Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-08
on for the SOudan.

"A Conan Dovle In Westminster Gazette)
Yesterday we saw the StaffOrdshres OF,
900 OF them, for Wady Halfa, and more
hard-bitten set of lads L have never
set eyes upon. 1t Is pleasant 10 ma
that the territorial system has, with
the exception Of the cases OF rev regi-
ments. which are recruited from sparsely
Inhabited districts, come TO stand for
an absolute fact. II will make the next
great battle in which British infantry
are engaged singulerly picturesque, wheh
tho men OF Kent the men or Glouces-
fer or the men Of Yorkshire are actually
egbting under their own banners. In
this case | am assured that at the very
least 90 per cent. OF the men are actuaiS
of Staffordshire birth and breeding-nld-
landers drawn from the mines anu tne
potteries. Taken as BODY they are
shorter than either Egyptian or hesIV
troops, but their chest measurements ar
b,qb and In their white, gold-splhed
helmets and khaki suits they look tho-
roughly workmanlike body OF men. Out
side the station they stand in their ranks.
IeaninV on their rifles, while Colonel
Reale makes his last preparations ana
the subalterns chat together a crown
~ red-feZzed Egyptians and SUMNER
me,ed Europeans are looking silently on
without much sign Of sympathy luns-
legged. relocated Dragon wanaers
through the ranks, looking Tor pal.
lie finds him. ct last just IN front ..
ra-a stocky little infantryman all nat
and knapsack. "By, Bnlr' says the
draooon 'Byw says the other, hardy
,,IaDctng at him. Two Frenchmen would
49, beeu in each others arms. Yet II
cannot be want OF feeling, or why shouiu
,ha dra eoon wander about In that blazing
cairo sun looking for his pal?
And now the men file in and take
their places in the train as sum ana a.
Silent as so many clay-colored, red-iaced
,,arionettes The officers are In the long
saloon carriages in front, and the WIZ
dows are fringed with their faces some
laughing. some a little solemn perhaps
for the platform is crowded with Iaules'
and the season has been gay one.
senior officer waves his hand, and
lady besides me responds. They are
husband and wife, and this Is thar Anglo
Saxon farewell. 1t Is the DRAGON ana
his nal over again. But feellnS IS stIdlh-
"a In spite Of this restraint, ana there
are some eyes turned away as the Dai,u
walls off into "Auld Lang Syne. An IL
raenonsible subaltern shoots his head OUT
through the window. Back me stdule
on Friday. and wire me asts 'aie lance S.
"crnoral rushing through tho crowd:
&c MS ere the train for DongolaY'
Tension e relieved, and before IL can
return the train steams slowly out OF
'i' Ana now az I stand on the platform.
there masses me window after WINDOW,
blocked with the faces or the men me
are small windows, and yet every one OF
them frames eight faces, two with ther
chIns ovrrhangtng the lower edge, TWO
above and then finally two who can just
s1uceze through at the top. But these
faces are a revelation 10 N.ia sav
r9arionette Tommy so far, one would say
that he had no opinion upon the hattSl
I'm hand. lie was wound up 10 eht tdn
himself and so he mechanically entralheu.
R,Jt now his helmet is of, his belt is uh1
lone and he is q human being hSdh- 49,
what a human being! Look at those elgh'
bullet-heads. close-cropped aha el .oa,n,
with flushed bruiser faces, and gap-tooth-
ed mouths bowling in chorus. Ihey are
not beautiful. certainly and " would o.
hard 10 deny that they are brutal, JNt
what a sense OF vigorous hgh-blooned
aniunalism they leave behind them! TOT
good or evil. there Is nothlng ~ean
about these squares Of flushed shoutlns
faces which are sliding past us. Tommy
looks 10 me as capable OF sacking badaJos
as his forbears did before him. but ne Is
also as capable Of holding the ridge AZ
Busaco. Swifter and swifter goes the
train. and on the back foot-board small
private is dancing wildly: fe see :
Couldn't leave me be'indi" he screamed.
and waved two frantic arms In the air.
Good-bye. my gallant soldier boys, and
cod be with your | think that you Will
see Berber before YOU set foot on caro-
nintform once mora. With a fringe 81
waving helmets. the train lurches round
The curve. and England has moved apoth-
err pawn upon the chess board OF the
xpOff1