STATESMEN. No. 297.

MAJOR-GENERAL SIR HENRY MARSHMAN HAVELOCK, V.C., C.B., M.P.

THE Havelock family has given many fighting men to its country, and when the famous General Havelock, who had already been warring in the East for over thirty years, led the memorable march to the relief of Lucknow, he was accompanied by his son, then a young man of twenty-seven, and already eleven years a soldier. The son showed himself worthy the name he bore. Twice severely wounded, and many times mentioned in despatches, he received the Victoria Cross for personal gallantry, and when his father died in harness, he remained in India and nobly avenged him. He subsequently served in Canada and in the New Zealand War; in 1866 he was made a C.B., and he now holds the rank of Major-General. All his traditions and all his history seemed to mark him out as destined to take a foremost part in any war where English troops might want a trusted leader with a magic name. But Sir Henry undertook to be a politician as well as a General; being a bold, impetuous man, he adopted the profession of a Liberal, and as such he was returned to Parliament five years ago, only to find a Conservative majority overbearing his own political allies. When the agitation broke out against the redemption of the Treaty engagements which England had contracted towards Turkey, Sir Henry ill-advisedly lent himself to it, and, having stated at a public meeting the course of abstention he deemed it fitting for an officer in the Queen's service to follow in case of a war undertaken in defence of those engagements, he became known as the soldier who couldn't draw his sword. He subsequently repudiated the meaning that had been attached to his words, and claimed that in the event of a war he should be employed. There has been no such war, and the wars in other parts of the world which have since arisen have not led to his being called upon. This is the more to be regretted because he is unquestionably a most gallant soldier and an able leader of men in battle. He has, however, not as yet proved himself a reliable guide in politics.