Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-14

ILLS year. Int dPpstihuS SUN VA Si,IfVpopo,Vo
for this war that has lasted two years and
seven months.
The gains have also been great. 1t has
given Great Britain the whole of South
Africa. richer country than India, per-
haps the richest country in the world. the
future homeland of millions of Engfishmen
and women. 1t proved that despite the
eneryating influences of prolonged peace
the ancient courage which was displayed at
Badajos. at Quatre Bras. at Waterloo and
at Inkerman is still in the hearts OF the
race. There were deeds of yalor in the
Boer war which, In the long annals OF
British heroism from Hastings to the Sou
dan. were unsurpassed. England has lost
thousa nds of brave men, but she has gain
ed the fairest and richest portions of the
land of the. Pharaohs, of Cleopatra and
the Queen of Sheba. None can now dis
pute British sovereignty over the great re-
gion that runs from Cairo to the Cape
The world has been shown that the British
empire Is not bounded by the limits of the
British Isles The war that was to be the
ruin of the mighty empire over which
Queen Victoria ruled has made the empire
of Edward VII the greatest in human his
tory.
Was It Worth the Pricep
1t Is for the historian of the future to say
whether this was worth the price.
Vereeniging, which will probably give its
name to the peace that has just been set
tied, is a thrice celebrated place 1t was
there the war began and 1t Is fitting that
there the war should end. 1t is true that
the first actual fighting was when the Beers
stopped and captured guns ~ the way to
MafekiEg, but at Vereeniging the first act
of hostility was committed. The Beers there
stopped the mail trains to the Cape. and
seized gold to the value of half million
sterling belonging to several mining COM
panies. This act only escaped being brig
andage by being the first act of war The
next important period in the war history of
Vereeniging was on May 81. 1900, when
Roberts crossed the Vaal there and entered
the TranSvaal territory from the orange
River state in the Irresistible march that
carried him on rapidly to the capture OF
Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Lord Kitchener stands high in the esti-
nation of his countrymen, though not In
their affections. Roberts does 1t is safe
to say that but for his indomitable energy
and tact the war might have dragged on
for a long time yet. and the demands upon
the British taxpayer have been more
onerous than they now are. First by his
skillful operations, and next by his nego-
tfationS with the Boer- generals, he has
brought peace.
The British nation will not be slow to
recognize these magnificent efforts by
warding him h&s jsomely. In the ordinary
course of things We will he promoted in the
army. At present he is a lieutenant gen.
eral with the local rank of general, but the
higher honor is certain to be bestowed upon
him. 1t is not given to every commander
to receive the thanks of parliament but
there is not the slightest doubt that the
gratitude of the country will be expressed
in this form,
Then the king will not let the opportunity
pass of showing his appreciation of the
great commander who has brought about
the fitting termination of the tremendous
struggle. 1t is expected he will be made
earl and be given a grant of fifty thous-
and or a hundred thousand pounds.
Kings Derby Day Dinner.
The king will give his usual Derby day
dinner to the members of the Jockey Club
tonight. This will be the first function of
the kind which has taken place in his mai
esty'S reign. as. of course, there was TO
dinner last year, and it will also be the
first gathering of the sort which has been
held in buckingham Palace. George ",
who first began the dinners used to have
them in the banGueting hall of st. James
Palace. while all the time his presen. mai
esty as Prince of Wales gave them the
guests assembled at Marlborough House.
At the last dinner in 1900. two judges were
present, the late Lord Russell of Killowen
and Lord Brampton. On this occasion the
judicial bench will be represented solely
by the latter. asS at present there is no
other sporting judge in the true accepta-
ton of the term. Mr.. Justice Walton, when
at the bar. was standing counsel to the
Jockey Club, but that was his only claim
to be connected with the turf.
No matter how moderate may be the class
of the horses engaged, no matter how fore
gone conclusion the race may appear
there is always Il buzz of excitement around
the country when Derby day draws near
and there are always circumstances of
special interest in connection with the race
which men discuss excitedly, whether they
be SpOrtSmen who follow the ms and outs
of racing, from Lincoln to Manchester, or
men who love good horse and whose ira
ditlOns lead then once in the year to re-
gard the silks and satins of the turf with a
friendly and interested eye
With the present Derby many incidents
of peculiar interest are connected. In the
first place, it is ten years since a mare
was fayorite. That was La Fleche about
whose chance eager hackers took eleven to
ten. and whose defeat by Sir Hugo was one
of those extra ordinary circumstances which
cannot be accounted for by any conceive
able theory. The race looked as much a
foregone conclusion for her as for Sceptre
this year, and had the race been run over
again she would undoubtedly have won
But she was beaten and there was an end
of the matter. Then Sceptre comes with
classic hon0rs to the post as did Shotover
twenty years ago. but her record Is bet
ter than Shotoyer's. for while the latter
was beaten neck in the One Thousand
Guineas. Scpetre's victory in that race was
Won by consummate ease.
London Full of Visitors.
London is particularly bright as present
and full of visitors from everywhere, and
Hyde Park a sight to be seen. A distin-
SulSHeu foreign writer after a day spent
in Rotten Row described horses and wo-
men as "the two products most reffnedly
capricious and most superiority cultured of
English civilization" 1t was scarcely per-
haps gracious juxtaposition yet its ac-
curacy. not even excepting the capricious-
ness. could not be denied by any one who
walked from Hyde Park corner to the pow
der magazine on Saturday afternoon All
the way between these two points-in car
riages, on horseback. and on foot-there
was a crowd who quite justified the for
eigners criticism. Generations of good
living and a sheltered life were apparent
in the physique of the young women.
Up till l o'clock the scene was a most
one The carriages stood two
ieep along the broad avenue leading from
the magazine out of the park. and on the
inner track there was a constantly moving
crowd exchanging polite. subdued greetings
as they passed to the rendezvous
There was a notable gathering of ladies'
on horseback. who cantering about unre-
STRANGELY. gave an added piquancy and pic
turesaueness to the scene Young girl rid
ers were numerous-slim but muscular
beauties with fair. golden hair 6oufpe, fooso