The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-21
YICEROY CURZON RESIGNS.
TO LEAVE INDIA BECAUSE or HIS
CLASH WITH KITCHENER.

Victory for tn, Commander.in. Chief
Trouble started Over Reorganization OF
tho Forces in India -Onered Resigna.
ton Before Lady Curz0n an American.
Special Gable Dsspaieh to THE SUM-
LONDON, Aug. 20.-The long and bitter
quarrel between Viceroy Curzon OF India
and the home government has terminated
In the Viceroy for the second time asking
the Secretary OF State for India to place
his resignation In the hands Of Prime Minis
ter Balfour. This was made public IN
Parliamentary paper dealing with the
administration Of the army in India, which
was issued tonight
Viceroy Curzon's telegram to Brodrick
Is dated Aug. ~ and reads a. follows:
my ability TO act with advantage az
the head Of the Indian Government has
ceased to exist. and beg you again to
place my resignation in the Prime Minister'S
hands"
Under date OF Aug. 10 Premier Balfour
replied as follows:
If after all that has passed you reiterate
your request to be relieved OF your ONCE,
I know not how to combat further wnat
/ take to be a fixed resolve. and have there
fore with the most profound regrets Dom.
municated your wishes to the King
Viceroy Curzon's resignation Is really
Gen. Lord Kitchener's triumph, Tor 1t Is
between these two strong men that the
quarrel has been. When the friction started
the home Government, recognizing that
there were rights on both sides, ARA nged
a scheme for dealing with the Indian army
which was a compromise, but neither
Kitchener nor Curzon is man to be satisfied
with q compromise. One or the other mad
to win out right and Kitchener has proved to
be the victor.
The battle thus terminating has ragged
around the administrative relationship OF
the Viceroy and the Commander -Chel
and the military member Of the Viceroy's
advisory council, which In the Indian Gov
eminent corresponds roughly to the British
Cabinet or Ministry. When Kitchener
had taken over the job OF COMMANDMENT
Chief Of the Indian Army one OF the first
things he ran foul Of was the military mem
Der Of the council, not as an individual,
but as an institution. The Commander in
Chief OF course is subordinate to the Vice.
row and must get his consent in various
matters especially all matters concerned
with the expenditure 81 money.
Kitchener's firstIwork on reaching India
was a thorough reorganization In accord
.nce with his own ideas OF the Indian Army.
He soon chafed under the control Of the
council. As an example, the following In
stances will suffice: !.
On Feb. ?, 1904, he asked for reserve OF
1000 rounds Of ammunition per arm OF small
arms and 1t was not until Dec. " that MS
demand was settled, and 1t was then cut
down to $50 rounds.
Apart from actual instances such as
this i. might only have been expected that
a man Of Kitchener's type couldn't long
brook a system under which the Com
mander inc Chief received Instructions
through an officer Of inferior rank who Is
also entitled to criticize all OF tho Com
mander-in-C Chiefs proposals from mill
tary standpoint. Kitchener soon made
this plain. The system must be altered
or he would resign.
The Home Government then appointed
a committee to consider the question OF
the administration OF the Indian army.
The result OF this was compromise which,
while recognizing Curzons undoubtedly
iustifiable plea that he should not be left
without expert advice on matters involving
a heavy outlay, as a matter OF fact gave
Kitchener practical victory. Curzon them
in June Of this year, offered his resignation
but the Intervention. Of Premier Balfour
resulted in the Vioeroy accepting the COM
promise.
The friction was renewed on the question
OF replacing the military member OF the
council by an Official who was to be called
the military supply member. Gen. Elos,
the last military member Of the council,
was at the end Of his career and resigned
His Office was abolished for the one just
mentioned. Curzon, although objecting,
accented the newly instituted ONCE and
strongly recommended for the first holder
OF the lob a certain Gen. Barrow.
The appointment, Of course, rests ex-
clusively with the Secretary OF State for
India. Barrow, when he was recommended
by cable by the Vioeroy, was on his way to
England on leave Of absence. After he
had been interviewed by the home authori-
ties they rejected the Vioeroy's request for
his appointments. Curzon persisted, and on
Aug. S intimated that II his recommended
ton was not accepted he would resign.
Premier Balfour interviewed, pointing out
to Curzon that the duty Of advising the
Crown as to the choice Of members Of the
council rested solely with the Secretary OF
State, saying:
.No greater violation Of the Constitution
can well be imagined than that this duty
should degenerate into a merely formal
submission to his Majesty OF the views and
recommendations Of the Vioeroys.'
Mr.. Balfour then proceeded to point out
tho fact that as Barrow had no great liking
for the new system which he would have to
administer his appointment wouldn't tend
to its smooth working
This was on Aug. 8, but after further
exchange Of kilograms the Viceroy re-
signed in the words quoted earlier in this
despatch, at the same time acknowledging
the Governments correctness In regard TO
the constitutional point and requesting the
publication OF the correspondence In order
to explain the circumstances leading to his
resignation.
yioeroy Curzon Is the first baron Of Kedles-
ton He was first appointed Vioeroy OF
India in 1880 and was reappointed in 1904.
His wife was Mary Victoria Letter, daughter
| of l.. 2. Letter OF Chicago and Washington.