1 SEPTEMBER 1917, Page 3

Last Saturday lists were published of the first appointments to

the two new Orders, the Order of the British Empire and the Order of Companions of Honour, which have been instituted by the King in recognition of services rendered by British subjects and their Allies during the war. The Order of the British Empire, it will be remembered, has five classes for men and five for women. The first two classes for men carry the honour of knighthood and the filst two classes for women the title of Dame. The first Dames of the Grand Cross, or first class, are the Queen ; Lady Paget, who has done much for the Serbian Relief Fund ; Mrs. Furse, Commandant- in-Chief of the Women's Voluntary Aid Detachments; Lady Lawley, Honorary Secretary of Queen Mary's Needlework Guild ; and Lady Reid, whose work for• the Auatralian Forces is well known. The medal of the Order has been awarded to fifty-two men and women for acts of great courage, for initiative, or for skill.