The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-06-06

Office could keep its guns. His message
wishes myself" As a consequence, the
guns he asked for were forwarded with
out delay.
The Kitchener campaign that ended
with the reca pture OF Khartum was con
sidered by military experts as perfectly
organized and faultlessly conducted. The
Egyptian army that Kitchener had
worked up to such remarkable efficiency
was, when he first took charge of it, a
band of unpaid, unfed and undermined
Ifellaheen. II was said TO be an army
without stomach, bart or backbone,
but Kitchener worked over these helpless
reeds of broken natives and made of
them some Of the finest of black bat
talions.
The fight at 0mdurman, Sept. ?, 1898,
just across the Nile from Khartum, was
the greatest battle of Kitchener's time in
Egypt. osman Digna faced him with
10000 Mahdists, while he had but 10000
men. When the battle was over 1900
of the Mahdists had been killed outright,
Is, 900 wounded and 1000 taken prison
ers, while the English and Egyptian loss
altogether was under 500 men.
With the capture of Khartum, capital
OF the Sudan, which meant the re.estab-
lishment of British possession OF these
upper reaches of the Nile, Kitchener be-
came the object of hero worship in Eng
land. His campaign had been, and is to
this day, much criticized, however, be-
cause of its ruthlessness. 1t was charged
40, 1nJ l. 10
almost barbarous manner. On his return
TO England however, he was generous
enough to ask his countrymen to found
college at Khsrtum, wherein the sons of
the deryish chiefs he had fought and
overwhelmed might be educated in the
knowledge of the West, request that
met with such response among the Brit
ish people that the fund required was far
over subscribed.
Becomes Peer.
For his triumphs in the Sudan he was !
raised to the peerage as Baron Kitchener
of Khartum and received the thanks OF |
Parliament and grant OF Sl50,000. |
Shortly afterward he was promoted lieu |
tenant general and then chief of staff TO |
Lord Roberts in the South African war, |
and on Lord Roberts return to England /
in November 1900. succeeded him as com
in chief in that field. BY con
structing a 3,500-mile chain Of block
houses he stopped the Boer raids and
virtually ended the war in South Africa.
This added TO his popularity and prestige \
At home and he was rewarded by the
title Of viscount, promotion to the rank
Of general for distinguished services, the
thanks of the Parliament and grant OF
s250,0OO.
Immediately after the peace General
Kitchener went to India as commander
n-chief of the British forces there. and
n this position, which he held for seven
ears. he carried out not only many far
eaching administrative reforms but a
omplete reorganization and strategical
redistribution Of the British and native
orces. On leaving India in 1909 he was
promoted field marshal and appointed
commander -in.chief and high commits
Toner in the Mediterranean. and later on
ook tour of inspection of the forces of
he entire empire, drawing up scheme
+ defense of the overseas dominions.
He then returned to Egypt. the scene
Z his first triumph, in the capacity of
british agent and consul general in Cairo
virtually governor generalship of