Evening star., 1916-01-01
Expatriated American Citizen
Heads List of King Georges
New Year Honors.
FULFILLS AMBITION WHICH
TOOK HIM TO ENGLAND
Field Marshal French, Henry James
the Novelist, and Others Are
Remembered.

LONDON. January Among the hon
ors conferred by King George at the New
Year are the following:
Barons-William Waldorf Astor, Lord
Charles Beresford, Sir Alexander Hender-
son, Sir Thomas Shaughnessy. David A.
Thomas and Capt Cecil William Norton.
Among those who receive baronetcies
are Vice Admiral Sir friedrich C. D. Stur-
dee. Sir William Goschen, Sir Charles
Johnston and Alfred A. Booth.
The privy councillors named include
William Crooks and Sir Frederick Ban
bury.
Earl Curzon of Kedleston and the Duke
of Devonshire are made Knights of the
Garter. Lord Mersey is elevated to the
rank of viscount.
Field Marshall French g. Viscount.
Field Marshal French, who was re-
Gently relieved as commander in chief
of the British forces on the continent
and was raised to the peerage at that
time. takes the title of Viscount French
of Yores.
Henry James. the novelist. is awarded
the Order of Merit
George n. Barnes. labor member Of
parliament for the Black Friars divi-
sion of Glasgow, also was appointed a
member of the privy council. He Is
one of the ablest leaders of the labor
party, but a less picturesque figure
than Win Crooks. Charles Russell.
a famous lawyer, gets baronetcy.
Among those receiving knighthoods
are Thomas Beecham. the musical con-
ductor and operate impresario:
George A. Berry. a distinguished Edin-
burSh oculist; Thomas Wright Park
inson. a London physician. and Nilsson
Rees. famous as laryngologist.
capt Guy Gaunt. naval attache of
the British embassy in Washin ton,
receives the order of companion of ST
Michael and St. George.
Fulflls Astor's Ambition.
Mr.. Astor's title is considered as be-
ing the fulfillment of the ambition
which brought him to England sixteen
years ago to become British subject
There is no one able to recall a former
instance of an American becoming a
British peer, except it was the case of
Lord Fairfax of Cameron. 1t is gossip
that some of the kings advisers enter
tain the belief that Mr.. Astor's honor
cans.
Mr.. Astor has made large contribu-
tions to the war funds. His daughter
ln-law is one of the famous Langhorne
sisters, well known in the United
States for their beauty. She has been
an activee worker among the wounded
Astor Expatriated o. S. Citizen.
To Americans the most interesting of
the kings hono-s is that bestowed
upon William Waldorf Astor, great
great-grandson of John Jacob Astor,
who founded the family fortune in this
country. William Waldorf removed to
England in 1890 and expatriated him.
SELF, arousing a storm of criticism in
the United States. At that time his
personal fortune was estimated at
S1OU. 1000. 900.
William Waldorf Astor was born in
isis: and married in 1873 Miss Mary
Dahlgren Paul, daughter of James W.
Paul of Philadelphia. He served one
Term in the New York state legislature.
and was United States minister to Italy
from 1852 to 1855.
Another honor of unusual interest
on the American continent is that.
given Sir Thomas Shaughnessy, pres
dent of the Canadian Pacific Railway
ompany, who was born at Milwaukee
IF Irish parent2ge.
Lord Charles Beresford retired in
l!ll as an admiral in the British navy,
after long and distinguished career
that branch OF his najesty's service.
cthers Honored by the King.
5l Alexander Henderson is chairman
, lHe Great central railway. He
3sved in the house of commons for
several years and was at one time
lsmber of the tariff commission
David a Thomas is known as the
Welsh coal king" and is widely known
this country, where he has been on
mission 10: his government for the
purchase OF munitions since the war
began.
Capt. Norton is assistant postmaster
general of Great Britain and Il member
Of parliament.
The announcement that King George.
In comforting New Year honors had
bestowed the decoration of the Order
of Merit on Henry James, the author,
who renounced his American citizen
ship last July and became a British
subject, recalls the fact that there are
but eleven civilian members of this
order. Among these are Viscount Nor
ley Of Blackburn. Viscount Bryce
Thomas Hardy, the novelist; Sir George
Trevelyan and Niscount Haldane. The
order was instituted as d mark of
special distinction for naval or mill
tary service or for wo-k in art, lit