The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-04

army, if we may apply that adjective
in this regard, two veterans who enlist
ed, one in 1887, and the other in 1888.
One of them fills the erstwhile grueSome
office Of the Queens Executioner at the
Tower. Fortunately for this old hero,
who fought at Gujerat, in the Indian
Frontier war, all through the Central
Indian campaigns, no lethal function,
and his headman's axe rests idle by his
side. His brother veteran fills a nominal
ly more grateful office, and he still moves
about hale and brisk, sporting the rib
bon Of the recruiting sergeant in the
Queens good town of Woolwich. OF the
first war of the reign, the Ghunzi war
of 1889, only one man survives to bear
its medals. He fought in that cam
paign, and also at Maharajapore in
1913. AT Aliwal three years later he
was wounded severely, and proudly
wears the ISobranje clasp.
Coming down later, the survivors be-
come more plentiful, and only a COM
parative few of the applications of those
who fought in the Crimea and the Indian
| Mutiny can be entertained. Not many
| of the first Maori war are available, but
| the campaigns in South Africa and
| Ashantee in the seventies are fairly num-
erOus. Strange as it may seeem, not q
single representative of the battles
fought between 1873 and 1888 has yet
| been secured. Chitral and the last
| Ashantee campaign though no battle took
place during the latter are also unrepre-
| scented. OF Victoria Cross men, only
| two have turned up. One of them is
an old fisherman at Penzance, and he
| is coming all the way to London to at
! tend his last parade. In addition to the
| Victoria Gross, the brave old Cornish
man also has the medal for conspicuous
gallantry the Crimean medal, with three
| bears, the. Turkish medal, and the
Cross Of the Legion of Honor. The old
man has no pension except the ten pound
a year which accompanies the Bronze
| Gross, and he is obliged to win his bread
from the seas round the stormy Cornish
coast The other holder of the most
coveted decoration in the services is an
old Jack Tar who, oddly enough, has not
| had any war service. He won it away
in the South seas one day, when a
boats crew of liberty-men, of whom he
was one, went ashore on a island in
habited by Cannibal savages. The sail
ors were attacked by the natives, and
this man displayed such conspicuous
heroism in the ensuing struggle that he
was recommended for and received the
Victorian Cross.
1t is a sad commentary on the way in
which old soldiers and sailors are look
ed after to have to state that many of
the applications which reach Colonel
Gildea are indeed from warehouses; or
other homes of poverty and helplessness.
one of these veterans has had no less
than thirty-fve years service in the reg
ulars. militia, and volunteers, and yet
is not entitled to a pension, and of
course, receives none. In all about 800
old soldiers, together with the Chelsea
pensioners, will be inspected by the
Prince of Wales. 1t is hoped that there
also will be on the ground representa-
tives of the various colonial troops that
have come over for the Jubilee.
Fifty girls from the Soldiers Daugh-
ters' Home at Hampstead, similar
number from the Guards Industrial
School, and fifty boys from the Duke of
York's School will form a choir on the
occasion, and there will, of course, be
plenty of military music. After the in
spection the Princess of Wales will re-
ceiye purses containing donations in aid
Of the Nurses Home, and then the vet
Grams and the Chelsea pensioners win sit
down to an evening meal in the great
hall of the hospital.
1t is proposed to give each veteran
Jubilee pipe and a present of tobacco.
The pipes are being made to a special
design, and will form handsome and
interesting souvenir, for the old men.
Many OF the men who will be present
on this occasion, or at least a very good
percentage of Them distinctly remember
the day when the Queen was crowned,
and they have grown old with her. 1t is
most touching commentary upon the
position held by the Queen that even
the most poverty-stricken of these old
veterans, even those whom after years
of glorious service the necessaries Of life
are practically denied, are among Her
Majesty's most loyal subjects. They
seem to regard the Queen with an at-
fection that is as pitiful as it is distinter-
ested.
After serious Illness Hoods Sarsapa-