He had a visit here last week, he says, from an American Presbyterian minister, who came out to Ireland a month ago a "Home Ruler"; but, as the result of a trip through North-Western Ireland, is going back to denounce the Home Rule movement as a mischievous fraud.
When I asked him what remedy he would propose for the discontent stirred up by the agitation of Home Rule, this Presbyterian clergyman replied emphatically, "Balfour, Balfour, and more Balfour!" This on the ground, as I understood, that Mr.Balfour's administration of the law has been the firmest, least wavering, and most equitable known in Ireland for many a day.
Later in the day I had the pleasure of a conversation with the Rev.Dr.
Kane, the Grand Master of the Orangemen at Belfast.

Dr.Kane is a tall, fine-looking, frank, and resolute man, who obviously has the courage of his opinions.

He thinks there will be no disturbances this year on the 12th of July, but that the Orange demonstrations will be on a greater scale and more imposing than ever.

He derides the notion that "Parnellism" is making any progress in Ulster.

On the contrary, the concurrence this year of the anniversary of the defeat of the Great Armada with the anniversary of the Revolution of 1688 has aroused the strongest feelings of enthusiasm among the Protestants of the North, and they were never so determined as they now are not to tolerate anything remotely looking to the constitution of a separate and separatist Government at Dublin.
BELFAST, _Tuesday, June 26._--Sir John Preston, the head of one of the great Belfast houses, and a former Mayor of the city, dined with us last night, and in the evening Sir James Haslett, the actual Mayor, came in.
I find that in Belfast the office of Mayor is served without a salary, and is consequently filled as a rule by citizens of "weight and instance." In Dublin the Lord Mayor receives L3000 a year, with a contingent fund of L1500, and the office is becoming a distinctly political post.