The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-21
BY LA MARQUIsE DE FONTENOy.
- ENERAL SIR ROBERT BADEN
POWELL. who is now in New
YORK, after a prolonged visit to

ENERAL SIR ROBERT BADEN
4 POWELL. who is now in New
NJ York after prolonged visit to
Canada, in connection with the
organization there of Dominion
branch of the Boy Scout movement.
which he founded in England, and
who has been consulted by those on
this side Of the border interested in
the promotion of an analogous body in
the United States. Is most gifted
man and the best of company. 1t was
as mimic, as a comic songster and
as an improviser that he first won the
good will, not only OF his fellow-ofii-
GERS but also of his superiors. as a
subaltern in the Thirteenth Hussars
in 1876
The story goes that at his first mess
dinner he was commanded to sing a
Song, with the idea of subjecting him
which falls to the share of every
youngster on joining his regiment. II
was expected that he would make the
same somewhat pitiable exhibition as
the others; for young English officers
are. as a rule, somewhat Shy and diff
dent. Instead OF that. he asked per-
mission to accompany himself on the
piano and treated his hearers to such
performance that they kept him at ! t
for an hour and treated him to round
peals of laughter. While, of course.
this did not actually win him promo
tion, still it had the effect of obtaining
for him one staff appointment alter
the other. with the opportunity Of
earning all sorts of distinction, notably
in South Africa, where he was The
commander and hero Of the defense
of Matching.
The general is man of great iniria-
tive end resource which he showed,
by the by, IN organizing the defense
OF Matching; and when afterwards ap-I
nOintpHt inSnprfpl'- general pIValrN
of the British army, inaugurated n
reform so sensible that it attracted at
tention abroad. Until he put 1t into
force, cavalry recruits, on joining
riding, in the riding schools which not
only did much to dishearten them and
thereby retarded their training, but
which quite frequently broke their
| spirit, Baden-Powell abolished this
method lie arranged that the recruit
| was to be introduced TO his horse
under comfortable conditions calcu-
lated TO inspire confidence, and that
his powers as a rider should be de-
| veloped gradually. Under his plan the
/ quiet mount to rideabout as he pleases,
! With or without a saddle. He is all
lowed to familiarize himself with the
| animal before any serious riding takes
| hdence, but also a liking for and in
/ terest IN his work Afterwards the
\ polishing work takes place In the rid
4 ing school But it has been shorn of
/. most OF the brutality and roughness
by which it was formerly character
/ lied and which was foolishly regarded
i by the oAd-fashioned riding master as
/ Indispensable to proper instruction.
| OF course, an officer With SO much
originality and Initiative as Baden
Powell could not but fall foul OF the
/ cabal at the war office, which is re-
| sponsible for the shelving of many ex-
I celent and brilliant officers, such as
/ the Duke Of Connaught, and for the
/ exclusion of such man as Lord
Kitchener from any voice in the mill-
! tarY affairs of the nation. lie was
| subjected to all sorts of neglect and
/ afronts and when his Boy Scout
/ movement began TO assume not merely
| rational but even imperial Importance
/ since II has been taken up both In
| Canada and in Australia, every meana
| Was taken by the war office ring "a
! discourage and obstruct ii. II was on
I this account that he was led TO retlrt
| from the service, with the rank OF
! OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES receiving only thel
| the knishthocd which he ought &c
1 have had years previously.
The Master of Polwarth. who Is now
lin this country TO attend the Inter
, national Prison Congress- at Washing
/ ron, rs The eldest son OF Lord Pol
/ Wnrth and as such the future chief Of
one Of the Oldest houses OF Scotland