NEWS OF THE WEEK.
AGREAT political change hasbccurred since our last issue. It has been understood for many months past that Lord
• Salisbury, who is said to be suffering from a loss of physical energy, desired to resign, but it was supposed that his actual resignation would be postponed until the recovery of the King. On Monday, however, it waa officially • announced that the Premier had on the previous Friday tendered his resignation to • the King, that the resignation: had been accepted by his Majesty, who offered the retiring Minister a Dukedom; which was declined, and that Mr. Balfour, after consultation with Mr. Chamberlain, had accepted the Premiership. As no one objected; much less resisted, and as Mr. Balfour has not to
• seek a re-election, the new arrangement, though it is a transfer of the supreme direction of the Empire, was effected as easily as a transfer of Consols. That is a very wonderful thing, if you think of it'and 'speaks volumes for the easy ' working of our rather cumbrous institutions. In appearance, of course, the change has been effected by Royal -authority alone, but it must have been agreed to by the • Governing Committee,
• whose members would otherwise have resigned, and have been known to be approved by the majority in Parliament, with • whom ultimate power rests: There is, it is well known, no opposition among the people, _with whom Mr. Balfour, though he is not yet as • thoroughly understood as he will be, is dis- tinctly persona grata. .
