New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-07
News of the Disaster
Withheld for a Time

Iondon. June earl Kitchener met
death at moment which VIII insure
his nosition in British history. He was
almost the only member of the govern
ment who from the beginning conn
IDENTIFY asserted that this would he y
long war-his lowest estimate wnS
three years-and he insisted that tho
government should make it's plans nc
cordingly.
The organization OF the enorT Gus
new British army is well under way.
The General staff, under General Sir
William Robertson's direction, accord
inC 10 the belief has well in hand tho
task of working out the details which
Kitchener's brain was largely instru-
mental in planning and launching.
The official news was greater SUI
prise than 70 would otherwise have
been. because no one knew that EaH
Kitchener had left England. 4 me-
mortal service will be held in 81. Paufs.
Kitchener was the one outstanding
personality whom the people talked OF
and believed IN as great man, not
withstanding newspaper attacks, which
at a former period Of the war threat
ened TO undermine his popularity and
the public confidence in him.
The telegram from Admiral Sir John
Jellicoe. commander of the fleet, giving
the bare facts, was received at the Ad-
miralty about IL o'clock in the morn
ing. The first official announcement
was issued at about 1:30 in the after
noon. Such news, however, cannot be
kept entirely secret even for an hour.
Before noon rumors were spreading,
and the telephones in the newspaper
81. ~.
ious TO know whether this--one Of the
many reports circulating in these days
Of tension-had any foundation. They
were told there was nothing in II.
When the official announcement
finally was issued the fact spread about
London some time before the news
papers could get into the streets. There
was a crowd about the Stock Exchange
which required police reserves to deal
with it, The police told every one TO
move on, that there was no truth in
the reports.
At the same time another mass Of
people was assembling about the gov
eminent Offices in Whitehall. All the
windows Of the War Office had the cur
tsins lowered. That confirmed the ru-
NOR beyond doubt. Other crowds
gathered around the newspaper Offices.
When the boys came out with an arm
full of extras the people fell on them
and fought for the papers.
The English undoubtedly ere stoical
people. and have taken the good and
the bad tidings of the war as they
came with an absence of emotion sur
prsing TO outsiders. But no one could
have walked the London streets to-day
without perceiving that something
which the common people took as
calamity had befalen them.
The Foreign Office was saddened by
the loss of one Of its most valued
Hugh James O'Beirne, while
Sir Frederick Donaldson and Brigadier
General EllCrshaw. of the Ministry of
were known to be men whom
the nation could little afford to lose.
The fact that the cruiser Hampshire,
with between two hundred and three
hundred men, had sunk was accepted as
an unfortunate detail in these days,
when a thousand go under almost as
an incident Of warfare, and the Cana
dians' battle gets scanty column in
the newspapers.
No one in the city received a greater
shock than did Earl Kitchener's sister,
Mrs. Parker. She was engaged this
morning in a stall in Caledonian Mar
ket. where a bazaar was being held for
war charities, and had for sale auto
graphed photographs of her famous
brother. One of these photographs,
which had been In the possession Of
Queen Mary, was offered at auction
and brought 500
Business on the Stock Exchange was
suspended when the news Of Earl
Kitchener's death was received. The
members stood idly about the floor,
discussing the nations loss. The mar
ket had been firm all day on the Rus
sian report Of the victorious Inaugural
ton Of an offensive movement and
closed subdued. although there was no
business 20 test prices.