It was announced on Tuesday that her Majesty had decided,
in consideration of Sir Herbert Kitchener's great services, to raise him to the Peerage. It is expressly added, and is a signal mark of favour, that the honour would have been intimated to Sir Herbert immediately on receipt of the news of the battle of Omdurman but that the design was frustrated by the breakdown of a telegraph line. Parliament will, of course, be asked to vote a special grant to the new Peer, who cannot be a rich man, though, if he has really captured ten millions sterling belonging to the Khalifa, he should attain fortune at a bound. Figures, however, of that kind are most untrustworthy, and it is hard to get breeks off a Highlander—or a Soudanese. It is stated that Sir Herbert has already resigned his appointment as Sirdar, and is returning to England, as he considers his work done, and needs the advice of the most scientific oculists. His eyes are in a bad state, symptoms of disease in them having been neglected during his long and arduous labours. We may assume that he will be sent in the end to India, but we wish he could be placed at the head of our own War Office. Some day that Department must be reformed and reorganised, and the work will not only task a strong Cabinet Minister, but a military chief like General Kitchener, with perfect knowledge, a genius for organisation, and a tiger-will.
