BRITISH BARBARIANS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 28 August 1901, Page 4

BRITISH BARBARIANS.

The idea that British soldiers aro so many barbarians in uniform was not originally the outcome of Duich imagination or a child of puliical venom in <ireai Britain. The fantastic idea hold currency during the soige of Barcelona, in the esghbemh century, and only the honorable conduct of the Earl of Petersborough who led the British Holdiers, killed the superstition. When the Earl and the Governor of Barcelona wery parleying at the gates, the foreign soldiers under D'Armstadt burst into the town. The outraged Governor loaded the Earl of Petersborough with i execration, accusing him of perfidy in allowing his soldiers to comrnitt " rapine, murder, and every kind of violence " while the captitulation of the town was under discussion. Petersborough was furious. "You do injustice to the English, " SMid no ; bun Hermit me to enter tho town with my soldiers, and I will m-tantly repress the outrages, and return to tha gate to finish the capitulafiou. " The request, earnesily made, was granted, and the British general, entering the town, drove the pillaging

foreigners out, made thorn leave their booty, sent his soldiers outside tho ramparts, roturned to tho Governor, and received tho capitulation of Barcelona without exacting conditions other than those originally suggested. The Spaniards were amazed at the British soldiers' conduct, and understood from experience that they were not the barbarians which had been tho prevalent belief.