The first of the ministerial changes necessilated by the succession of Mr. Balfour to the premiership have been announced to-day, the announcement taking the form of motions for new writs for elections in the constituencies of the new Ministers. Me Austen Chamberlain becomes Postmastor-General, and Sir William Walrond, the Chief Government Whip, becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, while Mr. H, W. Forster is appointed a junior Lord of the Treasury. Thi" means of course that Lord. James of Hereford and the Marquis of Londonderry have resigned. The latter. itis expected, will be appointed Lord Licutenantof Ireland. The extreme Radicals will of course denounce the appointment of Mr. Austen Chamberlain as a piece of nepotism on the part of the master mind of the Government; butte Colonial Secretar son has shown himself 2 man of marked ability, and it would be dificult to name among the rising men of the Unionist party man better' qualitied for the office, which does not, necessarily carry with it a seat in the Cabinet. Sir W. "Walrond, too, has well earned his promotion. Mr. Ritchie is at present first favourite for the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, but there is no general agreement as to who is likely to succeed him as Home Secretary.
Diavolo.
The question of dangerous performances has again been brought into prominence by a succession of accidents to "Diavolo,? who Joops the loop" on a pedal-less bicycle atthe Royal Aquarium. There are in reality, I believe, two Diavolos—it is admitted indeed that the principal performer has an " understudy," so that if one has a fall the othe: can come forward and assure the audience that he has received no harm, and can if necessary take the injured man's place at the next performance. But the other day Diavolo hind so serious a fall that in spite of all his padded garments and the mask which protects his head he hat to be taken off to the hospital, suffering from concussion of the brain. The danger of the performance lies in this, that th" loop though which the man rides is not and cannot be absolutely in a perpendicular plane, or it would return upon itself and bar the progress of the rider. The natural effect of Centrifugal force is to carry the rider round in a plane, and to counteract this he has, welcome than he was accorded yesterday. at a certain of his journey when he is head downwards, to begin to steer. That is no easy matter at the terrific speed lite Unless he steers very evenly sideslip rests as he is descending the lop, and this seems to have been the cause of all the accidents The net result, however, is that the performance is one extreme danger, and ought not to be permitted for the mere purpose of public The show, by the way, is owned by a woman, and since it "drawn" as no other recent exhibition at the Aquarium, she can 110 doubt afford to pay such a sum that she has no great difficulty in securing an expert cyclist willing to risk his nec".
The Victoricus Generals.
Earl Roberts and Viscount Kitchener both ined a splendid reception at the Guildhall on Wednesday, when they sent} to receive addresses from the City of London.
oth have, of course, been honoured by the y before, "Bobs" after the Afghan War, and the "Grest Patient General," as Lord Rosebery has dubbed him, after Khartoum. Both spoke exceedingly well. Each of cou s lavish in his praises of the other, and becomingly modest referring t" Inisowa achievements; and they were united in their praises of the great army of the Empire which they in tam commented. Lord Kitchener came in, of course, for rhe greater reception of the two, for he is the her" of the hour. And he proved oace more that he is not only a soldier anit a statesman but an orator as well. Tae presence of Lonl Kitchener in the Coronation procession tv-morrow will ith the crowd for much of the dis-ut which its postponement and entailed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.