Since then, however, we have had ai speech from MrSt. John Brodrick which ix admitted by all but those who are absolutely blinded by partisanship to be a most able vindication of the War Office. He gave us for the first time facts as to th foots system to restore peace and safety ogress which is being made by the block-
to ever-increasing tracts of the conquere provinees. He defended very convincingly the policy which has been carried out in the concentration camps; and altogether he succeded in doing what Lord Salisbury had quite failed to do, restoring the conence of the nation in the army and its controllers. Whatever blunders have been committed in the past, we have now tangible reasons for believing that Lord Kitchever and those under him are taking the best and only means, from a military point of view, to bring the war to the speediest end. Whether from a political point of view something more might be done is another question, The Boers still declare that they will surrender on no terms short of absolute independence; but they may alter their minds about this, and there is a growing party which believes that there is still something to be done by negotiation. If not, it will almost certainly ye many months yet, even taking the most favourable view of Mr. Brodrick's description of the situation, before we reach that ' early successful issue" which Lord Salisbury has promised us.
The King's Birthday.
Sir Juseph Dinsdale has the distin of being the first Lord Me office on the Sovereign's. birthd: the occasion was marked by the King Edward's first list Birthday Apart from the re-creation of the vf Prince of Wales and of Chester for the heir to the throne, it avery interesting list. It includes no poerage and only one baronetcy—that red very deservedly upon Mr. Fr: the retiring Lord) Mayor: among the Knights Bachelor, the only distingui name is that of George Anderson Critchett, the fan tous oculist; and for the rest, apart from the diplomatists, and civil sei among whom honours and titles are always showered, almost the only man in whom the public are interested is Mr. Robert Anderson, the ex-Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department, known also as an able writer on theological subjects, whom a K.C.B. has been conferred, The Prince of Wales.
The descent: of titles of honour is a very puzzling business; but the most confusing of all are the titles held by the Heir-Apparent. Everyone knows by this time that the title of Prince of Wales expires, or rather becomes merged in the Crown, when its holder becomes King, while that of Duke of Corawall is assumed of right by the new Heir-Apparent, who likewise becomes entitled to call himself Earl of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and so forth but until the oficial proclamation appeared, no one knew what the Prince's correct style and title would be. The present King was in his early boyhood made Earl of Dublin; and as this does not appear among Prince George's titles it has doubtless been merged in the Crown.
But even the "Times" went astray by assuming that the titles 'Duke of Saxony and Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gothas' would be dropped. But these are title" which descend to every direct male des-will consequently be retained, though it is fendant of the first Duke and Prince, and
understood that the Prince will assume a purely British coat of arms, on which Wales hopes to have a quarter. If so, the Prin-of duty to reveal in public. Well, the cipality will be represented, it is understood, by the four lions, and not by the Welsh dragon, for which there is no heraldic justification, The Dukedom of Cornwall" by the way does not always '*descend." If the present Prince of Wales should unhappily predecease his father, the title will not descend to his eldest' son, the new heir-apparent. cannot be held by a grandson of the Sovereign, even though he be heir apparent.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.