The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-02

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as the coming man. He is about so
years old. but is physically capable OF
conducting a most active campaign, as
he proved in Madagascar. Negrier and
Gallienier are noted for their dash.
Let us turn now to the Russian army,
that tremendous fighting machine with
which the White Gar forever menaces
Europe. Here again we see what years
Will do for generals, victorious or de-
feated. OF those great corps command
ers who pounded their way through
the Balkans and rained their fires upon
Kars, some few remain alive. but the
famous ones, of whom the world at
that time heard so much, are either
dead or incapacitated by age or sick
Tess from further active military serv-
| ice. Gen. Obroutchef, the chief of the
general staff. which post is tanta-
mount to that OF general commanding
the army in the United States. is o
man of experience, ard made consid-
cradle reputation for himself during
the Russo-Turkish war by his cam
paign in Asia Minor. He is 60 years old,
and if Russia were to go to war, Of
course he would take immediate COM
mand of the army. Gen. Count Paul
Schouvaloff and Gen. Gourko, both Of
| whom distinguished themselves in the
Russo-Turkisk war. are still alive, but
incapacitated by ill-health from ever
again taking part in active military
life. Gen Dragomirow, who did good
work at Khiva and was wounded at
Shipka Pass, is a general of expert
ence, though getting along in years,
and would take the field in case of
Russian war. One Of the corps COM
manders, Gen. Petauchevsky, is looked
upon by Russians as a man likely to
win victories from enemies, but the
general upon whom the people most
rely, who is looked upon in Russia
somewhat as Gen. Roberts is in Eng
land. is Kouropatldne. He was chief
of staff to Sllobelef, and that OF itself
is enough to give him standing with
the people and with the army.
In case of war, KouropoalSine would
be the general whom the car would
send to the most important strategic
point. But in the Russian army, as in
other armies, in case of war an entire
new class OF commanders will spring
up, and the question of agealone would
necessitate the giving of great COM
mands to officers who have had no ex-
perience in handling large bodies OF
troops in actual warfare.
Of all the nations England could fur
nish the greatest of officers who have
had experience in fighting. Lord Wolse-
ley has been fighting in one part Of the
world or the other. from Canada to
Ashantee, nearly all his life. and,
entirely against savages. he has had
lot of experience in the conduct of
warfare. But 1t IS "Bobs" that is John
Bulls "white-haired boy" in the army
line at present. Gen. Lord Roberts has
lot only conducted the most difficult
campaigns, but his fertilization Of the
northern frontier of India is acknowl-.
edged by all military men to be mas.
terpiece of work of its kind. When
''Bobs," as the soldiers call him, became
Lord Roberts, the queen made him
Lord Roberts of Kanrahar, = fitting
tribute to that wonderful campaign
which he made to the relief of the be.
leaguered Englishmen in his second AT.
CHAN campaign.
1t would take a volume to tell Of the
campaigns of Roberts in Africa and in
India. He would be the officer sent as
commander in chief of the army in the
field if England should get into war
with any great power. Another officer
Of experience who is thought well of in
the British army is Maj. Gen. B. A.
Combe, and old campaigner with Gen.
Roberts in the Abyssianian expedition
of 1868, and in the Afghan war ten years
later. He is now in command of the
Curragh, big camp Of instruction in
Ireland.
Among the younger officers Of the
British army no one has been lately
making himself SO prominent as Maj
II. II. Kitchener, of the Royal Engi-
neers. a brigadier general in the serv.
ice of the khedive. and sirdar. or com.
mander in chief, of the Anglo-Egyptian
forces now moving up the Nile. Hitch |
ener is brilliant officer, and has lately
received the honor of knightbood. As
yet the Sirdar has had no experience in |
fighting white people, but should Eng
land get into wa there is little doubt
that he would become an important
commander Immediately on account OF
the genius for organization which he
has shown. Sir Redviers Butler, the |
present adjutant general of the British
army, began his military career under |
Lord Wolseley. and has won his way to |
his present high position by brilliant i
war service IN various out-of-the-way |
places and by display of capabilities |
of the first order for command on tie |
battlefield. )
Sir Evelyn Wood is another officer of |
experience. having begun his service |
for the queen when he was a midship- |
mite, serving in a naval brigade in the |
Crimea- He left the navy for the army,
served in the Indian mutiny, Ashantee
war, the Kaffir war and in the Egyp-
tian and khartoum expedition as chief |
of staff TO Lord Wolseley.
But the list of officers in the British |
army who have more or less distin- \
guished themselves is a long one, and ii |
is just possible that in case Of war
between England and one of the great |
powers many of the laurels won in /
India and Africa would fade and wither |
in the fercer light of such q contest |
In looking over the field of the world /