The other appointments are good. Mr. St. John Brodrick, who
becomes Minister of War, is familiar with the Department, thoroughly acknowledges the necessity of reform, and is a firm man. Whether he possesses the needful constructive originality may be still uncertain, but he will not minimise the necessity for change, and he will possess the advantage of a quite singular capacity for making detailed changes intelligible and acceptable to the House of Commons. Lord Selborne, whose elevation to Cabinet rank is fully justified by his admirable record, becomes First Lord of the Admiralty; while Mr. C. T. Ritchie, who will be the new Home Secretary, Sir M. W. Ridley taking a peerage, is believed by those who work with him to be as good an administrator as the late W. H. Smith proved to be, and has certainly displayed remarkable tact and skill in settling difficult labour questions. There are, of course, many rumours as to his successor, and as to the necessary per- mutations among Under-Secretaries and the like, but we prefer to wait for definite information, only regretting that Lord Salisbury has apparently not seen his way to reduce a preposterously swollen Cabinet.
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