New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-07
Kitchener First Fought
as French Private in 10
Later He Entered the British Army Lieutenant-fis
Rise to Power Was Due Solely to His Great
Military Ability.

, capital Of the Soudan was on the back
of Putting Billy" Steam, he saw, waP
the only possible means Of enabling hin
to rise superior TO the immense impedi
ments OF the desert which had defiet
the most persistent efforts Of all pre-.
vious invaders-steam and military
science of the most advanced kind.
Like the professional engineer that
he was, his method Of attack on the
stronghold Of Mahdism was by zigzae
and parallel, and he may be said to have
literally Slapped his way up the Valley
of the Nile from Cairo, or at least from
Korosko to Khartoum. He struck his
first parallel at Firket, his second al
Dongola and his third at the Athara-
taking about year to advance from
one position to another Then, collect
ing all his strength and starting up out
of his advanced trenches, he made 0
final dash for the strongholds OF
Mahdism, only to be encountered by all
the armed strength Of the Khalifa
which had suddenly made it's appear
ance on the glacis Of that fortress at
Omdurman.
The Avenging of Gordon.
How the battle of Omdurman was
fought and won is still remembered by
all; and perhaps it is safe to say that
no prouder or more pathetic moment
was ever experienced by any man than
By Kitchener when at last he stood on
the steps Of the ruined palace where
Gordon had sealed his devotion to his
country with his blood-stood there
surrounded by representatives OF all
the units Of his avenging host-British,
Egyptian and Soudanese-and gave the
order for the hosting Of the Union
Jack and the Khedivss flag on the
ruined wall.
Little wonder that, on his return 10
England, this foremost hghting man
and empire maker was received with an
immense outburst OF popular enthu-
siasm and heaped with every kind OF
honor; that he was banqueted in the
city and lauded equally by the chiefs
of both political parties, by Lord Sails
bury and Lord Rosebery, that he was
made peer and lieutenant general,
and Governor General Of the Soudan,
and presented with a grant Of 700
for his own private use apart from the
100000 and more which the public
readily subscribed at his suggestion for
the purpose Of founding a Gordon Me-
mortal College at Khartoum, to which
the railway would also be soon ex-
tended. Never had any campaign OF
such duration and magnitude been con-
Quoted so cheaply. 1t had cost less
than two and a half millions, includ-
ing 760 miles of railway, which re-
NAMED a very valuable asset
The Conqueror of South Africa.
Lord Kitchener was chief OF staff to
Lord Roberts in the South African war,
and on Lord Roberts's return to Eng
land in November, 1900, succeeded him
as commander In chief in that field.
By constructing a vast chain of block
houses he stopped the Boer raids
and virtually ended -he war in South
Africa. This added 70 his popularity
and prestige at home, and he was re-
warded by the title of viscount, pro-
motion to the rank Of general for dis
tlnguished services, the thanks OF the
Parliament and a grant OF S250,000.
Immediately after the peace Kitch-
ener went to India as commander in
chief Of the British forces there, and
in this position, which he held for seven
years, he carried out not only many
far reaching administrative reforms,
but complete reorganization and
strategical redistribution of the Brit
ish and native forces. On leaving India
in 1909 he was promoted field marshal
and appointed commander in chief and
high commissioner In the Mediterra-
mean, and later on took tour OF in
spection Of the forces OF the entire
empire, drawing up q scheme of de-
fence of the overseas dominions.
He then returned 10 Egypt, the scene
of his first triumph, in the capacity of
British agent and Consul General in
Cairo-virtually governor general
ship of Egypt--and led in the economi-
cal development of the country, build
ing new roads and irrigation projects
on q large scale.
In the World War.
At the beginning of the present war
he was called TO succeed Lord Haldane
as Secretary of War, and in that place
he organized the largest volunteer
army the world has ever seen, in the
greatest war OF all times. Within a
year from the sudden outbreak of the
European war in August, 1914, the
ranks OF British fighting men were
quadrupled by an increase from less
than 100000 to nearly 100000.
By mere luck. Kitchener happened TO
be in England on one Of the compare
lively rare visits that he had paid to
London during his long career abroad
when the European war broke out. He
had Just come home from service as
British agent In Egypt, had accepted an
earldom from King George, and was be-
ing talked OF as Viceroy of India. With
In a few hours Kitchener was appointed
Secretary of State for War, and imme-
diately took full charge at the War
Office. where he worked day and night
20 overcome the handicap which the
Central Powers had over England In the
matter of fighting strength.
He grimly told the British people
they had bigger war on their hands
than they realized, and one that might
last longer than they expected, but it
was 10 be faced with entire confidence,
and he, unsmiing, almost like de-
humanized machine, set about TO make
things hum. He had scarcely moved
into Whitehall Street when he made nu-
merous charges in the personnel Of the
War Office, which was said to be honey
combed with social and political IA
After dIspatching a few hundred
thousand regulars to France and Bel
GUM TO help check the onrushing Ger
mans, the War Secretary began recruit