The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-08
By La MARauIsE DE FoNTEN OF.


~ RoBABLY two OF the most extra
- ordinary honors bestowed In
/ connection with the coronation
of King George were the
Lord Methucn and Sir William Nichol-
son.. This is an honor hitherto re-
sarded as restricted TO royal person
ages and TO generals who have COM
ma nded- in chief a victorious army In
the feid II is for services OF this
character that II was granted to Lord
Kitchener. to Lord Grenfell. TO Lord
Roberts. to Lord Wolseley, and to Sir
Evelyn Wood: while Sir George White
received II for his gallant and sue
cesstul defense of Ladysmith. which
had the result OF turning the fortunes
OF the South African War in favor OF
the English.
ISOLATED. not with any Victories. but
only with some OF the most disastrous
defeats OF the Eoer War; while Sir
manded any army in the field. either
victorious or otherwise. his nearest
approach thereto having been when
he was military secretary TO Lord
Boer War He is, however, a particu-
lar chum and crony OF the Minister OF
War. Lord Haldane. who appointed
MN chief OF General STAN: and hrst
mas been the principal factor IN assist
ing Lord fa!dane to reduce England
i,niiitary deienses 10 state OF obso-
lutte chaos. a0ol!sh!ng the old militia
and volunteer forces. which gave a
good account OF the Tyiselves..n the Boer
w ar. and suppiantins them with the
so-ceueo Territorial Army, which in
nu'noers and in training IS In the eyes
OF all military experts, English and
iore!gn. lamentable farce
Sir William has distinguished himself.
moreover, by MS intense animos!,y TO
Lord Kitchener; and IS popularity re-
quarters. Of the responsibility OF Lord
Ha!dane for declining 10 allow Lord
NitcAener any vote In the military
AFFAIRS OF the nation. and FOR deprlv-
IN Keeping with his rank and his re-
cord.
Sir William. like Lord Kitchener.
began his career in the army as q sap
per, That is TO say, as subaltern OF
the Royal Engineers. and his princi-
pal experience OF genera!ship in war.
outside OF that which he has gotten
rom books; ne obtained as principal
headquarters during the war in Man
ehnr!a, where Field Marshal Oyama,
and the other japanese commanders,
are understood 10 have initiated him
he Is very opiniated ana rancorous.
mas, HE so many engineer oficers an
extraordinary belief in the superlor!-
~ OF ms own knowledge to that Of
- DNuS SsAc, cannot UNDERSTAND
why any one should prefer Kitchener
TO himself and defers 10 no one. ex-
cepiins TO Lord Haldane. whose ignor-
anee OF military matters is such that
ne is able TO lead him around by the
nose wherever they are concerned.
In fact. Sir William Nicholson is one
OF the most unpopular officers in the
army IS Tar from being persona grata
with the King and Queen. who have
a very warm spot in their hearts for
Lord Kitchener. and owes his position,
and also now his baton OF field mar
saai. wnoI!y to the favor and good Will
of Lord Haidane.
With regard to Lord Methuen. he
is unlike Sir William. one OF the most
popular soldiers in the British army
although his name was associated with
disaster after disaster in the Boer
War. Indeed, it would be dificult to
md a general who was more persis-
tenuy dogged by misfortune through.
ont the entire South African cam
paiSn, from the time OF the battle OF
Colenso, when his Highland brigade
was almost .annihilated. and the guns
lost until shortly before the close OF
the war. WHOM a body of troops under