The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-11-13

I iidS served nm so well in the field be- fore, and will, no doubt, again, has its
 roots in great obstinacy of character He does not like to admit that anyone else is right, or so exactly right as he
 himself. One story is worth reviving
 in this connection. It is not very new | perhaps, but it is so strikingly illustra-
 tive of this trait that it is worth repeat
 Ing. When he was coming down the | First Cataract on the Nile with Charlie ] Beresford, after the evacuation of the | Soudan, sharp discussion arose as to Which was the proper channel for the
 gunboat to take. Butler advised one
 and Beresford another, but in the end Buffers channel was followed, with per feet success. You see, I was right" | he chuckled exultantly. Not at all,'
 retorted Charlie q knew it was the
 right one myself; I only recommended
 the other because l knew you would op-
 pose whatever I said!" This tendency
 to take up hostile attitude to whatever is said or proposed is so well known in
 Butler that it has rather initiated now
 against the effective preparation of his
 force. Even high officials have hesitated
 to make suggestions that were pregnant
 and useful, fearing that he would op-
 pose them because they were not his
 own. On the other hand, it is certain
 that his selection of Sir Archibald Hun
 ter, as his chief of staff, was at the in-
 stance of another, and the employment
 Of Colonel Brocklehurst as a cavalry
 brlgadier- was accepted by Butler on
 the urgent advice of General French.
 If Butler is -opinionated he has
 some excuse. He is remarkably well
 instructed, we'll equipped with practical
 Knowledge. A man of great mental ac-
 tivity and grip, he likes to master the
 technique and inner working of all sorts
 of subjects Thus he is a first-class
 electrician, and when his house in Bru-
 ton street was wired few years back for the electric light, he surprised the engineers with his knowledge of details. Finance, again, greatly interests him: he has first-rate head for figures, and II he had not taken to arms he would have been a magnate in the city. His astute management of the resources of the Naval and Military club, his favor 1te club, put it on it's present sound foot Ing. He was almost perpetual president of it's committee, and the club cuisine, and especially the club cellar have ever been under his fostering care. Omnis- cience is no doubt role he likes to play, but he can ashuredly hold his own with the experts in many lines. One of his hobbies is agriculture and stock raising. At home, on his own estate at Downe, near Creditor, he is an enthusi- astic farmer, and has very sound judg- nj on, orp nd that peculiar bias of his to believe that all he has is the best possible he all ways stoutly maintains that the pro- ducts of his lands are unrivaled, and, indeed, agricultural shows often bear put this claim, for he is a great prize winner.
 Butler is seen at his best in his own l house, whether at his country place or, | ill lately, in Bruton street and Govern nent House, Aldershot. There's no | 'ign there of his somewhat brusque | lbrupt surface manner, which many | were inclined to call rude. He ia the lindliest and most hospitable of men, md likes nothing better than to well ome his friends, and particularly an i'd friend, to his board. He has no 5reater joy than to make a night of it, alking everything out, past and pres mt and to come, till very late hour n the snug privacy of his study, when
 e lets out freely, not over pipe or ci- ar, for he is no smoker, and of late he 5 very abstemious in fluids As case n point, showing his fondness for sit ing up, he was to be seen and heard cracking" in the Beefsteak club till one last Saturday morning, he very day of his departure. He is, s matter of fact, satisfied with very tile sleep, and has often been heard to eclare that he hates going to bed. trong constitution and great physical nergy are inestimable natural gifts to he camDaigner.
 There are two very different and dis
 met aspects of Buffers personality le stern look, the brief, caustic speech, ne fierce contempt he shows for fools
 ct he will never fuss and storm and 'orry. Quite lately, since he has co'm- landed at Aldershot a great change as come over the drills before the field avs. Butler did not believe in letting is men grow stale by over preparation, ot always to the contentment of his 'thil' &A9 iiS oW II oCPuty l 'al put it, mildly protesting: In the uke of Connaught's time we had too uch rehearsal, now" There are not lough, eh?" retorted Buoller, catch g him up, but quietly insisting on his VII plan. He always has his own way, y hook or crook, sooner or later. Yet ? is withal a very kind hearted man. l nd after he has let off his indignation 5ainst an offender he will certainly Ike the most lenient view of his case. l Then he was adjutant-general of the my some of his immediate subordi- ! ltea found fault with this-to them ,cessive tenderness for mistakes and rong doing. Within his own family rcle Butler altogether unbends he is e life and soul of the talk, and the Il iend and companion of the children, though he has only one of his own. Lady Audrey Butler was previously !. arried, and there are two Misses How d. of whom Sir Redvers is exeedingly s' nd. A great grief recently fell upon Il e Buffers in the death of Lady Aud a y's only son. MT. Howard of the d ing's Royal Rifles, who was carried u by enteric fever in India last sum- y er. It should be noted that the step- n had entered Buffers old corps. for o r Redvers is and always will be, "