The King's Birthday Honour List, announced on Tuesday proved modest
in dimensions and unsensational in character. No new peers were created, an act of abstinence for which the Radical press professes great relief, but which looks to us only like another sign of dissolution. Hounds are fed not before but after hunting. The honours bestowed on Liberal M.P.'s only amount to two Privy Councillorships, one baronetcy, and one knighthood. The most popular honours are pro- bably the baronetcy conferred on Mr. J. M. Barrie and the knighthood on Mr. Forbes-Robertson. There are now six actors living who possess this distinction. A baronetcy has been conferred on Mr. William Arbuthnot Lane, the well- known surgeon, and knighthoods on Professor Schafer, lately President of the British Association, and on Dr. Adolphus Ward, the Master of Peterbouse. Amongst the naval and military honours we may note with special pleasure the G.C.B. given to Sir Reginald Custance and General Sir H. Smith-Dorrien, while Sir John French has been promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in succession to the late Lord Wolseley.
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