Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-27
London Preparing to Receive City
Imperial Volunteers.
ROBERTS and BUTLER COMING
Pathetic Incident Attending the
Death of Sims Reeves.
ARISTOCRAT1C LAW SUIT

LONDON, October 2T-The celebration
upon the occasion of the return to England
of the City of London Imperial Volunteers
has been postponed until Monday on ac-
count of the lateness of the arrival of the
steamship Aurania, which has the troops
on board The vessel cannot dock at South
ampton until late this afternoon. By 1890
o'clock this morning, however. the streets
Of London Were swarming with expectant
crowds, who were ignorant of the postpone
ment.
The announcement of the non-arrival of
the volunteers and the consequent postpone
ment of the pageant great disap-
pointment to many thousands. People from
all parts Of the country are aimlessly
parading the route. The throngs are so
great that business is practically suspended
and traffic disorganized
The preparations here to welcome
on their return to England from South
Africa the few hundred men who con-
stitute the City Imperial Volunteers
have entirely monopolized Engiand's
attention this week, banishing from notice
matters of international import, although
this half a regiment of young Londoners,
brokers, clerks and others, has not per-
formed any very heroic feats, thousands of
people are pouring into London in order to
witness their homecoming and windows
along the line of march have been sold at
prices almost equal to those demanded at
the time of the jubilee procession. In adj
ditton. decorations and fllumnations cost
Ing many thousands of pounds have been
prepared and business and even traffic will
be suspended practically the whole day
when they arrive, and Monday night will
doubtless witness repetition of the Mafe-
king carnival.
1t is pointed out that the intense patriot
ism which all this & 70 Gle
would be better appreciated were the ra-
turning soldiers more representative of the
forces in the field or if there were not hun
dreds of colonial volunteers who have
fought in South Africa walking the streets
of London, unhonored, unnoticed and I'M
cared for. This circumstance has caused
some bitter reflections to be cast on the
mother country by the colonial sections In
London, the justice of which has been &C
knowledged by several liberal-minded or
gans, while the regular army men are not
thusiasm' over the return of the troops
should be secured by small body of volun-
teers which, 1T is freely asserted, cannot
compare with several of the irregular
units.
Receptions to Butler and Roberts.
The next big celebration will probably oc-
cur November TO- when Gen. Butler is due
at Southampton. He will receive the free
dom Of several cities, and will doubtless
iie-rS eiiuiApAoIi pio6ItSS, lHOuSn the re-
ception which will be accorded to Lord Rob-
erts will, of course. eclipse the celebration
which will attend Buffers return to Eng
land. Lord Roberts is expected in Deem
Der. and the same month, a representative
of the Associated Press learns, another dis
tinguished Britisher, Cecil Rhodes, will re-
turn from South Africa, in pursuance of his
determination to adopt a self -obliterating
policy until the war is entirely over 1t is
likely that Mr.. Rhodes homecoming will
be quieter than that of the most fnsgnifi-
cant private of the City Imperial Volun-
teerS.
In the midst Of the preparations for cell
ebrating the return of the victorious SOL
diers. it Is not astonishing that the people
generally fail to realize how extremely
costly and long-drawn out has been the
struggle in South Africa. Statistics care
fully prepared up to date by one of the
largest insurance companies show that, pro-
Portlonately, more British officers were
killed than the Germans lost in the war
with France of 1S7O-71, while the proper
ton of those who succumbed to disease was
three times as great. Among the rank and
ME the Germans had 80 per cent more men
killed, but from disease Great Britain suf-
tered is per cent heavier than the Germans
This increase is of such magnitude that
even the climatic differences fail to account
Tor 1t. 1t Is asserted that had Great Brit
ain put In the field as many troops as Ger
many did against France and had main
tanned proport1onate casualties, her NOR
tally would have reached 20 1863 men,
1t Is asserted that Maj. Goold-Adams: the
British commissioner in Bechuanaland will
be made governor of the Orange river col
ony. Gen. Butler is slated to resume com
mand of Aldershot. Gen. Kitchener, it is
said, will temporarily succeed Lord Roberts
in command of the troops in South Africa.
but will it is further asserted be eventually
replaced by Maj. Gen. Lyttleton, and
Kitchener will then be likely to come home
and assume the duties of adjutant general.
The Death of Sims Reeves,
The death of Sims Reeves on Thursday
last at Worthing removes an idol of the
British public, who. for thirty years.
eclipsed any prima donna of those days
Lengthy obituaries and "reminiscences of
the famous tenor appear on all Sides But
a pathetic feature connected with his death
has quite escaped attention. Reeves caught
a chill few days ago and it developed into
bronchitis But his condition was so i'm
proved Thursday morning that he was not
believed to be in danger. Mrs. Reeves, who
is many years younger than the deceased
tenor, to whom she was married in 1895
after the death Of his first wife, left her
husband In their modest home in Worthing
to sing in London for the benefit Of the sur
viVors Of Balaclava. Just as Mrs. Reeves
commenced singing Kathleen Mavour-
neen telegram was received at the thea