TO XXVII 1918. IRISH REDISTRIBUTION CONFERENCE THE END OF P.R.-DEATH OF JOHN REDMOND— XXVIII 1918 (contd.). COMPULSORY SERVICE IN IRELAND— THE MAURICE DEBATE-SERVICE AT ST. MAR- GARET'S JESSE COLLINGS-THE ARMISTICE— XXX 1920. VISIT TO PARIS-MEET SIR HENRY WILSON AND GENERAL FOCH-RHEIMS IN RUINS-LORD HALSBURY-A NEW BLACK ROD-THE HOUSE OF COMMONS MACE-KING OF SPAIN ON BULL- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING Photogravure of sketch by J. S. Copley, R.A., for his picture Hutton John, Cumberland Group at Coton House, Rugby, 1909 The Speaker's Coach, Coronation Day, June 22nd, 1911 Drawing by Mr. G. L. Stampa on the back of a menu card Drawing by Sir Mark Sykes, M.P., of the effect of redistribution on the Hull Constituencies PAGE 20 76 106 124 166 220 226 23 CHAPTER XVII 1905 A Wolf in Cumberland—Jubilee of A.D.C.—Grillions'—Chosen Speaker— On the 1st of January 1905 there appeared a paragraph in the Press which purported to announce that the Government proposed to send me to South Africa as High Commissioner in succession to Lord Milner, whose period of appointment was expected to terminate in April. The Press announcement was the only information which I ever received on the matter, and as a matter of fact Lord Milner remained in South Africa for a considerable time longer. Great excitement was caused early in January in my constituency and in the neighbouring county of Northumberland, by the appearance of a wolf, which caused some damage to the flocks of farmers and frightened a good many lonely residents in the fellside districts. Pursuit was organized, everybody who had a gun or rifle joined a hunting party at the imminent risk of being mistaken for the wolf and being peppered by a neighbour; the wolf was frequently seen, but always escaped. Eventually his corpse was found on the main line of the Midland Railway, not far from Armathwaite-on-Eden, having been run over at night. The supposition was that the wolf had escaped from a travelling menagerie in or near Newcastle, but of course the proprietors of the menagerie were careful to avoid making any statement as to VOL. II. 1 B |