The Penn's Grove record., 1901-10-25
BUTLER LOSES HIS POST
is Relieved of His Command and
Placed on Half Pay.
RESULT OF HIS RECENT SPEECH

General French, When He Returns From
South Africa, win Command the First
Army Corps-His Selection a Popular
one-Buffer Would Not Resign When
He Had the Opportunity.
London.-Sir Redvers Butler. of the
First Army Corps, has been relieved
OF the command practically In dis.
grace, in consequence of the speech
he made on October 10, after the
luncheon given in his honor by the
Kings Royal Rifles, dealing with his
famous dispatch to General White, in
Ladysmith. He has been placed on
half pay. and General French has
been appointed to succeed him.
In the official announcement the
War Office says that the Commander.
in-Chief, after full consideration of
all the circumstances and the eypla-
nations furnished" recommended that
General Butler be relieved, which has
been done.
The appointment of General French
is to take effect when his services are
no longer required in South Africa"
Pending General French's return
General Hildyard will command In
Aldershot.
General Buffers suppression was
not unexpected, but the manner of 1t
has caused a sensation. 1t is under
stood that the Government endeav-
ored TO break the fall by giving to
hun the option Of resigning, but that
Butler decliled to give way.
The morning papers all express sym-
pathy for the unfortunate ending of
a brilliant career, but they are unanl-
nous that no other course was open
after his indis-reet speech, and they
express the greatest approval of the
selection of General French to succeed
him.
The speech which has caused the
disgrace and downfall of Butler
caused q great sensation all over Eng
land. In 1t he expressed his condem-
nation of the newspaper criticisms of
men who We're doing their best and
risking their lives for the country. He
asserted that nobody junior to him
was fitted to command an army corps
and he challenged the critics to name
one. General Butler said he had been
attacked on account of a telegram
which it was said he had sent order
ing General White to surrender Lady
smith after his (Buller's) attack on
Colenso, oil December Is. 1900, had re-
suited unsuccessfully. General Butler
described his w and General Whites
difficulties at that time. He said that
at that time he prepared a message
telling General White that his (Bul-
ler's) attack had failed and he could
not m1ke another attempt to relieve
him within " nannt1, - +L"-
fighting.
General Butler said he read this
telegram over several times, Gsaying
to himself: That's a mea thing to
send a fellow" but he knew the re-
sponsfbility was his, and that General
White could say. if he surrendered,
that General Butler had advised it.
The same telegram suggested that it
might be necessary to surrender, and
In that case General Butler made
some suggestions as TO what General
White should do and how he should
do it, thinking that it would be cover
lOE u MA NHbil ht bCIitNNt ~ ~ IL
greater difficulties than his own.
The London newspapers were di'
vided in their opinions of Buffers
speech. A majority of them. includ-
ing some that were not hostile to Gen
eral Butler, regarded 1t as an amaZ-
ing blunder, and greatly regretted
that the General did not adhere to his
lately avowed practice not to answer
newspaper criticism. Several papers
declared that his explanation that he
photographed to General White, sug
costing that it might be necessary for
him to surrender and advising what
to do In such a case, actually was In
struction to surrender. and they con
demned him accordingly.