New-York tribune., 1900-12-31
LORD ROBERTS'S WELCOME.
TO RETURN IN GREATER STATE THAN
MARLBOROUGH OR WELLINGTON.
ROYALTY TO ADD ITS TRIBUTE TO THAT OF
THE MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE
NEW CENTURY.
Copyright: 1900: BY The New-York Tribune.l
TBY CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.l

Copyright: 1900: BY The New-York Tribune.l
[BY CABLE TO THE TR1BUNEI
London. Dec. 81, a. NAT the end of the
year. as at the beginning. a single figure
catches English eyes and fills the stage. Lord
Roberts was then going out to South Africa,
carrying with the hopes and prayers for
deliverance of the Empire from the gravest
danger since Yorktown. and he is now returning
to a grateful country which can never do
enough for him. The arrangements for the re-
ception of the Commander-in-Chief have been
completed by the Court and the War Office, and
it will be stately affair. Royalty will offer its
first welcome at Osborne, and will conduct him
from Paddington to Buckingham Palace through
streets lined by fifteen thousand, troops. No
foreign sovereign could be received with greater
distinction than the veteran Of Cabul and Can
dahar, who accepted the call to duty when his
heart was broken with grief for his only son.
The Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke
of York join in this tribute of the Crown to its
greatest and most loyal servant, and the
luncheon and banquet will be attended by the
most distinguished in the Kingdom. The
country, which loves "Bobs' even as his own
soldiers have loved him. will look on with pride
and affection whether he receives or not
dukedom or an earldom the blue ribbon Of
the Garter. He will be brought from the Soent
to Buckingham Palace in greater state than
either Marlborough after Blenheim or yelling
ton after Waterloo.
1t is expected that Lord Roberts will settle
down to his work at Headquarters after brief
stay with his family in the country. His heart
is in South Africa, where the campaign is still
unfinished. and those who know him best pre-
dict that he will take up his work at and
cooperate heartily with Lord Kitchener, by or
dering reinforcements and equipment requisite
for bringing hostilities to a close The War
Office will be glad to take refuge under the
shadow of his reputation and popularity for it
has exposed itself to criticism in various quar-
ters and society is intriguing against it. Sir
Henry Covile, with the privileged corps behind
him. is crying out for justice and fair play, aud
the spirit of military faction pervades the West
End. Military rnartinets complaining that
nobody's reputation is safe, and certainly the
War Office is careless in the conduct of its
routine business. Colonel Spragge's resigna-
tion for example was bulletined without
planation. and the incorrect inference drawn
that it was connected with measures adopted
for securing the retirement Of Colvile. The War
Office is kept busy correcting mistakes which
are due TO want of forethought by it's Of
hcals.
The close of the ceI.uury wiz be commemorated
tonight by special services at St Pauls Ca
thedral, Westminster Abbey, and nearly all the
churches of the metropolis. Canon Gore will be
the preacher at the Abbey, which is always
crowded when he is in the pulpit. There will be
twentieth century services Tuesday at Can
terbury and st. Paul's, with Archbishop Temple,
Bishop Carpenter, Dean Farrar and Dean Eliot
as preachers, and THE Messiah will be sung
at Albert Hall. The old century will be danced
out and the century danced in at Covent