The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-08-25
Lord Kitchener.
Atlanta Journal.


command. The government forth
with made him secretary of state for
war, and in that capacity he now
guards his country's fortune. Wheth-
er Kitchener be the greatest British
soldier since Wellington, as many as
sert, he is undoubtedly one of the
most stalwart and gifted. Lord
Roseberry once referred to him as
"Our great patient General" title
by which he was ever afterwards re-
membered and which seems to ex-
press most happily the distinctive
qualities of his genius.
Some sixteen years ago, after his
memorable victory in Egypt, when he
was raised to the peerage and given
the thanks of Parliament, he was de-
scribed by George w. Stecvons, the
noted war correspondent, as standing
Several inches over six feet, straight
as a lance, and looking out imper-
iously above most mems heads"
His motions are deliberate and
strong" the writer continued; "slen-
der but firmly knit, he seems built
for tireless, steclwirc endurance.
rather than for power and agility.
Steady, passionless eyes, shaded by
decisive brows; brick-red rather full
cheeks, a long mustache beneath
which you divine the immovable
mouth; his face is harsh, and neither
appeals for affection, nor stirs dis
like" But all these features,
neither age, nor figure nor face. nor
ing on the essential commander"
Then followed this peculiarly strik-
ing touch to the portrait: "You
would imagine the character just the
same, if all the eX:ernals were diff
ferent. He has no age but the prime
of life, no body but one to carry his
mind, no face but one to keep his
brain behind. The brain and the will
are the essence and the whole of the
mana brain and VIII so perfect in
their workings that, in the face of
the EXTREMIST difficulty, they have
never seemed to know what struggle
Is"
Horatto Herbert Kitchener was
born in Ireland at Bally Longford,
County Kerry, in June, 1850, the son
of Lieutenant Colonel II. II. Kitche-
-ner. After completing the courses
in the Royal Military Academy at
Woolwick, he was made second lieu
tenant of the Royal Engineers, and
in 1871 was designated to surveys
in Palestine and Cyprus. In 1885,
having been promoted to the rank Of
captain, he was trap sferred to the
Egyptian army, which was then be-
ing trained and upbuilt by British
officers. II was the nthat he gave
token of his genius ana began the
career that was to mount slowly but
steadily to fame. Having been at
tached to the staff of the British eX-
peditionary force on the Nile, he set
about with characteristic energy and
method to learn the country and the
people with whom he had to deal.
A writer in The New York Times re-
lates that he studied and mastered
the Arabic speech and, "disguising
himself as an Arab, mixed freely
with the natives" His passion for
work and his command of detail, the
same observer adds, learned for him
the recognition of Sir Evelyn Wood
and Lord Wolscley, who wee at the
head Of the British army in Egypt;
he proved the grasp Gnd foresight of
Egyptians and boldly grappled with
the problems of protecting Egypt
from the wild tribes"
Early in the eighteen-nineties, he
was made commander in chief of the
Egyptian army, and began his his
toric labor, first of conquest and then
of construction, in the Sudan. Here
he proved the grasp and foresight of
his administrative talent. His prob
lem was largely that of establishing
order and civilization in half saw
age region. Year after year he
pressed forward across the Sudanese
desert, steadily building railroad
in the wake of his military victories
until in September, 1898, by the cap
ture of Khartum, he completely over
came the wild tribesmen and secured
English and Egyptian rule. Sir
Henry pbell-Branncrman charac-
terized this achievement as "consti-
tuting one Of the most brilliant pages
in the history of British arms"
A year later, when he was COVER
nor general of the Sudan, Kitchener
was appointed chief of STAFF to Lord
Roberts in the Boer war. In the en-
suing campaign, he was of valuable
service in facilitating the British
march across the yeldts. During
the duties connected with the main
tenance OF the lines of communica-
tion with Care Colony" historian
writes, "he was in frequent contact
with Boer contingents, and on one
occasion narrowly escaped capture at
the hands of General De Wet, whom
he defeated toward the end OF the
year" Upon Lord Roberts return
to England in 1900, Kitchener as
sumed chief command, and continued
the war against the Beers until sat
isfactory terms of peace were made
in 1902.
Some months later he was appoint
ed commander in chief of India, a
post which he held for seven years
and at which he accomplished far
reaching reforms Interestingly