The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-03 00:00:00

THE NEW CHIEF COMMISSIONER 02
POLICE.

Mr. John Mackenzie, writing in the Pall Mall
Gazette, says: You ask me for some reminiscences of
Sir Charles Warren bearing his new appointment as
Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force.
One would prefer that Sir Charles were left to speak
for himself by his actions; but as this is clearly out of
the question in these days, I shall recall a few things
connected with Sir Charles Warren's South African
career. As Captain, Major, and Colonel Warren, Sir
Charles occupied a variety of offices, civil and mili-
tary, in South Africa—some of them of a delicate
nature—as the settlement of a disputed boundary line,
and the revision of disputed land claims. Others had
reference to volunteer and military work, such as
raising, organising, and leading colonial volunteers in
South African wars, while others called into exercise
administrative ability, as in Bechuanaland under
military occupation in 1878-9, and while
Sir Charles acted as administrator of the
colony of Griqualand West. Sir Charles Warren
was certainly a very popular as well as efficient
officer during his first period of service in South
Africa; and in asking her Majesty's Government for
his services in connection with the recent disturbances
in Bechuanaland, Sir Hercules Robinson was only
yielding to the advice of those in whom lie placed
confidence, while he gratified what was a general
desire throughout South Africa. No servant of the
Crown ever received such a welcome in South Africa
as was accorded to Sir Charles Warren on his arrival
in Cape Town as head of the Bechuanaland expedition;
and after his return from Bechuanaland the same
high opinion was expressed throughout the chief
towns of the colony. At the present moment there is
practical unanimity concerning Sir Charles in South
Africa among natives and colonists. Easy of access,
open to consider all sides of a question, dominated by
the love of right and fair play, Sir Charles really
became a terror to evil-doers, while he was, as I have
sail aliove, admired and esteemed by the respectable
colonists.
One of the first thoughts which occurred to me
after hearing of the recent appointment was that,
judging from the past, Sir Charles would be sure to
take 'great interest in the men of the metropolitan
police force, and promote their welfare in every way in
his power. Himself the son of an officer in the army,
Sir Charles has always shown strong sympathies for
the men who have served under him. As to clothing,
food, health arrangements, &e., Sir Charles always
made a point of doing all that could be done for his
men; and then shared along with them, and like one
of them, in what had to be undergone. There was
also a class of men who did higher work for "Warren'
as they called him than they did for any other
officer, and much better work than they did
for themselves when they were not on service. I
refer to occasional cases of men of ability
who had missed their way in the race of
life through habits of self-indulgence. His ascendancy
over such men, and their devotion to him, and the
good service they were able to render while under
him, were really remarkable, and are well known to
many. There is a difference of course between the
pretender and the able and honest man weighted by
an evil habit. Pretence and sham would have short
shrift from your new Chief Commissioner; while
cheery sympathy and unaffected brotherliness from
the strong man to those weaker than himself would
have the tendency to evoke their highest effort, and
keep them working at their best. You may say there
are no "lame ducks" in your police force. So much
the better; I merely point out the faculty possessed
by Sir Charles Warren of getting men who are serv-
ing under him to do their best in the discharge of
duty.
You told your readers some time ago that you did
not think that Sir Charles Warren had any sense
of humour. This is far from being the case—few
men perceiving the humorous side of a subject sooner
or with greater enjoyment. Ido not know how
much scope there will be for originality and resource
in Sir Charles's new office: but these qualities are
largely developed in his mind. I may give you an
instance. At the Laugherg range of hills, in Bechu-
analand, Sir Charles, in 1879, found himself opposed
by native enemies, who were good marksmen, and
who lined several " kloofs," or defiles, leading to
their central position within the range of hills. The
enemy calculated that the attacking party would
march up one or other of these defiles, were they
were prepared to pick them off as they passed. But
in the night Sir Charles, by the help of the willing
hands of his men, dragged and lifted his guns up the
face of the hill itself, where of course there was no
road; and on the following morning he was able to
fire from the crown of the bill into the camp of his
enemies, and to clear out the ambuscades from their
well-chosen position.
The work of raising and organising bodies of men
in South Africa is one with which Sir Charles Warren is
familiar. His strictly professional training as an
engineer, and his great proficiency in mathematical
studies, will also come to his assistance if called upon
to overhaul, with the object of improving, the system
of managing the metropolitan police. Judging from
what I know of somewhat similar work performed by
him in South Africa, he is not likely to be turned
aside from real efficiency by mere el-eapness. I
believe he still entertains the old-faolif med maxim
thiit the best things are the cheapest in the end,
while cheap things are usually worthless at any price.
At the same time, Sir Charles has a great. notion of
getting value for Government money as expended by
him, as was often shown in the late expedition.