Evening star., 1900-05-26
Reception of the Naval Reserve That
Served at Ladysmitb.
DISPATCHES CAUSE MORE TROUBLE
The British Army is Lucky in the
Matter of Weather.
P1CTU RES AND EOPLE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

VII anu JOlHeu the CTOWuS IN Wildly CneST-
ing the volunteers coming home from Cuba.
worn. weary and emaciated set of men.
have l witnessed such sight as was pre-
sented on Monday here in London when the
300 men from the cruiser Powerful who
were at Ladysmth, marched through the
town dragging their khaki painted long
gun and Maxims behind them. The excite
ment was great and millions turned out to
see the naval heroes.
Hosts of people thronged the approaches
to Victoria station, awaiting the mems ar
rival. Victoria street, leading from the sta
ton to Westminster Abbey, was interlaced
from end to end with flags and friendly
greetings. Soon after 1890 the brigade ar
| rived. Captain Lambton mounted chest
nut horse. with blue and gold trappings,
and headed his gallant men down the
street. They went through another bonn
ly, and the shots were cheers. Even sailors
could not cheer with a better heart.
"A great crowd awaited the sailors on the
Horse Guards parade Guests of the ad-
miralty thronged the special stands. Every
window and every roof was full of sight
seers. and the wide space on the park side
was black with multitudes of admirers of
Jack Tar.
Dtstinguished Spectators.
Some very distinguished visitors mingled
with the crowd. The Duke of Cambridge
took a modest seat at the corner of the
stand. watched the review through his field
glasses and burst into bluff exclama tions
OF pleasure about the smart bearing of the
men, Beside him was small boy, who was
very anxious to see the Prince of Wales
There he comes!" said the duke and he
gave the little boy an excellent position in
Hamilton sat close by. and Mr. Goschen
bustled about. seeing to the comfort Of his
guests. But to mention all the notable per-
sons present would be a hopeless task
They had come to see, not to be SEEN 1t
was the Handy Mans day.
The ground was kept behind by solid
square Of guardsmen. Behind them the
sun glinted on the helmets and breastplates
OF the Household Cavalry and made the
state trumpeter shine like gold. Mounted
officers galloped about; staff officers on
foot saw that the last arrangements were
completed There was hustle at the
gates, curious look by the crowd and
then cheer which must have made some
sick hearts warm.
A batch Of wounded men from the Pow
erful-one hobbling on crutches-crossed
the square to good place which had been
saved for them near the saluting base
A Splendid Spectacle.
A clash Of brass, and the brigade swung
neither tall nor stout, marching with q
snap and spring that excited general ad-
miration. Before the cheers had died down
they piled arms and trooped off to the
Admiralty for refreshments. They return
ed at the run and were in position again
before the crowds, accustomed to the stiff
precision Of the military, quite knew what
was happening. Then came a wait. the
sailors standing in line in the middle, and
the soldiers in line all around-an effective
contrast in red and blue, with the sun
upon it all. and the bands inspiring senti-
1t was splendid day. dear to the cock
ney heart, for spectacles in London are
few.
After the review by the Prince of Wales
the men marched on through the city,
where famous welcome awaited them
1t Is safe to say that the sailors will never
forget their reception in the capital
Those Famous Dispatches.
There can be no war, suppose, without
the characters and ability of commanders
suffering. 1t was so in our war with Spain
and 1t is true Of England today. The whole
country Is aroused over the censures of
Lord Roberts on Generals Butler and War
rem and the debate in parliament on the
subject was full Of bitterness
The debate would have killed a ministry
which had not large and servile majority.
don't think an attack has ever been made
on government In parliament on a seri-
Gus question in which the defense was so
poor and feeble. There was, in fact hut
one defense to the action of the govern
ment In publishing these dispatches. This
was that 1t was their duty to tell the
whole truth and nothing but the truth AT
all costs. This was a defense which would
have been understood and appreciated
but IT was not open to the government to
put 1t forward. They have not told the
whole truth about Magersfontein. and If
discretionary power is to be exercised,
they have lamentably failed in the Spion
Kop dispatches.
In some quarters 1t is believed that the
secretary for war cannot long survive the
debate last night. There is good reason for
saying that the issue of the dispatches was
Lord LansdoWne's special blunder and the
irritation against him on the ministerial
side of the house is profound His col
leagues have thrown their mantle over him
on the present OCCASION but the impression
Is steadily growing that he has neither the
strength nor the judgment required in a
secretary for war at the present critical
period.
The South African Climate
The significant words in one of Lord Rob-
erts' latest dispatches climate perfec-
tion' have reminded some critics of the fact
that rarely if ever has a general in su-
preme command been in a position to use
anything like them. 1t has usually been
quite the other way. Often in the PENN
sular war, from the time of the winter
march to Corunna onward the weather
was as latal TO British soldiers as the bull
lets of the French Then Napoleon marched
to Russia in the early summer of 1872, for
getful that the Russian winter would over
take him before he left the country In
the Crimea no British general in the win
ter campaign of 1876 had occasion to
say a good word for the climate from the
date of the November storm onward, and
two years ago the climate of Cuba In sum-
mer was one Of the reasons why the Span
iards hoped that our army would have to
fight an enemy more deadly than the Span
ish guns. OF course 1t must be remem-
bered that winter Is coming in South At
rica, and In that high table land the frosts
can be very severe. though winter there,
unlike the winter in Great Britain, is the
dry season.
Pictures and People.
The academy this year is an average one,
but crowds go just the same. There is no
crowd like a well-dressed one for pushing
The private view was hotter. fuller and
more irritating than ever. At 10 o'clock
there was quite q crowd waiting for the
doors to open, and as I drove up I OBJ
served "belted earl" elbowing an extra
ordinary looking individual in a velveteen
suit with lace collar. When we had
managed to fight our way upstairs we
found very much the same exhibition as
usual. Ones friends looked surprised If
one asked for the pictures. where they
were and who was exhibiting. Evidently 1t