New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-08


Town correspondent of The Daily Telegraph
At Seymour a small town in the Eastern Prov
ince. there resides Mr.. Smit who has two sons
serving with forces as vounteers-one at Mod
der River and the other the lines of commune
cation. third last heard of at Bloem-
fonten. The sixth and youngest boy has reached
the martial age of fourteen, and three weeks ago
he besought permission of his father and mother
TO go also to the front. II was. of course.
fused Within the last few days the father has
ceived letter addressed his youngest son.
Douglas Laing Smit. 1t from Lord Roberts.
1t appears that when the parents refused to allow
their son to become warrior at fourteen. he adj
dressed an artess letter the Field Marshal, "a
this effect:
I want to go and fight, fourteen years
and use your influence with them to let go
Lord Roberts did write. and this his reply:
Army Headquarters.
- Cape Town. February 8. 1900.
sir: I have received your letter of January 80
While appreciate very fully the spirit of loyalty
which has led you offer your services at the
present Juncture. l regret cannot comply with
as Is to thai the a wishes
they permit you to bear arms for your country,
that shall hear you have Joined Her Majesty's
With my best wishes for your future career be-
ROBERTS. F NJ
This was in the Generals own handwriting. Small
OF all who come in contact with him.
A woman visiting in Cape Town writes to The
Morning POST:
I Went to see the Canadian contingent. who
very mt; They were burning with the desire to
to have borne the sea well as the great change
Of the temperature-2o degrees below zero, the
Canadian winter, to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, South
African summer have just seen off by train the
poort, to take up their respective commands one
OF the great features OF this Is the way every
duke son or cooks son Here may be seen Prince
cred With dust and one knife and fork for savores
and sweets alike. The same with the young Duke
OF Roxburghe. Then, again, there Is the Hon.
Maurice Clifford, who says he could not stay away
R ona hinge f be notst ao Mcn Of am an Tesqg Is
from all quarters OF the globe filling every corner
just arrived
THE Daily News correspondent at Colenso after
witnessing General Buffers various attempts to
reach Ladysmth and writing when the final effort
was on the verge of success, says:
To who has not accompanied British army
on a campaign for a considerable time past the
superiority of the rank and file of the present day
more reliable than they used to be, speaking gen
ments. There is something very admirable about
Tommy" There is a delightful simplicity about
him. OF course he grumbies-he could never get
without that, and his language is shocking; but
discipline is splendid and his indifference danger
is admirable. There is nothing boastful about him.
knowing that he has done anything out Of the
delightful indifference. He does worry
himself in the least when going into action with
thoughts of being killed or wounded-it's all in the
days work.
Winston Churchills description in 1.-The Morning
| Post Of how during the final advance to Lady
smith, he across his wounded brother is in
| teresting He says
or other. when I noticed my younger brother
whose keen desire to take some part in the public
quarrel had led me. in spite of misgvlngs, to pro
his tronn AS apnroacbed ~ saw him start in the
| l
| him at once whether he was hurt. and he said
| something-he thought it must be bullet-had hit
| him the gaiter and numbed his leg He was
c9I rs6 sure bi II IsG NOT g f9d % baS xnectsd
| that he shot through the leg. The wound was
month in hospital. 1t was his baptism of fire, and
have since wondered at the strange caprice which
| protects another time after time. But ! saw that
I synpathized with my brother in his misfortune
| which he mourned bitterly; since it prevented him
| I confess myself well content that this young
man should be honorably out of harms way for a
month.
Mr.. Churchill adds amusing incident Of Gen.
eral Hart whose personal recklessness has been
| one of the features OF General Buffers campaign
1t the first day at spion Kop and. writes Mr.
| Churchill:
behind a rock and a long way behind the firing
GOOD afternoon my man ne said in his most
nervous, apologize voice; what are you doing
Sir" replied the soldier AN officer told &c
stop here. sir"
Pm a third class shot, sir"
ton mat an aWIui Ply because you see you
and mournful procession trailed of toward the
most advanced skirmishers
THE "sLIM" FREE sT4TER's FLAG.
From The Pail Mall Gazette.
The Free Staters have got their folk tc
boil down of their flags until hardly a bit OF