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MR WATKIN WILLIAMS, M.P.,…

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MR WATKIN WILLIAMS, M.P., AS A PARLIAMENTARY BORE. In the House of Commons, on Monday night, Mr Watkin Williams asked whether the continued presence of the British fleet in the neighbourhood of Constantinople was not a, violation of treaties, and whether there were any circumstances that prevented such a presence being an infraction of those treaties. The Chancellor of the Exchequer did not think it was convenient to enter into a dis- cussion on this matter in reply to a question. He could only say that her Majesty's Government con- sidered that it was perfectly justified under existing circumstances in maintaining the British fleet near I Constantinople. TheLondon correspondent of the Liverpool Courier describes how Mr Watkin Williams put his question, in the House of Commons on Monday night. He writes—" Then came Mr Watkin Williams. The hon member seems quite recently to have dis- covered that there has been a war between Russia and Turkey, that treaties ought to be respected (after they have been broken by the Czar), and that the British fleet was ordered up the Dardanelles only within the last few heurs. When he rose to put his interrogation there was the faintest—oh, so very faint!—suspicion of a cheer. I tried to find out who it was that cheered him, but though. I was quick the cheerers were quicker. My impression was that the qjieering must have come from Mr Biggar, Mr O'Donnell, and perhaps Mr Gladstone. From whichever part of the assembly it came those who cheered were ashamed of the demonstration before they had half opened their mouths, as the Hear-r-r" died stillborn. The Chancellor of the Exchequer replied in a sturdy manner,, as much as to say, Is the anti-English and pro-Russian feel- ing not dead even yet ?" When he remarked that the moment was not a convenient one for answering such questions the house cheered, but when the right hon. gentleman, in a manner almost con- temptuous, added, "I can only say th&t her Majesty's Government consider that they are perfectly justi- fied under the circumstances in retaining the British fleet in its present position," there was a ringing cheer. Again it came only from the Tories. How is it that the Liberal party cannot muster a solitary cheer In the House of Commons ia favour of their own country ? When the incident was over Mr Watkin Williams looked as if he had been defeated for the Denbigh burghs." Nothing daunted, Mr Watkin Williams repeated his question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Thursday night. He asked if Sir Stafford North- cote could without inconvenience state what British ships were in the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmora, whether it was true that their passage through the Straits was made under pro- test from the Porte, and whether in view of the ratification of a treaty of peace between Russia and Turkey the Government proposes to retain the British ships of war in the Sea of Marmora ? Lord Elcho asked if such questions were conducive to the interests of peace. The Chancellor of the Exchequer: It certainly is the case that at the present moment, while negotiations are going on with a view to the meet- ing of the Congress, it is not desirable that un- necessary questions should be put to her Majesty's Government, An incautious word, or even some- times a request that a question should not be put, produces an effect that is inconvenient and embar- rassing. In regard to the present questions, how- ever, there can be no particular inconvenience in answering them, because they have long since been answered. With regard tothenumbclof British ships now in the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmora, it is a matter perfectly well known to the public and one that has been mentioned in this House more than once. There are four iron- clads now in the Gulf of Ismid and two at Galli- poli. Besides that there are about seven smaller vessels in different parts of the Sea of Marmora and the Black Sea. An HOD. Member In the Black Sea ? The Chancellor of the Exchequer: Yes; cruising about in the neighbourhood of Sulina. Then in regard to the question whether it is true that their passage through the Straits was made under a protest from the Porte, I distinctly mentioned to the House on the 14th February the circumstances under which these ships went up and the protest made by the Sultan at the time. I do not exactly understand why the question should be repeated. In regard to the last question, I stated the other day that her Majesty's €tavernnient did not see any reason against retaining their ships of war in the Sea of Marmora. I do not think that there is any advantage in questions of this sort being put at this moment, and I do think, unless there is a very special reason for their being put, that hon. gentle- men should abstain from putting them. I will make the same observation in regard to another question by the hon. member for Gloucester (Mr Monk). He proposes to put a question as to the views expressed by some of the Great Powers besides Great Britain, in regard to the discussion of the treaty of peace in the Congress. The arrangements for the Congress are now the subject of discussion among the various Governments, and it would be really very inconvenient if we are called upon to answer questions of this nature. Mr Watkin Williams gave notice that in going into committee of supply he would call attention to the treaties relating to the passage of foreign ships of war through the Straits of the Dardanelles (cries of "Oh"), and to ths position in which Great Britain was placed by the passage of the British fleet through the Straits and its retention in the Sea of Marmora, and would ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state what was the policy of the Government in retaining the British fleet in,Turkish waters. Mr Monk said that after the request of the right hon. gentleman he would lefrain from putting his question. A London correspondent writes:—When Mr Williams had read his question, he was consider- ably surprised at Lord Elcho rising on the bench directly opposite and claiming permission to inter- pose for a moment between the hon. member and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. When the noble lord said he merely wanted to know whether the cause of peace and of our interests in the East would be promoted by such questions, there was an emphatic cheer from the Tory benches. Mr Watkin Williams smiled. The leader of the House was mild and courteous in his reply, as is his wont, but such questioning as that of the hon. and learned gentleman was, he said, undoubtedly incon- venient, and might be embarrassing; still he had no objection to give the hon. and learned gentle- man all the information he asked for, as it had been communicated to the House several weeks since. Mr Watkin Williams looked confused. The right hon. gentleman aceordingly proceeded, with sume humour, to tell the hon. and learned gentle- man all that Europe has been familiar with for the last month. He oirefully abstained from saying anything about the number of war vessels which we have in the Mediterranean. When Mr W. Williams again rose the impatience of the House burst forth, and he had some difficulty in reading the notice of his futmre parliamentary intention, which he had carefully committed to writing on a sheet of foolscap. Taking the document to the clerk at the hble, he necessarily came near Mr Gladstone on the front Opposition bench, and the ex-Premier invited the representative of the Den- bigh Boroughs to sit by his side. Together they chatted for a long time. Mr Williams is amply re- paid. Commenting on Mr Watkin Williams' conduct, the Liverpool Courier says: It is curious and re- markable how every great question developes a fresh crop of bores." Some insignificant nobody becomes possessed of the notion that he alone understands the problem, and that he has a divine right to deal with it in all its complex phases. The more these self-sufficient and misguided med- dlers are checked and rebuked for presumption, the more firmly convinced are they that they should persevere in their mission. It is useless to appeal to their modesty—their present 7.0 Ie is the strongest proof that this is a gift with which Nature has not endowed them. It is equally useless to appeal to their reason, because, if they have any, it is warped by their overweening confidence in their own superior talents. We need not recount ex- amples of the genus bore. They grow like mush- rooms in a forcing frame, quite as rapidly, and with quite as little substance beneath them. The Eastern Question has, of course, brought into existence a rich crop 9£ bores; but the gravity of the subject—a subject so grave that statesmen speak with bated breath—has crushed out all except two. These two are irrepressible and un- extinguishable. They cannot be choked off, or silenced, or convinced of their folly, or made trac- table by any rational expedients. Each of them fills a distinct sphere, and we are not prepared to award the palm in the pre-eminence of boredom. It it better to say that eacn is perfeot and unrivai!«4 in his own domain. One practises his foolish vagaries in the House of Lords, the other in the House of Commons, and perhaps if we were com- pelled to make an award—not in this instance of the golden apple but of the belled bood—we should say that Lord Stratheden and Campbell is better entirled to the prize than Mr Watkin Williams. The latter has not yet enjoyed so much experience as a bore, but he is displaying an amount of energy in that direction which soon promises to make him famous. Both these accomplished bores gave illustrations of their peculiar attributes on Thursday. Mr Watkin Williams's position is no less unique. That he understands Chancery law is certain, but as a legis- lator he has hitherto been known only as a halting reformer of public-houses, while as a statesman competent to deal with foreign politics, the wildest Welshman never dreamt of making him Foreign Secretary. Mr Williams has got it into his head that the British ironclads are intruders in the Sea of Marmora, and that as the Sultan protested against their entrance, they ought now to be with- drawn to oblige his decrepit Majesty. Of course there can be no harm in, the member for the Denbigh Boroughs thinking after this fashion—the ccentricities of politicians are beyond explanation —b»t surely this foolish belief is no reason why he should go on repeating the same questions with wearisome reiteration. Still less is it a reason why he should ask Ministers for information which has already been published in official papers, and either is or ought to be familiar to the interrogator. Yet this is the original use to which Mr Watkin Williams devotes his energies nightly. He asked once more what British ships are in the Sea of Marmora, although their na.mes and locality have been told times without number; he also wanted to know whether their passage through the Straits was made under protest from the Porte, although the blue-books furnish all this information in minute detail; and finally he wanted to know whether it is still proposed to keep England's ironclads in the Sea of Marmora, although with one voice the British people require that they shoald still be kept there to safeguard British interests. The Chancellor of the Exchequer expressed some indignation at this harrying of the Government with meaningless and inconvenient questions, and while giving all the information which Mr Williams sought, and which indeed was accessible to him in the published records, he condemned the persistent meddling with delicate questions while the Government are engaged in negotiations with foreign Powers. Any one with the smallest sense of decorum and the merest smattering of patriotism would recognise the fairness of Sir Stafford Northcote's appeal for forbearance. But it is inherent in the character of a bore never to be con- vinced and never to change his original position.. Tne hon. member for the Denbigh Boroughs is no exception to this rule. The rebuke of the Queen's Minister only confirmed him in his wrongheaded demeanour, and no sooner had he been answered than he gave notice of his intention to return to the charge. He intends to renew once more his inconvenient questions, and to intrude into negotia- tions which are difficult enough without his clumsy and presumptuous interference. However, there is no alternative except to endure evils that cannot be cured. It is impossible to cure a bore of his folly, but it may be worth while for Mr Watkin Williams's constituents to consider whether they wish to make themselves ridicuious through the perverse vagaries of the representative they send to Pailiament. There, Mr Williams must be tolerated in all the plentitude of his folly; but surely there is no reason why he should be kept at St. Stephen's to make himself a nuisance and his constituency a laughing-stock. 1-

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