The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-16
Hero of South African War
Loses III Clash With kitch-
ener Over Campaign in West
HIS ARMY HAS LOST
HEAVILY---GAINED LITTLE
Will However Be Commanders
in-Chief of All Forces Sta
toned in the United King
dom-Made Viscount

London, Dec. i5.---1lie follow
ing announcement was made to-
night by the official pres bureau:
The war office announces that
t.eneraI Sir Douglas Haig has
been appointed to succeed Field
Marshal Sir John FrencI, in COM
mand of the army in France and
Flanders.
Since the commencement oil
the war. during over sixteen
months of severe and intFSsanf
strain Field Marshal Sir John
irenci, has most ably commando
cd our armies in Francs and
Flanders, and has now at hts own
instance reIinqDishcd that COM
mnad.
His Majesty's Government,
with full approximation Of and
gratitude for the conspicuous SER
vIct, which Sir John French has
rendered the country AT tho front.
have with the Kings approval.
requested him to accept appoint
nscnt as field marshal, commands
ing In chief. the troops stationed
In the United Kingdom. SIR John
French has accepted that ap-
pointment.
His Majesty, the King. has
been pleased to confer upon SIR
John French the dignity Of Wis
count of the United Kingdom
A Notable Career.
Sir John French has been n, British
soldier-hero since February, 1900.
when he led a force OF cavalry acrura
a wateriess tract in South Africa te
the relief of Kimnerly--an operation
which saved the British armies an
enormous military embarrassment and
proved to be the turning point in the
Boer War
From the conclusion of that epi-
sode he rose by leaps ana bounds to
the highest rank in the British army,
that of a field marshal. He had cnc-
mics, political enemies but fog the
most part he had friends. He Is tho
kind Of man who makes friends;
When the Europeans war began there
were but two names in the minds Of
the British public-lsitch ener and
French Kitchener went 10 the WAY
Office in supreme command of pretty
nearly everything connected with the
war; French went 10 Flanders with
handful of British soldiers 10 tmrn
back the boundiess tide OF The Ger-
man invasion.
Nothing outside of the withdraw wal
from office OF Earl Kitchener could
have been q greater sensation in the
British conduct of The war than the
withdrawal Of Field Marshal Sir john,
French. II is an open declaration
that the British government believes
better things could have been done
with the British forces In Flanders
and France II Is next To miIitar!
disgrace for Sir John French himself,
1t Is an admission of failure that the
Germans will not fail to make the
most OF.
Butt of .Attnck Mt Home
Almost from the moment Sir John
French arrived in Flanders he haa
been the butt OF political attack -
England. and to some extent In
France. II may be said TO his de-
Tense. however. that he was from the
very outset the leader of hopeless
campaign.
cient force of British troops aoaia
abreast of the Germans on line. fuD-
ming roughly from Coade, on the west
through Mons and Blanche, Oh ! Az
east when retreat was anavoidahlt.
Today that retreat is known ~. tna
British retreat from Mons s8
Whether or not sir John FruHcss
was to blame for that first great Bril-
ism reverse in the European war. liz
has trsserr blamed. But the attarks
upon MIN did not become serious Hstsls
the Br~ish offensive. some time later
at Neuve Chappelle. In that operates,
the British threw all OF their strength
aud gained practically nothing. Bnt
their losses were enormous. " lie tsJs
known whether Sir John French ws*
responsible for the attack or not. In
any event. ne received the entire
blame His political enemies mass
the most If IT, and for a ttnis ~
English newspapers were filled viii,
criticisms Of him.
Breach With Kitchener
As the smoke % that episode si.sssrst1
away 1t became apparent i'll numbers
less ways that breach had occurred
between the British Secretary OF WAe
Carl Kite hener, and the British conts
lnander On the eontir~nt, Sir Joint
French. sSs
The losses a, Neuve chappalie wex9
serious for Sir John French. and ri
was the consequent inactivity sof H.
British forces. But these thinxa ui1
not work so much against him 49, III
Ihe results and character Of this 6rttS
sh offensive In Artois. inst S4nteEpNE
In that operation the Nrttt1&
some ground. but they ut +
numbers and what IT.