To-day his Majesty celebrates his official birthday, and, as @ natural consequence, considerable space in the morning's papers is occupied with a record of the customary " Honours" list. It seems to me somewhat more lengthy than usual, and in some respects perhaps more interesting. There are to be three new privy councillors, seven new baronets, and twenty-six knights. The three privy councillors are all men whose names are known to everyone: Mr. Charles Booth whose famous book " Life and Labour of the People in London" has done so much towards opening the eyes of the menied classes to the condition of their poorer brethren; Colonel Kenyon-Slaney, M.P., whose famous "compromise clause" assisted in the passing of the Education Bill and who is likewise noted -both as a soldier and sportsman; and Mr. Parker Smith, a well-known Tariff Reformer and for some years parliamentary private secretary to Mr. Joseph Chamberlain. The seven baronets all appear to be mon of great wealth: Sir Robert Ropner a large steamship owner and shipbuilder, Sir Edward P. Wills of to bacco fame, Mr. Alfred C. Harmsworth, one of the proprietors of the " Daily Mail," Mr. William Goulding, head of a large firm of chemical manufacturers, and Chairman of the Groat Southern and Western Railway Company of Irelaad, Mr. Henry Kimber, Director of the Capital and Counties Bank, and Chairman of the South Indic Railway Company, and specially well known for his interest in various colonial undertakings, Mr. Walter Palmer of biscuit fame, and Mr. George White, a Bristol millionaire and the pioneer of electric street traction (which in London is a very doubtful blessing). Of the twen six knights, I think the greatest interest will be taken in the honour conferred on Professor James Dewar, one of our most famous scientists, and Dr. Edward Elgar, our greatest living musical composer. It tay be remembered that at the recent Elgar Festival at Covent Garden their Majesties were present at each of the three performances and personally congratulated Dr. Elgar on his success.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.