It was announced on Monday that Lord French had been
appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, in place of Lord Wimborne, and that Mr. Edward Shortt had succeeded Sir H. E. Duke as Chief Secretary. Lord French as an Irishman and a veteran soldier will, we are sure, do the honours of the Viceregal Lodge as. well as any other eminent man. His appointment has no political and no military significance, save in so far as it shows a general reluet. ance on the part of politicians to accept office without power in Ireland. Lord French as Viceroy will be able to observe the rnanceuvres of Sinn Fein more closely, but the duty of suppressing sedition, which has been incumbent on him as Commander of the Home Forces, will be his no longer. The effective authority of the Irish Government is concentrated in the Chief Secretary. As Mr. Shortt voted against Conscription for Ireland in the recent debates, his appointment can only mean that the War Cabinet have abandoned the policy by which they said they would stand or fall.
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