The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-28
INFORMATION FOR TIE BRITISH
SECRETARY OF WAR.

SECRETARY Oh w hlA.
When sir. Alfred Austin was made Poet
I.apraate of Great Britain there were not
rou, who complained that Mr.. -Rudyard
f<inI;nr was obviously the proper person
for that position. He was the poet OIL lhe
En,pire. the poet of the tWnlte Man
Hurden.'' the poet of the British Tag, me
narrator of the glores OF the British +No-
,nin;strat:on in India, and the idolized Ia'-
.o, Saint of all those who believe that the
mission of Great Britain is to give the
privilege of paying taxes to the Brush
Empire. or being shot by a Maxim gun to
every heather that is not at present already
under the beneficent administration of some
foreign Power. And those who took this
view of Mr. Iipliag's power ard majesty
we're not without wisdom. They saw his
possibilities. and they desired to see his
IDEAS furthered.
Mr.. Kipling has recently bezn out to
so,th Africa, and has there sought 10 en-
soar himself vet further to his followers,
and. we think, with propriety, by showing
the imbecility and weakness that chaEac-
,erizes 100 much of the British Administra-
t;o, IN matters military. His last story,
..,rbe Outsider is literally alive with the
troubles that the British army has had TO
contend with. and Will continue TO contend
with until new system is in use lie de-
scrbes the meeting in this story oi a
Young British lieutenant, who devoted
himself with no thought Of wrong. to get
ring as much as possible out of the richest
and easiest life the world has yet MADE.
and TO despis:ng the olts:der-the man pc
ycnd his circle.
This young lieutenant, with the calmness
that comes ony from the most blessed
Ignorance, went out TO South Africa and
came in contact with certain private
Thrupp. who had served in every capacl'y
In the big mines in the Rand. Now, Fri
vate Thrupp was a man who knew how TO
do things. and Lieutenant Seton was
man whose ideas of life and morality were
bounded by the narrow views of his own
class beside which The prejudices OF
Chinese Mandarin appear broad-minded.
And yet this young officer was one VINO
was Incapable OF lie or a mean action;
only as Mr.. kipling says. his lack OF
imagination was only eQuailed by his stu
,endous lack OF curiosity" Now, these two
opposite types came into contact, and the
result vas not to the benefit OF Lieutenant
Seton. But the moral of the story is for
those who believe in Great Britain's i'm
perialistic schemes-that to accomplish
difficult end YOU must have the proper
tools. and the men who officer the British
army, as q whole, despite their bravery
and their earnestness in regard TO their
duty as they see i, represent in a large de-
gree the ant:quated notions that possessed
the Chinese soldiers when they marched
out to fight the Japanese. wearing on their
breasts white discs inscribed Il am brave
which the japanese used as a target at two
thousand yards range with amazing and
startling accuracy.
1t was pointed out to US early last March
by an American general, who is an old
Indian fighter. that the British army would
have to eXpend a huge amount of blood
and money to conquer the Beers unless
their officers learned some of the simple
rules OF initiative and ability 10 handle
conditions that are not explained in text
books, which have always characterized
the United States army on the frontier.
And if there is any one fact that the war
between the States brought out it was the
marvellous ability of the American people
to adapt themselves 10 unforeseen condi-
tons.
Great Britain may probably learn that
Lord Palmerston was wrong in his belief
that the army officers should be paid moth
ms, because. said he. you can get all that
sou want 10 serve without compensation.
They Will find out that their army will
have to be made fighting machine, and not
social club, a calling for men OF intellect
and ability, and not the private preserve
OF the nobility and few rich families.
Mr.. kipling's story is not artisI.cally OF
much value. and il seems TO show falling
Oft in his ability as great writer, but
for d clear statement of the situation as
/. is it VIII do more TO bring out the weak
ness OF tbs army TO the War Department
than many blue books and reports from
generals at the front.