And then he made from Lord Aberdeen a quotation in which the Colonial Secretary calls delighted attention to the fact that Heligoland is tranquil--the single one of all the dependencies of the Crown of which that could be said at that moment.
But it was not at this point that the significant gesture came in, to which I have alluded.

Mr.Gladstone had another document to read.

By the way--even over the distance which divides the Treasury Bench from the Opposition Benches below the gangway, where we Irishry sit--I could see that the document was written in that enormous hand-writing, which is necessary nowadays when the sight of the Prime Minister is not equal to the undimmed lustre of the eagle eye.

This letter, said Mr.Gladstone, was not addressed to him.

It was not addressed to a Home Ruler.