The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1748, 10 August 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 1874.

The absence of the editorial bellowsblower of the Advertiser has been ppinfully apparent of late. The veriest literary skillj has been dished up in "the leading columns—over-salted occasionally when any reference was made to that *« bubbly jock " of the Advertiser, Mr. Vogel. Only on such occasions has the Advertiser introduced a little pungency, and then of the most personal kind, begot . of that perpetual feud which it has waged against Vogel and bis schemes. A specimen of the milk-and-water diet which the morning paper prepares for our breakfast appears this day, in the shape of a hotch-potch commentary on the English and Australian news received on Saturday. The writer dwells - - upon the item referring to Sir Donald McLean—-professes to give readers some knowledge of Orders; but fails most -lamentably. Here it is:— ; i „ Our telegrams dignify him with the *-""' most ancient and illustrious of the orders of kuightlood, .comprising only some twenty-three of the most eminent persons of the English nation, and illustrious foreigners—chiefly Sovereign Princes. The Order of the I histle, conferred upon . the nobility of Scotland, would possibly have been more appropriate than that of the Order of, Baih. It certainly comprises several classes, such as military and. civil knights, grind crosses, knights come manders and knights companions, all of, whom have their respective badges, but to,which class Donald has been attached.by this honor v,y nrc at a.loss to conceive. The M.G. J.y have some reference to his status in IVew .Zealand— -: * Maori God—as h» would have us be- #•?•. H« certainly cannot b« said to

possess the valor of St. Michael and St. George in combination, although the telegram announces that the Jbbnor of a Knight Commander of that Order ha^s been conferred upon him—for what? He is neither kniglitlike or has he performed any knightly act that we have heard of, therefore :we pause for an answer. :' '■ ■ ..'-, •.■ " ... ■.- "

Can any one form a satisfactory opinion as to what dignity the Native Minister has had conferred upon him from the above vague and exceedingly ungrammalical dissertation ? If they can they are gifted with immense penetration in solving riddles. But in order that the less gifted may be put right we may state that, according to,'the telegrams received by us, Mr; McLean has been made a Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George—which is an order of recent date, founded to confer dignities upon persons who have rendered eminent services to the colonies ; and, as far as we know, it has not yet been conferred upon any sovereign prince ; it is not limited' to twerity>three persons, but is practically unlimited in its scope. But enough. The article commences with English politics and winds up with the wreck of the British Admiral, and, altogether, is about the weakest rechauffe we have seen for a long time in any newspaper with pretensions to the position of a leader of public opinion.