Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-08
HEROES OF THE WAR.
Of Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener
-Spion kop Aftermath.

4 correspondence OF Inc Associated PreSSb
| London. Feb. IA little grey-headed
man with a very compact, well-knit fig
| ure and resolute look and very keen
eyes. That is the hero of the hour, Lord
Roberts. the victor of kandahar the
| Paardeberg as he is described by Charles
f. Hands, writing from Cape Town to the
| Daily Mail. The same correspondent con-
tinues:
Everywhere I seem to come across
him. and wherever he happens to be. peo-
| pie turn around and look at him as he
passes and hurry back for another look,
| forget to cheer. And wherever he goes,
with his alert step and his grave. strong
| look, confident purpose and resolution
seem to spread around He looks
| thoughtful; everything he does seems 50
thoughtful. so well considered, part Of a
| definite scheme.
II get a glimpse of him alone in big
office room. 1t is very small matter to
him which | want to put before him, |
am thinking. But he does not seem to
| think so. To him no detail seems unim-
portant lie considers il rapidly, but
thoughtfuhy. gives decision and rea-
son for it, and then, that subject ans
a subject that is very close to the heart
of every Daily Mail writer and every
Daily Mail reader, too.
| Lord Roberts is the man with the
plan, the man who knows what he is go
| ing TO do. and Is taking every step ncccs-
sary to do it. And the coionists. who
| were StltlIS very dUAlDuS. are, Sliltt llt
has been among them. fuller Of cnthusi-
asm than ever, and that quetcr, more
| resolute. more real enthusiasm, ANA see
| how they are volunteering to him. 4
dozen bodies Of irregular colonial horse
are being raised; many as are wanted
can be raised. Business at last. Real
| business.
IL seek to get glimpse Of the general
manager OF this great business under
| taking at his work. | am told to be there
at 10 minutes past .. arrive at min
I ,tta * M ma
J when Il door is opened ana my name i
called. | 90 into "A long room in which
/ are several desks like the desks in thc
| managers office of great railway com
! pany, and at each desk, bending over
piles of papers, sits a high officer. And
at the end of the room. at a table which
| commands a view OF all the rest OF the
! room and all the other desks. sits big.
dark. stern man with a heavy mOustache.
/ intent upon papers. Before he looks up
! | have time to note the telephones ANA
| neatness and orderlineSs of the arrange
ment Of the table. When he does look
up he keeps his finger on the paper in
| front OF him, marking the place where
| he left off.
Il begin to tel what | have to say. He
| looks at me with very keen. bright. grey
! blue eyes, and before | have said 10 words
he seems to know all the rest including
| that which had planned artfully to lead
! up to. In 10 words he says what lie has
! to say. He asks me about something
! which he wishes to know. hears what |
! have to say, remarks that he is very
/ busy, and before | have quite realized
| that | have shaken hands and said good
morning. he is bending down again over
| his papers. deep in calculation at the
! point where he left off.
! Lord kitchener-for it is he's en-
gagged. 50 they ten me. in reorganizinS
| the transport service.
The head manager has brought his
| substitute managers along with him. just
! as Sir Thomas Upton or Sir Weetman
| Pearson or any other would do if he had
big. new scheme to carry out: Busl-
ncss-big busneSS-likc business.
The aftermath of Spion kop brings out
| countless criticisms from correspondents
at the front. Bennett Burleigh, in the
| Daily Telegraph writes:
You can rely upon il that no one more
| than Gen. Butler deploreS that mistake
| which led to the foolish evacuation OF
that Key Of the Boer position When n
ed by the single, part pontoon. part tres
tie bridge until everybody was got, safely
| across The day, previous. he had crlti-
the left: and been repeatedly under hrc
of the snipers. Indeed, at least one of
the generals and several of his staff had
to get him to retire behind cover as they
himself"
The Globes correspondent is particu-
knows he writes. who gave the order
to retreat: the whole business is mex
plicable. We met staff officer on the
he knew nothing of the order but pre-
sumcd we had better continue on our
road And 50 ended a l1-hours fight. We
gave the enemy victory. The whole or
Warrens division had retired. Call 1t
what you like. it is sad and deplorahle
business; there is no explanation; on one
was more surprised at orr action than
the Beers themselves: indeed. their off
GERS openly expressed their surprise to
our doctors.
The same correspondent relates this
grueSome incident which includes S"ri-
Gus insinuatinn against the Beers: The
colonial Imperial Light Infantry went
into action upon Spion kop at \. NJ. and
remained upon the mountain until II.
NJ. out Of so men they had % killed and
80 wounded Most Of these volunteers
were Uitlandcrs ana at least six Of them,
whose hCdicS were afterwards discovered,
had been dubbed to death by the Beers.
Two of those slaughtered in that way,
Corporal Weldon ana Private Daddon,
were eX-Prctoria men.